https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/ Writing by Bret Patton about work, life, money and technology. en-us https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/why-i-build https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/why-i-build Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT How curiosity, clarity and helping people work together shaped my path from technical support to technical program management, and why I still love to build. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/overcoming-murphy https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/overcoming-murphy Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT What a season where everything seemed to go wrong taught me about exhaustion, perspective, a growth mindset and simply taking the next step. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/sell-comics https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/sell-comics Mon, 17 Feb 2025 00:00:00 GMT Why I sell comics on Whatnot: the community, the friendships, and the story of little Jojo that reminds me what this hobby is really about. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/we-paid-off-our-house https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/we-paid-off-our-house Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 GMT From nearly filing for bankruptcy in 2011 to owning our home outright: the advice, decisions and sacrifices that helped us pay off our house. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/2020-changes-in-the-scrum-guide https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/2020-changes-in-the-scrum-guide Fri, 12 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT A practical summary of what changed in the 2020 Scrum Guide: simpler language, less prescription, the new Product Goal and more. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/budgeting-101 https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/budgeting-101 Wed, 03 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT A beginner's guide to budgeting: knowing your income, separating wants from needs, covering the Four Walls and adjusting when life happens. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/money-does-grow-on-trees https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/money-does-grow-on-trees Sat, 09 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT How compound interest works, with a simple 20-year example showing how a single $1,000 deposit can keep growing on its own. https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/the-budgeted-successful-life https://www.bretpatton.com/articles/the-budgeted-successful-life Mon, 28 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT A practical look at defining success, making a plan, and treating time as life's most valuable currency.