Resetting for Q2 Start with the facts. Q1 is in the books. Your results—whether they thrilled or disappointed—are now measurable. It could feel good. It could feel bad. But in reality? It’s neither. It’s just what is. And this is where the most ambitious adults begin...

The City Council Member can’t help himself. (Sidenote: I don’t know him. He doesn’t know me. I’m sure we’d get along just fine—but man, do I disagree with how he thinks. Or at least how it looks from the outside.) The issue on the table was a big...

Don’t Be Afraid of the Contract You’ve courted the deal. You’ve made the offer. You’ve presented your case. And just when it’s time to seal it… you feel the fear creeping in. It’s not just your buyer who may be hesitant—it’s often you. Fear of the contract is a REAL...

I went to a presentation this weekend and my guest leaned over and said, "Typical Californians... everything gets a standing ovation here..." OUCH! Let’s be honest—most presentations are actually forgettable. (And probably not "award-winning" or "Standing-Ovation...

Being a "follower" isn’t exactly considered sexy. People don’t usually list it as a sought-after skill. You don’t brag about it on a date. It doesn’t exactly stand out on a résumé. And yet, we’re funny about how we talk about being "followers." Sometimes, we’re...

Why Most Sales Are Lost Before the Pitch Even Starts Whether you're negotiating million-dollar deals or trying to get someone to pass the butter, congratulations—you are a salesperson. Every day, we make requests. Requests for time, attention, participation, or a...

Have you ever finished a sales call feeling like you absolutely crushed it—only to never hear from the prospect again? You go through your checklist... They loved your energy. They laughed at your jokes. They agreed with everything you said. They even said, “This...

To the Esteemed Leadership of the Girl Scouts of America, Every year, like clockwork, you unleash upon the corporate world one of the most elite sales forces the world has ever seen. Small children in cute sashes, holding colorfully dressed boxes of cookies, flanked...

If the title and photo got you, then you’re my people. Training can be SOOOO annoying... especially when your company keeps getting together for this "Mandatory Fun" and nothing changes... nothing EVER changes. Some people love the exciting, goofy corporate trainer....

Let’s play a game. Think back to the last time you made a big purchase or investment—maybe it was a conference ticket, a longer-than-usual vacation, or even a new car. What ultimately influenced your decision? Was it a flashy ad? A perfectly curated Instagram post? Or...

When it comes to advertising, too many businesses focus on making the flashiest, most creative ad—without considering the bigger picture. Here’s the truth you want: great advertising isn’t only about creativity. It’s about strategy. If you don’t have the right...

Most salespeople dream of being "sales savants" who can effortlessly close deals with charisma and a well-timed pitch. What they don’t realize is that many of those “experts” aren’t relying on charm—they’ve mastered the art of preparation. I know it's annoying, and I...

Larry David has a rule that you're not allowed to wish people a "Happy New Year" after January 7th. Unfortunately, circumstances didn't really allow for me to do that this year. (But I do think that's a good rule... HA!) The end of 2024 was a bummer. I am doing much...

One of the best things that Buddy taught me before he passed was the lesson that focusing on what I can control and letting go of what I can’t is the best way to operate. If you don't know about my best lil dude, shortly after the COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, Buddy...

My master’s thesis can be summed up in one sentence: there is an ROI to being generous. I believe we should exploit this principle, ethically… In the 1990s, hair metal bands were regularly regarded as some of the rudest, most ill-mannered, and unlikable artists in...

It’s a bit embarrassing to admit, but one of the most influential quotes in my life came from a football commentator. Mark Schlereth has never been one of my favorite football players (I'm not a Denver Broncos fan... at all...), celebrities, or commentators. Yet, over...

Inquiry (in·quir·y /ˈinˌkwīrē,inˈkwīrē,ˈinkwərē) noun plural noun: inquiries an act of asking for information. an official investigation We’ve lost the ability to slow down and consider. That might be an overstatement, but one of the most overlooked skill sets I see...

“Lord give me patience, and give me patience now!” This quote has been in my brain since I was a little kid. I’ve always thought it was hilarious how people often think with the sentiment in that comment. Another one I’ve heard lately goes like this: "Many people want...

I recently picked up Tim Ferriss's book "Tribe of Mentors" for a project I’m working on. (I’ve hinted at this project for a while and I’m looking forward to revealing it to you all, very soon…) Tim Ferriss asked a few hundred celebrities, thinkers, and writers 11...

Life often urges us to pause in unexpected places. Here I am on a Friday afternoon—a time I know isn’t ideal for LinkedIn posts, and with the Dodgers game starting soon and much of my community probably preoccupied, eagerly awaiting Ohtani’s World Series debut......

"I have an idea..." Knowing Steve, and the "idea person" he is, I strapped on my imaginary helmet because whatever he was about to say, I knew it was gonna be good. "I'd like to get together the alumni from the Seattle area and start a group where we can practice what...

If all you've been hearing lately is crickets and Simon & Garfunkle's voices singing, "...That's the sound.... of silence..." Then I hear you... I had a conversation with a prospective client yesterday and he shared his frustrations that he knows his business...

In the volatile world of startups, founders are often celebrated for their groundbreaking ideas and visionary thinking. They make headlines, land investors, and build products that have the potential to transform industries, culture, and our daily lives. But behind...

“Facts are better than dreams.” - Winston Churchill Psst… The truth hurts. It’s also one of the only ways we can truly improve. Those who confront the brutal facts without losing faith tend to excel in leadership, achieve more in business, and experience greater...

Behind every success story, there is help. As I was studying this morning, I found a story that I had never heard before. Perhaps it's more popular now, but I didn't ever take a class on art history not have I read any books about painters and how they became...

“The current quality of your leadership and your life is fundamentally a function of how you are presently handling crucial conversations.” - Crucial Conversations: Third Edition (Link to Purchase on Amazon) The ability to navigate tough conversations effectively is...

Every morning, it seems like I wake up to a fresh spam request on LinkedIn. Usually, it's accompanied by a message like, "I'm just trying to grow my network." Upon acceptance, however, it quickly turns into a barrage of copied and pasted paragraphs explaining their...

Maybe I watched too many Disney movies as a kid. Maybe I played too many team sports. Maybe I listened to the DC Talk version of the Beatles' Hit Song too many times... (Welcome to the freak show....) Maybe I'm just an "askhole". I don't know what it is about me, but...

Nicole Diazand I met when I was a touring artist and was playing a show in Orlando, Florida. Although she missed the concert, we stayed friends from a distance. She worked for the Disney company for many years and is an absolute delight to everyone who knows her. I...

“Josh, if you’re going to be any good at this job you’re going to need to learn one thing…” It was our very first sales meeting. I’d just been hired and was desperately looking to impress my co-founders with what “I knew” about sales. I look back and wonder what that...

The prospect asked me, (a bit too sarcastically for my liking….), “What do you mean ‘think accurately’?” I thought about it for a moment and said, “My father used to say, ‘Trust God and have a plan.’ To me, accurate thinking is ‘the plan’ and everything else that I...

A man approaches the counter and the salesman says, "Is there anything you want?" The customer, puzzled, looks at the young salesman and thinks, "I wouldn't have asked that question if I were him... he ought to be able to tell what I'm looking at..." The "cringe"...

I feel like I'm regularly having conversations with people about AI. Have you noticed a lot of people have opinions but haven't done much research? (Shocker... right?) I enrolled in a course from Vanderbilt University on Prompt Engineering, about a year ago, so that I...