“Balance is not better time management, but better boundary management.  Balance means making choices and enjoying those choices.” – Betsy Jacobson. Lately, many people in their 30s have asked me how I was able to start a business, raise my two boys (who played travel hockey from the age of 5), and maintain a marriage for 32 years.  The short answer is that I just put one foot in front of the other. Truly, there was no master's plan when I was in my 30s, knowing how to create a wonderful...

“When you begin to talk in stories, your black-and-white words turn into color.  Your drab requests turn into a mission.  People find you to be more compelling.  And once that happens, others will see that stories work, and they’ll start telling stories, too.”  – Annette Simmons   YouTube: https://youtu.be/2afTeYmOg8Q    Check Out These Highlights:    As a multisensory learner, I learn much easier when I can see, hear, and try out new skills. Throughout my career and business, I have...

“Decide which direction you are going in and take action. One decision at a time, one moment at a time.” — Akiroq Brost. I chose this quote today because you have heard me end my podcast episodes with the notion that learning new information is a beautiful thing. Doing nothing with that new knowledge and not taking action is a choice you and I get to make every day.     It's not uncommon to hear of people who strongly desire to change their lives, seek knowledge, and then do nothing with...

“Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open.” - B.K.S. Iyengar. I have changed many habits over the past 20 years, where I practice mind, body, and spirit daily so I and my business can thrive. It took me a long time to consider self-care a necessity, not a luxury.  Initially, I thought taking time for myself was selfish, and I felt like I was letting all the people around...

“Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't.” – Johnny Depp. Growing up, my older siblings took piano lessons.  I wanted nothing to do with it.  I wanted to go outside with my friends, run, play ball, ride my bike, jump off the swing set in our backyard, and just be free to play.    Today, there are so many benefits for children's brain development that music can tap into and help children learn quicker just by understanding that music can be learned like a native language.  I...

“Video marketing solidifies your online presence while building deep and meaningful relationships with your customers. It adds a personal touch to your brand while increasing your conversions!” - Lisa Lubin   A few years ago, the owner of WebTalkRadio, Mary Lou Davidson, was coaching me on becoming a better host and making my podcast interesting, fun, and engaging.  Then, one day, she told me, “You need to start recording your show using video.”  I couldn’t hear anything after that, as if...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Jason Reynolds, “Be not afraid of discomfort. If you can’t put yourself in a situation where you are uncomfortable, then you will never grow.  You will never change.  You’ll never learn.”    It's crazy to think that growth happens at the edge of your comfort zone.  Stretching is like a rubber band is the only way to do more, with less effort and better results.  So, without change, results will never happen.  To me, that is a scary thought.  So,...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Brian Dive, “Accountability is a statement of personal promise, both to yourself and to the people around you, to deliver specific defined results." I am an action-taker.  I don’t know how to be any other way.  Sometimes I feel it is a blessing, and other times, a curse…lol!    At the end of the day, having accountability metrics in place truly holds us accountable to ourselves and those who depend on us.  So, this quote hit home for me.  In my...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Bob Lord, “The great thing about AI is that it can predict and learn in real time what the audience will be receptive to...[so we can] create a great value exchange between the brand and consumer in ways we couldn’t do before.”   YouTube: https://youtu.be/KLv9H0Gq3ho   Check Out These Highlights:     When I started my career, we were analog.  The internet had just been introduced to the world, and understanding it, if you could afford a...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Og Mandino, “Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later."  Sometimes, when people are viewed as successful or become famous and are in the spotlight, I’ve heard people say, “They are an overnight success.”  I don’t believe anyone is an overnight success.  If we look back on their journey or path, it took possible years to become what’s observed as an overnight success.     That’s why I chose this quote for today.  I believe...

My motivational quote for today is by – Publilus Syrus, “You can accomplish by kindness what you cannot by force.” Through my 40 years in sales and business, I've learned that putting people first is kind and profitable. I’ve created the environment people need so they can thrive with the great side effect of improving the bottom line.  It’s funny that throughout my sales career in the financial services industry, kindness has never been a word I would use to describe the leaders I have...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Dwight D. Eisenhower, “The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionable integrity.” Throughout my career and business, I have dealt with amazing leaders and those who left me feeling bad for their employees.  Leadership isn’t about titles but the vision and strength to lead their teams to greatness.  It’s the idea of a win/win/win philosophy.     The leader wins because his team exceeds goals, the company wins since they are more efficient...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Catherine Ponder, “What you notice, give attention to, talk about, get all worked up over emotionally is what you are inviting into your life, whether you mean to or not. ”WOW!  This quote struck me.  It made me pause and think about why choosing the right mindset every day is critical for us to live a life of passion and emotions that help us navigate and fame our life from a place of choice, not a life by default.   ...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Melodie Beatty, “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…. It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events.” I love this quote because it reminds me that life is about perspective.     Do you remember the artist Bob Ross?  He would say that every mistake...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Bill Hybels  “We all have strengths, weaknesses, and blind spots.  In fact, an average person has 3.4 blind spots.” Recently, I spoke with my brother-in-law, and I shared that as I age, I feel like I know less and less and have more blind spots.  I asked him if he thought becoming less intelligent over time was possible.  We both laughed and decided that with age comes wisdom, which allows us to see that we have many blind spots, and by being...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Gavin de Becker, “Intuition is always right in at least two important ways. It is always in response to something.  It always has your best interest at heart." This notion of intuition leading our career and business intrigues me.  I’ve seen it at work in my career and business over the past 40 years, and every time it happens, I am surprised and, at the same time, in awe of the experience.  I can tell you it never gets old!     Join my guest...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Rachel Naomi Remen   “Healing may not be so much about getting better as about letting go of everything that isn’t you – all of the expectations, all of the beliefs – and becoming who you are.” Reflecting on this week’s quote, I am amazed at how many limiting beliefs I have and how many live and thrive in our subconscious mind. Picture an iceberg.  We can equate the 5% sticking out of the water to our conscious mind and 95% underwater to our...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – James Belasco and Ralph Stayer, “Change is hard because people overestimate the value of what they have and underestimate the value of what they may gain by giving that up. Each week, I pause to reflect on my life and business and all the changes that needed to happen through the years to sustain and grow my business.  Here is the secret I’ve learned: all progress requires change. I have also learned that we can’t do it alone!  So, if you ever...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Louise Hay, “We learn our belief system as very little children, and then we move through life creating experiences to match our beliefs.  Look back in your own life and notice how often you have gone through the same experience."    I love this quote, and I believe that our minds are powerful tools to help us achieve our life’s desires.  As long as we change our thoughts, our reality will follow accordingly!  We all have the power to create...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Sarah Clayton, “Few things are more important during a change event than communication from leaders who can paint a clear and confidence-inspiring vision of the future. “   This show is about creating productive change in our personal and professional lives.  At the core of any change is clear communication. When change hits us, especially if we don’t choose the change, we forget to seek help and communicate with others to make the change easier...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Phil Frost, “Successful SEO is not about tricking Google.  It’s about PARTNERING with Google to provide the best search results for Google’s users.” As I reflect on these weekly quotes, I’m inspired to try to see the show's topic from many perspectives.  Today’s topic is all about SEO rankings.  I have not fully leveraged SEO for my business because I lack knowledge.  So, I am personally excited to hear my guest’s thoughts about SEO generation,...

Connie's motivational quote for today is by – Joshua Marine, "Challenges are what make life interesting. Overcoming them is what makes life meaningful." I read an article or got an email about mindset, motivation, and career or business growth.  For me, this quote hit the nail on the head. Challenges make us stronger and more resilient and keep life interesting and, sometimes, even frustrating.  Overcoming these challenges does make life meaningful and exhilarating.    Think of a new skill...

My motivational quote for today is by – Jake Dyson, “I don’t like the word ‘dynasty,’ but that’s what it is. It’s not just a business. There’s a lot going on in the background.” Interestingly, I had yet to think about what I would do with my business once I retired.  Now, my kids are growing and developing their skills and moving forward in their careers.  Will they want to continue my business, or will I sell it?    If you, like me, own a business and are approaching retirement or at least...

Connie's motivational quote for today is from – Socrates, “The secret of change is to focus all your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new.” Being in business for 22 years many things have changed, and yet many things have stayed the same.  I met my guest about two years ago and learned that my business has a soul language.  I know, right…what does that mean? Most business owners, like myself, see their business and personal self as the same thing.  Well, surprise, they are...