Over 25 years ago, I wanted to go parasailing. I was a teenager, and the only person willing to strap in and soar hundreds of feet above the ocean with me was my Baba - in her mid to late 60s at the time. That’s who she was. Always up for experiences. Always saying yes to living life. Always creating memories worth keeping. It’s been six years since she passed, and yet this memory is still as vivid as the salt in the air that day. Not because of the ride itself, but because o

I was born and raised Catholic. Catholic grade school. Catholic high school. A Christian university. It’s safe to say I’ve been to thousands of Masses in my life. I can still sing along to nearly every hymn I’ve ever heard in church. But when it comes to homilies? I remember only a handful. Until a few weeks ago. At my daughter’s school Mother-Daughter Brunch, the priest, visiting from St. Joseph’s University, began his homily not with scripture, but with the lyrics to the so

My Baba once did something unforgettable. Her kids were fussing in the backseat, fighting over lollipops.She didn’t yell. She didn’t lecture.She rolled down the window and tossed the entire bag of lollipops out. Problem solved. Silence. And a lesson that’s stuck with me ever since. In business, we often get caught up managing the noise:The complaints. The distractions. The back-and-forth over things that don’t actually matter. Baba’s lesson? Sometimes you don’t need to fix th

When I arrived at my Airbnb, I expected the basics: a clean room, fresh linens, and a comfortable bed. What I didn’t expect was to walk in and find a personalized welcome card with my name on it, a letter detailing thoughtful touches around the house, and a basket of neatly rolled towels waiting for me. It didn’t cost the host a dime. But it made me feel like a special guest. Why It Worked What struck me about this experience wasn’t the extravagance. it was the intention. Som

I thought I was just making bread. Instead, I was making a metaphor for business. When I first started making sourdough this week, I was impatient. I wanted quick results. But sourdough doesn’t work like that. You feed it, wait, nurture it, and trust the process. Skip a step and the bread falls flat. Rush the rise and the flavor never develops. It’s the same with experiences.You can’t microwave loyalty. You can’t shortcut relationships. The best client experiences take inten

Not every conference experience sticks with you. Most fade into a blur of keynote slides, networking conversations, and a branded tote bag you’ll probably never use again. But sometimes, a moment happens that leaves a mark, not just on you, but on everyone in the room. At The COO Alliance conference a few years back, I had spent some time with the CEO, brainstorming ways they could elevate the guest experience. I encouraged him to shift the focus away from generic swag and in

A Story of Legacy, Frozen Dreams, and Experiences That Last There are some days I just miss my Baba. Friday was one of them. From the time my daughter, Audrina, was in theater at just two years old until Baba passed away when Audrina was eight, Baba never missed a show. She was always in the front row, cheering her heart out. Since Audrina was so tiny, Baba would ask me to add an extra bow in Audrina’s hair so she could spot her easily. She’d complain that the big kids stood

I received a thank you from Stacey at Chateau Montelena, and it’s one that will always stand out to me. It was simple, handwritten, and personal. She thanked me for visiting, mentioned the book I gave her, and shared that she was looking forward to reading it. But what made it unforgettable was the specific reference to a conversation we had during my visit where I told her I wanted to become a sommelier. She not only remembered, but encouraged me to pursue the classes and ev

For nearly two decades, I had the privilege of working in the title and escrow industry, culminating in five years as Chief Strategy Officer. But my proudest achievement wasn’t a title or a promotion - it was building a region from the ground up, from $0 to $82 million in cumulative revenue over nine years. There was no playbook. No sales team. No big marketing spend. What I had was intentionality , relationships , and a belief that every client and employee deserved to feel

At first glance, The Lip Lab at the DC Wharf seemed like the perfect ending to a girls’ weekend. The concept is undeniably cool, create custom lip (and now cheek) colors tailored just for you. It was everything I love about experiences: personalization, creativity, and the potential for connection. And they almost nailed it. Our group of five walked in ready to dive into a moment of creativity and play. A friendly staff member welcomed us warmly, gave us an overview of what

Why Real Experiences Matter More Than Ever The other weekend was full of the kind of moments that remind me why I do what I do and why I wrote No One Needs Another Company Mug . It was a masterclass in personalized, thoughtful, unforgettable experiences. The kind that don’t just feel good in the moment but stay with you long after the event ends. It started at High Mark Distillery in Reno, Nevada. I was invited to sign books at a private appreciation event for their Barrel Cl

When you live a life rooted in experience, every detail matters, who you’re with, how you arrive, the way the sun hits the table, the sound of laughter wrapped in music, the feeling of sparkling stillness in your chest after a sip of something cold and earned. This wasn’t just a girls' trip to Napa. This was a deliberate pause after a night of gratitude and generosity at High Mark Distillery’s private investor barrel event where Jimmy Weber’s guitar echoed across the Nevada n