General

If you were going to start a new business, who would you want to join you? Who are the people on your dream team? It’s a fun and useful exercise to create a list of the best and most talented people you know. Think about everyone you’ve ever worked with (or know enough about to…

I read some advice yesterday about working with competent professionals.  This person assumed you had two choices: 1. Work with with incompetent nice people 2. Or, work with competent jerks Apparently, working with decent people was a bonus if it happened.  Give me a break.  There are more than 7 billion people on this planet.…

What’s an unpopular truth that you believe?  For example, one of mine is that everyone would benefit from experiencing self-employment Everyone

One of my pet peeves is people being dismissive of lifestyle businesses.  I guess I should say I haven’t heard that comment lately where I live now. But, when I was in Silicon Valley, it was very common. You would describe your independent business and they’d say, “Oh, I see. So, you’re just building a…

Do you have a big goal you’re trying to achieve this year? Do you have an accountability partner who is helping you stay on track? I recently spoke with Brigitte Granger, who is the founder of Supporti. It’s an accountability service that helps pair you 1-on-1 with an accountability partners.  This could be to help…

What possessions matter the most to you? What’s irreplaceable? What’s the most valuable? In an emergency, if you have to evacuate your home quickly, you can’t take everything with you. It’s an interesting lesson in materialism, minimalism, and value. SHOW LESS

Sometimes all you need is a change of scene to thrive.  I’ve worked with multiple clients who were in bad environments.  They had a bad boss who was gaslighting them and destroying their self-confidence.  Or, the workplace culture just wasn’t a good fit for them.  If you’re in a situation like that, don’t wait too…

Good idea? Bad idea? What has your experience been with starting a business — or some sort of venture — with friends or family members? What made it work?  Or, if it failed, what did you learn? I’ve never gone into business with family. But, I have started businesses and worked on new ventures with…

I’m curious what your thoughts are. This was a lively discussion on a meme I shared today about not being able to retire. (I joke!) I’m not asking *can* you retire or *will* you retire, even though those are important questions too. But, *should* you? The research is mixed. I read an interesting meta-analysis on…

We’re planning on leaving California. We’ve already been researching our next move.  It’s been a good 20+ years, but the constant fires and other issues are accelerating our schedule.  As we look around, it’s clear that there is no “perfect place” to live. It’s all a matter of pick your poison.  What can you live…