Happy Tuesday, Reader! There are about 60 days until the year turns and we trade fall's completion energy for winter's necessary rest. If you've been following along this month, you know I'm not here to tell you to "finish strong" by powering through everything on your list. This year has asked too much of us for that approach to be sustainable. But I do believe we can finish well, and that starts with having the right tools. The Alignment Trinity™ as Your Framework for Finishing Without...
1 day ago • 3 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! When times get hard and uncertain, our instinct is often to retreat. We stay online because it feels safer than showing up in person with all our messy humanity on display. We avoid the discomfort of real conversations about how we're actually doing. We keep our heads down and try to push through alone. But here's what I'm seeing after 15+ years of working with small businesses through multiple economic crises: The businesses weathering this moment best aren't the ones...
8 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! This year has been a lot. Between economic instability hitting our businesses and the political chaos affecting our communities (and maybe even the safety of people we love) many of us are arriving at fall's traditional "completion season" already exhausted. The cooler air still carries that familiar energy to finish what we've started. But if you're feeling like you don't have it in you to push through one more thing right now, you're not alone. Sustainable Finishing...
11 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! It's not groundbreaking news at this point, but study after study shows us that digital-first relationships make us less happy and aren't fulfilling in the same ways as face-to-face connections. Despite being more connected than ever, we're in the midst of a loneliness epidemic, and AI tools only exacerbate the problem. This has a real impact on our humanity, which is (spoiler alert) also screwing over our work lives. The solution is simple, if not easy: Get...
18 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! Today’s AI tools make starting things easier than ever. For example, much has been written about how helpful ChatGPT is at getting from blank page to rough draft for writers. But here's what no algorithm can do for you: the discipline of finishing. There are 99 days left in 2025. We're in that magic momentum cycle where hitting those big goals and leaning into the intentions we set in our planning sessions becomes not just possible, but natural. Realign with the Human...
25 days ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! We've been exploring where AI shortcuts can actually hurt your business. This week we’re focusing on the hidden cost of making your work too easy. Deep learning and maintaining creative skills require cognitive strain. If we’re not careful, what helps us in the short run (freeing up cognitive load with AI tools) can hurt us in the long run. It's crucial to make thoughtful choices about where the trade-off of short-term ease for long-term skill development is worth it,...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! Much has been written about AI's usefulness for evaluating work quality. But the more we experiment with it, the more we're realizing that quality feedback is still surprisingly difficult to get from a bot, especially for those actively trying to improve their skills. Effective feedback, particularly on creative work, remains inherently human. AI might eventually replicate it, but today it simply doesn't (at least not nearly as well as many believe) Realign with the...
about 1 month ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! We've spent the last several weeks exploring AI's impact on discoverability. I'm excited about helping clients and our own team navigate this new reality, but I feel a compelling need to remind us (both myself and everyone I work with daily) that there are crucial life and business skills AI simply cannot touch. Skills that are uniquely, powerfully human. Today, I want to talk about one skill that might transform how you think about building your business. Realign with...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
Happy Tuesday, Reader! We've talked about how being discoverable in an AI-driven world means adapting your brand strategy and realigning your digital tactics. This week, I'm going to say something that might surprise you, especially coming from someone who's been advocating for digital marketing for over 15 years. We’re going old-school for community-based businesses. TRA-digital marketing means offline first, digital second. I’ve talked about the importance of TRA-digital marketing before....
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
