Have you ever skipped over massive ‘credentials’ in your life because they don’t fit into the standard frames of success? I know I have… and still do. Yesterday, a conversation reminded me of one such huge ‘credential’: daughter of 7-figure exit founders. I often introduce myself as the daughter of missionaries, and completely forget that my parents also built two businesses from scratch, starting when I was 3, and exiting finally when I was 26. I didn’t notice how much their work in business shaped my relationship to ambition and money until much later. I rarely think about this, because my value system is not oriented around these things. I think it’s amazing how my parents were able to build business, family, and faith simultaneously for decades. It’s on their shoulders I stand. And, from this vantage point, I now realize this is a huge reason behind why I never pursued money-making. I’d seen the other side of the builder process, and gradually realized I didn’t need to go through it at all to be successful! This is the gift that my parents gave me: a starting point further ahead than their own. I was grateful for these important lessons, as they influenced my perspective and work so much that you could say they became the air I breathe in, without even noticing.

Last Wednesday we had a special guest inside Daily Sigh. John Moran joined us for a live session and went deep on what actually matters in media buying right now. Real tactics, real breakdowns, no fluff. The conversation ran longer than expected, so here’s the full recording for anyone who couldn’t stay or missed it live. - Zoom recording - Chat Transcription If you’re running ads or planning to, this is worth your time.

Yesterday, while engaging in a fun conversation about the meaning of the word CONTEXT, my head was swirling. I used to use ‘context’ all the time to make clear points in my work, but now… I couldn’t remember! I felt my heart rate pick up as I tried to pull up in my mind the relevance of the word ‘context’ in my world… … and couldn’t. Context is what determines what becomes possible. The pH level in blood that either encourages or discourages the growth of cancer cells. The temperature in an oven that bakes a cake or doesn’t. The level of warmth and trust in a relational field that supports a significant agreement to exchange value or not. In yesterday’s conversation, the context didn’t allow me access to my typical use of the word ‘context’. If a context can make it possible for me to forget a core aspect of my work, what else is it making possible, both as individuals and as a collective, beneath our conscious awareness? Context is the water we’re swimming in. We don’t notice it as it shapes every possibility. Our stories are only stories because of our context. In the world of the Story of Separation (term coined by Charles Eisenstein), we observe a particular context that allows for specific conditions to proliferate: 🔸 scarcity 🔸 extraction 🔸 fear In the world between stories, we can observe a context as well: 🔸 curiosity 🔸 generosity 🔸 interconnection Right now, if you’re sensing both worlds, like many are, the experience is quite conflicting. It can feel very dissonant as these two contexts vie for our attention. And once we see what’s actually controlling possibility, we can’t unsee it.

What happens when ‘more money’ is no longer the goal? We get to the real priorities! Yesterday, I had the honor of being in the presence of a wise financial advisor with over 50 years experience in M+A and more with some of the wealthiest and most powerful business leaders on the planet. Someone asked him what, beyond finances, did family offices preserve for the lineage? I’ll never forget his answer: “Passion, accountability, responsibility, caring for others”. When he said this, immediately I felt my heart expand in my chest. This is the whole point. One of the best parts of my work is having older, wiser and vastly more experienced and accomplished leaders share their own findings that corroborate it, consistently. Wisdom is universal. One can stumble upon it or intentionally grow it through many paths. In successful business leaders like him, whatever the path, the wisdom has many common underpinning themes. He gifted us this theme directly from his firsthand witnessing of the consequences of building in one area while neglecting other more important areas. I suspect that many high net worth patriarchs reach the end of life to have an unpleasant ‘discovery’ that really, what mattered most to build and preserve was not financial wealth. In this time of global transition, it has become glaringly obvious that the success of what we’re building is determined by how we’re building… The ways of dominance, extraction, deception and scarcity seemed to reign for centuries. Now, we’re being offered alternate ways… Curiosity, generosity, transparency, interconnection are slowly beginning to be recognized as equally valid conduits of success. If you pay attention, you’ll see that these ways have always underlain leadership success, even in business as usual. However, they were mixed in with a lot of ways that were out of harmony with what supports thriving life. Once you see the whole picture of how all of the universal principles that grow genuine wisdom work together, you can’t unsee it.

This Wednesday inside The Daily Sigh, I’ll be joined by my longtime business mentor, Gregory J. Smith. Greg has decades of experience helping companies grow, raise capital, navigate acquisitions, and execute successful exits. He’s also the author of No Locked Doors, built around a mindset every founder needs: turning problems into possibilities. We’ll be talking about M&A, exits, what creates real business value, and how to think like an owner in today’s market. If you’re building a company, planning a sale, or want to grow with more clarity, be there. Wednesday, April 22 6 PM EST Zoom link on the calendar