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!
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 celebration. No cameras or grand finale. Just my…
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 stuck, and it didn’t happen because of the…
They’d Run Through Walls For Us: The Culture That Built FlexScreen
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.
Are You Feeding The Fire?
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.
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…