Reader — As you read this, I’m leading Savvy Syndicate, our client-only retreat in California’s Amador County. Stepping away to think deeply (with a small, mighty group) is one of the fastest ways to realign your business with what actually matters. A theme we’re digging into this week: accountability that energizes rather than exhausts. That’s exactly what my Weekly Course of Action (WCA) process is designed to do. It helps leaders and teams create sustainable follow-through without adding...
7 days ago • 1 min read
Reader — Many business owners struggle to distinguish between investment and expense – an investment, of course, being something with a rate of return that exceeds its cost, while an expense is a cost of doing business. What recent business purchase are you justifying as an investment that might actually be an unnecessary expense? Or what expense have you been avoiding that might actually be an investment? Think about it – and let me know what comes up. I’d love to hear from you (and give you...
12 days ago • 1 min read
Reader — It is so easy to assume that "everybody knows about..." fill in the blank. But rarely have our marketing efforts truly been that well managed or wide spread. What is one aspect of your business that you feel everyone knows about but you could easily talk about more? For me, turns out the answer was, “What I actually do”! So in case you don’t know, I’m a business advisor who provides outside perspective and real accountability, and asks the hard questions other people won’t. What do...
19 days ago • 1 min read
Reader — This week’s question is one I find myself asking people with a team: are you sure you have the right person in the right place? The truth is, good people and the right fit are not necessarily the same thing. As our businesses transform over time, roles change along with the associated skills and behaviors. Has loyalty led you to keep working with good people who are no longer a right fit for the job/role they are filling? Who would you hire if you were filling each position for the...
26 days ago • 1 min read
Reader — A quick reminder of what we’re doing here, since these Thursday emails are new: instead of sending you more information (because frankly, you’re past that), I’m sending you one REALLY good question to help you get you into your CEO brain, challenge your assumptions, and break through confusion and indecision. My question for you this week is: are you delegating things you shouldn’t? Common wisdom says that we should delegate or outsource all lower-level tasks. But there are often a...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Reader — I’ve been working on a project recently behind the scenes that has helped me to fully appreciate the value of really good questions. Don’t get me wrong. I’ve always been a fan of good questions. One of the reasons I adore having Tonya on my team is because she’s full of them. And my clients often say the same about me. But what I’ve come to appreciate recently is how a really good question at the right time can change everything about how you think and feel about your business. With...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Reader — A quick reminder of what we’re doing here, since these Friday emails are new: instead of sending you more information (because frankly, you’re past that), I’m sending you one REALLY good question to help you get you into your CEO brain, challenge your assumptions, and break through confusion and indecision. And now, the question: How’s your time feeling these days?There are lots of different methods for managing your time and activities. What’s working for you? What’s not? And for...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
There's a time and a place for gathering information: when you're new at something. When you want to develop expertise in a specific subject. And when you're answering a specific question.But when you're doing something complex and personal like running a business, more information is actually the opposite of what you need.(And aren't we all just so tired of the ever-present "insights" and "analysis" that flood our inboxes?)That's why I'm going to start doing something a little different.Each...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Reader — Last week, Tonya and I went behind the scenes on what sustainable success really looks like when you practice what you preach. Our LinkedIn Live conversation about a full year of podcasting without burning out revealed something important: Planning for imperfection is what makes the difference. We don't plan as if everything will go perfectly. We plan for travel conflicts, sick days, and technology failures. We stay 4-6 episodes ahead so when life happens (and it always does), we're...
2 months ago • 2 min read