Business and Leadership

Reflections on Business, Leadership & Life

Business leadership is wild, crazy, and scary on a good day. On the hard days, it can feel like the ground is shifting beneath you, and every step forward carries something heavier than you expected.

And when you add in the very reasons many of us do business in the first place, like our families, relationships, and passions, balancing the weight of work and life can leave little room for reflection and connection.

This page is a place where I share what I am reading, experiencing, learning, and working through in real time, along with occasional insights from our team and the work we are doing together. Some of it will come from what is going well, and some of it will come from what is hard. My hope is that this can be a place to share ideas, resources, perspectives, and encouragement as we lead in the places we have been given to serve. We do not have to do this alone. So join me, leave a comment, and let’s help each other grow.

In it with you,
Richelle

What’s on My Radar

book

Grit

by Angela Duckworth

Only a couple chapters in and already enjoying it. There is always something refreshing to me when both science and psychology come together to shape understanding and belief.  I’ve been looking forward to this one.

Quick Tip: I like listening to books when I travel and exercise. I often buy them on Audible, but this one is included with Spotify Premium if you already have a subscription. Winning!

podcast

The Diary of a CEO

Steven Bartlett & Tristan Harris

This was an intriguing podcast. I did not agree with everything that was said, but it left me thinking about the bigger responsibility we all have when it comes to AI. Like the printing press or the combustion engine, AI will fundamentally change how society functions. What we choose to build, allow, and prioritize during this stage of innovation will shape the future in lasting ways. That is why it is so important to get it right not just as business leaders, but as people. Here is the link if you would like to listen DOAC – Tristan Harris 

book

Spartan Up!

Joe De Sena

I enjoyed this book, but I have to say, it was not quite what I expected. The cover promises “A Take-No-Prisoners Guide to Overcoming Obstacles and Achieving Peak Performance in Life,” and with Joe De Sena as the founder of Spartan, that framing makes sense. I was drawn to the Spartan mindset and the emphasis on discipline, perseverance, and pushing through challenges. Those principles really resonate with me, and I do believe they are essential to getting the most out of life.

That said, one part of the book did not fully land for me. The idea that we can simply “run” our way through emotional pain felt too limited. De Sena suggests that diet, exercise, and relentless physical effort can help us power through life’s hardest losses, and while I respect that mindset and even admire the kind of grit it takes to complete three ultra races in a single week, I do not think that approach tells the whole story.

For hardships like divorce, death, abuse, or addiction, physical discipline alone does not always address the emotional care those experiences require. Exercise can absolutely be part of healing, but it cannot replace reflection, support, or processing grief and trauma in healthier, deeper ways. I would have liked to see the book acknowledge that more directly. For me, that missing emotional dimension kept the book from fully delivering on its message.

Recent Reflections
Article

It’s Spring. Do You Know Where Your New Year’s Goals Are?

Read More
Article

How I Learned to Love Reading, and Why It Made Me a Better Leader

Read More
Article

Your Brain on AI: What We Lose Without Meaning To

Read More

What Has Shaped My Thinking