March 13, 2022
You never know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone, and you also never know how much you missed it until it’s back. Those were my thoughts as I attended a conference live and in person this week. (Yes, ‘actually in the same room with other human beings. Remember when we did that?!) WOW, HOW I’VE MISSED THAT! One of the speakers, a prominent economist, spoke about how today (due to what we’ve all just come out of), workers are much more productive. In those volatile two years, we’ve learned how to use tools like Zoom and Teams, among others. That […]
March 9, 2022
I was with a long-time client of mine last night, just catching up over drinks. He recently changed jobs and has an impressive and prestigious position now. But, knowing him, that’s not unexpected, as he comes from an affluent New York real estate family and is someone I’ve always respected as smart and hard working. He’s also happily married to his college sweetheart (who was a D1 athlete) and they have three kids. ‘Plenty of money, happy family. On the outside, it all looks perfect. Sounds like another talented, young, successful guy, right? Simply charging through life with all the […]
March 5, 2022
The Stock Market. As February waned, news of increasing conflict in Ukraine upended markets both home and abroad. For the month: The Dow Jones Industrial Average -3.53% Standard & Poor’s 500 Index -3.14% Nasdaq – 3.43% However, despite initial swoons upon the news of Russia’s invasion, stocks rebounded and have exhibited manic volatility throughout the end of February and the first days of March. Wall Street Falls into Correction Territory. The last three years have seen a windfall on Wall Street, with robust gains for investors. In fact, the S&P 500 saw returns of 31.49% in 2019, 18.4% in 20202, […]
February 21, 2022
Kaizen is a Japanese term best translated as “change for the better” or “continuous improvement.” Perhaps my favorite definition of Kaizen says it all, “The art of perfection.” It’s a business philosophy that’s interwoven within every aspect of Japanese enterprise. Kaizen means that any operation can be continuously improved, and that includes all employees. Kaizen sees improvement as a gradual and methodical process, one with no beginning and no end, as it’s built into the very core of productivity. It’s a concept that interests me greatly, and I often find myself stopping and taking account of my business and even life, measuring […]
February 15, 2022
Why is it easier to focus on what we don’t have than be grateful for what we do have? When staring at a glass that’s half full, why do we sometimes instead see it as half empty? We’re all guilty of this at times, but some go on to make it their calling card. When left unchecked, that negativity becomes the filter through which we see the world. Soon, we’re left doubting ourselves and feel like we’re falling short, no matter how far along we are in our journey. Sound familiar? If you’ve ever found yourself thinking about who you […]
February 12, 2022
No. I do not feel like it! I just wanted to order room service, turn on the TV, and sink into the bed. It had been a long day, and the last thing I wanted to do was start exercising. But there I was, sitting in my hotel room, staring at the dumbbells in front of me on the floor. I’d brought them with me from home on this work trip. Admittedly, most people don’t bring their own weights when traveling or just use the hotel gym. But this was part of my goal to work out at least four […]
February 10, 2022
Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of spending time with several of my colleagues. Each one of them is from a different part of the country, and some of them are from different countries altogether. We each have different temperaments, talents, and convictions. I took several things away from our time together, talking, and getting to know each other even further. But the one thing that I appreciated the most was how we each got to where we are in life. In many ways, we each followed a different path. But all paths led to the same place: success. Of course, we […]
February 4, 2022
Stocks In January 2022, the stock market saw some of its biggest declines in almost two years and even brief movement into correction territory. For the month: The S&P 500 was down 5.3%. Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 3.3%. Nasdaq Composite down 8.9%. That was the S&P 500’s worst month since March of 2020 when it saw a 12.5% decline. It was also Nasdaq’s worst month since March 20202. However, while starting the month with a swoon, stocks rebounded in the final days and continued a healthy recovery in February. Index prices are still more than 90% recovered from their […]
January 27, 2022
It’s 2002, and I’m moving out of my apartment and into my first condo. I was going to be a homeowner for the first time, paying an unthinkable sum (at the time) if $601,000. I had never owned property before, and the stress and emotions that come with that huge life step were all crashing down on me. After all, I was comfortable in my apartment – and in my life. But I also felt it was the right time. So many people I knew were also taking the leap of faith into “adulting,” so it just seemed like the […]
January 20, 2022
I have many regrets in my life. But perhaps the biggest regret is around my father. He and I never had much of a relationship, but towards the end of his life, after locating him and getting him off the streets, I simply didn’t want much to do with him. After all, why should I? Where was he when I was young? Or when I needed him? Now, looking back, that decision pains me. After all, we never know when it will be the last time we have the chance to spend time or see someone. My father loved only […]