Stu Swineford carrying his skis in the wind. Photo by Johnny Copp.

Stay in Your Zone of Genius

Recently, I was on a call with Clark Vautier, and we were supposed to be talking about business stuff. As often occurs in talking with Clark, however, our conversation devolved into our mutual love of climbing mountains, outdoor adventures, and, well… LIFE. We are aligned on the idea that one’s business should fuel living and … Continued

A top-down view of a white cup of coffee placed on an open planner with a monthly calendar layout for November.

Missing Your Goals Isn’t Failure

There’s a saying in skiing… If you aren’t falling down once in awhile, you aren’t pushing yourself hard enough. The same holds true in pretty much every part of your life. If you are achieving all your goals, you’re not aiming high enough. Growth happens when we fall. And missing your goals isn’t “failure”. It’s … Continued

Two individuals collaborating and organizing sticky notes on a glass wall for brainstorming or planning purposes.

Don’t Hide Your Demo Behind a Paywall

Tip to SAAS marketing teams: If you offer to let people view a video demo’ing your service but require them to share their email address or sign up for something before doing so, you may be missing some opportunities. Look, if your service is valuable, you shouldn’t hide it behind what is effectively a paywall. … Continued

A group of people participating in a tug of war game on a grassy field, showcasing teamwork and competition.

Playing to Win

Are you playing to win, or to “not lose”? That was part of a recent conversation with Jeff Kinsey (seems like we ALWAYS have fun, deep discussions – LOVE that about my relationship with Jeff!). There’s certainly a difference between going for it and playing defense. Sure, the outcomes may be the same, but the approach is WAY … Continued

You’ll Never Be Here Again

Have you ever considered that you can never be “here” again? We are all, collectively and individually… hurtling through space. And we will never be “here” again. Even if you zoom into a time and place and think, “It’s ok. I can come back here again someday,” you really can not. See, you will be … Continued

Two individuals in a workspace, seemingly engaged in a discussion or collaborative work

The 1-3-1 Approach to Problem Solving

How do you encourage your team to bring solutions to the table rather than simply bringing problems? I was recently introduced to the 1-3-1 approach and it is a winner. Instead of having your team present problems, ask them to change their approach. If they are experiencing a challenge or problem, ask them to present … Continued

e you sent depicts a close-up view of wood pellets that are on fire, with flames dancing above them

Reframing Challenges as Opportunities: Mindset shifts to create positivity

Last night, our pellet stove started acting up. I ran through some troubleshooting and thought I had it resolved by about 11:00. When I woke up at 4:00, it wasn’t working. And our wee cabin was CHILLY. So I started working on it again. I could have gotten frustrated or angry. But I made sure … Continued

A group of people looking at a tv screen in a meeting.

What’s Your Zone of Genius? An evening with Gay Hendricks and Conscious Entrepreneurs

Big shout out to the team at Conscious Entrepreneur for the fantastic talk yesterday featuring Gay Hendricks. This was a very much last-minute opportunity for me and I’m happy Alejo Lopez posted about it so I could clear my schedule and join in the learning and love. I have read several of Gay’s books and … Continued

An employee leaving his office

Turning Off Your Work Brain: Tips for transitioning from work to life

I recently saw a conversation here on LinkedIn about tips to turn off your worker’s brain and move into the non-work phase of your life each day. This is a particular challenge for those who work at home and don’t have the natural buffer created by a commute. Here are a couple of tips that … Continued

A skier braving through the snow.

Planning and Focus in Marketing: Look where you want to go

Look at the tree, hit the tree. When I was first trying to get good at telemark skiing, a good buddy of mine, Luke Miller, was kind enough to show me the ropes. In addition to a LOT of great drills that helped keep my form in check, we worked on two vision exercises that … Continued

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