From analog to digital notebooks — Find the best note-taking tool for your needs. — If you were to see my office, you’d be greeted by a pile of notebooks on my desk. And that would only represent what’s visible — I have another stash of virtual notebooks on my computer. But my notebook collection isn’t random. Each notebook has a very singular purpose. And…

Combine buyer psychology and realistic expectations. — It’s a natural instinct to “pitch” ourselves to new clients. Fancy deck. Lots of testimonials. A discovery call where you try to convince the prospective client that you’re the best person for the job. But is persuasion even the right approach? In the book The Win Without Pitching Manifesto, Blair…

Was there anything good or was it only bad and ugly? — Yesterday was my son’s 11th birthday. In 2020, this was exactly one week after the World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic. Back in 2020, our schools had just shut down. In theory, it was only supposed to be a few weeks but I had a feeling it would…

Silicon Valley Bank, the financial industry, and how we move forward — When you’re driving, you have a reasonable assumption that other drivers will follow the rules. There are laws (like the speed limit and obeying traffic lights) and guidance (maybe not the best idea to speed up to pass when traffic is heavy). Sometimes people break the laws. Sometimes people take…

Confused? Here’s a simple (yet thorough!) explainer. — Ever heard the phrase “Explain it like I’m 5”? It means taking a complex topic and breaking it down into terms that a 5-year-old can understand. Over the past few days, I’ve watched a lot of commentators explain the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank. They’re talking about insured deposits, venture…

Set yourself up for success with these actionable tips. — The internet is filled with stories of people who abruptly leave a 9–5 job and embrace a solopreneur life. Maybe they were fed up. Or were laid off. But making a change like that can be scary — especially if you have a mortgage to pay and kids to feed…

Don’t like cold pitching? You can still grow your business. — Making the leap to full-time freelance work can be scary. You may have a killer project management system, be comfortable with freelance finances, and know how to draft a contract for your services. But there is often a big unknown when you leave the 9–5 world: How will you land…

I’m offended by crappy writing. — I didn’t plan to write today. I woke up and joked (in my brain, to myself) that I didn’t want to contribute to “garbage on the internet.” Even though this is my normal day to publish, I didn’t have anything that I thought was worth sharing. And writing for the…

You can’t prevent life’s difficult moments. But you can save yourself some time and stress. — My mom was an ultimate planner, and in all of her plans she’d say, “And in a worst-case scenario, here’s Plan B.” Of course, we were usually talking about things like, “What happens if it rains at this baseball game we’re planning to attend.” But still. I’ve carried many of…