654 Business Strategies

654 Business Strategies Passionate about empowering small businesses, I'm on a mission to help them hone in on their goals and craft a roadmap for success.

Join me on this journey of growth and achievement! 🚀

02/13/2026

When I started working for Unseen and heard about Unseen Guardians, I knew I had to be part of this special group of business owners! It has been such a eye opening, fulfilling and amazing experience so far! It's not too late to donate for Giving Hearts Day! And if you're interested in becoming a Guardian like so many other businesses in town message me!

I was talking with a leader recently who said, “My second in command is amazing, but I do not know how to support them.”...
12/15/2025

I was talking with a leader recently who said, “My second in command is amazing, but I do not know how to support them.”

Honestly, that is more common than most people realize.

Second in commands live in the tension between leading and following. They are not the CEO, but they are expected to think like one. They are not frontline staff, but they feel the ripple effects of every decision.

They need clarity.
They need training specific to the role they are in.
They need connection with people who understand the pressure they carry.

And most importantly, they need a place to talk through the unique challenges that come with being the person everyone relies on.

When second in commands get what they need, the entire organization becomes healthier.

Sometimes ingenuity looks less like a grand plan and more like working with whatever is within reach.Wyatt and I were se...
12/12/2025

Sometimes ingenuity looks less like a grand plan and more like working with whatever is within reach.

Wyatt and I were setting up our obscenely glittery and flock filled Christmas tree, spreading out the branches, when a bunch of glitter and flocking fell straight from the top into his face. There was sputtering and gagging on his part..... and a lot of laughter on mine.

After a quick recovery, he disappeared for a moment and came back with the only solution he could find. A hat and pair of sunglasses. Problem solved.

Ingenuity is about being adaptive, creative enough to try something new, and confident enough to move forward even when things do not go as planned. Even if you don't have the perfect tools.

The leaders who make the most progress are not always the ones with the biggest budgets or the cleanest plans. They are the ones who can look around, assess what they have, and say, “We can figure this out.”

Progress is sometimes about using what is already in front of you in a smarter way, not about doing more.

And sometimes, it starts with a hat and a pair of sunglasses.

One of my clients "Amanda" owns a service based business here in town, she felt like she was working from sunrise to sun...
12/10/2025

One of my clients "Amanda" owns a service based business here in town, she felt like she was working from sunrise to sunset.

Her days were filled with decisions, conversations, and expectations. People admired her drive, yet she carried a quiet exhaustion she rarely shared.

She kept saying yes.
She kept pushing.
She kept filling her days until everything felt urgent and nothing felt clear.

When we first started working together, she described her week as “running without ever arriving anywhere.”

Her effort never slowed, but her sense of direction had faded.
During one of our sessions, she walked through everything she was carrying.

After she finished, I pointed out,
“You have been moving so fast that you have not had a chance to see what actually matters. Let’s slow the pace so the path becomes visible again.”

That became our turning point.

We took one focused hour.
One hour to sort through what truly moved her organization forward.
One hour to separate urgency from importance.
One hour to reconnect her decisions to the outcomes she cared about most.

In that hour, her overwhelm softened into clarity, her energy became focused rather than frantic. Her team felt the difference, because when she found alignment, the people she lead found it too.

Amanda was never as far from breakthrough as she feared.

She simply needed space, perspective, and a coach who could help her see the road she was already walking.

A few aligned decisions changed everything.

I have been working with an amazing leader for the last year.When we first met, she had the skill, the experience, and t...
12/09/2025

I have been working with an amazing leader for the last year.

When we first met, she had the skill, the experience, and the instincts. What she did not have was confidence in her own voice.

She second guessed decisions she was fully capable of making. She hesitated to share her new ideas even when they were exactly what the team needed. She led quietly, almost apologetically, even though the people around her trusted her more than she trusted herself.

The turning point came when she began building confidence in herself, in her decisions, and in her ability to lead. As she grew more grounded, everything around her began to shift.

Leaders who trust themselves help others feel safe.
Leaders who speak with clarity create clarity for their teams.
Leaders who stand firm make it easier for others to follow.

Harvard Business Review found that employees are far more likely to trust and follow leaders who show consistent confidence in decision making. Confidence is about steadiness and self trust, not volume.

And that is what happened for her.
As her confidence grew, her team became more aligned.
Communication improved.
Ownership increased.
People leaned into her leadership because she finally leaned into it herself.

There is also a practical advantage. Teams led by confident leaders are more productive because people are not spending energy guessing at expectations. They know where they are going, why it matters, and how to move forward together.

Confidence is a leadership tool that strengthens entire organizations.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the people who sit in the second in command seat.Because if you know one, you kn...
12/09/2025

Lately I have been thinking a lot about the people who sit in the second in command seat.

Because if you know one, you know this: they are the glue.

They are the person everyone turns to when something needs to get done, figured out, or quietly solved behind the scenes. They carry a lot of weight, and most of the time, no one realizes how much they actually hold.

They manage the details the visionary forgets.
They steady the team when things get chaotic.
They carry expectations that are not always clear.
And somehow, they keep everything moving forward.

It is one of the hardest roles in any organization and one of the least supported.

If you have a strong second in command, you have someone who makes your entire organization better every single day.

This past week was full of strategy sessions, planning, and a little extra space to breathe.It reminded me that growth d...
10/13/2025

This past week was full of strategy sessions, planning, and a little extra space to breathe.

It reminded me that growth doesn’t just happen when we’re busy. Growth is about noticing what’s working and what needs to shift. It’s about giving ourselves time to reset so we can move forward with clearer direction and more purpose.

Sometimes slowing down is exactly what keeps us moving forward.

“Growth doesn’t just happen. It has to be chosen.”One of the most common mistakes I see leaders make is assuming that ti...
10/02/2025

“Growth doesn’t just happen. It has to be chosen.”

One of the most common mistakes I see leaders make is assuming that time and experience will automatically make them better. But growth is not passive.

This week in conversations with leaders, I was reminded how much intentionality matters. Setting aside space to reflect, asking hard questions, and committing to daily practices are what move people from busy to purposeful.

The most confident leaders I work with are not the ones who know everything. They are the ones who choose to keep learning, keep refining, and keep stretching into who they want to be.

09/24/2025

Yesterday I met with a team of dedicated individuals who were all working hard, but without a clear sense of direction for what they were trying to achieve together.

Over the last month, we’ve been meeting weekly to talk about their goals for the next year, and even just the next six months. Slowly, I’ve watched a shift happen. Not only has their momentum and consistency improved, but the connection that has grown between them is even more powerful!

They’ve moved from working as individuals to truly working as a team. They are finding ways to support each other gladly, instead of feeling weighed down by what’s on their own plates. Because when they support one another, they are also supporting the mission of the organization.

Watching that transformation unfold has been a reminder of why I love this work. Clarity creates momentum, and momentum creates connection.

Being in control does not make you a leader.When I first stepped into leadership, I believed strength meant being in com...
09/16/2025

Being in control does not make you a leader.

When I first stepped into leadership, I believed strength meant being in command. As an Enneagram 8, control and decisiveness came naturally to me. Those strengths helped me carry responsibility and make hard calls, but they also held me back when I leaned on them too heavily.

John Maxwell teaches that “leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less.” I’ve learned that influence is not built on control, it is built on trust, connection, and the willingness to let others lead too.

This is where refining strengths matters. Just because something comes naturally does not mean it is fully developed. Growth often means stretching into the skills that balance us, not just relying on the ones that feel easy. For me, that looks like leaning into the joy, curiosity, and flexibility of my 7 wing alongside the strength of my 8.

Leadership is knowing when to stand firm and when to step back. Both require strength.

Today Wyatt and I got up early and went to get donuts for his birthday treat. I ended up leaving with several of my own ...
09/12/2025

Today Wyatt and I got up early and went to get donuts for his birthday treat. I ended up leaving with several of my own and a couple sweet reminders.

1. Did you know that Sandy's Donuts & Coffee Shop is part of Unseen Guardians? That means they are committed to supporting Unseen on a consistent basis. One of the ways they do that is through “Donna’s Dozen.” Two dollars from each dozen sold goes directly to Unseen.

2. Donna’s Dozen makes a great thank you gesture. As I finish up regular engagements with one of my loyal long-time clients, I was able to show my gratitude for their support over the years while also supporting an amazing mission. Thank you for letting me be an honorary part of your team these last couple of years Absolute Studios.

3. Sandy’s knows what their mission is and they shout it out. Getting clear on why you are in business and why you open your doors day after day, and then sharing that mission with your staff and community, allows people to come alongside you and support your work.

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West Fargo, ND

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