Reflections: What LinkedIn Doesn’t Show You We see the triumphant social media posts all the time: “Excited to announce my next chapter!” or “Stepping away from the corporate world to start something new.” But we rarely see the months of quiet turmoil behind those announcements. Leaving a career, whether stepping into retirement, pivoting to fractional […]
Category: Escaping corporate life
The Ultimate Illusion: Why a 9-to-5 is the Most Fragile Strategy on Earth
We’ve been sold a massive lie: that a corporate job equals security. Reflections Right now, platforms like LinkedIn are flooded with heartbreaking, multi-year job search manifestos. Millions remain trapped in the mindset that the corporate mothership will reward you with stability if you just follow the old rules. They’ve fallen victim to corporate Stockholm syndrome […]
A letter to Millennials and Gen Z
My writing usually targets Gen Xers and/or folks in their 50s and 60s near the end of their careers. But today, I’m writing a special letter to the kids and even grandkids of my target audience. Reflections The latchkey kids are aging, and the reality of their late career selves is a stark contrast. While […]
Financial Eggs in One Basket: Why Corporations Fear the Financial Backbone
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 […]
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): […]