Dear Leaders, Your Most Important Decision Has Nothing To Do With Business A guy reached out to me a few months ago. He was smart, hungry and early in his entrepreneurial journey. He had a solid idea, a little bit of traction and a lot of energy. But buried in the middle of his message…

Take A Step Back Admittedly, “take a step back” is not something I would normally say. I tend to live life in the “full speed ahead” lane at all times. But did you ever look at your face in a magnifying mirror? I did recently, while I was trying to shave in some dismal hotel…

What Are You Willing To Pay? There’s a fee nobody talks about. It doesn’t show up on a credit card statement, and there’s no monthly invoice or receipt. But if you decide to live a bold life, you will pay it every time. I’ve started calling it the Bold Life Fee. It’s the cost of choosing…

Where To Look As A Leader It’s ski season again, and I’m reminded of a time when I took my oldest grandson out to the slopes for his first-ever ski lesson. A phrase that I found myself repeating to him over and over brought back memories from my early years of learning the sport. You…

The Christmas I Got Nothing – and Why I’m Grateful Several years ago, my family made a bold decision: instead of piling presents under the tree, we packed up the car and headed south for a Christmas vacation to Disney. It was a strategic move—skip the shopping madness, avoid the clutter, and invest in a…

Your Brain Is Rigged In a world full of noise where it sometimes feels like no one is actually listening, there is one entity that hangs with great intensity on every word you say—and even think. (And no, even though it may be true, I’m not talking about your smartphone.) It’s your brain. Your brain…

When Success Feels Like A Tuesday at Applebees The day I signed the purchase agreement to sell my company – the one that started with a dream and a “duct-tape and bubble gum” prototype in my garage – should have been one of the most exciting days of my life. It wasn’t. No champagne. No…

Offense or Initiative? You Can’t Lead With Both Let’s talk about a silent killer in business and leadership. Offense. Not the kind that makes headlines. The kind that simmers. Quiet. Subtle. Justified. You didn’t get the credit. Someone questioned your decision. You weren’t included in the meeting. A teammate let you down—again. And now you’re…

Culture isn’t free snacks and coffee in the break room. It’s not mission statements printed on a wall. It’s how people act when no one’s watching. It’s the level of passion people display even during the mundane, day-to-day stuff. It’s what they believe. It’s what they tolerate. It’s the invisible force that either propels a business forward or tears it apart from the inside.

If you’re lucky enough to have someone on your team who’s already burning, don’t ignore that fire! Feed it, protect it, and give it space to grow. Because the biggest leadership failure isn’t hiring the wrong person; it’s hiring the right person and slowly snuffing out everything that made them great.