Meet John Kernohan | Chairman

We had the good fortune of connecting with John Kernohan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi John, can you tell us about a book that has had a meaningful impact on you?
Social impact: how does your business help the community or the world? My amazing and beautiful wife, Fin, and I established the United Tiny House Association (UTHA) back August 2015. Since then, UTHA has grown to be what is arguably the largest tiny lifestyle support organization in the World with over 37K+ members. There is no cost whatsoever to be a member and we provide FREE support to individuals, communities, and governments interested in affordable housing solutions and the tiny lifestyle movement. Additionally, since March 2016, UTHA has organized 17 For-Charity Tiny House Festivals, with 5 being considered the largest in the World based on attendance and the number of tiny structures registered to participate at each event. During the course of our 17 For-Charity Tiny House Festivals and other events we have organized these past 4+ years, UTHA has raised and donated over $675K+ to over 90+ charities, non=profits, great causes, and within the communities where our events have been held. Some of these donations have gone towards: the fight against human trafficking and child slavery, the building of house for a homeless veteran, the purchase of fifth wheel travel trailer for a homeless veteran, purchasing life-saving equipment for volunteer fire departments around the Country, purchasing medical equipment for multiple children’s hospitals, and has financially supported many charities and causes such as, but not limited to: Alzheimer’s research & support groups, cancer research, breast cancer research & support groups, youth groups, Martin Luther King Holiday events, historic preservation & restoration projects, numerous churches, multiple inner city projects, funding transitional homes for battered women, and so much more! UTHA also has founded and endowed the Tiny House Scholarship Fund, which is awarded annually to a college-bound high school graduate who has displayed high achievements both scholastically and in community service. Furthermore, as a mixed-face couple, we have always embraced making our event diverse and a platform for all race, religions, gender identifications, and preferred orientations. Simply by living what we call our “Tiny House Love Affair”, we have been able to transition the way we choose to live into a community service-oriented endeavor, which has grown to be a positive, International-impact in the lives of so many amazing and deserving people.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
In June 2009, I awoke in a Florida hospital where I was informed I had a life-altering, which will eventually be a life-ending, genetic neurological medical condition. After my initial reactions of denial, anger, and sadness, and not necessarily in that order, I realized I was privileged with the opportunity to re-evaluate my life, my happiness, and what I really want to accomplish during my time here with others. I use to think the so-called “Bright Light Moments of Clarity” were used by Oprah and Ellen as a segue to introduce a new book or guest, or as the premise of one of my Mother’s favorite Hallmark or Lifetime movies… but I actually experienced one of the moment myself while lying in that hospital bed! I realized my adult life of accumulating wealth and my never-ending quest for more and more financial success was not a life of true happiness and real success. At that moment I began what I now refer to as “My Journey”. Over the course of the next 8 months I lost over 100 pounds and 10” off my then completely unhealthy body. I rid myself of my five vehicles and multiple houses. I travelled this great country and around the World only for relaxation and self-education instead of solely for business. I sold my medical research laboratory and for the first time in decades I wasn’t working or going into an office 6-7 days a week. AND, most importantly, I learned to relax and laugh, and not to be stressed and angry about anything and everything that didn’t go my way. In walks Fin! In March 2010, I met Fin… the person who would become my wife, best friend, business partner, Muse, and someone who would never allow me to slow down or feel sorry for myself due to my ill-health. Fin asked me out on our first date and a year later she proposed to me asking for my hand in marriage. (She even purchased $0.99 hose clamps from Home Depot as our engagement rings.) She lived in London and I lived in Miami… and with over 4200 miles of salt water between us, we spent the first year of our relationship traveling back and forth across the Atlantic. As a “term” of our marriage, Fin insisted we move from the big cities of Miami and London and settle down in a quiet, secluded area in the woods of Georgia. As Fin put it, “I prefer the relaxed man you are in the woods instead of the stressed man you are in the city.” She also insisted we build our own tiny cabin with our own hands. Thus, began what we call our “Tiny House Love Affair”. While we enjoyed our magical life living in our tiny self-built cabin, we also began getting more and more involved with social causes and charities such as animal rescues, homelessness & the housing deprived, and affordable housing issues. We also started to become known in the tiny house community and a few of the off-grid/minimalist groups as a couple who were more than happy to share our experiences and the knowledge we had gained creating our off-grid lifestyle in order to be a resource and support to those considering embarking on their own unique journeys. We were then asked to speak at a library down in Florida about our tiny cabin and the way we live, which opened the flood gates for us in becoming ambassadors and representatives of the tiny house lifestyle. During 2015, I mentioned to Fin a few times how someone should organize a large tiny house festival. After the third time of me voicing this thought, Fin told me, “Either create it yourself or stop talking about it!” And that is how our For-Charity Tiny House Festivals began! We organized our very first event in March 2016 and donated 100% of the proceeds to the Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce of a small Georgia town with the instructions he needed to invest it back into the community. We learned two unbelievably valuable lessons from that event. One lesson was, “NEVER give tens of thousands of dollars the Chairman of a Chamber of Commerce and expect him to do the right thing.” The second lesson was that we realized we had a great opportunity to use our tiny lifestyle, combined with the popularity of tiny houses, to create a great series of events to raise funds for charities and wonderful causes! Here we are less than 5 years later, and we have organized 18 of our in-person for-charity tine house festivals in 8 different states; and also the first ever FREE Online Tiny House Festival, which was a 2-day LIVE event involving 5 different countries and over 5000 people viewing at any given moment. BUT… most importantly, we have been able to donate over $675K from the proceeds of our events to 90+ different charities, causes, organizations, and to the communities where we have held our events. Additionally, our organization, United Tiny House Association (UTHA) has grown to become what is arguably the largest tiny house support organization in the word with over 37K+ members. (Note: Membership is free). We even started another charitable cause known as “Tiny House Rescuers”, where we purchase unfinished tiny homes, complete them, and donate them to those who have lost their homes dur to natural disasters. We have had our challenges over the years, which have included: Individuals and other event organizers who have attempted to use (steal) our registered trademark, legal business name, and intellectual property for their own self-purposes. Unfortunately, we had to take legal action against one of these individuals, and the courts ruled immediately in our favor. For the remainder of these individuals, we have simply turned our backs to and not given them a second thought as they failed in their attempts to prosper off our name and reputation. With the before-mentioned challenges shared, all the great feelings, incredible new relationships, and wonderful experiences Fin and I have been blessed with over these years totally out-weigh any of those negative moments. Our organization and our for-charity events have not slowed down in their growth and success, which is something we are always been thankful for and are very much appreciative. I have been invited to Washington DC to speak with HUD about tiny houses as a possible affordable housing solution. Fin and I have spoken at colleges and events around the globe. We have been on HGTV, The DIY Network, The Rachael Ray Show, TODAY, AOL, Yahoo, USA Today, and so many other national and international programs, news outlets, web sites, Vlogs Blogs, and Podcasts. The outreach and positive impact our simple lifestyle have allowed us, both as an organization and as a couple, to experience in helping others has been both surprisingly amazing and unexpectedly humbling. I passionately believe what has set us apart from others has been our consistent mind-set and philosophy of, “What is in it for others?”, instead of, “What is in it for us?” It’s like I always say, “Do something BIG in your world… by simply doing something TINY!”

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
First off, I would set them up here on our 16-acre Beloved Cabin Tiny House Homestead & Stay in one of the different tiny houses, yurt, tree house or skoolie (school bus conversion) we have available for vacation rentals and adventure getaways. (In 2018, USA Today included us in their Top 10 Tiny House Getaways.) They can relax and chill out for however long they want… and enjoy beautiful Lake Oconee with one of our kayaks or canoes, and to explore the trails throughout our property where they might find some crystals and native American artifacts. (We do ask these artifacts are left undisturbed, but the crystals can be taken home as a memento of their stay.) I would also insist we take the drive to Kai Thai Restaurant in Milledgeville, for truly authentic Thai cuisine. Fin is Thai and we have eaten Thai food in Thailand and around the World, yet incredibly, Milledgeville, Georgia, has one of the most authentic and delicious Thai restaurants we have ever eaten at. (It is owned and operated by two sisters named Kai and Kook from Thailand.) While we are in Milledgeville, we would stop off at Rainbow Massage near the Kroger’s for an awesome therapeutic massage. Fin and I have couples’ massages there and the therapists are exceptionally talented. During their stay, we would get over to Doraville so they can check out the Buford Highway Farmers Market. Where else in Georgia can someone shop for produce, products, bakery, treats, and meat/seafood from all around the World? (Gotta love their Korean BBQ Deli where they mark all the prepared foods down 50% every day at 6PM. We would also take a drive down Buford Highway to our favorite Vietnamese eateries called Pho Bac. Something about a big bowl of warm Pho on a cold day that makes the World seem right. A trip to downtown Greensboro for a walk thru the many antique shops and to grab a slice of The Yesterday Café’s famous buttermilk pie would be a nice side-trip before hitting Georgia Butts BBQ for the BEST BBQ in Middle-Georgia. We would spend an evening in Atlanta taking in a show, concert, or comedian at the Fox Theater. And before they departed, at least one night sitting around a large fire in any one of the fire pits on our property having deep conversations, lots of laughter, playing instruments, and them imbibing with any one of the many scotches we have from our trips around the World. (Funny side bar: We collect these scotches especially for our friends and guest as neither Fin nor I drink alcohol.) Basically, we would want to share with them our life and the lifestyle we have built here in Georgia.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
This Shoutout is dedicated to my dearest Fin. Not only is she my beautiful wife, best friend, and business partner, she is also the only person who has ever encourage and supported my endeavors unselfishly and with an unyielding commitment to wanting me to succeed in everything I do. She has dealt with a lot regarding my health over the years, and with love and care she has never once allowed me to get myself down or allow me to let life’s challenges to get in my way. I am truly thankful for being so blessed with such an amazing person in my life. Thank you Baby!

Website: https://www.unitedtinyhouse.com
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Image Credits
United Tiny House Association