The Strategy Specialist

I've been struggling with a title for this post because nothing could truly describe a decade long relationship with a young woman who has experienced me first hand through much of my professional growth.  Since I started blogging, it's been kind of fun because people will contact me and we will dialogue in detail about their memories as it relates to my posts.  This whole process has been incredibly nostalgic and humbling for me. My beautiful Cierra, 10 years my junior, joined Rainbow 10 years ago in Las Vegas, NV.  Though we had a break for about 2 1/2 years when I transitioned to California, I was lucky enough that she agreed to relocate to California... even though my colleague stole her from me LOL. When Cierra first joined me,  I was a one woman show and spread incredibly thin.  The value she created in my personal and professional life remains invaluable.  She and I worked 7 days/80 hrs per week during our Competition Tour (approx 20 weeks out ...

Prior to starting this blog, I decided to summarize my life on a timeline to illustrate the various nuances that were occurring over the past two decades to illustrate a point to my best friend, who has been around for the past 6 or 7 years but didn't witness the struggle first hand.  I remember when I sent it over to her she said quite sarcastically, 'I get it *deep breath/eyeroll* You worked all day and all night, sacrificing, saving, strategizing.....' LOL - She hates me... And though I don't do it any more - just to annoy her - I texted her at 6:30 am every morning and say - Gym Done. Laundry Done. Swept and Vacuumed. Heading to Work.  *crickets*  Presenting my life accounts with some humor is intentional because much of the content exposes the most vulnerable parts of who I am.  However, I feel it is critical to disclose the facts because it truly speaks to conflict resolution, strategy, course correction, and perseverance.  And as I review this t...

This is a quick follow-up post to dovetail off of the frameworks and tools I shared yesterday.  I was introduced to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in my Psych 101 class back when I was 18 years old. For some strange reason.... it resonated with me.  And over the years, I often refer to it anytime I am trying to figure out whether a certain situation is meeting my current needs. Currently, I am motivated by ONE thing in my professional life (right side) - Challenging Job/Achievement and Advancement - Why just the One? .. Well my logic is, if you achieve that, then everything below falls right into place. A few years ago... my self esteem was heavily tied to work relations i.e. needing to be validated and appreciated... It actually was my #1 Need (smh).  Thankfully I have evolved and matured emotionally to a point where it isn't much of a factor anymore, which allows me to operate at an optimal level based on logic, patterns, and professional intuition. Don't get ...

This is a SUPER HOT topic that I HOPE generates a lot of internal conversation!  It's been incredibly helpful in my personal and professional growth... not to mention my mental stability. Every time I start to complain or pity myself or deflect responsibility.... I take the emotion out of it and analyze it!  Sometimes I discover it is my fault and I have control over the outcome.  Other times I discover that it is something I do not have control over so therefore I have to decide if I am going to accept it or move on.  Here is a funny example at my personal expense to set the stage for an open and honest dialogue intended to inspire you to look at your life as it is currently and access what it will take for you to achieve happiness. Women... we are competitive by nature.  Anytime we get in a new relationship we have done all of the investigating on ex's, current interests etc. so we can 'measure' where we stand.  Hell.... if we spent that kind of energ...

Over the past 3 weeks or so, I have been very sensitive to how the greatest resources on the planet affects the quality of our lives. TIME and HEALTH And true to my nature, I have been trying to determine whether or not I am truly valuing those resources, which has me reevaluating my own strategies past and present. I have a lot of friends and associates who have been blessed with little ones recently.  I watch them vicariously through social media and marvel at how fortunate they are to have so much time with their children.  A smile comes to my face... but then in an instant, tears begin to fall uncontrollably....  I had my son on a Saturday morning and I went back to work on Tuesday.  At the time I hadn't accumulated any paid time off and if I took time off work without pay, I would also lose our health insurance. I look back now and wonder.... did I make the right choice?  Did I have alternative options? Could I have downsized and lived off my saving...

I am so delighted that my blog is allowing many of you to reach out and use me as a sounding board for many of your ideas you've been wondering about related to business and strategy!  A gentleman recently reached out to discuss his family business, which is prompting today's post.  It is my honor to lend an ear and also provide valuable insight to your inquiries. Let me share my experience - Business in general is tough.... It just is -  But when you involve family and/or friends in business... that can take things to another level. It's like a marriage... very intimate and a LOT of compromise and work! It gets even further complicated based on the hierarchy/corporate structure.  Are the family members/friends in the correct positions i.e. skill, experience, commitment?   Or did they just assign themselves prestigious leadership titles with nothing tangible to warrant the formal assignment of responsibility? Is there any type of j...