My journey from inventing a product in my garage to appearing on national television in front of 30+ million people was a virtual roller coaster! I learned so much from the whole experience and wanted a way to share some of those insights, so welcome to my blog! I believe that everyone can benefit in some way from these Lessons From The Tank!
The World Isn’t The Same – Again…
Gary Vee, the famous digital marketing and social media guru, believes that the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations will see their grandchildren marry AI partners. You read that right. Sound ridiculous? So did stepping into a giant aluminum tube and flying across the sky to our great-great-grandparents.
Comfort: Save It For The Easy Chair
Leadership sounds glamorous-until you’ve slept on the floor of a trade show, curled up between boxes and a half-assembled display, hoping you remembered to pack deodorant. Ask anyone who’s ever built something from the ground up, and they’ll tell you: leadership isn’t about being “in charge”; it’s about being in it-every late night, every early…
Are You In Charge Or Just Controlling
Early in my leadership journey, I thought being “in charge” meant having all the answers. I thought if someone came to me with a problem, I needed to fix it. If we hit a roadblock, I had to blaze the trail. If the room got quiet, I had to speak. And don’t get me wrong-there’s…
Reflections
Thirty years ago, on June 17, 1995, Alisha and I stood at the starting line of our life together, young and full of dreams but not quite prepared for the reality of marriage and parenthood. We were just 19 and 20, trying to figure out how to be partners and parents at the same time.…
Change Is Coming
In 1975, an engineer at Kodak invented the first digital camera. But instead of seeing it as the future, the leaders saw it as a threat that would cannibalize their lucrative film business. So, in a move that would seal their doom, they buried it. Kodak chose to protect what was rather than prepare for…
The Climb
I spent years building my dream. From an idea in my garage to a thriving company that was (and is) revolutionizing the window industry. To say that FlexScreen was built on blood, sweat, and tears is no understatement. I gave my heart, soul, energy, and every bit of resource I could muster to see it…
The Toxic Leadership “Value” That Brings No Value At All
During my many years as a business owner, entrepreneur, and team leader, I learned some hard truths about leadership-lessons that challenged traditional wisdom and forced me to rethink. One of the most powerful lessons? Lockstep loyalty to the boss is overrated. You may have past or present experience with a boss or leader who has…
Mentorship: The Leadership Superpower That Can’t Be Ignored
When you think about the defining moments in your career or life, there’s a good chance someone played a pivotal role in shaping those experiences – a boss, a coach, a parent, or even a colleague who took the time to invest in you. For me, one of the most impactful mentors in my life…
Is It Worth It?
I remember the first time I questioned my sanity as an entrepreneur. It wasn’t some dramatic, rock-bottom moment like you see in the movies. No violins playing in the background. No slow-motion montage of me staring at bills piling up on the kitchen table. No. It was a Tuesday afternoon. Middle of the day. Middle…
Did You Make The Right Decision? (And Why It Might Not Matter)
In 2014, Amazon shook up the tech world by launching the Amazon Fire Phone. Under the leadership of Jeff Bezos, Amazon seemed primed to disrupt the smartphone market just as it had done with books, e-commerce, and streaming. The excitement was palpable, but the Fire Phone bombed. This flop cost Amazon a staggering $170 million…
The Dreaded Dotted Line
Have you ever been the victim of a “dotted line” org chart strategy (reporting indirectly to a secondary manager or supervisor)? I have, and it solidified an inner commitment to never subject my employees to the same confusion and chaos that resulted. While I’m all for collaboration and organizational layers, I’m a solid line org…
