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...

We've all heard it more times than any of us would like to admit, and many of us have used it. It's one of the most abrasive words we will hear or say… as well as being one of the most overused. It may have even come out of your mouth this week. And, if you didn't verbalize it, you probably thought it. "I'm so… Busy."

We all have our roles to play in an organization. Depending on the size of the company, you may wear many hats to cover several responsibilities. But, what if you need to put on a new hat, even just for a day?

What if what you thought was the front door, where customers are most likely to see and purchase your services or products, wasn't actually the best place for you to put your effort? What if you could get more business leading them around to enter through the back door instead?

“Leader” is a label that we have traditionally assigned to individuals in positions with some kind of influence. You’re a CEO, you’re a president, you’re a VP or director, you’re a manager… Those people are leaders. Yes, individuals with titles like those find themselves in leadership positions. But what about the people on our teams that don’t have “leadership” titles. Don’t they still have the ability to lead, even though their titles don’t scream “leader” in bold letters on their business card?

Last week, we were scheduled to give a “speed-date OrangeBall” presentation to a group of marketing professionals. As part of the prep, our hosts created room for us to share a dry-run of our preso. We did the work, we prepped, and we showed up ready to go. At the end of our dry-run, we heard this...

Years ago, we got acquainted with the book FISH! Based on filmmaker John Christensen’s encounters at the Seattle Fish Market, the book unpacks how the hard work of packing and throwing fish became a successful business and a great workplace culture. Through his visits to the market and interviews with the team, Christensen unlocked four simple (powerful) practices that impact culture creation...

"Our purpose is to impact the world by guiding others to unleash their potential with a servant approach." This is our mission. It's what gets us out of bed each morning, guides how we show up, and is our measuring stick for success. If we've done this for our clients at the day's end, then we've accomplished our greatest goal. So, how does this affect you? How can you unleash yours and others' potential?

If you've ever tried to bake a cake, you know the importance of measuring and mixing all the ingredients correctly. A little of this and a little of that, all mixed in the correct ratios and in the proper order, and the outcome is tasty. Mix in the wrong amounts, or combine them at the wrong time, and you get something different. "So what?" you might ask, "how does this apply to my summer?"

This morning, Beau shared a video of his retriever pup Brie running around the living room in circles. She was barely able to contain the excitement of being alive, and you could feel it as you watched the video. It was contagious. I made a comment that we should bottle that feeling up and sell it to humans, to which Ciara quickly chimed in, “We basically are! It’s Bounce!”