At first, we thought it was just a bus or semi truck rumbling by. We were finishing the final inspection on our soon-to-be home with a contractor and two realtors. Everything looked great and we were ready to close escrow. I headed home to pick up my daughter Alicia at daycare then watch the World Series. The San Francisco Giants were playing the Oakland A's, a true Battle of the Bay. I turned on the radio to listen to the game and they said the Bay Bridge collapsed. The announcer said the...
3 days ago • 1 min read
Ever wonder why some people can tell a story that instantly gets you to say “yes” while others ramble on without making any impact? Join us for an exclusive conversation with David Garfinkel, best-selling author of “The Persuasion Story Code” (I've known David for years and he doesn't do many public appearances). About “The Persuasion Story Code” David’s book reveals the difference between stories that entertain and “$tories” that persuade. Unlike traditional storytelling that focuses on...
4 days ago • 1 min read
When I got laid off at 55, I expected the anger and financial anxiety. What I didn’t expect was the grief. Not the kind you feel when you lose someone you love. But something just as real and disorienting. I was grieving the loss of my identity. The Identity Crisis No One Warned You About Here’s what nobody tells you: You’re not just leaving a job. You’re leaving the person you’ve been for decades. The corner office. The team that looked to you for direction. The title that gave you instant...
6 days ago • 4 min read
Quick question: When someone asks what you do, do you rattle off your credentials like a resume? “I have 15 years of experience…” “I’ve worked with over 100 clients…” “I’m certified in…” Here’s the problem: Nobody cares. Well, that’s not entirely true. They want to care. They just can’t connect with a list of achievements. That’s why I’m excited about our upcoming Mastermind Book Club meeting featuring David Garfinkel, author of The Persuasion Story Code. What Are Origin Stories? According to...
8 days ago • 2 min read
A career transition after age 55 can feel like an unexpected and unwelcome event. One moment, you occupy a corner office. The next, a brief meeting concludes decades of corporate tenure, leaving you with a box of personal items and a sense of displacement. At 55 or older, the world can make you feel unnecessary. Perhaps you have lived this experience. Or perhaps you sense a change is coming, despite consistent performance and deep experience. You might even have chosen to retire and now face...
10 days ago • 4 min read
One of the most powerful stories in Barry Kleiman's "The Playground Principles" isn't actually about what happened on the playground. It's about the man who never set foot on it but shaped everything that happened there. The Blue-Collar Foundation Barry describes his father as a man who "never set foot on the blacktop" but "instilled the quiet, blue-collar examples of humility, effort, and always showing up." This father, captured in a cherished family photograph with Barry and his brothers,...
26 days ago • 2 min read
It's been a while. I've been battling some very challenging health issues. By far, the most challenging couple of months of my life, mentally and physically. I'm living a roller coaster of emotions, and my challenges are far from over. Luckily, I have a fantastic wife and two children who have been there for me. I also have a great friend, Barry Kleiman, who checks on me every day. Business is the last thing on my mind right now, but I want to keep my toe in the water while I battle through...
28 days ago • 1 min read
A few weeks ago, I couldn't walk more than a few steps. I'd fall to the floor, curl up in fetal position, feeling like I was still falling. For 21 days, I was bedridden with extreme vertigo in both ears, unable to work, unable to concentrate for more than a few seconds, unable to do the simplest things I'd always taken for granted. It was one of the most challenging periods of my life. But something unexpected happened as I began to recover. This obstacle that completely derailed my life...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Last week, I caught myself snapping at my wife over something trivial, a misplaced glass. I felt embarrassed and said to myself, “This isn’t me!” But Chapter 24 of Modern Wisdom, Ancient Roots explained exactly what was going on and offered a path out of it. Dr. Rao reveals that anger and fear aren’t triggered by what’s happening around us. They come from resistance to our present moment. When life doesn’t match our expectations, we tense up, tighten our identity, and react, rather than...
3 months ago • 1 min read
