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 worlds. And love keeps her in the air when she ought to fall down... tells you she's hurting 'fore she keens. Makes her a home.
Mal · Firefly / Serenity
I died.
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
What People Say
Don't take my word for it... take theirs.
"As a small business owner, Tig was willing to take time out of his day to mentor me and help me start my path for the goals I want to achieve in my life. Tig has genuine love for all people he comes across and you can feel that from the very first interaction. He is the total package for a human being."
"Chaplin TIG has such a wonderful personality and giving heart. His integrity and character show through all he does in his life and his non-profit organizations to help disadvantaged / at risk children and families of fallen heroes. Quietly Working says it all. Wanting no accolades for himself, but to ‘quietly work’ to focus on helping children and families overcome adversity."
"Chaplain TIG Heaslet is absolutely one of the most giving and caring people I know. His sole purpose in his organization is to help youth in need and he is able to do that in a variety of very unique ways. He gives with his whole heart and loves without reservation and I am better for knowing him."
"Tig is a true leader in the most authentic form. His passion for the work he does is obvious and invigorating. I feel inspired and energized just being around him! He has an open mind, generous heart, and persistent spirit. I am excited to be supporting his efforts with his volunteer team and watching as he grows his impact nation-wide."
"I am very impressed by Tig's vision and understanding of how to put people's vision into focus and on the correct path. Tim is upfront and realistic about project development. He is very passionate and strives to make sure every family of a fallen soldier is taken care of. I fully endorse Tig for any of your project development ideas."
"He's an amazing mentor... we reference his decision-making regularly."
"Chaplain Tig is one of the kindest, humble, empathetic humans I have ever known. He has a huge heart and is so compassionate to others! He is always lifting up others and showing he cares. It is obvious why he is in the roll he is in! Grateful for you Chaplain Tig! Grateful to be a plank holder with your awesome foundation!"
"From my first conversation with TIG, I felt his sincerity in his mission for creating a better experience for the youth of today, and everyone else around him. What’s more is that he is one creative guy! He has a real vision for how a simple visual asset can be an exciting experience. We asked for simple 3d renderings and TIG introduced us to a whole wealth of high tech marketing that is possible. If you need 3D renderings, AR solutions and strategies, and the need to create a great story for your business, Than reach out to TIG at the Missing Pixel. Get some amazing creative and support the youth he is on a mission to help."
"Every encounter, every discussion, every meeting, I just genuinely get such an amazingly kind and humble vibe from Chaplian TIG Heaslet. He has such a caring heart and is always uplifting others in creative ways! His non-profit organizations to help disadvantaged / at risk children and families of fallen heroes is so needed and I love his mission. Growing up in the more impoverished areas and seeing so many kids take the path they believe is their only option, I am so happy to see amazing humans such as TIG create something so wonderful to give back and give these disadvantaged youths life changing opportunities."
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.
Coming Back from Everything
The NDE, rebuilding identity, and what you learn when you lose it all
Building Resilient Organizations
How small nonprofits and businesses can build systems that outlast their founders
Youth Empowerment & Purpose Discovery
Helping young people find their lane... and giving them tools to build in it
AI for Good
Practical automation for organizations who want to do more with less... without losing their soul
The WHELHO Framework
A values-based operating system for living an integrated life
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.
The original napkin sketch... 2016"Most people overestimate what they can achieve in a year and underestimate what they can achieve in ten years."
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
Born with a heart defect
Started life in hospitals... learned to love people there
Started Quietly Working
A web design business that became something much bigger
The NDE
Died. Came back. Everything changed.
The Dream Sketch
Drew the blueprint for a self-sustaining ecosystem of hope
QWF Becomes a 501(c)(3)
The Quietly Working Foundation gets its official nonprofit status
Missing Pixel Launches
Youth training program... teaching the next generation to build
The AI Backoffice
Agentic automation makes a 1-person team operate like 10
100% Self-Sufficient
The goal... a nonprofit that funds itself entirely through its own products
Built from Broken
What happens when you try to build a nonprofit backoffice with AI? Everything breaks. Then you write about it.
When Your AI Agent Keeps Forgetting What It Already Knows
MemoryVol. 2When Your Documentation Rots Faster Than You Can Write It
Documentation DriftVol. 3When Your AI Agent Hallucinates Calendar Facts
Factual AccuracyVol. 4When Your AI Agent Breaks Your Other AI Agent
The Autonomous Roommate ProblemLatest from the Blog
The Lie of the Single Fix... Why Believable Work Is Built in Layers
There's a trick question at the start of this video. A compositor puts objects on a table and asks you to spot the fake. Most people guess the cup. The cup is real. The books and coins surrounding it? Fully virtual. And the reason you couldn't tell has nothing to do with one clev...
mindNine Shots. That's All You Need to Tell Any Story.
You're standing on location. Camera in hand. The scene is gorgeous... and your brain goes completely blank. What do I shoot? How much do I need? Will this be enough when I sit down to edit? That creative paralysis has killed more good videos than bad gear ever will. Filmmaker Jev...
mindThe $5 LUT and the $80 Million Lesson: Why Your Tools Aren't the Point
A $4,000 camera. A five-dollar LUT downloaded from who-knows-where on the internet. And one of the most visually stunning films of the year. Gareth Edwards' The Creator didn't break rules... it just remembered the ones everybody forgot.
mindThousands of Tiny Steps Nobody Sees
A man glides through city streets without moving his feet. Smooth. Cinematic. Magic. But behind that magic? Thousands of individual photos, a piece of rope, and the kind of patience most people quit before they ever taste.
Some of My Favorite Moments
Let's Connect
If you see magic in the world... please share it with me, and I'll get it out to everyone I know.