It’s December, y’all! Four weeks before we close out 2022. Geesh…

For me, this is the day I start to take stock of whether time has conspired in my favor over the course of the year… or not. Luckily, I’m writing from the gorgeous Outer Banks so this reflection is accompanied by a beachfront sunrise and a hot cup of coffee.

While charmed, this trip is not a vacation. Last Sunday, a few trusted friends and I met at this little oceanfront cottage with our new ideas and current projects in tow. We hung our pride at the front door and got down to business. The goal was to brainstorm new ways of looking at each other’s work while anchoring ourselves in key milestones for the new year. Fresh eyes. Intention. A daily toast.

Today, I wanted to remind you of the secret to making a setting like this work. If you’re gonna throw business owners together to talk about their ‘pride and joy’ for days at a time, you better bring some...