Entrepreneur who became a millionaire at 36 reveals why he left the business world behind to pursue bizarre hobby fulltime

An entrepreneur who became a millionaire at 36 tells why he left the corporate world behind to focus full-time on his bizarre hobby.

George Appling, 54, of Austin, Texas, fell in love with all things medieval after visiting a Renaissance fair as a child.

But it never occurred to him that he could turn his passion into a career. When it came time to go to college, he decided to pursue a career in business.

He subsequently earned a degree in business administration from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard.

For years he climbed the career ladder until he finally became CEO of ‘a mobile phone distribution company’.

George Appling, 54, of Austin, Texas, fell in love with all things medieval after attending a Renaissance fair as a child

At the age of 36, he was already a millionaire. He enjoyed his work, but deep down he knew that ‘it wasn’t my passion’.

“I was helping rich companies get richer. That was fine, but I wasn’t sure that was how it would be for the rest of my life,” he explained to Company Insider recently.

Meanwhile, his love for the Renaissance continued to burn within him, so on his 40th birthday, George decided to quit his well-paid engineering job and focus on that.

“That day I made a commitment to myself that I would no longer do what the world expected of me, but what I wanted to do,” he said.

George remembers “walking into” his first Renaissance fair as a child and immediately feeling like he had “found his home.”

“My spirit came into my body and I felt a sense of belonging,” he added. “I love the music, the animals, the craftsmanship — just everything.”

After his epiphany on his 40th birthday, he began to think about how he could combine his knowledge of business and his love of the Renaissance. Suddenly, an idea struck him.

“When I did the math, I realized that someone was making a lot of money organizing the Renaissance Festival,” he explained.

But it never occurred to him that he could make a living from his passion, so when it came time to go to college, he decided to pursue a career in business.

He climbed the career ladder for years before eventually becoming CEO of ‘a mobile phone distribution company’, and by the age of 36 he was a millionaire

‘I realized that I could turn my passion into a business opportunity.’

In 2010, he launched the Sherwood Forest Faire, an event in Austin, Texas, held over several weekends each spring and featuring more than 150 live performances, including jousting, falconry, fire juggling, knife throwing, sword fighting, and even a castle siege.

Thanks to his dedication and hard work, George, who performs as a swordsman during the event, has now turned the event into a successful one.

In the summer he also hosts a camp where children can get “hands-on learning experiences with everything from blacksmithing to horseback riding.”

“I also co-own a co-business, selling historical weapons and armor and renting out castles,” he said.

But his love for the Renaissance still burned within him, so on his 40th birthday, George decided to quit his well-paid corporate job to concentrate on it.

In 2010, he launched the Sherwood Forest Faire, an event in Austin, Texas, held over several weekends each spring and featuring more than 150 live performances

In addition, the former tech magnate also uses his expertise as an ‘executive coach’, teaching others how to start their own business.

In 2015, he founded a software company with a friend, which he still ‘helps run’.

“The most important thing for me is the joy that the fair and the summer camp bring to people,” he concluded.

‘I want this to be my legacy and I have set up a foundation to continue the scholarship even after I die.

‘When I’m on my deathbed, I want my last words to be, “the show must go on.”‘