I barely checked my email for the past two weeks and drastically reduced my workload. It’s summer, and I’ve been traveling through Europe. On my way to Bulgaria, I had breakfast with Janet Bell, who happened to be here as well. Janet and I have known each other for years, going back to our time in OPWIL (Office Products Women in Leadership).
Even though so much has changed around us, our connection was instant. We enjoyed coffee in the sun and talked about the changes AI is bringing to the office supply space.
That conversation reminded me of something I’ve come to appreciate deeply: as business owners, we need to build companies that can run without us. If my business can’t operate while I’m away, while I’m traveling, then it’s time to redesign the system.
Here’s what made that possible for me:
✔️ Delegation rooted in trust
✔️ Systems that carry the weight
✔️ People who show up and take ownership
It sounds so obvious and even banal, yet it took me years to get right. And I see so many business owners who know this, yet still struggle to find the right people who allow them to let go.
This trip gave me gratitude for the freedom I’ve been able to build.
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Entrepreneurship, Focus, and Freedom Over Coffee
Entrepreneurship, Focus, and Freedom Over Coffee
Had such a great breakfast in Puerto Rico with Todd Smart from EO Puerto Rico ☕️🌴
One thing I always appreciate about Puerto Rico is how connected and genuinely amazing the people are, whether they’re from the island or chose to make it home. There’s always so much depth, perspective, and real connection in the conversations here.
Todd and I shared stories about entrepreneurship, and he told me more about Blom Growth, how their coaches and software are helping businesses scale at unprecedented speed and with more freedom. He also shared insights from his book Flourish, which is all about transforming your business through focus, freedom, and fun, three things every entrepreneur could use more of 📘✨
Thank you for the inspiring breakfast, Todd. Grateful for conversations like this and the community that makes them possible 🙏
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Why Teams Still Hesitate
Why Teams Still Hesitate
Most leadership tension comes from one thing people rarely admit.
Unfinished decisions.
Not bad decisions.
Not wrong decisions.
Decisions that were never fully made or clearly communicated.
You see it when priorities keep shifting.
When people ask the same questions in different meetings.
When execution feels hesitant instead of decisive.
What’s happening underneath is uncertainty.
Teams can handle change.
They can handle bad news.
They can even handle tough goals.
What they struggle with is ambiguity that lingers.
Strong leaders close loops.
They say
This is the decision.
This is why we made it.
This is what it means for you.
This is what we are not doing right now.
That clarity creates relief.
People stop second guessing.
They stop waiting for permission.
They move with confidence because the ground feels solid again.
Leadership is not about keeping options open forever.
It is about knowing when it is time to choose and helping others move forward with you.
If your team feels stuck, look for the open loops.
They are usually where the energy is leaking.
Because the strongest teams are not the ones with the smartest answers.
They are the ones asking the best questions together.
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Ambiguity slows organizations far more than incompetence
Ambiguity slows organizations far more than incompetence
A slow team isn’t always an unmotivated team.
Sometimes it’s a careful one.
I once reviewed a company where everything seemed to move cautiously.
Leaders double-checked decisions.
Projects waited for confirmation.
Small issues escalated upward.
The founder assumed the team lacked urgency.
But when we asked one simple question —
“Who owns the final decision here?” —
No one could answer clearly.
So people protected themselves.
They asked.
They confirmed.
They waited.
Not because they lacked initiative.
Because the structure rewarded caution.
When ownership is clear, speed increases naturally.
People move faster when they know where the line of authority actually is.
Ambiguity slows organizations far more than incompetence.
