"What do you do?" a man at the cocktail party asks me, glancing at my name tag. Those four simple words and the answer they elicit could be a doorway into a meaningful conversation. "About what?" I want to reply, but I know that isn't the...
It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are. “I’m not sure what I should do here,” Marco told me. “I feel confused. How do I know which choice is the right one?” He was in the middle of a lucrative and...
Yesterday, while having dinner with friends, we spotted a roadrunner making its way through the yard. Yes, they really do exist and it’s one of many pleasant surprises living in the desert. I always wondered what made Wile E Coyote double down in his endless...
Last week I met with two clients who are planning to make big changes next year. Glen is going to leave his current firm and Corey is going to sell his company. Both men know that to prepare themselves for the best possible outcomes, the...
"I've spent my whole life working to provide for my family. When do I get to make it about me again? I'm not a selfish man, but isn't it ok to rebalance at some point? The challenge is, I'm just not sure how to even...
Jeff, who had been a managing director at a boutique investment firm, arrived at Starbucks wearing an expensive suit with a power tie, impressive cuff links and impeccably polished shoes. As he took a seat across from me, his crisp scented aftershave lingered from our...
"After six months of grueling negotiation and endless weeks of travel, three straight days without sleep and countless rolls of Tums, the deal was finally done. I'd hit the goal, doubled our assets under management, was facing my wife's wrath because I'd left her hanging...
I've been doing a lot of what I call "bridging work" lately. It's the work of navigating in-between the piers as the spans of your life's bridge is built. Letting go of what is familiar while reaching for the not-yet-here new stage of life. Keeping Afloat...
Mentoring makes a difference. It's the foundation behind the Board in every investment you make. Imagine considering an investment in a portfolio company and the founder says, "Nah, I got this. I don't really need any input on how I make decisions or run the...
In this business, we focus a ton on numbers… ROI, Exits, Carry, Bonuses, Cash Valuations … and on and on. I’ve been really focused recently on one particular question with my clients … What’s your number? Most of them think I’m asking about the number they...
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