The phone rang and I picked it up. It was my longtime client, James. “How are things going with business and in your world?”  I asked.  “I made more money than I ever thought I would have last year,” James replied. “And this year will be the same. Covid helped save our business. We are thriving. I am in escrow on another piece of real estate in Mammoth.”  “Wow, man, that is awesome,” I said. “Things sound like they are really going well.” “Yes, for sure on the business side, but…I may have to put Jesse into a home,” he said almost apologetically, his […]

I was on a plane the other day and happened to read something that resonated with me… “Remember when you go into the world to keep your eyes and ears wide open and be kind. Love one another. Take care of each other. Tell the truth and always do your best. Listen to the big people and the little people. Explore new paths and have fun. Know that you are loved like crazy. Give thanks for all your blessings. Above all else, love and you will do wonderful things in this world.”  -Poet Rebecca Puig I got a lot out […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]