Legacy and revolution are powerful words, and I am using them with great intention as we enter 2023. Over the past year I started to dig even deeper into who I am and the impact I want to make on the world.

I was pushed to my limit and found my purpose in a bowl of oatmeal. My alarm range at 3:30am. It was dark and cold and unfamiliar. I wiped the sleep from my eyes and joined the others for coffee and prepared for the challenging trek ahead. At 4am with our headlamps on, we began the hours long hike to the summit.

I don’t always travel 28 hours to give a workshop…this one was worth it.

Have you ever met people that you instantly connected with? Ones who get you, who see you and accept you? People who you can share your ambitions and struggles with?

This is exactly what it was like at Camp Tailwind last weekend.

What do you think or feel when you hear the word, “Enough?” 

I had an interesting conversation about the word “enough” when I was in Greenland. Someone posed a question to the group about when, “Enough is enough”.

Adventure and connection are two things that are very important to me. But I haven’t really had much of either for the past 18 months because well… you know.

Over the holidays, I worked on cleaning and decluttering our basement and in the process, I came across my old journal from when I was recovering from my car accident 25 years ago.

To the outside world a brand looks like one thing. Like a beautifully decorated cake. From the outside it looks and smells delicious, but when you cut into the cake and see beyond the sprinkles and icing, it’s actually made up of many layers.

There is SO much noise. Everyday we are inundated with words, images and sounds. And we are overwhelmed with choice. And your business is lost in that mix - but it doesn’t have to be.

When I first started my business in 2004 I didn’t know the term Brand Architecture and to be honest, it wasn’t really relevant at that time. Not just for me, but for many other solo entrepreneurs. I had my business brand (which was me) and that was basically it.

I'll be honest, writing a book was never something I thought I would do. It wasn't something I dreamed of doing as a kid and in fact, up until a few years ago, I wouldn't have even described myself as a writer.

What needs to shift right now in your business to be able to thrive through this crisis?

Vulnerability is a HOT topic these days. And I see a lot of people crushing it and equally as many who being crushed by it. So how do you know which camp you are in?

December is always a time of reflection. It’s a time to see if I did what I set out to achieve this year. It reminds me of what I’ve accomplished…And it’s a reminder of the things that didn’t go well.

I’ve been paying attention to why some entrepreneurs seem to be killing it and others are struggling – and I have noticed a pattern emerging.

Have you ever been in a position where you were on the phone with someone or on their website and you felt so overwhelmed with the options being presented that you found yourself shutting down?

We all have tenacity in us or we wouldn't be entrepreneurs. The challenge comes when you create something and then get caught up in fear of putting yourself out into the world.

If your brand is what people believe about you, then your reputation truly IS your brand. It's how you make people feel, the impression you leave them with and the trust you build.

Watching our friend Davide Direnzo play the drums is something everyone should witness, and something we can all take a lesson from.