The Isolation Trap
The Isolation Trap December 31, 2025 There’s a moment I remember too clearly. I was sitting in my office after everyone had left. The parking lot was empty. The building was quiet. And I was staring at a wall of problems I couldn’t tell anyone about. Not my board. Not my team. Not even my […]
The Ratchet Effect
The Ratchet Effect December 24, 2025 Why Your Stress Baseline Only Moves One Direction I used to think stress was something you just pushed through. You know the drill. Big deadline hits. Pressure mounts. You dig deep, power through, deliver. Then you exhale, maybe grab a drink, maybe take a weekend off. Reset complete. Except […]
Ratchet Effect: The Deep Dive
Ratchet Effect: The Deep Dive December 24, 2025 This week, Alex and Emily dig into one of the most misunderstood dynamics in executive burnout—the incomplete stress cycle. Why does pushing through actually make things worse? How does your nervous system keep score long after you’ve “moved on”? And what does a mechanical ratchet have to […]
The Oscar-Worthy Performance That’s Killing You
The Oscar-Worthy Performance That’s Killing You December 18, 2025 Hey there, I used to be magnificent at Success Theater. Board meetings? Standing ovation performance. Investor calls? Five stars. Company all-hands? Academy Award material. Meanwhile, backstage? Towards the end it was brutal and I was struggling. But nobody knew. Because I’d perfected the art of looking […]
Why I built a model (and why you might need one too)
Why I built a model (and why you might need one too) December 9, 2025 Here’s the thing about corporate problems: they feel like trying to grab fog. You know something’s wrong. The burnout creeping in. The misalignment between you and your board. The constant firefighting that never actually puts out the fire. But when […]
Why I’m writing this
Why I’m writing this December 9, 2025 On May 2nd, 2023, I hit the wall. Standing in Fort Lauderdale Airport, after months of ignoring every warning sign my body and mind were sending, I finally crashed. Broke down. Couldn’t stop crying. Crumbled. I was a sitting CEO, supposedly at the peak of my career, and […]