"To laugh is to risk appearing a fool. To weep is to risk appearing sentimental. To reach out for another is to risk involvement. To expose feelings is to risk rejection. To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule. To love is to risk not being loved in return. To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure. But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in...
Risk
Do Not Let Your Fire Go Out…
" Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark, in the hopeless swamps of the approximate, the not-quite, the not-yet, the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish, in lonely frustration for the life you deserved, but have never been able to reach. Check your road and the nature of your battle. The world you desired can be won. It exists, it is real, it is possible, it is...
TOMS: Blake Mycoskie
How a Trip to Argentina Sparked a Business Revolution The story of Blake Mycoskie and the "One for One" model that changed social entrepreneurship Blake Mycoskie had already founded and sold four successful businesses before his 30th birthday—a remarkable achievement by any standard. But it was a chance trip to Argentina in 2006 that would transform his approach to business forever. While traveling through rural communities, Mycoskie witnessed children without shoes facing not just discomfort,...
Dummy-Proofing
" People tend to think that they need a process for everything, and once in a while you hear 'We're going to dummy-proof it.' But if you dummy-proof the process, you only get dummies to work there. That's why we're so opposed to that and focused on giving people great freedom. They'll make mistakes, of course, but you'll get a lot of great ideas. Reed Hastings Co-founder and former CEO, Netflix The Netflix Culture of...
2017 Resolutions
Better Late Than Never: My 2017 Resolutions Because sometimes life gets in the way of your best-laid plans A moment from my adventures last year — one of many inspirations for this year's goals Who publishes their 2017 resolutions in May of 2017? Me, of course! I've been busy, people! Life has a way of filling up your calendar when you least expect it. Between work projects, family adventures, and a few unexpected detours, my...
Company Culture
Key Insights from "The Year Without Pants" Leadership Lessons from WordPress.com and the Future of Work In "The Year Without Pants," Scott Berkun shares his experience working as a team leader at Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. The book offers a fascinating glimpse into the culture and practices of one of the world's most successful fully remote companies. I've collected some of the most impactful passages that resonated with me about company culture, leadership, and...