Hi Reader, When I was in the trenches of running our family insurance agency, there was a moment when I sat in my car outside the office and couldn’t bring myself to go inside. Not because of any single crisis, but because I knew another day of putting out fires was waiting for me. Sound familiar? The Reactive Leadership Trap When I took over the agency, my focus was pure survival: streamline processes, build a team, get things running efficiently. I told myself I’d work on the bigger picture...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, I've been having conversations with business owners and leaders across various industries lately, and they're all seeing the same troubling pattern: AI is making their quality and productivity problems worse, not better. Employees are taking AI's first response without providing proper context. They're accepting solutions without understanding the underlying logic. Teams are skipping the critical thinking steps that ensure quality deliverables—the very skills that separate good...
2 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Last month, I had several conversations with business owners and leaders that revealed a troubling pattern. In one instance, an employee pushed back on constructive feedback, claiming they felt "singled out." For another, a client questioned their protocols and suggested they were being "unfair." In these moments, something shifted in these leaders—suddenly, they weren't just delivering necessary feedback or upholding important standards. They were defending themselves, seeking...
3 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Do you ever feel like you’re speaking a different language than your team? Like your vision isn’t translating into action, or you’re constantly putting out fires instead of driving growth? The issue might not be your team—it could be that you haven’t clearly defined what kind of leader you are. The Three Leadership Archetypes Most business owners and leaders fall into one of these categories: The Visionary sees big opportunities and paints compelling futures, but struggles to break...
5 months ago • 2 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt like you can't get anything done because your team constantly interrupts you with questions they should be able to answer themselves? I lived this reality every day at our insurance agency. My business partner and I became the ultimate bottleneck – our staff depended on us for nearly everything, from basic client inquiries to routine policy procedures. The phone never stopped ringing, and we prided ourselves on providing exceptional service. But here's the brutal...
6 months ago • 3 min read
Hi Reader, Have you ever felt like you're on an island? Lately, many of my clients have been sharing how isolated they feel as leaders and small business owners. There's a freedom that comes with being at the top, but the price you pay is having nobody to answer to but yourself. The Silent Burden of Leadership As business owners and leaders, we carry a unique burden. We're expected to have all the answers. To know the direction. To make the tough calls. Yet paradoxically, we're often the ones...
7 months ago • 4 min read
Hi Reader, It’s been a while since you’ve heard from me. As some of you know, I’ve just returned from maternity leave, embracing the beautiful chaos that comes with welcoming a new little human into the world. And wow, what a journey it’s been. When Systems Became My Lifeline This maternity leave has reminded me of one of the most valuable lessons from my previous business life – long before my coaching practice began. Years ago, when I was running our family-owned insurance agency with my...
8 months ago • 3 min read
Every season serves a purpose - you just need the right mindset to see it. I've been in the midst of a rather busy season for both my business and my life since May (which is why this newsletter is four months late). Like most people, but especially as a leader or an entrepreneur, it often feels as though everything is happening all at once or nothing is happening and there's zero traction. At first, I felt incredibly on edge, as I had to put my usual marketing and outreach initiatives to the...
about 1 year ago • 3 min read
To move your business forward, you need to take a step back first. It's a common misconception that in order to grow your business, you have to endure years of "the grind" before you start seeing the light and gaining time back to scale. While staying consistent and diligent is important, what will truly allow you to go from surviving to thriving is pivoting the way you approach your business in the first place. This is exactly what I did for our family agency, which led to us quadrupling our...
over 1 year ago • 5 min read