Reflections As I was cleaning the farmhouse today, a task that always brings a sense of order to my mind, I found myself thinking about the bizarre advice I’ve been fed by others when it comes to professional reputation: “Don’t mention your side business. Hide your real estate activity. Don’t list fractional advisory roles. If […]
Category: Escaping corporate life
Let’s Sell the Diamond Ring
So baby let’s sell your diamond ring Buy some boots and faded jeans and go away This coat and tie is choking me In your high society you cry all day – Chips Moman, Bobby Emmons, as performed by Waylon Jennings Reflections It’s not a diamond ring we’re selling, but a 5 acre, forested property […]
Breaking Up With My Professional Doppelgänger
Reflections LinkedIn Identity Crisis I took a look at my LinkedIn profile today. It made me laugh a bit, because I barely recognize that person. The photo, the accomplishments, the network, the work history, it all seems like it belongs to another person. And I guess, in a way, that’s the case. Because even as […]
Four Memorable Corporate Personalities
Reflections Twenty-seven years is business has given me plenty of exposure to a wide variety of corporate personalities. I’m going to outline here four of my most memorable. I can’t really call them favorites. Note: This post is meant for a cynical laugh for experienced business folks who have a sense of humor. If you […]
A Talk With Kate: Letting Wisdom Take a Backseat to Wonder
Reflections A Chance Encounter in the Outdoors On a recent summer camping trip with my husband and friends, I had the pleasure of meeting Kate, a vibrant young woman in her early twenties who worked at the ranch where we were staying. She radiated the kind of boundless energy, enthusiasm, and wide-eyed optimism about life […]
Riding the Big Wave and Navigating Reality When It Crashes
Reflections The Peak of Prosperity During the peak of my career, I had a gut feeling that I was working in a market bubble. My colleagues, and frankly, everyone in my professional network, were living high on the hog. Lavish corporate parties were the norm, expense accounts were practically unlimited when working with major accounts, […]
Corporate Stockholm Syndrome
Reflections In this final segment of my career, I’ve worked for “Mega Corp”, Fortune 100 behemoths. Prior to this stage, I worked for much smaller companies, mostly software firms with fewer than 1,000 employees. I had a very scary realization shortly after onboarding at Mega Corp 1 (which has been confirmed at Mega Corp 2): […]
I’m no stranger to risk, but early retirement is scary
Reflection I spent a lot of my 30s and 40s chasing mountain summits. I finished the Colorado 14ers, summited the “Roof of Africa” (Kilimanjaro), tackled my share of 5th-class technical rock and plenty of exposed 3rd- and 4th-class scrambles. I snow climbed steep couloirs, slicing my arm open with my ice-axe in spring conditions, bleeding […]
Keeping the Courage to Leap into What’s Next
Reflections The tension between who I have to be at work and who I really am is just getting to be too much. It’s exhausting to be the high performer with the master’s degree and a quarter century of experience. I’m just not her anymore. In fact, I don’t want anything to do with her. […]
I Hope Retirement Didn’t Slip Out of Your Hands
Reflection Over the years, I’ve worked with plenty of professionals making really, really good money. Certainly plenty of people earning a comfortable $150,000-$250,000 per year. But executives aside, I’ve worked alongside and am networked with folks who, as sale representatives or consultants, have had a few back-to-back years earning mid- high-six figures. I wouldn’t be […]