Happy early Valentine’s Day. Let’s talk about love – specifically, being too in love with your own ideas, perspective, or worldview. I recently finished a massive project. Honestly, it was a real success. The data is stronger, leaders are changing behavior, stakeholders are genuinely happy with the outcome, and… …this was probably my fifth or sixth attempt at doing almost this exact project. Earlier runs at the same problem fizzled out. We struggled to generate buy-in. We missed key...
14 days ago • 2 min read
One of my first jobs out of college was ordering and managing inventory as it moved through a retail supply chain. If you set the system up right, most of the time, the inventory flowed smoothly. But, the output had a lot to do with the input. We had a saying: garbage in, garbage out. Similarly, your work (output) is fueled by what you feed your brain (input). If you aren’t intentional, the algorithm will happily choose for you, keeping you stuck in cycles of outrage, noise, and distraction....
21 days ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Running a business means facing daily frustrations: plans fall through, projects drag on, results don’t come fast enough. It’s easy to focus only on what’s missing or not working. I’ve been there plenty of times. I know it sounds cliché, but gratitude offers a different lens on things. It doesn’t erase the challenges, but it helps me reframe them. Gratitude allows me to pause and notice what's working, helping me remember the foundation I'm already standing on. That shift can turn...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Over the last few years, I’ve experienced periods of extreme productivity as well as my share of creative slumps. Looking back, I’ve noticed clear patterns for when I’m at my best – my most innovative, which is leading me to structure my routines and habits differently. When I read (a lot), I get more ideas and I ask better questions. My brain sparks with wonder and imagination, fueling new insights and experiments. When I focus on what’s within my control – including my response...
3 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, There’s always a gap between where you are and where you want to be. Sometimes it feels like a chasm: How could I possibly get there?! I feel this all the time. I’ve got a long-term vision for where I want my business and career to go. And even on a smaller scale, I have a vision for how I want to show up in the next coaching session or meeting. But when I spend too much energy thinking about the end goal, I get stuck. The distance feels overwhelming and I tend to be overly...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, When you’re building something new and ambitious, feeling fear is natural. It’s that shiver down your spine before stepping onto a stage, or the goosebumps when you hit “publish” for the first time. But fear, like all emotions, is just a signal – it's telling you: this matters, pay attention. A little fear is healthy. It sharpens your senses, like the tense music in a haunted house. Panic, on the other hand, is dangerous. It scrambles your thinking, pushing you to make rash...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Over the last few years, I’ve experimented with a lot: social media videos, podcasts, this newsletter, different coaching methods, website layouts, lead magnets, digital tools, program designs, in-person events, different taglines on my business cards. Some of it stuck. Some of it flopped. All of it taught me something. There's value in spreading out — exploring widely, experimenting with new ideas, and stretching your belief about what you're capable of creating. Spreading out...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Kodak once dominated photography. In the 1970s, they even invented the digital camera. But they didn’t pursue it. Why? They were confident film would always be king. That's complacency. They scoffed at new innovations, taking their success for granted. Contrast that with James Dyson. He built over 5,000 prototypes before perfecting the bagless vacuum. That’s persistence. With every failure, he stayed curious. Or Sara Blakely. She hacked a pair of pantyhose into a Spanx prototype...
4 months ago • 1 min read
Hi Reader, Over the past few years, I've been observing patterns. In my 1:1 coaching sessions and interviews with new entrepreneurs, I’ve noticed that new business owners often wrestle with the same types of challenges. On the surface their experiences are quite different – a cider orchard, a toy store, an innovative startup focused on getting communities to work, and many more. But, when you dive in, their stories are remarkably similar. If I were to group them, I’d put them into four...
5 months ago • 1 min read