Work
Writing
On being first-gen, spaces that remove chairs, 118 weeks of showing up, and finally standing at my own starting line.
115 weeks of showing up, a solo adventure on the horizon, and what it means when preparation and destination finally find each other.
Gas at $5.39, teacher appreciation gifts, kids stepping into a heavy world, and what's keeping me sane right now.
On returning to work, finding the culture we built sitting on a shelf, and what our generation owes the next one.
On childhood dreams, mountain trails with family, and the grounding power of recognizing how far you've already come.
On AI as cover for bad leadership, the Starbucks $500M bet on their managers, and why knowing the difference is still on us.
On Starbucks relocating to Nashville, what "partners first" actually means, and a challenge to be the company that changes the room.
On StrideMob, what it means to build something people believe in, and why the next generation doesn't need a rulebook — they need a reason.
On Starbucks' new barista bonuses, putting my own bonus in the tip jar 21 years ago, and the difference between compliance and commitment.
On being taught that dominion was the point, what the trails keep teaching me instead, and why connection is the only thing that ever built anything worth keeping.
On the difference between kind and nice, cultures that protect themselves from the friction that would have made them great, and why telling the truth is the kindness.
On three books, one truth, and why culture is created no matter what — with or without your intention.
On life interrupted, non-linear paths, the judgment that sharpens when you step back — and why it was worth it.
On Phil Jackson, what actually builds dynasties, and where legendary service really comes from.
On AI, human connection, what my husband and son are doing differently, and why when everything can be generated, real connection becomes everything.
On what it actually means to be accountable for how something feels to be a part of — and why it's a choice you make before it's convenient.
Adoption begins with trauma. This is not a tidy story. And silence would feel like erasing her.
On self-doubt at 51, a friend's words at girls' night, and what I've actually gained in the messy middle.
On the Starbucks name misspelling theory, what baristas are actually trying to do, and why we shouldn't confuse humanity with optimization.
A quote that refuses to let me drift — on living awake at 51, doing what I believe, and staying engaged when people need connection most.
A guy on a mountain unicycle taught me something about my career — that doing what's right for you, without comparison, is enough. More than enough.
