The Persian poet Hafiz said, “The words we speak become the house we live in.” And right now, there is a single, tiny little word quietly limiting your leadership, your culture, your growth, and your results. That word is “but.” “BUT” is a canceller. It’s a diminisher. It’s a psychological eraser. You’ve heard it, and
What’s the hardest thing to learn about networking? It’s not how to shake a hand. It’s not how to deliver a 30-second pitch. It’s not how to “work a room.” The hardest thing to learn about networking is this: It’s not about you. And that is incredibly difficult for entrepreneurs. Because when you own the business, you
When you strip away tactics and trends, growth comes down to answering a small set of hard, clarifying questions — and then revisiting them often. So today we’re going to look at the most important questions every business owner must answer to grow intentionally and sustainably. And we’re going to have a little fun. I’m
So here we are again, this time at the Winter Welcome. And it certainly is Winter out there, but the warmth in the room is beyond welcoming. I look around at the faces at these tables, and I see greatness. Intelligence, dedication, experience, presence, agency, wit, and drive. And thanks to our vetting process and
Last week we looked at first impressions, and how to make them effective. But let me ask you a question: Once you’ve made a strong first impression… what happens next? Because a great first impression opens the door — but what you do after that determines whether the door stays open or quietly closes. So
I hope you had a great couple of weeks off, a solid close to 2025, and a positive transition into what I know is going to be a very strong year for us all. And since this is the first meeting of the year, it has me thinking about first impressions. Likely everyone has heard
BNI Elevate is a networking community organized to help our members make more money through structured collaboration and referrals. Today’s make more money money moment is a little long, but every bullet point is really important so please pay close attention. And I’m wearing my Santa hat today because I’m celebrating the gift that keeps
Every business that has ever been created, grown, or transformed stands on the shoulders of two crucial forces. Courage and confidence. In business, these are not “soft skills.” They are not personality traits, reserved for a lucky few. Like any muscle, they can be created and cultivated, and strengthened through action. And if you want
Good morning Elevate and welcome to your Wednesday! Members, guests, visitors. Whether it’s your first time in this virtual room, or your tenth year in Elevate, there’s a reason why we all showed up this morning. Actually for those of us who have been around a while, there are multiple reasons — because we love
Hopefully many of you are aware of Eckhart Tolle. But for anyone who isn’t, he’s a German-born spiritual teacher and author known for his international bestsellers, The Power of Now and A New Earth. As entrepreneurs and business owners, we spend a lot of time thinking about the future — forecasting sales, planning strategy, preparing