“A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”
~ David Brinkley

Some of my best ideas and closest relationships have come from adversity. It is in managing those “bricks” that shows what we are capable of. Sometimes the best solution follows a big challenge. Embrace the struggles thrown your way, because it can be the beginning of your next big idea!
~ Amy

Happiness is not the absence of problems; it’s the ability to deal with them.’
~ Steve Maraboli

Sometimes the things that cause us the most strain, often become the most beloved parts of our life. As a parent, this could not be more true. The inaugural edition of Puget Sound was truly a labor of love, but offered many challenges since we did not yet have a full time person on staff to focus exclusively on the new guide. BUT- the Puget Sound edition broke every goal we had for our growth, made us appreciate our current staff more, and helped us find our newest team member, Dale. We could not be more happy, proud, or grateful.
~ Amy

“Your Gifts are not about you, Your Leadership is not about you, Your Purpose is not about you. A life of significance is about serving those who need your gifts, your leadership and your purpose.”
~ K Hall

Do you give freely of your talents and your time, or do you sit on the sidelines? Or do you only share your talents with those who can help you in return? To be significant and relevant, share your talents and grace with all those you can – especially those you find challenging (they probably need it most) .
~ Amy

“If you’re interested, you’ll do what’s convenient; If you’re committed, you’ll do whatever it takes.”
~ John Assaraf

Are you doing what’s convenient, or whatever it takes? A person with a strong will is someone who can dig deep down and do whatever it takes to get things into motion. In order to grow and expand you must always step out of your comfort zone and into uncertainty. Take action and be committed in all you do.
~ Amy

“Never trade what you want in the moment for what you want the most”
~ unknown

Sometimes I lose sight of long term goals and benefits, because I get distracted by short term gains or struggles. I may not stick with the diet because I wanted the chocolate; or I get frustrated with an individual and may lose sight of the larger relationship with the overall company. Stay focused on the bigger picture and your long term goals- it matters more to win the war, not the battle.
~ Amy

The less specific you are about what you order. The more likely you are to get what you asked for.
~ our waiter “Jerry” from a family dinner

Is it because you are too picky and looking for something to be wrong OR because you are easy going and easy to appease? Traveling in the third world, you would walk in and ask “do you have food?” Here we enter a 5 star restaurant and need to edit, add and remove ingredients from the creation of a professional after we chose to enter their domain.
~ Amy and mostly Lyman

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed…every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle…when the sun comes up, you’d better be running.”
~ Successories

Every day I wake up, hoping to be the Lion. Sometimes I am, but not always. My days are more successful when I am proactive in managing my schedule and look a bit into the week or month, instead of reactionary when my schedule begins to get the best of me. I hope on the days when I am the gazelle- that I go quickly and peacefully.
~ Amy

“Don’t be afraid of opposition. Remember, a kite rises against, not with, the wind.”
~ Hamilton Wright Mabie

Sometimes competition doesn’t always feel warm and fuzzy. But in reality- competition drives improvement and innovation. Our competition makes us stronger and better by forcing us to provide improved service and products.
~ Amy

“Do one thing every day that scares you.”
~ Eleanor Roosevelt

Every time we hire a new person, add a new feature to the website, promote a new event, or open a new market – I am always afraid. Afraid of failure; afraid I will disappoint others; afraid of the financial implications and more. But in the long run I need to remember that I did my due diligence, made an informed decision and remember I can adjust course as needed. My advise to you- feel the fear and do it anyway. Use the fear to motivate yourself.
~ Amy

“Yesterday’s home runs don’t win today’s games.”
~ Babe Ruth

As we grow our new guide in Southern Oregon and start working with our new team in Puget Sound we must continue to focus on the basics that helped get us here- customer service and networking. Being somewhat successful once, by no means guarantees our future success in any market. We still need to attend batting practice every week, even though we have previously hit a home run. The game changes and so do the pitchers.
~ Amy