Oftentimes when I sit down with a client for the first time, the question I am trying to help them answer is this: Do you have a product problem, or a marketing problem? This usually applies to situations where the client is having some sort of business difficulty, but the question is valuable in just about all cases as well. And there are several variations to the answer.

I have always believed that people and faces are at the heart of storytelling. That's one reason I have encouraged organizations to constantly capture stories — not just when they need something for a campaign, but as an ongoing habit. Don't miss the opportunities that are happening right in front of you.

I never thought I would plan events professionally. It was never even on my radar for years and years and years. But as I built a successful marketing and public relations business, I realized that events are a part of marketing and PR — and vice versa.

It’s usually a pretty easy answer on a personal level. We all have our job titles and know how we spend our days. But when it comes to talk about the organizations we work for, sometimes the answer is not so easy.

Whenever I find myself stuck — in business or in life — I start with the same question. Why are we doing this?

For the past 30 years, I’ve helped organizations navigate change. I never imagined I'd someday need those same skills I developed in business to navigate my own life.

Last year, I lost what was most important to me. I’d like to share a little about what that horrible experience taught me, and how I’m trying to turn it into a positive.