Andrea T. Goeglein's Blog
February 27, 2023
The Unicorn Challenge
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November 23, 2022
Completing and Remembering 2022
This year I have ordered the questions a bit differently. I looked at them and put them in an order that mattered to me. Feel free to do the same. Some of my answers are at the bottom. Please share some of yours.
Remembering and Completing 2022
What one word best sums up and describes your 2022 experience?
What was the most loving service you performed in 2022?
What important relationship improved in the most in 2022?
What compliment would you liked to have given 2022?
Who were the three people that had the greatest impact on your life in 2022?
What was the biggest risk you took in 2022?
What was your biggest triumph of 2022?
What was the smartest decision you made in 2022?
What was the greatest lesson you learned in 2022?
What is your biggest piece of unfinished business in 2022?
What was the biggest surprise in 2022?
What compliment would you liked to have received in 2022?
What else do you need to do or say to be complete as you begin 2023?
What one word sums up 2022 for me? Tired. Next…Just thinking about one act of service brings me joy. I have a friend, Marian Burger, who is 95. She is a devout Catholic. She usually watches Sunday Mass on television. When she shared that, I suggested that when time permits, I would take her Mass. The first time I took her, and she received communion, she burst out in tears of joy. Remembering that moment has inspired me to find the time more often (although I will admit I have failed the last few months miserably — but of course, I have a good excuse).
The most important relationship that has improved is with Richard. I have watched him traverse six of months of medical challenges, and as much as I want to beat him silly some days, he has kept trying to get better. So many plans had to change, so many dreams deferred, yet he persevered. Bonus: He is closer to being on the mend than he was just four weeks ago.
What compliment would I have liked to give? There are a few, actually. To my bonus son, Eric Goeglein, and our daughter-in-law Beth, I appreciate how much you offer to help, help, and want to help. To daughter Dana, your willingness to expand your life with world travel with an infant and walk away from the life you had to discover the next part of life you want to create, has me in awe. For the record, I am not that brave!
Then just one last one I will share. My biggest triumph of 2022? I took a shot and put in an application for a job I wanted. It was more than just a job, but was a part of how I thought I wanted to contribute for the next ten years. It was big for me. The outcome? I never made it beyond the algorithm to even a call. I consider this my biggest triumph for many reasons. It was such a triumph to review my background, think about the future, and see a new opportunity I had not had on the radar just 12 months before.
Triumphs come in many packages. Remember, as you complete your list, to look in the most unlikely places for your answers. Many blessings for 2023 and beyond.
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November 16, 2022
The Greatest Generation 2.0
The impact of Gen Zers has been in the news a lot lately. In my humble observation, the Zoomers just may be the Greatest Generation2.0. From climate to school and gun safety to mental health, community involvement, politics, and social inclusion and change, Gen Zers have moved the needle. One Gen Z member, Victor Shi, claims that the recording breaking runout among voters literally saved democracy. Zoomers are moving the needle so much that many from the Greatest Generation are more than just a bit nervous. Because of Gen Z, the Boomers have to rethink their “me” generation to make room for the “we” generation. For me, it is all part of the puzzle of playing on The Ageless Edge.
Some Proof Please
You will remember me writing about Isabella Hansen and the incredible work she is doing at 16 years old. Today I want to feature another young person doing extraordinary things. Unlike Bella, who I met randomly in a Paris hotel lobby, Henry Lien is known to me. Henry is my friend Claire Wolfe’s grandson. I attended his bar mitzvah and regularly receive updates from his grandmother. Like all grandmas (have I mentioned Gabby, Gage, Miles, and Arrow lately), Claire thinks her tribe of grandchildren “hung the moon,” as my Mama used to say. We grandmas are just like that.
In Henry Lien’s case, it is his thinking and his actions that prove his grandmother right. Henry is a 16-year-old who has turned his bar mitzvah project from four years ago into a budding educational non-profit called Chess Pals. Chess Pal teaches chess to predominantly first-generation Spanish-speaking kids in the northern California community of Marin, into a budding educational non-profit in just four years. Like Bella Hansen, Henry saw a need and did not just talk about it. He took action. Like Bella, he is supported by his family and community. Please take note: No matter your age, the support of others matters.
Time to Rethink Your Legacy of Success
I had recently been working with a client, and the conversation made its way to legacy and lasting impact. I have always said I am not a legacy person. What I mean by that is that I accept I will be forgotten within a generation or two after my death. Having my name on a building is not going to change that. It is just me being my snarky self. However, I do believe we imprint our legacy on people’s hearts each time we meet them. Sure, some fade, but the ones that remain are imprinted forever. People matter. How you treat people matters more.
To better understand not only Henry but many in his generation, I am honored to share a poem Henry wrote in the style of the American poet, painter, essayist, author, and playwright, e e cummings. Henry’s thinking on the state of the world and what prior generations considered a legacy caught my attention.
Poem by Henry Lien ©2022
how ironic is it that mankind insists that
money does not correlate to happiness
though the working man disagrees as he punishes himself slaving
till his grey factory boots turn dark and their soles
wither away like a mind leaving the body after an
eternity of labor and anguish
Evenstill, he returns to his single room apartment
Filled with laughter and joy from the one he loves most
The ever present contrast is all-encompassin as
kids dash from corner to corner while
warmth exudes from the single
Wick of the flicking candle
It represents his life and meaning
Deep inside he struggles to keep going and
edges closer and closer to insanity
as the monotonous days arrive through the revolving door of life
However, sometimes the door stops,
and reverses bringing him
memories that will last the rest of his existence on this planet
When he looks at the door he sees his wife and kids,
pushing against the door using their joy and laughter to
guide the door the other way
He smiles knowing that no matter his circumstances,
money could not give him the feeling of uniqueness
and the aura brought with each new moment with those around him.
As his superior muses in the office above
Contemplating the meaning of his own existence,
He achieved notoriety and success
at the cost of the empty void where his morals once resided
His shoes white like innocent daisies
newly blooming in a season never witnessed before
Oblivious to their inevitable end
when winters envelops them with
cold embrace destroying everything they knew and cherished
As he ponders what to spend his small time on Earth doing,
He comes to the conclusion that his estate is where he should reside for this year,
So being the keeper of the factory he simply leaves walking to his sparkling new car which he once was proud of, as he drives home he believes that today will be different, something earth-shattering will occur and change his life for the better,
But as he arrives to his fourth home, in its second garage, he realizes, nothing will change
He stares at the hundreds of other cars idle in his gallery
Times past a prideful man would have shown these to his many friends
Then reality pulls him back to his grim fate
as he walks into his living room,
the all white furniture is bleak like a canvas
which has not experienced the joy of being painted
or a paper that has not held a masterpiece of literature
at this moment sitting in an
empty room,
in an empty house,
on an empty street,
he realizes that no matter what facade is concocted or story is created,
money will not stop you from truly being alone
to wonder about your place in the world
And what you leave behind
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September 6, 2022
Beyond Success by the Numbers
Success by the numbers seems like an easy way to measure your current life success. C.J. Neff, Private Wealth Advisor for Hightower Las Vegas, moved beyond the numbers. Yes, it was numbers that got him moving, yet his transition from one satisfying career to another is a model we all could learn from.
I invited C.J. to have a Conversation with me for a number of reasons (no pun intended). First, he is a Millennial who has already prepared and traversed two successful careers in divergently different fields. Second, he is a great example of how our natural VIA strengths transcend our career choices. That line, “no matter where I go, there I am,” is not truer than when you hear how someone uses their strengths at different points and places in their lives.
C.J. proved to be a perfect guest. He was transparent, he was genuine in his assessment of how he moved from one career to the next, and he was vulnerable. As a side note, I would say that these are all qualities I look for when working with someone to guide my financial future. After we spoke, I was drawn to revisit one of my own learning moments and the things I have learned through numbers, positive psychology, and the application of gratitude. I will share those thoughts next.
What I learned about Numbers and Success
Success by the numbers can be counterproductive. Instead of motivating you to achieve and flourish, you may be killing your success with the comparison.
Imagine this scenario. You are in your mid-twenties, and a Type-A business associate you want to impress asks you:
“Do you know your number?”
Thinking the question was odd, I decided to be brave enough to ask what he meant. He explained, “You know the number you need so you never have to take anyone’s crap at work. The number you can walk out the door and not care if it hits you in the backside.” I played along, answering something like $2 million dollars. I grew up at a time when aspiring to be a millionaire was a huge dream. It was also a time of one-phone households, and they were all landlines! When answering the question, I figured if $1 million is good, $2 million must be better. Want to know the present value of my dream number? The present value of $2 M adjusted for inflation is about $6 M in today’s dollars.
The way I remember it, as soon as I answered the question, I was told I was wrong! He told me my number should not be under $10 M (present value of approximately $24 M). I laughed then, and I laugh now.
Do not get me wrong; there is no amount of wealth I would and do not welcome with open arms. I suggest and teach that everyone takes that attitude. For the record, I know I live a really good life, and I do not currently have $24 million. However, I did learn something very important from that conversation. It was the first time I became aware of how comparing what I have or don’t have could negatively affect my thinking and feeling about what I do have. Without knowing it, that question and conversation planted the seed that I did not have ‘enough’ and may never have ‘enough.’
Today, I know and teach comparison kills. Comparison kills your spirit to achieve. Comparison kills your creativity. Comparison kills your ability to be optimistic. Comparison kills your ability to flourish. Yet numbers define every major aspect of our lives. Imagine for a moment the following:
The day you were born.
The first day of school.
The first day you walked.
The date you got married.
The date your first child was born.
How old you are.
How many brothers and sisters you have.
How many years you have been married.
How many children you have.
Your home address.
How many miles you live from work.
How many followers you have on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and
Your IQ.
What do all these questions have in common?
Most of the answers can be described as a number or series of numbers. In subtle and not so subtle ways numbers and their assigned importance have been a part of our lives since we were born.
Quantifying our lives has always been a way of describing our lives. Think of your answers to these questions.
Do you believe it is better to be married 10 years or 40 years?
Do you believe it is better to have finished 8 years of schooling or 12 years of schooling?
Do you believe it is better to have 15 followers or 15,000 followers?
Do you believe it is better to have $15 in the bank or $15,000 in the bank?
When you hear that someone has 10 brothers and sisters do you wonder – are they Catholic; Orthodox Jewish or Mormon? Or maybe poor?
Do you remember saying or hearing a child say, “I am 5 years and 2 months old”?
Good news: Enough is Enough and Gratitude is the New Comparison.
Let’s start with the easy part. The problem is not that someone asked the question or that the question exists. The problem is I — we — have allowed our answers to steal our feelings of accomplishment and satisfaction.
The quick remedy is to not deny that you have a number. Do not deny that you use numbers to measure your life. Instead, face all your self-inflicted numerical comparisons and put them in their place. How? Each day consider using the gap analysis. Instead of thinking you have not achieved your goals, consider how far you have come. Write a statement of gratitude for having come as far as you have. Next, write a statement of gratitude for all those people, places, and things that helped (either negatively or positively) to get you to where you are (read: no matter how far you think it is from where you want to be).
This exercise is about you facing and silencing your inner critic. You face your inner critic because using your mind to create those thoughts keeps you from using your brain power to find solutions to help you achieve what you want presently. You do that by using gratitude to create a positive feeling of accomplishment. Enough is enough. How grateful you teach yourself to be is the new comparison.
Imagine being asked this comparison question, “How many people, places, or things have you been grateful for today?” Now imagine how much positive energy you would create answering that question!
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August 18, 2022
What Were You Doing at 16?
What were you doing at 16?
Think back to when you were 14, 15, and 16 years old.Do you remember what was happening in the world?Okay, okay, so maybe I cannot actually remember what I was doing or what was happening in the world either. What I know was what I was not doing. I was not responding to big social issues with the idea of unifying my peers. Yet, that was what Isabella Hansen did when she was 14. Bella created the I Matter Poetry and Art competition under the guidance of the National Youth Foundation. Three years in, the competition now attracts K-12 students from 42 states and 30 countries.
I had the pleasure of meeting Bella in the lobby of a Daduo Hotel in Paris. In reality, I met her super-supportive mom, Sophia, while Bella participated in a Zoom advisory board meeting for Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation. Do you get the picture yet of just how devoted to being a part of society’s solutions Bella Hansen is? Her focus and devotion would be admirable if she were 26, but at 16, it is darned impressive (as you will see when you watch our conversation).
Don’t get the wrong idea. Bella clearly knows how to be a normal teenager. She knows how to have as much fun as any 16-year-old. Hip hop festivals, day trips to explore nearby countries, and planning college tours, are all part of her life. Upon meeting Bella, you would not immediately know that she transformed the death of George Floyd into a literary expression to explain why Black lives matter. She is posed yet not braggadocious. Bella is clear-spoken about her purpose and not overbearing. She knows how to invite you into her effort to bring greater understanding through the arts with grace and vision.
I must say, I did internally laugh at one point, thinking back on my teen years. I remember being completely put out that I had to take literature and art classes. I don’t remember being inspired to change anything in the world. I know I was great at complaining about most things. Bella, in contrast, connected how literature helps you understand others and imagined how it might help others understand why Black lives matter and always have.
I have one closing observation. After my conversation with Bella, and as I was writing this blog, I realized something. Bella was born in 2006. Imagine being a young African American girl in the United States. Imagine the first time you learned about the president and the first family, and they looked just like your family. Imagine that for the first ten years of your life, the only image of the White House looked just like your family. I took that for granted my entire life.
Bella, however, represents the first generation of young Black people for whom that is true. Maybe that is why she intuitively knows that all human problems have a human solution. Bella can say I Matter because she strives daily to ensure equity is the norm for all, not the exception for a few.
Note: The winning entry will be posted on the National Youth Foundation social media pages by September 30, 2022 @NYFUSA on Twitter and Facebook – @NationalYouthFoundation on Instagram
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August 2, 2022
Evolving the Spirit of Leadership
Do you see evidence that the spirit of leadership has evolved?
I do. Here is my evidence: an academic biography that reads: “I am a graduate of the Chicago Public Schools system; former food stamps and public assistance recipient; a wife to a glorious woman I have loved for 30 years; a parent to a teenage boy who is our best thing, a first-generation college completer; and an advocate and warrior for access to equitable, life-transforming education for all who seek it to improve their lives and the communities in which we live and serve.”
The above passage is part of the website biography of Dr. DeRionne Pollard, President of Nevada State College. It is honest; it is authentic; it is transparent and makes her relatable and approachable.
Be clear, the spirit of leadership and what inspires us about leaders are evolving. Not all leadership evolution is in the direction we may want. Yet, the character strengths that Dr. Pollard exhibits of honesty, authenticity, and transparency are the qualities of leadership that will transcend social and economic changes.
More evidence for me is when there is alignment between words and deeds. Alignment is a winning formula for success. What does alignment between words and deeds look like? Just take a look at Nevada State College’s organizational chart. When was the last time you saw the Office of the President at the bottom of the chart and the leadership leading upward? Maybe the correct question would be, “have you ever seen an organizational chart where the Office of the President was at the bottom?” You may think it is just symbolic, yet symbolism speaks volumes.
Our conversation covered a lot of ground, from the strategic vision of hope for the next generation to the five S’s of well-being that supports her ability to lead effectively. DeRionne’s willingness to share a pivotal point in her well-being journey was just another confirmation of her journey as an evolving leader.
Two final notes:
1) If you are fortunate enough to be in Las Vegas on Friday, August 19 — and there are still seats available — come experience Dr. Pollard’s vision at the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce luncheon
2) If you want to be further inspired about the potential for reclaiming the teaching mission, read this recent article authored by Dr. Pollard.
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July 20, 2022
What Are Your 15 Words?
What are the 15 words you want to be remembered for when you complete a business deal or at the end of your life of doing deals?
That was the question a businesswoman asked as she began to share about the impact a mutual friend and business partner had on her life. She continued,
“David Winfield Clark, a man of highest integrity, kindness, humor, purpose and dedication to family and community…”
Those are some 15 words! She went on to say that their relationship started somewhat antagonistically. It was Dave’s exemplary qualities, especially within the construction industry notorious for businessmen who could not begin to fill any of those words, that helped them forge a 40-plus year business and friendship relationship.
Dave was a proud Nevadan who built a 100-million-dollar construction company. He had the foresight early on to bring in a partner 20 years his junior with a planned retirement age built into the deal. Along the way he and his partner decided to create an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). By the time Dave left this earth, he had not only honored his commitment to his partner by retiring so he could pass on the role of CEO, but he also lived to see the company he created go on to be owned by its employees.
One of the funniest moments in our consutling relationship and friendship was when we were deep into planning Dave’s life after his construction company, Clark and Sullivan. He told me about wanting to create a sports car company. Not wanting to detract from his BHAG, I suggested that maybe he should start with buying the Porsche he had been saying he wanted. I soon learned that he supposedly went home and told his wife Sue that “Andrea said I need to buy a Porsche!” We both laughed about that for many years.
I have used this space before to honor many people I love and lost. I share about Dave for a different reason.
We are living through a time of great disruption, not only in business, but every aspect of life as we understood it. Yet, the words that described how Dave lived his life would apply today as easily as they did over his 80 plus years on this earth.
Living a life of high integrity, kindness, humor, purpose and dedication to family community is a goal we can all strive for. You don’t need for me to tell you that many of those words were also showed up as his character strengths in the VIA.
Imagine what business and life in general would be like if we all achieved Dave’s life standard?
Dave was in my dissertation study, a client, an investor in our first hotel, and most of all a friend. We traveled the world together. I knew him well and under as many different circumstances so I can attest his character never vacillated. The 15 words his family chose to describe him are some of the truest words ever written about a man. Dave, you will be missed. I will hold out hope that the intrigrity you exhibited in business will be a guidepost of us all.
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July 11, 2022
Supplying the Chain to Solve Social Injustice
Have you ever wondered how your business talents could impact great social change?
Having a Master’s in business, logistics, and supply chain management might not seem like a straight line to founding the social injustice solution organization, 1M4.org, yet that is exactly what Tansy McNulty has achieved. I had the pleasure of meeting Tansy at a Bunker Labs weekly cohort meeting. Tansy’s thoughtful and creative solution-based initiative to end police brutality is impressive. Her strategic discipline was nothing compared to her maternal drive to keep her children, and all children, safe. Upon meeting Tansy, I was immediately reminded of the guiding question for the Hey, Boss Lady! podcast: “Now that women have greater influence, what will be different?” For Tansy McNulty, the answer is nothing short of mobilizing a million madly motivated moms to end police brutality by 2038. 1M4 envisions a world in which police brutality does not exist.
Black Girl Magic Meets Strategic Action
If you think the goal to actualize a world in which police brutality does not exist is not achievable, it is because you have not met Tansy. She firmly believes that by combining strategic action with Black girl magic there is not a goal that cannot be achieved. Armed with the numbers to prove it can be done and how Tansy is using every skill she learned in her education and corporate experience to mobilize a solution. Tansy researched deeply for over a year, called together a team of supporters, created a central site for resources, crafting solutions and then the real work began. A visit to 1M4 will give you a feel for what I experienced.
Positive Psychology, Recrafting, and Social Change
The social impact vision of 1M4 is impressive enough, yet as an applied positive psychologist what I am intrigued by is how Tansy has recrafted her skillset to fit a dramatically different venture. Many of us spend our days wondering if what we do for and at work matters. Few of us daydream about how the reports we are writing, the meetings we are attending, or the number-crunching we are doing could be used to change the world for the better. Tansy followed a path of recrafting her skills that is familiar to me. She was inspired by a vision to act, then started to apply her skills to make the vision come to life. I do not know if Tansy has the VIA strength of Justice, but the characteristics of citizenship, social responsibility, loyalty, teamwork, fairness, and leadership sure seem to fit!
Armed Service Personnel, Veterans, and Bunker Labs
Before I close, I want to give a shout-out to an incredible business growth program available to armed service personnel, veterans, and their spouses. Bunker Labs is a business incubator like the one I ran years ago for local business owners. The difference? Bunker Labs is free (and trust mine was not!) for individuals who qualify (another difference is you don’t get me however what they do is excellent). A shout out too to part of my young tribe, Lito Villanueva, founder and CTO of Litocorp, for inviting me to his Bunker Labs meeting. Thank you for the opportunity to learn.
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July 5, 2022
Can Kindness Help Business?
If you were asked, “Can kindness help business?”, what would you answer?
I became intrigued with this question because of yet another article in the Harvard Business Review with techniques on how to manage a politically polarized workforce. Then I had a business meeting experience that gave me hope.
Kindness is one of the 24 VIA Strengths. I remember the first time I had a conversation with an entrepreneurial client who had just found out they had Kindness as one of their top 5 strengths. They knew it was an accurate assessment of their strength. They also wondered aloud if being kind had hindered their success. My answer then is the same as it would be now, better to be kind and screwed than ruthless and rich. When I am feeling particularly snarky, I envision a tombstone that reads: Here lies the richest, most ruthless person who ever lived. To be clear, not a goal I or my client looked to achieve!
Kindness as a strength was on full display at a recent business event Latin Chamber of Commerce event, Women in Power. The tone was set from the start for kindness and cooperation. Full disclosure: I do not have kindness as a top strength (or anywhere near the top) yet I do have Spirituality so what follows did hit me comfortably. That will not be the case for everyone.
To open the meeting, Chairman Andres Estrada this prayer:
“God of peace, we pray for unity in our meeting today. We have come together as a group united in passion and purpose. Come and help us maintain unity as we discuss certain matters. We pray for open hearts and minds that will promote and accept better ideas. Dear God, we seek Your honor in everything we do and say. So, we lift up this meeting to You. Be in our midst. Bind our hearts and minds by Your Spirit. Amen.”
The first speaker followed the tone Chairman Estrada set. Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is the first Latin female senator in US history. Cortez Masto is representative of a woman in power, especially for the Latin Chamber. For the record, she is a Democrat. To my delight, the Senator used the word kindness several times in her presentation. She spoke of specific government initiatives to help businesses and especially small businesses. She acknowledged the struggles businesses are having in our community and state. She cheered the dropping of the mask mandate for travel knowing it had an impact on our largest industry, tourism. Cortez Masto offered an open entry to her staff to assist with business needs.
What she did not do was disparage any political opponents, mention committees, blame, or shame others. In politics and in business, that is kindness in action.
The consensual definition of kindness for purposes of the VIA research is:
Kindness, generosity, nurturance, care, compassion, and altruistic love are a network of closely related terms indicating a common orientation of the self toward others. (Peterson, C., & Seligman, M.E.P. (2004) Character Strengths and Virtues: Handbook and Classifications, 326.
The opening benediction had those characteristics. The Senator exhibited those characteristics through her speech. Why is all this important? Because doing business was always challenging and with heightened divisiveness kindness is a bridge to cooperation.
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June 29, 2022
Emily in Paris Meet Andrea in Paris
Emily in Paris was and is one of my guilty binge-worthy pleasures. The setting, the clothes, the characters. I prepared for my vacation there this week by doing all the normal things one does for a trip. I packed, organized, and shut out all the unthinkable things that occurred during the week by rewatching every episode of Emily in Paris. Emily in Paris made for a very good distraction from ruminating. I was able to block out all the people who have said to me over the last five years how silly I was to be concerned about thinking women’s rights would be negatively impacted by changes I saw happening around me. Silly me.
The series Emily in Paris is pure fantasy. It is a great diversion from reality. Indulge now and recharge. There is much work to be done.
PS: The photo of Dana and me is from 2012 — 10 years ago! There will be plenty of updates in the coming weeks.
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