Chaplain TIG

Late night conversations
about things that matter.

AI, automation, storytelling, and building something that outlasts you. A personal site by TIG Heaslet... part of the Quietly Working Universe.

From Duct Tape to Rocket Ship Read the Blog

"It ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flying is?... Love. You can learn all the math in the 'verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as the turning of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens. Makes her a home."
— Mal, Firefly / Serenity

March 25, 2013

I died.

Hole in heart • All blood gone • 7 minutes

I shouldn't be here... but I am. And that changes everything.

Original Interview by CBS

On March 25th, 2013 I died... hole in heart, all blood gone, 7 minutes... I shouldn't be here.

Eye on the Community · June 8, 2014

Read the transcript →

🌵

My Life in 10 Seconds

Born with a congenital heart defect
Grew up in hospitals... learned to love people there
Married the most extraordinary woman on the planet
Built things... broke things... built them again
Died on March 25, 2013... came back
Now building something that outlasts me

🌹

Who Am I

Servant of God
Husband to one
Father to three
Papa to two
Friend to many

🌳

Core Operating Principles

Love folks like they've never been loved before
Do the right thing, even when nobody is watching
Build things that matter
Leave every person and place better than you found them
Stay curious... stay humble
Protect the vulnerable
Finish what you start

🌿

My Life's Mission

Help young people discover their purpose
Empower them with the tools and community to build it
Create legacy that outlasts any one person

My Weaknesses

I believe in leading with honesty... so here's the honest part. I have short-term memory challenges from the NDE. I'm afraid of heights (ironic for someone who builds big things). I overcommit because I see potential everywhere. And my desk is never clean.

If you work with me, you'll encounter all of these. I'm not hiding them... I'm naming them.

Explore by Realm

Every color is a breadcrumb. Follow the one that calls to you.

Spirit Mystery, depth, the unseen Mind Clarity, insight, the signature glow Body Warmth, groundedness Relationships Connection, heart, vulnerability Money Growth, sustainability Recreation Energy, play, joy Work Systems, craft, operations Charity Generosity, service, impact Core Values Foundation, principles Purpose Legacy, meaning, the long view

What People Say

Don't take my word for it... take theirs.

"TIG has an incredible ability to see what's possible and then actually build it. He doesn't just dream... he executes."

Stephanie Courtillier Nonprofit Partner

"Working with TIG changed my perspective on what technology could do for our organization. He made the complex feel accessible."

Isaac Gutierrez Community Leader

"TIG's passion for helping young people is infectious. He creates spaces where they can fail safely and grow tremendously."

Adam Fay Education Partner

"I've never met anyone who combines technical depth with genuine human warmth the way TIG does. He builds tools with soul."

Paul Banagas Business Colleague

"TIG speaks from a place of real experience... not theory. When he talks about resilience, you can feel the weight behind every word."

Natalie Essman Event Organizer

"He is one of the most authentic humans I've ever encountered. What you see is what you get... and what you get is extraordinary."

Elaine Ly Professional Colleague

🎤

I used to tell these stories on stages all over the world...

And I'm ready to do it again.

Keynotes, panels, workshops, firesides... if you have an audience that cares about resilience, purpose, building things that matter, or leveraging technology for good... let's talk.

Spirit

Coming Back from Everything

The NDE, rebuilding identity, and what you learn when you lose it all

Work

Building Resilient Organizations

How small nonprofits and businesses can build systems that outlast their founders

Purpose

Youth Empowerment & Purpose Discovery

Helping young people find their lane... and giving them tools to build in it

Mind

AI for Good

Practical automation for organizations who want to do more with less... without losing their soul

Core Values

The WHELHO Framework

A values-based operating system for living an integrated life

Let's Talk About Your Event

Available for in-person and virtual events worldwide

🌱

My big dream is to build a self-sustaining ecosystem of hope and empowerment before I die.

My Big Dream Before I Die - a 2016 conceptual diagram showing the ecosystem vision

The original napkin sketch... 2016

"Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years."

2035 Target: 100% financial self-sufficiency

A nonprofit that funds itself entirely through the products it builds and the programs it runs... no grants, no galas, no begging. Just good work that pays for itself while training the next generation of builders.

Thank you to everyone who has helped us get where we are.

The Journey So Far

1978

Born with a heart defect

Started life in hospitals... learned to love people there

2003

Started Quietly Working

A web design business that became something much bigger

2013

The NDE

Died. Came back. Everything changed.

2016

The Dream Sketch

Drew the blueprint for a self-sustaining ecosystem of hope

2020

QWF Becomes a 501(c)(3)

The Quietly Working Foundation gets its official nonprofit status

2024

Missing Pixel Launches

Youth training program... teaching the next generation to build

2025

The AI Backoffice

Agentic automation makes a 1-person team operate like 10

2035

100% Self-Sufficient

The goal... a nonprofit that funds itself entirely through its own products

Series

Built from Broken

What happens when you try to build a nonprofit backoffice with AI? Everything breaks. Then you write about it.

Vol. 1

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