The year was 1990. I had my first job when I was only 13, working at a Baskin Robbins in Los Angeles. The ice cream shop was close to my house so I would ride my single-speed black Schwinn bicycle to work every day. I loved it; the feeling of independence, the feeling of making my own money, being my own man. There is just no other feeling like that. Maybe you can relate? One evening, my boss decided to let me close the shop. I remember it like yesterday; the privilege of being able to be the last person there, counting […]

Never do anything for anyone… expecting that they will do something for you in return. Never give… While keeping in the back of your mind that you may receive. Don’t do for others… with the hope that they will do for you.  Instead, do things for others because you want to, because you feel it, and it brings you joy. Stop thinking of relationships… as transactional.  Look, you shouldn’t allow people to take advantage of you. Only surround yourself with people that have your back, and you have theirs. And it’s perfectly alright to remind those around you that relationships […]

Prior to 1959 and prior to Fidel Castro taking power in Cuba, the country was not the impoverished pariah state that we now know it as. In fact, Cuba’s capital, Havana, was a dazzling and dynamic city. Casinos, lounges, and luxury hotels lined the coastlines, with celebrities like Ava Gardner, Frank Sinatra, and Ernest Hemingway regular visitors. Havana was such a hot spot for international jet setters and vacationers that for just $50 (a couple of hundred dollars today), you could buy a roundtrip ticket from Miami to Havana, including hotel, food, and a few shows. Consider that, pre-Castro, Cuba […]

“I think I need to remove one of my girls from our estate plan,” she said. “She is out of control and has now revoked all of our access to her therapist,” my client continued, trying not to cry. “She is 18 now and has that right, but we have been trying to get her the help she needs.” “I don’t know what happened. She was always such a happy kid.” I simply listened. Then, when she was ready, I went over what could be done and her options. And I was there for her as she wept, describing what was […]

I heard a quote once that stuck with me. “Once you get to the top of the mountain, all you have left is lighting. Whether that’s good or bad is up to you.” Although I can’t properly attribute it, those words hold weight with me. At this point, I fully understand that with success comes responsibility. Sometimes, that responsibility feels daunting or can even be frightening – the lightning is crashing all around you, and you’re alone, at the top, without shelter. Almost always, that responsibility is inconvenient and uncomfortable. But how you stand up in the face of those hazards […]

Last Friday, while walking through the Denver airport to head back home, I noticed a young woman crying. I was walking through the airport with Chuck, my longtime friend and coach, who was on the phone completing a call. As we waited to enter TSA, I noticed a young lady in tears, getting more and more upset while she spoke on her cell phone. We ended up being sent in one direction and her in another at the airport while trying to get to the security line. Finally, we entered an elevator to get to our gate. Just as the […]

I want to share something with you, Nike’s guiding principles: Our business is change. We’re on offense.  All the time. Perfect results count—not a perfect process.  Break the rules: fight the law. This is as much about battle as about business. Assume nothing.  Make sure people keep their promises.  Push yourselves push others.  Stretch the possible. Live off the land. Your job isn’t done until the job is done. Dangers: Bureaucracy Personal ambition Energy takers vs. energy givers Knowing your weaknesses Don’t get too many things on the platter It won’t be pretty. If we do the right things, we’ll make money […]

Ten years ago, Scott fired me. At the time, he wanted to handle his own investments. He thought that he could do it himself and didn’t want to spend the money on an advisor. It stung at the time, like it always does. But I understood his thinking and wished him well. Last year, I was able to reconnect with Scott. I’d just relocated to Arizona with my family. Coincidentally, so had he. He had a new position as the CFO of a company in Phoenix and was doing great. Scott and I met for a drink to catch up. […]

On Wednesday, one headline reads, “…shares sink following weak revenue forecasts due to….” On Thursday, the same news source writes about the same company, saying, “…company shares jump 8% on report of company X collaborating...” The same news source. The same week. A discussion about the same company. But two totally different messages. Narrative. Most people take in their information with layers of interpretation. You can make numbers say just about anything you want, and the markets and our news cycle move so fast, 24 hours with little respite. According to most headlines, we’re either in a new gold rush […]