Day: October 19, 2025

• When I hit 40, I started to question some things, including where my family was living.
• I wanted to give my kids a chance to grow up in a place where they could spend more time outdoors.
• Seven years later, our kids are still thriving. Moving was one of the best decisions we’ve made.

It sounds so cliché, but when I hit 40, I went through a bit of a midlife crisis. Not the kind that involves fancy cars or affairs or plastic surgery. The kind where you suddenly realize your life is half over and you look around and ask, “Is this really what I want my life to look like? Or is this just where life has taken me?”

At the time, my husband and I were both at crossroads in our careers. Our oldest son was upper elementary and we were thinking about where we wanted our kids to experience the difficult teenage years we had ahead of us. And my dad, who lived four hours away and had congestive heart failure, was declining.

We started thinking about moving back to my hometown. Something my 18-year-old self would be horrified to hear had even crossed my mind. But I’ve learned that the things you look for in a place to live are different when you’re 40 years old with three kids.

We loved where we were, but saw the possibility of something different

We lived in a wonderful suburban area of the biggest city in North Carolina, with all the best amenities and opportunities life had to offer. We loved our neighborhood, our friends, our school. By many measurements, it was an idyllic place to live. But besides the tug to be close to my parents, there was also the possibility that where we would go might be even more idyllic.

My parents had a little cabin on a small lake in the country about 20 minutes outside my hometown, where my siblings and I grew up barefoot and feral in the summers. They hadn’t used it much since we all left home and my husband and I started dreaming about renovating it so we could live there full time.

I was excited by the chance to give my kids the same memories I had of lightning bugs, waterskiing, spitting watermelon seeds, and catching frogs.

There were some concerns about the move

The idea of a slower pace and wide open spaces was appealing, but we were a bit concerned about the schools. We would be leaving one of the best schools in North Carolina to go to a rural area that we knew offered fewer resources and where the schools ranked much lower when compared to others in the state.

We reminded ourselves that test scores don’t tell the whole story and decided the lifestyle change would be worth taking a chance. After all, there are some things you can’t learn in a classroom.

We were also concerned about leaving the great restaurants and things to do in the big city we had called home for 18 years. And we didn’t know what to expect when it came to the small town everybody-knows-everybody’s-business thing. There were lots of question marks, but we decided to try it for a few years and if we hated it, we told ourselves we could always move back.

It turned out to be the best decision we’ve ever made

We’re now seven years in and we’re never moving back. The lake life has been even better than I imagined. The kids spend so much more time outside swimming, fishing, tubing, riding bikes, playing tennis, basketball, and soccer, catching frogs, building forts in the woods, waterskiing, wakeboarding, and kayaking. In how many other places can you kayak to your best friend’s house?

The school thing has worked out great. Our kids have thrived as big fish in a small pond, and we think they’ve actually had a better experience not being in such a competitive school environment.

We have missed the restaurants, I’m not going to lie. And we miss our friends, but we’ve built a new community that we love.

And our kids got to experience living close to my parents the last five years of my dad’s life. Even if all those other things hadn’t turned out as great as they did, that alone would have made the move worth it.

• Elliot Schoenfeld and Jennifer Johnson lived on a boat for a year to travel and save money.
• They didn’t have much boating experience before starting their journey, but learned a lot by doing.
• They spent roughly $40,000 during a year of travel, but there were a few tradeoffs.

This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Elliot Schoenfeld and Jennifer Johnson, both 33, who lived on a boat for a year while traveling the Great American Loop. The two are now living in a van traveling the country. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Elliot: Six months prior to us buying our boat, I don’t think we would’ve said that we were going to live on a boat or buy a boat — it wasn’t in the cards. The reason why it was an option was because of COVID.

We were traveling full-time when COVID hit. We were in India and locked down for five months. We were planning to travel for a year, and we thought we’d figure out a way to travel longer and safer.

We were tossing up different ideas for when we got back to the States: Do we want to do an RV thing, or build out a van, or try sailing? We were honestly 50-50 on sailing, and we decided to just try the boating thing now and then try the van thing later.

Jen: I think that relationships have a yin and a yang to them. Elliot is more of the risky person, and I’m much more the risk-averse person.

So Elliot was like, “Let’s do a boat.” And I’m like, “Whoa, whoa, whoa. We don’t know how to boat. Let’s hold on here.”

We have to be responsible for this thing, we have to make sure we get from place to place, we have to take care of this engine, we have to make sure we don’t drown or sink — there’s so much to do.

Elliot: We wanted to stay somewhat inland and we wanted to see if we liked it. That’s how we narrowed down the boat we bought and the loop, because it was mostly protected waters, which allowed us to learn a lot about boating. We didn’t know anything other than one sailing course.

Did we have a lifelong ambition to live on a boat? Probably not. But doing it now, we know boating has got to be part of our long-term plans in life, because it changed us in a lot of different ways.

We learned almost everything on the fly

Jen: There’s that personal growth and that individual growth, but then there’s also the growth of trusting each other in a relationship, too.

At the beginning, Elliot didn’t know what he was doing, and I didn’t know what I was doing. I can’t put my trust in anyone because you don’t know what you’re doing either. We’re just Frick and Frack out here. So it was very nerve-racking.

But as Elliot grew to become much more of a seasoned and experienced captain, I was able to put my trust in him.

Not that I would say that I’m ready to go sail around the world, but by the end of it, I felt like I would be ready to take the next step and to maybe go to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.

Elliot: The first 90 days on the trip, it was like every single day there was something big that we learned.

Jen: It was drinking from a fire hose.

Elliot: With the loop, you get to experience almost every single thing, with respect to boating, besides a big ocean crossing. You get rivers, you do get ocean, you get locks, you get sand in Florida, you get rocks in Canada, you kind of get a taste of everything.

Jen: It just keeps you on your toes because you’re in so many of these environments for only a few months at a time before you’re into another environment, and then you’re like, OK, what am I learning now? It’s constant learning and learning and learning.

Elliot: We were not nautical people before this journey. I like to be in the water and swim, but my family never had a boat growing up or anything like that. So I don’t think there is any exclusion to doing it. But there are a lot of trade-offs, so you have to be OK with the trade-offs so you can live more frugally like we did.

You have anxiety with weather — that rules your life on a boat. In a house, you don’t worry about that storm that’s coming through. Unless it’s a big storm like a hurricane, you’re not that concerned. Your sewage system’s going to work, your lights are probably going to stay on.

In a boat, none of that is guaranteed. So some of your time is going to be spent planning for the weather, making sure you’re in a safe location.

Jen: Putting ourselves into the deep end and learning all of these new things, that was really fun. A lot of fun. It was hard, but it was definitely worth it.

For the most part, our life was cheaper on the boat than on land

Elliot: We moved every other day, on average, and it took 11 months.

Our boat moved about seven miles an hour, and if you do eight hours of boating, that’s almost 60 miles. So you have to always move. But slow traveling is part of the fun. I think at the end we had done over 10,000 miles.

In one year, we spent just over $40,000, which we thought was super reasonable. At first glance, you’re like, “It’s a 40-something-thousand-dollar vacation.” But those were our yearly expenses. Imagine living in an apartment or having a mortgage and car payments, and stuff like that. That’s extremely comparable. It’s probably extremely low when you think about it like that.

But, I’m of the mentality that everything costs something: it’s either time or money. So on a boat, you save the money, but you spend more time.

Jen: In van life, our grocery bill is a little bit cheaper because we’re able to go to Costco, and that was not really something that we did on the boat at all.

You’re limited in food — at least in our experience. We limited ourselves to the nearest grocery store while living on the boat, so that wasn’t always the most budget-friendly grocery stores. It was just the most convenient.

But the other side of the coin would be if you were to go to a more budget-friendly grocery store, you would either have to potentially get an Uber or a Lyft, or other people might’ve had bikes. But our grocery bill is slightly less now.

Elliot: If you like that and you don’t mind things in life taking longer, then I would definitely say it’s a great way to save money and live. That’s the only reason why we were able to do the trip at all is because it was cheaper. We didn’t come with a bunch of money saved up for this trip. We knew that we had to do it as budget as possible and then also live as budget as possible. And we were able to do that. And that’s only possible just because of the lifestyle.

Jen: In my opinion, if someone wants to have a break from their typical, traditional land life, it’s a great option. It does come with setbacks or challenges, like Elliot mentioned, but do we think it’s worth it? Yes.

Elliot: One month in the boat life, we were like, “Get us off this boat. It’s not for us. It’s not easy. Nothing’s working out.” Three months into boat life, “Let’s get off the boat. It’s too hard. We’re in over our heads.” But then, slowly after the time we’ve spent really trying to hone our crafts, we began to love it. And now we love it.

• HR executive Dave Greenlaw plans to attend a SHRM conference featuring Robby Starbuck this month.
• Greenlaw said HR leaders must understand diverse perspectives, even if uncomfortable.
• SHRM faces backlash for hosting Starbuck, but Greenlaw said he values exposure to varied views.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Dave Greenlaw, a human resources executive in Washington, D.C., about why he plans to attend an HR conference later this month where conservative activist Robby Starbuck — a vocal critic of corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives — is scheduled to speak.

The event is being organized by the world’s largest HR association, the Society for Human Resource Management. SHRM is facing backlash over the matter, with some HR pros saying they are canceling their membership. Greenlaw, who has worked in HR for nearly 17 years and has been a member of SHRM for about four years, explained why he won’t be following suit.

This interview has been edited for space and clarity.

I completely disagree with Robby Starbuck’s views. But my personal take is that HR leaders need to understand the full landscape of the workforce and the workplace, even when it might be uncomfortable.

There are so many factors that go into a productive workplace, different political beliefs and walks of life. Whether it’s your sexuality, the color of your skin, your religion, whatever, I think it’s really important to have that full perspective, particularly as an HR professional, because you’re dealing with so much.

SHRM historically has hosted speakers across the political spectrum, such as former Presidents Joe Biden, George Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton, and I think that’s a good thing. It goes back to HR leaders needing to understand the full landscape, even when they might disagree with these people or their policies.

What I think is valuable about this particular talk with Starbuck is that he is going to be on a panel with [lawyer and media personality] Van Jones that will be moderated by SHRM’s CEO, Johnny C. Taylor, and they’re both people of color. And Starbuck’s views on DEI and LGBTQ issues — even though I personally find them abhorrent — he’s a voice that I think might resonate with a certain populist out there, and it’s important not to silence voices, even when you don’t agree with them.

Even though Starbuck might say some terrible things, I think it’s so important to acknowledge it and be prepared. What if you’re an HR professional and all of a sudden you’re handling something internally, and there’s a disagreement with two people who are speaking about politics or DEI?

Hearing Taylor, Starbuck, and Jones could give you perspective on the matter, and you can bring it back to your place of employment. A million things could come out of this conversation. It’s also important to acknowledge why people are upset about this. A lot of people feel like Starbuck doesn’t have a lot to add to the conversation because of certain things he’s already said. And I get that, too, and I understand the anger and frustration around it. But I think I see more of a broader, bigger picture.

I am a gay man, and I know the things that Starbuck has said are almost damaging to some of the members of my community. But you have to think of the bigger picture. Not everyone in the world is gay. Not everyone identifies and believes what I do. And when you’re an HR professional, that is what you really have to keep in mind.

If I’m always using my beliefs to make decisions on things — particularly when I’m an employer or an HR person — that’s not necessarily fair to the other individual, and I don’t think it’s necessarily appropriate. So I think it’s important to hear these perspectives, have different types of temperament, and work with different voices.

• The Walmart heirs’ combined estimated net worth is nearly $440 billion.
• All three of Sam Walton’s surviving children have made it well into the $100 billion club.
• In public, the Waltons live relatively modest lifestyles despite their wealth.

All three of Walmart founder Sam Walton’s surviving children are solidly in the $100 billion club thanks to their significant holdings of the retail giant’s stock.

Walmart’s share price has surged in 2025, up 19% as of mid-October. The strong performance comes as the retailer reached e-commerce profitability, leaned into automation, and navigated a trade war. The company also expanded its partnership with OpenAI and will soon allow people to shop for Walmart products through ChatGPT.

The combined wealth of the Walmart heirs — which includes founder Sam Walton’s children, Rob, Jim, and Alice, as well as his grandson Lukas — is nearly $440 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index as of October 16.

Together, they’re significantly ahead of some of the top high-net-worth individuals on the list, such as Jeff Bezos, Larry Ellison, or Mark Zuckerberg. Elon Musk currently tops the list with $452 billion.

While some of the heirs have worked in the family business, serving on the company board or working to manage the family’s wealth, others have chosen to pursue areas of personal passion.

Ahead of his death, Sam Walton, the original man behind the company that now encompasses both Walmart and Sam’s Club, set his family up for financial success when he divided the ownership.

Last year, the Walton children expanded voting control to their own offspring, giving eight of Sam’s grandchildren a say in the family holdings.

Sam Walton wasn’t a man of flashy luxury, but you can see how his children are living a slightly more lavish life now. Here’s a look at how the Walton family empire spends its money: 

Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store in Rogers, Arkansas, in 1962.

As he grew his retail empire, Walton, an experienced pilot, would often fly in unannounced to check in on a particular store location.

He married Helen Robson on Valentine’s Day in 1942.

Together, they had four children: Rob, John, Jim, and Alice.

By the time Sam died in 1992, he had set up the company ownership in a way that minimized the estate taxes anyone on the receiving end would have to pay.

Source: Fortune

He set up his ownership of Walmart’s stock in a family partnership.

Each of his children held 20% of Walton Enterprises, while he and Helen each held 10%. Helen inherited Sam’s 10% tax-free when he died.

Samuel Robson “Rob” Walton is the oldest Walton child. He is 80 years old.

Rob Walton’s net worth is $131 billion, according to Bloomberg.

He served as chairman of Walmart from 1992 until 2015 and remained on the board until last year.

Rob retired from Walmart’s board at the end of his term in 2024.

Rob made a splash in 2022 by leading an ownership group to buy the Denver Broncos.

The group purchased the NFL team for $4.65 billion in the summer of 2022, a record-breaking sale at the time.

Rob has purchased a house in Paradise Valley, Arizona, near the base of Camelback Mountain.

In the past, protesters have rallied outside his Arizona home to advocate for increased wages and added benefits for Walmart workers.

Besides real estate, Rob has a large collection of vintage cars.

In 2013, he ran his Daytona Coupe, which was worth $15 million at the time, off the track and wrecked it. The car was one of only five ever made.

Sam Walton’s second-oldest child, John Walton, died in a plane crash in 2005.

John, who was 58 years old, was survived by his wife, Christy, and son, Lukas. He left about 17% of his wealth to Christy and gave the rest to charity and Lukas.

After serving in Vietnam as a Green Beret, John returned and held a series of jobs with Walmart.

Some of John’s roles included Walmart company pilot, crop duster, and owner of a few yachting companies, before becoming a Walmart board member.

In 2013, Christy decided to sell their Jackson Hole mansion.

Christy also sold the family’s ranch for an undisclosed price in 2016 after listing it for $100 million in 2011, according to Curbed and Ranch Marketing Associates.

Christy continues to make headlines as a vocal critic of President Donald Trump.

James “Jim” Walton is the youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton.

Jim is 77 years old and worth $133 billion, according to Bloomberg.

Jim was chairman of the board of the family’s Arvest Bank Group until last year.

Arvest Bank, one of Arkansas’ largest banks, has assets totaling more than $27 billion, according to FDIC data.

He also served on the Walmart board, starting in 2005 to fill the vacancy after his brother John died.

Jim Walton’s son, Steuart, took over his father’s seat on the board in 2016.

Now, Jim presides over Walton Enterprises.

The private company deals with the investments and finances of the Walton family only, from modest offices in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Alice is the youngest of founder Sam Walton’s children.

Alice Walton is 76 years old and worth $130 billion, according to Bloomberg. She has been divorced twice and has no children.

Alice has never taken an active role in running the family business.

Instead, she became a patron of the arts, which she fell in love with at a young age.

When she was 10, she bought her first work of art: a reproduction of Picasso’s “Blue Nude.”

She told The New Yorker she paid about $2 for the piece.

She now has an immense private art collection.

Alice’s collection has featured original works from Andy Warhol and Georgia O’Keeffe and is estimated to be worth more than $500 million. In 2011, she opened a museum in Bentonville called Crystal Bridges to house it.

The collection includes a Georgia O’Keeffe painting that Alice spent $44.4 million on in 2014.

The sale represented the highest price for a woman’s piece of art in history, according to The Observer.

Her Millsap, Texas, property, Rocking W Ranch, was sold to the Three Amigos Investment Group of Kermit, Texas, in September 2017 for an undisclosed amount.

The working ranch, which had an initial asking price of $19.75 million, was reduced to $16.5 million. It had over 250 acres of pasture and outbuildings for cattle and horses, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reported.

Her other ranch, a 4,416-acre Texas property, was previously listed at a reduced price of $22 million.

The comparatively modest, three-bedroom, two-bathroom home overlooks the Brazos River.

Alice also bought a two-floor condo on New York’s Park Ave. for $25 million in 2014.

It has more than 52 large windows overlooking Central Park, plus a media room, a winding staircase, and more than 6,000 total square feet of space.

In January 2016, Alice donated 3.7 million of her Walmart shares — worth about $225 million at the time — to the family’s nonprofit, the Walton Family Foundation.

The charity awards millions of dollars in grants to causes that align with the foundation’s values.

Sam and Helen started the foundation in 1987.

The Waltons saw the foundation as a way to teach their children how to give back and how to work together.

The foundation’s focus on education was initially led by John.

His brother Jim said John was really interested in giving parents choices regarding their child’s schooling.

Rob spearheaded the foundation’s venture into environmental protection.

One of the first grants the foundation gave helped develop a sustainable fisheries label.

A commitment to the family’s home of Arkansas is another large part of the foundation.

The website says this area of focus is about “advancing our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta.”

Walmart Inc., which owns Walmart and Sam’s Club, is the largest retailer in the US in terms of revenue.

The company reported $693 billion in revenue for the past fiscal year, keeping it ahead of Amazon in the top spot in the Fortune 500.

Though the Walton family is earning billions from the company’s success, they remain relatively under the radar.

Much like their patriarch, Sam, the siblings aren’t flashy about their wealth.

In December 2024, Walmart disclosed that Sam’s children had granted voting rights to eight of their own children.

There are now eight descendants of Sam Walton guiding his fortune and keeping his vision for his legacy.

In 2025, the company deepened its partnership with OpenAI and ChatGPT.

Walmart and OpenAI launched a new AI skills training program for employees in the summer of 2025, and rolled out access to the enterprise-grade ChatGPT for Sam’s Club workers that September.

Then, in October, it said shoppers would soon be able to make direct Walmart purchases through the ChatGPT app. The news drove the stock — and the Waltons’ wealth — to a record. On October 15, the stock briefly reached a new high of $109.58.