As long as I can remember, my father has sent my sister and me newspaper articles, quotations, and other wise bits of information. This started when we were children; and now, at age 85 (my father) and 52 (me), he still continues this practice….selflessly and conscientiously he teaches, shares, and helps me become the best person I can. So, this week, in honor of Father’s Day, I am sharing the latest gift my father sent us late last month.

As many may know, ABC has a real hit on its hands with The Shark Tank! The stars are a ruthless, shrewd collection of diverse, self-made millionaires who judge, qualify, and either select or ‘de-select’ budding entrepreneurs for further investment. If you haven’t watched it, you will either love it or hate it. Recently, there was an episode focusing on how to capture the sharks attention AND close the deal…..interesting. This blog offers my two cents…..

Over this past month, I have been exposed to many individuals who have defied the odds of creating, building, and accomplishing their dreams. It has been inspiring to watch each of them succeed. I wanted to highlight four such individuals and collections of individuals to not only spread their word and give them heightened visibility; but, at the end of this article, I hope to shine a light on a few ‘lessons’ I gleaned, from their experiences.

Recently I read a thought provoking article which shines a bright light on making the ‘hard calls’. It came at a perfect time, as the jovial energy of the holidays and the newness of 2014 are dimming, and once again – reality in its unvarnished way has revealed itself.

As the holidays rapidly approach, December becomes a hectic time! Shopping, cooking, wrapping, decorating, and of course, all the year-end business deadlines! The last week of December can be an extremely productive week in 2013; and can help position the start of 2014 in the best possible way! So, this blog is intended to be a handy ‘end of the year’ checklist to help guide us – and trigger additional things to think about before the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve!

Recently, I was turned onto a book entitled The Compound Effect, written by Darren Hardy, the founding editor and visionary force behind Success magazine. I love this book! It is not just the nuggets of basic insights which are indeed relevant and salient; it is how he references the many interviews he has conducted over the years in writing Success magazine, which give applicable examples to our own lives. A few key takeaways to wet our whistle…

Recently I read an incredible article in Forbes entitled 35 Questions that will Change your Life. And yes, those questions will indeed make you stop, think, and course-correct in some cases. I am a huge believer that the questions we ask ourselves and others throughout our lives inform our decisions, our priorities, and ultimately our outcomes.

This week’s podcast definitely addresses ‘a fine line’ in today’s world of networking, connecting, and full transparency through social media and other means. What are the rules of etiquette and professionalism when it comes to sharing, asking for and giving ‘free’ advice, and opening our virtual rolodexes for those in need? This is by definition – A Fine Line – and one for which is there is no pat answer. However, this podcast asks a few questions to hopefully get our juices flowing! Weigh in. I am quite certain there are opinions out there!

This week we are re-launching our podcasts for A Fine Line. We briefly discuss 4 ways to embody the “X Factor” in business. What exactly is the X Factor?!!

Recently, a colleague of mine and I were discussing a phenomenon that has been coming up quite often in my recent client sessions and other personal discussion. Individuals, with tremendous experience and successful careers up until now, have become inhibited, and in some cases paralyzed, by their perception of others. Their reasons are illogical when we take the time to truly digest and dissect them; however they are very real and indeed quite powerful at the time.