When I recently revisited some of my earliest blog posts, I couldn't help but smile. Articles like Financial Modeling 101: COGS took me back to a time when I was building my foundation in finance and operations. As my career evolved through executive leadership roles, so did my writing. What began as practical finance education gradually transformed into reflections on leadership, strategy, organizational growth, and the lessons learned from helping mission-driven organizations navigate change and complexity.

I wanted to do excellent work, but I was never interested in becoming a professional yes-man. I didn’t believe that loyalty required agreement, and I did not think respect had to be demonstrated through deference.

Like most consultants, I expected to be the one bringing clarity and insight to organizations, helping them chart a path to long-term success. What I never saw coming was how much clarity the work would bring me in charting a path to my own long-term success.

Asking for help is not a weakness. It is often one of the most effective leadership decisions you can make.

In my experience, strategic planning is not about predicting the future. It's about preparing for it. And the best way I've found to do that is by working backward from the future you want to create.