Action matters. Without it, nothing ever happens. We never create anything, never build anything, and our goals never shift from dreams into reality. Where does action come from? What we believe about ourselves is the tinder to start that fire, and if we don’t get this right, we’ll never take action at the level we could or should...

Remember back to those days where cardboard boxes used to become rocket ships, and you became the astronaut? Remember when chairs and blankets became forts and castles? Remember when you used to doodle in class, and you filled blank pages with your drawings? Remember when you imagined on the playground that you were your favorite football player or a foursquare champion? Remember when you still used your imagination and thought anything was possible?

Imagine you're planning your next family trip. Maybe you're doing this right now. Whether you're heading out on a camping trip or your first international vacation in some time, you undoubtedly did some research in the process of choosing your destination. You spent some time online, got familiar with the territory, read internet reviews about the place you're considering, and enjoyed all of the photos of the location you're selecting. Those images painted the vision for your trip, and that's where we want to head today. As a leader and for yourself, are you painting the vision of where you want to go?

I walked into a local spot the other day to get a haircut. The woman who would be cutting my hair was new to me, and my experience was more than memorable. She didn't sell me on products, she didn't spend more than 10 minutes on me, and she didn't even charge me! What? Can you really run a business like that and still make money?

In your office, when you meet a client, at home with your family, or when you’re meeting up with friends… What kind of energy are you bringing with you into the room?

There's an approach that's been around for quite some time when it comes to writing business messaging and marketing copy – write it at a fifth-grade level. Does it really work, or is it just "dumbing-down" society? And furthermore, why does it matter?

Driving through the Twin Cities the other day, we passed by a ton of traffic. Most of it was forgettable and mundane. However, the one moment that stuck out and created something memorable was passing by a Poop 911 vehicle. Maybe it seems silly, but there is a valuable lesson here...

We’re going to keep this message short today for a good reason. We talked a bit the other day about the “B” word… busy. Today, we’re in the midst of a busy transition. The kids are back to school, schedules are readjusting, and as fall has arrived, there’s been new energy in the air. With that on our minds, we’re replacing the “B” word with the “C” word…

The word “pivot” has officially left the building. Remember when it was all we heard about for six months straight at the beginning of the pandemic? Businesses large and small were forced to pivot as their models were disrupted, and the marketplace was turned upside-down by lockdowns and COVID protocols. The art of the pivot, as this was happening, was all the rage. What about now? Now that the pivot has become the new normal, you should take a moment to self-evaluate with these three questions...

Truth be told, the true value of your network may have nothing to do with you at all – beyond you being a connector. Here's what we mean...