How are you? How about the real answer? Would you pause for a moment with me? Gaze at the photo below. Consider a short exercise as you look into the woods (or skip ahead to this week’s leadership lesson)… Imagine what you might feel in your body as you walk through these trees in the […]
Why courage matters more than intellect (Little Leadership Lessons First Edition)
Happy New Year! I hope your year is off to a wonderful start. Here’s my favorite (non-family) photo I took last year to start things off with a moment to pause and find peace in nature: In 2024, I sent roughly equal editions of my newsletter and episodes of my podcast (~35 each). You were […]
Processing stress in times of uncertainty (plus group coaching!) (Week 41)
There are three things for you in this post: The stress of uncertainty Let me start with acknowledging that election weeks are stressful in the United States, no matter your political preference. We exist within systems. An internal system in relation to ourselves. A family system. A community system. All the way up to a […]
How to build systems for scale as an operator (2024 | Week 40)
I hope you’re having a beautiful October weekend. We’re in Halloween mode around our house, which means Paw Patrol costumes arrived in the mail this week and we took a trip to the pumpkin patch with my eldest son’s preschool on Friday. I love fall in the Pacific Northwest and am trying to make time […]
What core metrics should you be tracking as your company grows? (2024 | Week 39)
Welcome back to the newsletter after a six week hiatus. I’m back this week with my series of letters to a subscriber and client about building operational excellence within your company. This is part two. You can find part one here. — Hey Ops-Focused, I’m back with an answer to your second question: What were […]
What does it take to be a COO at a scaling company? (2024 | Week 33)
Happy Saturday and happy Labor Day weekend to my US-based friends! his week’s Letter from a Founder asks about knowing whether a role (specifically a COO role) is a fit for one’s skill set and career arc. The writer asked multiple questions in their letter, which we’ll cover in upcoming newsletters. But for today we’ll […]
How to motivate a group or team to reach their potential (2024 | Week 32)
Hey Reader! Hope you’re enjoying the end of your summer. I noticed myself feeling the sadness of the upcoming transition in season and cadence of life as school starts and fall approaches. As a parent, the feeling of each passing summer is visceral knowing that we only get a limited number of summers with our […]
How does shame show up at work as a founder? (2024 | Week 31)
Hey Reader! Our inner lives show up in our work, whether we like to admit it or not. This is especially true as founders. We all have experiences growing up that shape how we approach the world. Our experiences shape our approach to conflict, our psychological triggers, the emotions we have, and the sensations in […]
What’s the best way to build stronger relationships within a team? (2024 | Week 30)
Hey Reader! Last week I was on a mastermind retreat with a bunch of wonderful entrepreneurs and then went straight to Las Vegas to give a workshop to a group of founders on scaling your vision + building the team who can bring it to life. This week I’m back with another great note from […]
Am I ready to start my new business after moving on from my last one? (2024 | Week 28)
Hey Reader! Two weeks ago I told you I’d like to continue to transform this newsletter to a format that directly serves you as a leader and founder. I asked for letters from subscribers about a business or leadership challenge you’re currently facing. I got a great first batch, certainly enough to get started.So this […]