A friend once said, “I want to be recognized for the effort I put in, not the results.” I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately, especially as it relates to my kids. I think so often we’re focused on the result (whether they get the A in school or hit the home run at Little League) as opposed to whether they are maximizing the effort and whether they are giving whatever it is that they do their all. Speaking for myself, I always give everything my max effort. Good or bad, I pride myself on giving it 100% all […]

We all should be breaking bad habits and trying not to repeat those patterns of the past. Things that we’ve either learned as children, adults, through business or personal interactions. I was thinking about this a lot recently. Specifically, I have no photos of my father. My grandfather – his father – had an abusive relationship. Growing up in Brooklyn, his father was very abusive and actually cut all of the heads out of all of the photos of his father. So, there are no photos of him. Now my father had lots of pictures of my grandfather, but I […]

Over the last several months, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to leadership and what makes a great leader. What I’ve come away with over this period is that the number one key to successful leadership is communication. Those that communicate effectively and well, with clear ideas, goals, and expectations, led by example. It’s the singular definition of leading from the front. Provide guidance, deliver excellence, and engage the skills required to meet all the expectations that one has. In my organization, I most certainly try to lead by example. Whether it be keeping a clean and clear desk […]

It’s not often that you meet someone who significantly changes your trajectory and has a meaningful impact on your life. Those people are few and far between. I can tell you that for me, in high school, it was a science teacher. They told me that I was special and made me feel that way, as well as helping me believe in who I was. This was at a time when I didn’t have a lot of belief in myself, was very self-conscious, and a bit shy, too. That was so moving and important to me.  Someone actually thought that […]

I read a quote the other day that really resonated. “The comeback is never the moment everyone sees. It is the quiet work nobody knew was happening. While you were counting someone out, they were already three years into the next chapter.” The sentence that really resonated most with me was, “It is the quiet work nobody knew was happening.” That’s what it’s all about – doing the things that are necessary to be done, that no one knows about, that you won’t receive any accolades for, but knowing that it needs to be done. Whether it’s for personal growth, […]

Time is our greatest asset. Yet it is very precious and often overlooked. Make sure to value your time. On Tuesday morning at around 7:30 am, my Aunt Penny, while riding her bike, was hit by a car. It was a ride she and my uncle had done a million times. Close to their home. Flat road. Well lit. The young woman driving wasn’t paying attention and hit my aunt on her bicycle, putting her in the hospital and in a coma. My family’s lives – and the lives of those she touched – have changed in an instant. All […]

“If you punish people too much for failure, then they will respond accordingly, and the innovation you will get will be very incrementalist.  Nobody is going to try anything bold for fear of getting fired or being punished in the same way, so risk reward must be balanced.”  -Elon Musk I find this quote to be incredibly true, both in business and in our personal lives, with our children, spouses, and significant others. Look, it’s okay to get angry. It’s okay to express disappointment or dissatisfaction. But there must also be a follow-up to that. We also must celebrate the […]