The basketball shot-matching game “H-O-R-S-E” was a family favorite at our house growing up. When I was on the letter “S” and had to make a shot to stay in the game, the same thing would happen every time. My Mom: “What do Hawthornes love?” Me: “Pressure.” And then I…

Walking gets me unstuck, walking diffuses, and walking meetings are great meetings — 2020 is a Dumpster Fire year that oddly has also given me some of the greatest gifts. Exhibit A: with both of us working from home, I’ve spent two normal years’ worth of time with my wife in eight months. …

The Importance of Likability — In high school I worked in the pharmacy at Eckerd’s. I made minimum wage filling prescriptions and taking inventory of controlled substances. My older sister Brooke took a very different route — she modeled. She started at 15, and she made more in an hour shooting print ads for Rooms…

Advice I love from Ryan Holiday, Ben Horowitz, and James Clear. — One of the first serious entrepreneurial ideas I had was the Fading Ink Company. A friend and I, both 23 and unemployed, believed a lot more people would get tattoos if they vanished over say, five years, rather than being a lifelong commitment. We got excited about it, did some…

Awesome advice from Ben Horowitz, James Clear, and Ryan Holiday — One of the first serious entrepreneurial ideas I had was the Fading Ink Company. A friend and I, both 23 and unemployed, believed a lot more people would get tattoos if they vanished over say, five years, rather than being a lifelong commitment. We got excited about it, did some…

Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls have been on my mind since The Last Dance aired in April. The most gripping scene of the series was the end of Episode 7, when Jordan emotionally opened up about his bullying leadership style. His message was clear: to get elite results, he…

There’s a saying in the startup world that first time Founders think about product, and second time Founders think about distribution. The lesson is straightforward: business is not “Field of Dreams.” If you build it, they will not come. You have to find ways to reach your customers. It is…

The three jobs you have to do as a leader to move quicker and get more leverage out of your team. — During the Austro-Prussian War of 1866, a Prussian officer defended himself from reprimand by arguing that he was simply following orders. His commander, Prince Frederick Charles, reportedly replied: “His Majesty made you a Major because he believed you would know when not to obey his orders.” Germany’s chief innovation in…

Most people will tell you to follow your passions. I’m here to tell you how taking an opportunity for a good reason can lead to new passions. — Dear Job Seeker, Searching for your next position is overwhelming and sometimes paralyzing. I know, because I’ve been there. Most advice out there will tell you to “find and follow your passion” to figure out what to do. In my experience, doing that will leave you waiting for an ‘AHA!’…