Cheers to a Strong Finish to 2019!
Over the past few years, I have scheduled some grueling physical goals for the summer and/or fall. I have completed Hood to Coast, climbed Mt. St. Helens, survived Cycle Oregon, and this year I’m doing the last leg of the Camino Frances. Each of these events has been...
September Newsletter: 5 Tips to Avoid Making Decisions on the Wrong Assumptions
When I was thinking about my major in college, I considered several options: business, pre-med, pre-law. Then I saw my childhood dentist, who asked me if I had considered engineering. I replied that I wasn’t smart enough. His response of, “Don’t put limitations on...
Does Your Business Need Some Manure?
For the past few years, I’ve been working under the assumption that I am unable to grow peppers in my garden because of the elevation where I live. Our property is typically 7-10 degrees cooler than those in town, and I don’t have any concrete structures around my...
August Newsletter: Managing Your Way to Prosperity
The current expansion of our economy is over 120 months long, which is the 3rd longest in our country's history. While we know this won’t last forever, many CEOs find it hard to take focus off maintaining their current growth while preparing for a possible economic...
Little Pests Grow into Big Problems
I’ve been keeping busy this summer – enjoying the puppy, time outside and of course, the often elusive Pacific Northwest sunshine. A few weeks ago, I noticed some aphids on one of my Brussel Sprout plants. I’ve struggled with aphids in the past and my solution was...
An Optimist’s Outlook for 2019
So, what does 2019 hold? If only the batteries in my crystal ball weren’t dead, I could tell you. But I have been doing my research and talking to experts and here is what I have gathered about 2019: Confidence is down. This may be because of the dysfunction in...
The Relationship between Profitability and Making the Perfect Cup of Coffee
Earlier this week, I had the most amazing cup of coffee. The flavor was perfect with hints of chocolate and caramel and it was very smooth with no bitterness. I took my first sip and immediately stopped and savored the flavor. As I enjoyed this cup of coffee, I...
The Importance of Setting Intention: A Lesson From Copper
A few months ago, my husband and I had to put down our beloved Copper, a 10-year-old red fox Labrador retriever. She was diagnosed with skin cancer in September and had stopped responding to chemo. She was at the vet when I got the call that it was time for us to let...
Who is Setting the Priorities?
The topic of employee expectations came up recently with one of my clients. The client was talking specifically about attendance and showing up to work on time, but this argument applies to many aspects of an organization. The client’s perspective was that managers...