This week, conversations with clients have often veered into their views on the controversy surrounding NFL players "taking a knee" while the national anthem is being played. I'm less concerned whether they think the players should or shouldn't be doing it, or whether they think the President should or shouldn't be...
The callous use of a common phrase in someone else's blog on Tuesday shocked me. The writer used the common acronym "ROI". But he couched it as "Relief on Investment" in describing how to choose a charity to support victims of Tropical Storm Harvey, which has just devastated south Texas. My anger flared. How the...
"What do you do?" a man at the cocktail party asks me, glancing at my name tag. Those four simple words and the answer they elicit could be a doorway into a meaningful conversation. "About what?" I want to reply, but I know that isn't the question he thinks he is asking me. My thoughts were already falling back...
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. “I’m not sure what I should do here,” Marco told me. “I feel confused. How do I know which choice is the right one?” He was in the middle of a lucrative and complex transaction with his current firm. A new firm had offered him a position, pressing...
Yesterday, while having dinner with friends, we spotted a roadrunner making its way through the yard. Yes, they really do exist and it’s one of many pleasant surprises living in the desert. I always wondered what made Wile E Coyote double down in his endless pursuit of the Road Runner. Time and again, he...
Last week I met with two clients who are planning to make big changes next year. Glen is going to leave his current firm and Corey is going to sell his company. Both men know that to prepare themselves for the best possible outcomes, the actions they take in the next quarter are critical to set themselves up for the...
"I've spent my whole life working to provide for my family. When do I get to make it about me again? I'm not a selfish man, but isn't it ok to rebalance at some point? The challenge is, I'm just not sure how to even start!" My last column titled "Being the Best Damned Provider You Can Be - Because Failing Your Family...
Jeff, who had been a managing director at a boutique investment firm, arrived at Starbucks wearing an expensive suit with a power tie, impressive cuff links and impeccably polished shoes. As he took a seat across from me, his crisp scented aftershave lingered from our handshake. I asked if he had an interview...
"After six months of grueling negotiation and endless weeks of travel, three straight days without sleep and countless rolls of Tums, the deal was finally done. I'd hit the goal, doubled our assets under management, was facing my wife's wrath because I'd left her hanging yet again at a family event, making excuses...
I've been doing a lot of what I call "bridging work" lately. It's the work of navigating in-between the piers as the spans of your life's bridge is built. Letting go of what is familiar while reaching for the not-yet-here new stage of life. Keeping Afloat During Change David has recently completed a sale...
