SEAN TINER

Our first international trip as a family of five. Grand Cayman gave us a reminder we probably all need more often — slow down, stay present, and enjoy the season you’re in. Between the beach, pool days, friendly culture, and simple family moments, the trip wasn’t about doing everything. It was about being together. The older I get, the more I realize these are the moments that matter most.

It feels like the consumer AI race is accelerating almost weekly. I recently came across a strong market overview from Andreessen Horowitz (a16z) that breaks down how major AI platforms performed following several large product launches throughout last year. One of the more interesting themes was how quickly momentum can shift. New features, model improvements, and product integrations are rapidly influencing adoption patterns across both consumers and businesses. A few observations that stood out to me: Google Gemini appears to be gaining meaningful momentum, signaling increasing competition across the AI landscape. OpenAI continues to maintain impressive scale with ChatGPT, reinforcing how quickly the platform has become part of everyday workflows for millions of people. The pace of innovation feels unlike almost any technology shift we’ve seen in recent years. What I find most interesting isn’t necessarily which platform “wins,” but how AI is beginning to reshape how ...

There’s something about camping near the ocean that slows everything down. This past weekend, I took my older kids camping at Crystal Cove State Park — just a few minutes from our backyard, yet it felt worlds away from the pace of everyday life. No packed schedule. No major plans. Just sunsets, bikes, dirt paths, campfire, and time together. As life gets busier — work, calendars, responsibilities, notifications — I’ve realized more and more that some of the most meaningful moments are often the simplest ones. This trip was a reminder that “home” isn’t always tied to four walls. Sometimes it’s a campsite overlooking the ocean, a sunset bike ride, or hearing your kids laugh while exploring somewhere new. Those are the moments that stick with you. And honestly, they go by fast.

  Every year, a handful of books leave a lasting impact on how I think about work, family, money, creativity, and life. Some books arrive at the perfect time. Others hit differently when revisited years later. These five stood out for me over the past year — two I first read over a decade ago and three that were new additions to my shelf. Zero to One One of the biggest reminders from this book is the importance of leverage and asymmetric outcomes. A small number of decisions, investments, relationships, or ideas often create the majority of long-term results. It reinforced the idea that creating something unique matters more than simply competing harder. The Let Them Theory A simple concept, yet surprisingly powerful. The book challenged me to spend less energy trying to control external opinions, outcomes, or behaviors — and more energy focusing on what I can actually control: my mindset, actions, and response. That shift alone can create a lot more calm. Building the Bri...

As the year comes to a close, I’m especially grateful to work alongside such a talented and thoughtful team at Essex Property Trust . By continuing to enhance the customer journey, it’s been rewarding to see what we can accomplish together. Just as meaningful has been the time spent giving back and volunteering in the communities where our residents live and work. It’s been a fun, fulfilling year. Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season. 

  As of November 2025 , AI intelligence benchmarks show ChatGPT leading overall model performance, with continued gains across reasoning and real-world use cases. As the technology evolves, so do the ways people discover and engage with information. For marketers, this has accelerated the need to focus on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) —structuring content so it’s clear, authoritative, and easily surfaced by large language models, alongside traditional SEO. While Google still dominates search with approximately 13.7 billion searches per day , ChatGPT is now processing over 2.5 billion daily searches , outpacing Bing and signaling a meaningful shift in user behavior. This moment represents a first-mover advantage . I’m excited to be implementing strategies that help organizations adapt early—positioning their content to excel, remain visible, and exceed expectations as AI-driven discovery continues to evolve.