Why My Best Business Thinking Happens Off the Grid
The most important work I do all year happens out in the quiet, away from my desk and laptop. By the time you read this, I'll be sitting by a lake with a marshmallow on a stick and my phone…
The Repeatable System Behind a Brand That Pays
Nobody was going to hand me a certificate that said I was qualified to be found. So I built my own system instead. Years ago, before I had any personal branding method to sell anyone, I had a meeting broker…
Career Reinvention: When Someone’s Already Doing Your Thing
I read a LinkedIn profile last week that stopped me cold. It belonged to a woman building the exact thing I want to build. My first thought was the worst one: there's no room for me. I read a…
Why Your Next Chapter Is Actually Your Capstone
An eighteen-year-old's capstone asked: why should kids have it all figured out at 18? I'm in my fifties and still don't. Turns out, that's the point. A couple of weeks ago, my son Nolan told me about a capstone…
How to Find Your Consulting Niche (It’s Already in Your History)
You've been solving a problem other people are still stuck in. That's not a coincidence. That's a business. My son Nolan is deep in graduation month. Parties, photos, and a steady stream of congratulatory messages about the coveted entrepreneurial scholarship…
You Don’t Need Permission to Build Your Brand
Building your next chapter while still employed isn't the risky part. Staying invisible while you wait to leave is. I was mid-scroll on my phone when the message came in. A director at my organization wanted to meet. Nothing…
Your Career Path Doesn’t Have to Be Linear (Mine Sure Wasn’t)
The next chapter doesn't owe you a straight line. It just owes you a pattern worth following. When I was 22, I genuinely thought I was going to be a high school gym teacher. Then I took a job as…
How to answer “What do you do?”
Every time someone asked what I did, I gave them the perfect answer to make them stop asking. Two words: "Not much." Picture a networking event. Nice venue. Name tags. Slightly warm chardonnay. Someone turns to me, smiles, and says…
3 Principles for Claiming Your Next Chapter Identity.
My 18-year-old son wouldn't call himself a founder in a room full of millionaires. Sound familiar? My son Nolan and I walked into a room full of real founders last week. Not side hustle founders. Not "thinking about it someday"…
You’re a Big Effing Deal: 3 Practical Tips for Senior Professionals Who Want to Be Recognized
I'll be honest with you. I wanted it. It was on my vision board. For years. It was my industry's Hall of Fame award of recognition. One of the most prestigious honours you can receive in my industry. I had…