Blog

Note from Gillian: From Humble Beginnings

This past weekend I was able to make a brief sojourn to Hannibal, Missouri, a Mississippi river town, having visited our brilliant and innovative clients STEP Heat in St. Louis.  It was on Hill street in Hannibal in 1835 that Samuel Clemens started his life adventure.

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Note from Gillian: Importances

In every endeavor, in each aspect of life, there are known importances that support survival – and are vital to not just surviving, but thriving. These priorities reflect each of our personal choices.

To the ancient Sequoias,

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Note from Gillian: Why Erasers?

The great philosopher, naturalist and leading American Transcendentalist, Henry David Thoreau, when not scripting reflections of his life at Walden Pond, discovered how to build a better pencil by adding clay as a binder to the graphite and created the first smear-free pencil and helped make the Thoreau company into America’s leading pencil maker.

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Note from Gillian: Why Lead?

When a word has 19 different definitions as a verb and 13 definitions as a noun, its importance in the English language has been cemented. Yet this simple, single syllable can make or break a family, a business,

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Note from Gillian: What Ethical Game Changers, Risk Takers & Disrupters Do Best

It’s a new year with new hopes, resolutions, intentions, and learnings that singularly or together are reckoned to put 2020 behind us, gaining strength and learnings from the innumerable challenges – physical, emotional, and political.

To many,

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Note from Gillian: Give Forward. Give Back. Don’t Give Up.

It is a longstanding tradition to give gifts at this time of year to show appreciation, to express thanks, to share kindness, to celebrate love and joy.

We searched this year for something special to show our appreciation for all with whom we have the honor to work.

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Note from Gillian: A Time to be Grateful

Yes, 2020 has been a unique year, where many of us had to step back and reassess priorities, change our routines, and learn to appreciate and communicate 6 feet apart. However, being the eternal optimist, I see that there are many things for which to be thankful this holiday.

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Note from Gillian: Learning a Little Loyalty from our Best Friends

At a recent online meeting, we all took a break to give time for one member to give his dog a cuddle having just returned from the vet. With that break, others on the call brought out their pups from under their desks,

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Note from Gillian: With Courage

A recent discussion amongst entrepreneurs, investors and advisors was sparked by the question for each to name one word that defines leadership. The responses were both thoughtful and incredibly meaningful in seeing the attributes considered vital in both business and life,

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Note from Gillian: The Rhythm of Business

During our adVenturesAcademy GrowthCamp Monthly Call this week, Founder Alissa Sears asked that each participant when introducing themselves and their business also share their favorite song or a song that lifts them up when things are challenging.

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