When leaders talk about profit, they usually turn to numbers: revenue, expenses, and margins. But here’s the truth—profit isn’t just about the numbers on a spreadsheet. It’s also about how effectively people communicate. Poor communication isn’t just frustrating—it’s expensive. Every missed email, unclear instruction, or misunderstood client request chips away at profitability. A study by SHRM estimated that large organizations lose millions of dollars each year due to communication breakdowns. And for small or mid-sized companies, even a few costly mistakes can make the difference between growth and stagnation.

Life often feels like it’s measured in big milestones—new jobs, big moves, financial breakthroughs, or family milestones. Those are important, of course, but what I’ve been realizing lately is that those “big” moments are not what sustain me day to day. What truly keeps me moving forward, especially in a season that’s busy and sometimes overwhelming, are the smaller things.

Labor Day often gets labeled as the “unofficial end of summer”—a long weekend for cookouts, back-to-school shopping, or one last beach trip. But when you look beyond the sales flyers and crowded highways, Labor Day carries a powerful reminder we don’t always give ourselves: rest isn’t laziness, it’s part of the work. This can be something hard to really understand - if you’ve found the balance please let me know because I am still searching. I have found a few things though that can make life a little easier when attempting to find the balance.

When my office decided to do a walking competition, I thought, Perfect—an easy win. I already chase a four-year-old around the house, how hard could this be? What I didn’t expect was how quickly it would turn into an all-out step war. Suddenly, I’m parking in the farthest spot at the grocery store, taking extra laps to the mailbox like it’s a marathon training plan, and yes, pacing the kitchen while my coffee brews just to watch the number tick upward.

You know that moment when your phone buzzes, and it’s that one contact you really don’t want to deal with? That’s burnout calling. It’s relentless, sneaky, and shows up when you’re already juggling too much. But here’s the thing—I’ve learned to hit "ignore" and let it go to voicemail. Burnout doesn’t get to run my life anymore, and I’m here to share how I got there. Spoiler: it involves a lot of saying "no" and a little bit of strategic napping.

Picture this: I’m strutting through the airport—Grande quad shot latte in one hand, roller bag in the other—when my phone buzzes with a last-minute program question. Meanwhile, my brain’s stuck on the fact that I forgot to tell Gigi all the little quirks going on with my son.

Welcome to the chaos of work travel as a mom—a whirlwind where career excitement collides with gut-punch mom guilt. If you’ve ever felt like you’re failing your kids while chasing your career, this one’s for you.

As a program manager and a mom, I’m constantly juggling deadlines, team dynamics, and the chaos of parenting a now 4-year-old. This week, we celebrated my son’s birthday, complete with not the right cake, and decorating post bedtime just to make sure it's a fun surprise to wake up to. Amid the joyful chaos, I realized that planning his birthday and our upcoming free Friday so that he still gets a special adventure. That being said, my gift to you all, since my kid hates a valuable life lesson right now, is four leadership lessons you can find from trying to set up a fourth birthday celebration. 

Real talk this week? I’m tired. I’m a chef, chauffeur, bedtime negotiator, AND a full-time powerhouse. That’s a lot of hats for just one person. Throw in the chaotic noise of a dog that always is whining and you are one minor inconvenience away from an unscheduled blow-up. Just know you’re not alone, and no — you’re not failing. You’re just human. This week I wanted to explore better ways of reframing all of the negatives that I like to give. While it is Thursday already that means I just have a jump start on implementing things for next week. So all in all here are five ways I am going to tackle the shift of perspective to hopefully turn this week around. 

As a career woman juggling meetings, a doctorate, and sippy cups, I often feel like I’m performing a high-wire act with no safety net. Add in my competitive streak and the fact that my husband’s job as a helicopter pilot is the undisputed “coolest” in our kid’s eyes, and it’s a recipe for overwhelm. How do I compete with a guy who flies helicopters? I don’t. Instead, I’ve learned to celebrate my little wins, show my son that my desk job has its own kind of magic, and turn our everyday moments into opportunities for us both to grow. Here’s my story of navigating the chaos, redirecting mom guilt, and making my career shine for my kiddo, all while teaching him life skills that will set him up for success.

You’ve officially made it halfway through the year—congratulations! That’s no small feat. Now’s the perfect time to pause, reflect, and reset those goals you set back in January. Whether your goals were professional, personal, or a mix of both, midyear is a natural checkpoint to realign and re-evaluate.

In today’s fast-paced work environment, fostering employee engagement is more critical than ever. Disengaged employees can lead to decreased productivity, higher turnover, and a lackluster company culture. While traditional perks like pizza parties have their place, they often fall short of creating sustained motivation. Enter workplace gamification—a strategy that leverages game-like elements to inspire participation, boost morale, and align teams with organizational goals. By incorporating fun challenges, meaningful incentives, and well-designed Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), companies can transform routine tasks into engaging experiences that employees are excited to tackle.

As the Fourth of July approaches, the air fills with the scent of barbecues, the sparkle of fireworks, and the chaos of parenting a toddler through it all. For moms like me—juggling a 3-year-old, a career in program management, and a passion for strategic planning—it’s a time to celebrate freedom, family, and the hustle that keeps us going. Here’s how I weave the spirit of Independence Day into my dual roles as a mom and a business strategist, with tips to help you do the same.

Parenthood is a wild ride, and nothing sums it up better than the viral message I stumbled across recently: “Parenthood turns you into a morning person the same way being chased by a bear makes you a runner.” I laughed so hard I snorted my coffee—then I cried a little because it’s true. Mornings and I have never been friends.

Forget manifestation—what gets things done is raw determination, sometimes fueled by spite. While I also love to be delusional from time to time and manifest what is coming I have also seen it backfire. Manifesting a bigger paycheck does not always come with a balanced company too. Manifesting a happy family does not mean that family is all together. So you know what screw manifesting lets just be petty and get it done. All this drive a lot of people accuse me of mostly is straight pettiness.

Cheers to the Man I occasionally disappoint but only because I strive to make him proud!

Ever start your Monday morning with a panic attack? Yelp review would be zero out of five stars. It sets the week off for an uphill climb. When life gets chaotic there is a need to break out the spreadsheets to categorize and evaluate what needs to get done. So when life gives you anxiety - turn it into a spreadsheet.

While co-location offers benefits, excessive mandatory interactions, like forced team-building events or unnecessary meetings, can lead to burnout. The post criticizes "mandatory fun" and meetings without clear agendas, noting their inefficiency and cost. Building a true team comes from natural connections, not forced ones. Strategies, like designated work-from-home or "deep work" days, can help employees focus on tasks without constant interruptions, reducing task saturation and burnout. Trusting employees to manage their work while maintaining their personal lives is crucial. The post acknowledges issues like disengagement or "quiet quitting" but suggests addressing underperformance individually through documentation rather than punishing the entire team. True workplace connection should energize, not exhaust, employees by respecting boundaries and fostering authentic relationships. True connection nurtures—not drains—your team’s energy.

Have you ever had the sense that you are somewhere that you don’t belong? Not like I am a city girl but somehow have ended up in the woods kind of moment - but like how did I pitch a business concept to someone I had no business pitching? For the longest time I have been a firm believer in fake it till you make it but at what point is that becoming detrimental? Enter Imposter Syndrome Now every moment is something that is overshadowed by Was that me? Or was that just circumstance? 

Healing and growing as a person has been portrayed as somewhat of an easy-liner journey that comes from cute Instagramable spa day posts. What is not cute is the meltdowns that randomly happen due to the minor inconveniences that come from the overwhelming need to stuff down your feelings and keep winning. Picture this you are carrying it all from working full-time to trying to be an awesome mom and trying to be a good spouse.

In honor of it being Military Appreciation Month, I wanted to reach out to my fellow spouse and post about “Why I’ll Never be that Girl”, more specifically that spouse. Also, guess what THAT'S OKAY! There are tons of military spouses out there who constantly chase to be that perfect wife or be that most important Key Spouse. Guess what - you can just be you. Ultimately I realized early on that I was on a different journey than a lot of other military spouses. I did not get married for the benefits, paycheck, or whatever normal reason there was to get hitched at 21. At 21 I was out there girl bossing and hustling my husband is just a fun compliment to my life.