Today, I am more certain of what really matters. I am more thoughtful of how I spend my time on a few dreams that might make a difference for someone. My encouragement to you is to never stop dreaming, no matter how old you are or what your circumstance may be. Within us are the dreams that can change lives.  Dare to keep dreaming.

Success defined in dollars or power is temporary. But success defined as a network of people who trust you as a person of integrity is forever.  

An idea isn’t worth much… unless you do something with it. This unique trait, the ability to make things happen, to execute through adversity, is the essence of entrepreneurial leaders - and it’s called GRIT. 

The more powerful you are, the more your words impact other people - and the more responsibility you have to ensure your actions and words build trust. If you don’t, you will ruin yourself, you will harm others, and your organization will never achieve all that is possible.

Fear and blame are the ultimate culture killers. When fear and blame creep into the company culture, the organization’s performance suffers. Fear slows organizations down, causes hesitation, drives stress, and keeps individuals from reaching their potential. Fear and blame leads to dissatisfaction and employees become disengaged.

Leading would be much easer if we could say all the right things all the time. But we’re all just human. So while words do matter - what we do and how we act matters far more. Those around us watch our feet more than our lips.

When we invest in our human network, we have the best shot at reaching our highest potential. More importantly, we also have the best shot at making a difference in the world.

The journey from founder to Chief Executive is akin to crossing the ocean in a row-boat. It's a difficult journey that few founders survive.  And, if you think about it carefully, there's logic to the reasons why.

So why do leaders known for integrity and leadership engage in unethical activities? Why would they risk great careers and unblemished reputations? Do they think they won't get caught or believe their elevated status puts them above the law?

Leadership begins within the individual, as a process of relating to the world. But if we are to lead with purpose, to impact others positively, we must understand, build and rebuild the connections that link us to others - the making of "we."

It's not about who has the most talent or intelligence. It's about who is willing to make the choices that others are not willing to make. 

We are never truly great merely for what we are --- but for what we may become. Spend this day becoming...

And should you get lucky - and find yourself in a place of grace and abundance - consider holding the door open for someone else. You'll find it's the greatest gift you can give - the gift of opportunity.

As a business grows from idea to an organization - there are 3 leadership roles that shape the organization:  Founder, CEO and Board Chair. 

Why do some organizations feel energetic and creative while others feel stale and stagnant? 

Successful people spend a large part of their time engaging in activities that provide meaning and are at the core of their strengths. 

I feel sadness that we must do what we must do – but hopeful that someday we will live in a world where our children feel safe.

If you know someone who is being a caregiver today, reach out to support them. Make a meal, offer to sit with the person who is ill for an afternoon and give them a break. Bring a gift for the caregiver with a thoughtful note. Sit with and really listen to your caregiving friend. Finally, ask “what can I do to help.” And do something. 

Our patients and their families have all grown tired of the status quo. They want a hassle-free experience and coordinated care. They want to build a trusted relationship with our healthcare community.

We must acknowledge that our one-on-one human interactions are at the heart of the consumer’s health care experience. That includes our customer service lines, front desk teams, care management support, scheduling, and practitioner interaction. All of our “improvements” must support and enhance those interactions. 

Few insurers will want to remain in a wobbly market with an uncertain future. If not the ACA, then congress must agree on a cure - or an alternative.

Converging trends are causing healthcare's incumbent players to be more challenged to meet customer expectations and maintain margin.

It is time for innovators to transform home health care by completely reshaping the experience for patients and their families. 

7 ways healthcare organizations should think about meaningful patient engagement

The underlying business model of today’s care management processes is dated - built for a different era and  purpose.  It’s time for a change.

The care management models in use by most health plans are vintage designs created over 20 years ago and are not consumer centric. 

Lessons learned from the Third Annual Oliver Wyman Health Innovation Summit in Chicago | 10.12.15 - 10.14.15

Invision Heart represented Nashville, Jumpstart Foundry & the Nashville Entrepreneur Center at Google Demo Day and won $100,000

Health care may not be a human right, but the lack of health coverage in a wealthy democracy is an unjustifiable & unnecessary human wrong.

A team with a collection of powerful shared values is the real story of creativity, community, and corporate culture.  The rest is just an illusion.

Law of Disruption: People change incrementally - technology changes exponentially. Disruptive innovation brings new technologies to market, new business models, and offers customers new options. When technology outpaces skills, workers are displaced.

As a business grows from idea to an organization - there are 3 leadership roles that shape the organization:  Founder, CEO and Board Chair. 

Successful people spend a large part of their time engaging in activities that provide meaning and are at the core of their strengths. 

It is not enough for a leader to do things right; the leader must do the right thing. 

Great leadership lies in how leaders care about, visualize, and act on their own and their followers’ values and motivations. 

There is nothing like the classroom. I love teaching!  Each student brings something unique to the experience. Every time I teach, I learn.

Work hard good people, and things will fall in place.

Coaching a CEO can be as perplexing as it is rewarding.

Know these before you start an MBA:  Advice I wish I'd been given before I started my MBA degree!

Economic power is exercised by means of a positive (value driven) ; political power is exercised by means of a negative (fear driven).

Here are my top traits that a startup CEO must encompass.

Ideas are worthless without proper execution.

Three capabilities that are often overlooked include: unique assets, growth drivers and leverage relationships.

I've learned a lot about managing Board of Directors, don't make the mistakes I did.

Building a solid management team is absolutely critical. Take some advice from me.

Often new leaders set themselves up for failure by simply falling into the common traps associated with taking on a new role of leadership. 

If you find yourself spending time on the things that matter to you – both at work and outside of work – you’ll find life balance.

Think about these 7 messages that we often hear from leaders – then think about which type of message you constantly send as a leader. 

The first impressions others form are from our face, our height, weight, language, dress and our curb appeal - these are our personal brand.

We need our own dashboard - our own tools to ensure we are creating a productive environment and building our business in a meaningful way.

In your company, what is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?   Having a USP is essential to our company and our own individual brand. 

Health care may not be a human right, but the lack of health coverage in a wealthy democracy is an unjustifiable & unnecessary human wrong.

16 Great Leadership Lessons from Colin Powell.  Below are 16 leadership lessons that I’ve adapted from Oren Harari, Univ. of San Francisco.

So, how do we work on our own motivation as the leader? Here’s 7 great ways to work on your own motivation:

If you don't have a customer, you don't have a Business - Just an Idea.

Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.

In America, virtually all net new jobs were created by firms that were five years old or less, according to New York Times communist Thomas Friedman. Friedman proposes that for a nation to thrive, it needs more start-ups not bailouts.

Can this Founder | CEO Build and Successfully Lead a Young Business? 

To stay ahead of the competition, we must constantly reinvent ourselves. We do this is by having an entrepreneurial mindset. An entrepreneurial mindset is about altering your perspective: No matter how long you’ve been in business, you’re starting anew today.

Invision Heart represented Nashville, Jumpstart Foundry & the Nashville Entrepreneur Center at Google Demo Day and won $100,000

Great leadership lies in how leaders care about, visualize, and act on their own and their followers’ values and motivations. 

Financing the "Valley of Death" is the ultimate test the commitment, determination, and problem solving ability of every entrepreneur. 

In our ever-changing world, we are constantly forced to reinvent our businesses and ourselves. This reinvention process requires an entrepreneurial mindset. It’s the view that no matter how long you’ve been in business – you’re starting it anew today.

Here are my top traits that a startup CEO must encompass.

Ideas are worthless without proper execution.

How does an entrepreneur with little or no track record gain credibility?  Typically, they either borrow it or they demonstrate it.

Three capabilities that are often overlooked include: unique assets, growth drivers and leverage relationships.

I've learned a lot about managing Board of Directors, don't make the mistakes I did.

Always be dreamer.

Don't fail before you start. Don't start an investor pitch with any of these lines.

In your company, what is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)?   Having a USP is essential to our company and our own individual brand. 

16 Great Leadership Lessons from Colin Powell.  Below are 16 leadership lessons that I’ve adapted from Oren Harari, Univ. of San Francisco.

So, how do we work on our own motivation as the leader? Here’s 7 great ways to work on your own motivation:

Fear is a natural reaction to moving closer to the truth.

Grief is the price of deeply loving someone. Grief’s presence is a testament to the endless love I felt for my son - and that love has to have somewhere to go - it didn’t  end when his life ended. The fact that I am feeling such a deficit in grief’s presence is a celebration of how blessed I’ve been, to have someone for whom I grieve so fully. The love for a lost son pouring out of my soul with nowhere to go - so it materializes in tears.

Grief visits again. It’s fog descending upon me on the anniversary of my son’s death. I lost my handsome 25 year old son 2 years ago today. And it feels like only yesterday.

I’ve felt everything from anger at God to wondering if God exists at all.  Having faith in anything is hard after losing a child. Yet faith is essential to survive such an ordeal.

Every year we make 1 more trip around the sun. And along the way is a pathway littered with both the good and the bad - and memories made in the best of times and the worst of times.

Scott and I go together like "peanut butter and chocolate" - or that was at least what our team thought. Scott is the chocolate - I'm the peanut butter. Together, we shared a magical moment, and I left the stage feeling gratitude. The audience was the real teacher. And all the learning of the day was wrapped inside their stories.

To truly be champions of the freedom of people - the true pursuit of life, liberty and happiness - we must be concerned with every miscarriage of justice, every unreasonable limitation of liberty, every arbitrary act of court or state house or capital.

Of all the lessons a man or woman must learn to be truly human, tolerance may well be the hardest.

All I have to offer is my voice, my hands and my actions. And regardless of what Washington does (or doesn't do) I will continue to advocate for those who do not have the strength, the health, nor the resources to advocate for themselves. 

Creating a compelling future begins with accepting and embracing the present. Tomorrow is built on the back of today. 

I am learning that living with a grateful heart unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough. 

We are never truly great merely for what we are --- but for what we may become. Spend this day becoming...

May our Country continue to be a place where human rights, freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are always part of our vocabulary.

And should you get lucky - and find yourself in a place of grace and abundance - consider holding the door open for someone else. You'll find it's the greatest gift you can give - the gift of opportunity.

There are certain universal truths that should not be forgotten if we value the foundations of our Democracy - Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness

These are my lessons of hope and strength.  My lessons about about the fire within each of us that cannot be extinguished. 

Engagement is really a process in which an ongoing network of exchanges between people changes their behavior.  Here's how to create it!

I feel sadness that we must do what we must do – but hopeful that someday we will live in a world where our children feel safe.

My Core Values: Professionalism. Learning. Diversity. Unconditional Love. Competence. Fitness.

To stay ahead of the competition, we must constantly reinvent ourselves. We do this is by having an entrepreneurial mindset. An entrepreneurial mindset is about altering your perspective: No matter how long you’ve been in business, you’re starting anew today.

Work hard good people, and things will fall in place.

Ayn Rand:  To live, man must hold three things as the supreme and ruling values of his life:  Reason, Purpose and Self-esteem. 

Economic power is exercised by means of a positive (value driven) ; political power is exercised by means of a negative (fear driven).