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Life can be hard … but small towns are “Still Standing”
I’m hooked on a new (to me) TV show. It’s called “Still Standing” and it airs on CBC in Canada. The series, now in it’s 12th season, follows comedian and actor Jonny Harris as he travels to small towns “against the ropes”. He tells the stories of the people in these struggling communities who, againstContinue reading “Life can be hard … but small towns are “Still Standing””
Where does real community exist in your city?
I read a post on LinkedIn recently about the tradition of police officers eating donuts. It explained that the routine arose in the 1950s out of necessity. Cops needed a place to take a break during their late night shifts and the only place open was the local donut shop. Donut shop owners and operatorsContinue reading “Where does real community exist in your city?”
That’s What I’m Talking About!
If you’ve skimmed even a few of my posts in the last several months, you’ve likely noticed I’ve been blathering on and on (and on … and on) about how now is the time for us all to step away from the corporate machine and hang out a shingle. You might be thinking I’m aContinue reading “That’s What I’m Talking About!”
JoAnn Fabrics: A Fall From Grace
First posted on LinkedIn in June 2025. By now you’ve likely heard that, for the second time in one year, Ohio-based JoAnn Fabrics has filed for bankruptcy. This time, though, they are closing all of their stores and relieving all of their employees of their jobs. You might be thinking, what happened?! JoAnn’s was killingContinue reading “JoAnn Fabrics: A Fall From Grace”
Everything is fine.
My LinkedIn feed this morning is disturbing. Sure there’s the typical flood of AI-created swill, all trying to make us feel like we’re going to be left behind if we don’t jump on the bandwagon. But quietly tucked between every 10 of these robotic hurry-up-and-work-harder-before-it’s-too-late posts, there’s a bit of heartbreak. A middle-aged mother whoContinue reading “Everything is fine.”
What I’m Reading, Summer 2026 Edition
As the school year draws to a close, I’ve been spending a lot of time in the car driving my kids to all sorts of activities. This has given me plenty of time to listen to audiobooks, which makes all that time behind the wheel a bit more palatable. As my long-time connections know, I’veContinue reading “What I’m Reading, Summer 2026 Edition”
Revisiting Civic Assembly: An update on my experience with Unify Akron
10 weeks ago I posted about my first impressions of deliberative democracy and civic assembly. I was just moving into my role as a facilitator for Unify Akron at that time. The closing ceremony was last week and the civic assembly has now come to a close. As we embark on the impact team phaseContinue reading “Revisiting Civic Assembly: An update on my experience with Unify Akron”
If you’ve been wanting to catch one of my talks or workshops, now’s your chance.
I’ve got a pretty packed schedule this summer between workshops and talks. I hope you’ll consider joining me at one of these great events in the coming months. Registration and more details:
It’s time to come home.
In a recent Wall Street Journal article entitled, The Midwestern Exodus Is Finally Ending, Jeanne Whalen and Paul Overberg report that the Rust Belt might be finally having a moment. It may be too early to call a Midwest Renaissance, but for the first time in years, the numbers are pointing in an upbeat directionContinue reading “It’s time to come home.”
Building a stronger community, one small business at a time
Given the opportunity, what would you build in your community? As the hellscape that is the tech industry continues to implode, more and more tech workers just like us find ourselves wondering what we’re going to do next. Both what we will do to continue to feed our need for creativity, autonomy, mastery, and purpose,Continue reading “Building a stronger community, one small business at a time”
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