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I love nature videos. The wild offers so many metaphors for life. One of these videos is staying with me, and I want to share it with you. The videos show two polar bears hunting beluga whales together in the Arctic. Everything is the same, except their approaches. One bear is older—he has a quiet confidence. He’s deliberate, unhurried. He climbs onto a rock and waits. All day. He understands that as the tides rise, the belugas move closer to shore. Over time, the environment

I recently helped a small company  get ready for a full day of meetings on Capitol Hill. It was a good reminder that most advice about Washington assumes you’ve got a big lobbying shop behind you, which most small and mid-sized companies don’t. So these thoughts are really for companies that have to be smart, prepared, and efficient when they show up. One thing that makes a big difference: debrief after every meeting . Even five minutes in the hallway helps. What did we hear?

One of the first things you learn as a basketball official is that perfection is impossible. The game moves too fast. Angles change in an instant. Ten athletes, two benches, and an emotionally invested crowd all see the same play from different perspectives. Even with training, experience, and preparation, you will miss a call. Recently, a coach contacted my supervisor to raise concerns about some of my decisions in a game. In reviewing the feedback, one thing became clear: s

Small organizations often assume media coverage belongs to the giants—brands with big budgets, flashy campaigns, or built-in influence. But when I led a communications department with a very modest PR budget, I learned that coverage isn’t about size. It’s about the story. And the stories worth telling are often hiding in plain sight. Our team’s job was to uncover them. That meant walking through departments, asking questions, and paying attention to what everyone else overloo

In 2018, my father died of esophageal cancer. Recently, my father-in-law informed me he's battling stage-four small bowel adenocarcinoma (SBA). When he first informed my wife and me, he said, "Don't come out. Let's wait and see how the chemotherapy goes." I knew from my father's battle, that "waiting until..." is a poor assumption. And, given the survival rate for SBA is extremely low — around 30% over five years  — "waiting" doesn't seem like a luxury. During my father's bat

If you're responsible for multi-state government relations, you understand the logistical challenges — a calendar full of committee hearings, deadlines, competing priorities, multiple advocates, and opponents. To bring focus to multi-state work, allow me to suggest grouping states into three categories: Right-to-Win States , Must-Win States , and Follow-On States . For me, Right-to-Win States  were those where we deserved  to win because the policy solution directly aligned w

In the world of public policy, a good lobbyist  can be an invaluable asset. I've had the privilege of working with amazing lobbyists who...

My church offers a Thursday Men’s Breakfast where more than 175 guys show up and chow down. For years, a faithful crew of three took care of the cleanup—pots, pans, and serving utensils. One of them retired earlier this year, leaving a vacancy on the not-so-coveted cleanup crew. The kitchen lead took the mic one day and appealed to the room, "If you're interested in joining the dishwashing crew, come see me." Crickets! I had just resigned from my job and started my own busine

Working with trade associations and coalitions can be an invaluable strategy for advancing your business interests. However, the reality...

In the world of government affairs, campaign contributions are a powerful tool for building relationships with lawmakers because they...

Our team passed a first-of-its-kind bill to expand market access. From the GR side, it looked like a huge win—a model for the rest of the...

For years, I wore my job title like a badge of honor. Associate. Manager. Director. Vice President. Executive. The higher the title, the...

I’ll admit it—I’ve spent plenty of time believing that because I was talking , I was connecting . I was giving presentations, sharing...

If you work in public affairs long enough, you’ll face budget pressure. I saw it often working with smaller business units and start-ups,...

In the world of public affairs and government relations, timing is everything. For start ups, small businesses, and mission-driven...

Polling gets headlines. It gives us charts, numbers, and momentum narratives for leadership. But here’s the truth: polling measures...

LinkedIn gave us a simple banner that says a lot: # OpenToWork .It signals to recruiters, colleagues, and potential employers that...

In today’s deeply divided political environment, many believe that policy change requires picking a side. But the truth is, working...

When it comes to influencing public policy, many businesses are eager to make a big splash at the federal level. After all, a national...