I like to work. There, I said it. From the time I got my first job in radio until today, I’ve always enjoyed working hard. It gave me a sense of purpose, and while I couldn’t always control the outcome, I was fully in control of my effort. Granted, there were times when I took it too far. There was a period during my radio career when I didn’t take a single day off for several years–not holidays, not weekends, nothing. Heck, I used to keep a mattress and a sleeping bag in my radio studio. And, I wore it like a badge of courage.
Turns out, I was an idiot. I ended up in this endless cycle of working myself like crazy, getting sick, crashing, then doing it all over again. A heart attack, multiple bouts with pneumonia and a world-wide pandemic later, I finally matured enough (relative term) to know that I needed to find other ways to spend my time.
As COVID fully took hold, my frequent business travel ceased and most work became virtual, I found myself resorting to the things that brought me peace. First and foremost, I began actively listening to music again (I always have music on, but active listening is a whole different thing). Every day during teleworking, I played a different vinyl album from my 10,000+ album collection. That led me to grabbing my guitar and practicing for the first time in decades. (Status update, I’m still much better at playing records than I am at playing guitar). And finally, I began spending time around, in and on the water. I have always enjoyed the ocean, being around water calms me like nothing else can.
Now, I realize I’m far from the first person to take up boating during the pandemic. Data from the National Marine Manufacturers Association show 415,000 first-time boat buyers entered the market in 2020, and that number included several of my friends and co-workers. And, with good reason, it’s the perfect socially distanced activity. Of course, what I knew about boating would not fill a Heineken bottle, but I didn’t let that stop me! With a little help from my friends, I picked up a 24-foot powerboat that I called the “Good Bay Sunshine” after the Beatles song.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Buddy Rizer is the Executive Director for Economic Development in Loudoun County, Virginia—home to “Data Center Alley” and recognized as the 2021 Economic Development Organization of the Year by the International Economic Development Council. Since joining the department in 2007, Rizer has led efforts that have attracted more than $65 billion in investment and over 60,000 new jobs, helping reduce the local tax rate by more than 48 cents on the dollar.
He has extensive global experience, promoting Loudoun in over 15 countries and building relationships across commercial and agricultural sectors. Rizer’s leadership has earned him numerous accolades, including being named a Tech Titan by Washingtonian Magazine eight times, one of Virginia Business Magazine’s 50 Most Influential Virginians, and a three-time member of the Washington Business Journal’s Power 100.
A 2025 recipient of the National Eagle Scout Association’s Outstanding Eagle Scout Award, Rizer also serves in multiple regional leadership roles, including Chair of the Rivana at Innovation Station CDA and board positions with NOVA, NVTC, and the Washington Airports Task Force. He holds a CEcD and EDP certification, a master’s degree from Longwood University, and is a graduate of Virginia Tech’s Local Government Management Program.
Widham has a BA in Finance from The George Washington University in Washington, DC.
