Our Story
"Work ended, life changed, and we had to build a new plan from scratch."
Why FossilWorks Exists
FossilWorks began after losing work and realizing how quickly the “normal path” can disappear. Retirement can arrive without purpose. Layoffs, unemployment, and career disruption can hit late—right when you expected stability. When that happens, a lot of people aren’t looking for hype—they’re looking for something practical and real.
This site is our journey. We share what we’re doing to rebuild purpose and income—what works, what doesn’t, what costs more than expected, and what we’d do differently next time. No promises. No timelines. Just real progress (and real setbacks) in public. And we try to keep it human: we want to have fun and enjoy the journey while we rebuild.
What We’re Building
We’re building two things at the same time: real places people can visit, and the online engine that helps fund them. Both matter. One does not work without the other.
Real-World Projects
A café — a real place with real customers.
A pantry — cooking and selling what we make.
A camping ground — simple, low-impact stays.
A day retreat — quiet time, views, and space.
Social Media & Marketing
We’re also building our online presence—YouTube, social media, and marketing—because this journey has to be funded. We share what we try, what grows, and what we learn about turning attention into support and real-world customer visits.
AI, Software, and Systems
We use AI extensively in day-to-day planning and decision-making. We’re also developing our own software and systems with AI support to help run the projects and the online work. We share our AI journey honestly—what helps, what doesn’t, and what we learn as we go.
How We Fund the Journey
We’re aiming for a mix of support so we’re not relying on a single source:
Membership (Hosted on Substack)
Membership is the simplest way to support the journey. Members get deeper detail than we publish publicly: what we did, why we did it, what it cost, and what we learned the hard way. This is not a course or coaching—just our “here’s what we did” record, so you can reuse what helps.
Social Media Revenue
We document the journey on YouTube and across social platforms. Over time, those platforms can support the project through platform programs and opportunities that come with audience growth. We share what we try and what actually moves the needle.
Local Customers
The café and pantry are real local businesses. We share the marketing we try to bring in customers—and what actually works. The same approach will apply to camping and day-retreat visitors.
Direct Community Tips
Platforms like Ko-fi allow optional support—helping us keep moving while keeping the public journey free to follow.
What This Is (and Is Not)
We are not teachers or gurus. This is not a course. We do not offer coaching or financial advice. We share our journey in plain language so others rebuilding after retirement, layoffs, unemployment, or career disruption can use what’s useful.
No hype. No timelines. No guarantees.