Outside Insights

Send us Fan Mail Check out the full blog here! In life, there are assets and liabilities. An asset is a resource that brings value to others and a liability, on the other hand, is a responsibility or obligation. When it comes to your job, the question is simple: would you rather be an asset or a liability? We all strive to be assets! But let’s acknowledge that no one is an asset 100% of the time—a...

Send us Fan Mail On the latest episode of Outside Insights , I had the pleasure of speaking with Sheila Bravo , president and CEO of DANA (Delaware Alliance for Nonprofit Advancement) . Sheila’s career journey—from corporate marketing with brands like Vlasic Pickles and Godiva to nonprofit leadership—is all about adaptability, purpose, and lifelong learning. Her story holds valuable lessons for an...

Send us Fan Mail Our daily choices craft your life’s story — what will today’s chapter be? I have a long list of goals, life ambitions, projects, and tasks I want to accomplish. I bet you do too. No matter the goals someone has already achieved, it’s human nature to crave more — to want to be better. That’s why everyone I speak with has at least one goal or idea that haunts them — a nagging sense...

Send us Fan Mail I believe the best ideas come from listening to people who see things differently. If everyone at the table thinks the same way, you’re not innovating—you’re just reinforcing the status quo. The spirit of this idea was a prominent topic in the latest episode of Outside Insights all about effective change management. I had the pleasure of sitting down virtually with Miriam Dicks ,...

Send us Fan Mail I officially started my business 23 years ago — the morning of September 11, 2001. Of course, history and our lives changed forever that day. It was certainly a challenging start for the business, but challenges have been a constant companion throughout my journey. Today, I’m known as the guy who started a business from one dollar and scaled it to mid-market size without partners...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine transforming recycled tires into a thriving footwear business, then pivoting to reduce homelessness and run for governor . Sounds impossible, right? Not for Matt Meyer , this week’s Outside Insights guest. I had the privilege of speaking with Meyer to explore his approach to leadership, the impactful initiatives he's been part of, and his vision for Delaware's fu...

Send us Fan Mail Let’s face it: life is a series of decisions. From something as simple as what we eat for breakfast to major career moves, we make thousands of choices each day (between 33,000–35,000!). Some are automatic, handled by our subconscious to keep us sane, while others require careful consideration and come with their fair share of anxiety. Reflecting on our decisions — big and small —...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of Outside Insights , I had the pleasure of interviewing the dynamic duo, Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio , tech leaders, co-founders of Lifecycle Insights and co-authors of “ Lead It Like Lasso “.   During our conversation, we dove into their unique approach to leadership, drawing inspiration from none other than the TV character, Ted Lasso. From their jou...

Send us Fan Mail If you’ve been part of the Outside Insights community for a while, you’re familiar with the concept of closing your gaps. For those of you that are new — welcome! Our goal here is to take steps every day to live a more intentional and authentic life, and closing our gaps is key. The “gap” represents the space between where you are now and where you want to be. It encompasses every...

Send us Fan Mail In the world of social entrepreneurship, few stories are as compelling and full of teachable moments as Scott Beale’s story. Recently, we had the pleasure of hosting Scott on our Outside Insights podcast, where he shared his personal journey from an aspiring changemaker to a global leader in fostering youth leadership and international volunteerism.   Scott, who grew up in a famil...

Send us Fan Mail I’ve started several businesses, bootstrapped them, and grown them to mid-market size. I coach entrepreneurs and leaders to help them achieve the life and business they desire. My day job is with Placers, where we’ve been placing thousands of people for over 50 years. I spend my days and nights helping individuals close their personal and professional gaps — it’s my purpose. This...

Send us Fan Mail As most of you know, a key tenet of the Outside Insights way is breaking away from the grind to take care of one's physical and mental wellbeing. I was very honored to have the opportunity to talk with Dr. Tricia Thompson for the latest episode of Outside Insights learn about her journey in the medical field and some critical wakeup calls everyone can learn from. Dr. Thompson...

Send us Fan Mail Here’s the thing — quitting shouldn’t be a bad word. But why does it often feel like it is? At Placers, we champion values like results-driven performance and relentless hustle, epitomized by Winston Churchill’s wartime call to “never, ever, ever give up.” This motto resonated so deeply with me that it found its way onto t-shirts for the high school soccer teams I coached. My jour...

Send us Fan Mail Hello, In this week’s episode of Outside Insights, I was joined by Mac Macleod , the co-founder of Carvertise , a successful media company revolutionizing ride-share advertising. Mac and I go way back to the start up days of Carvertise as I worked closely with his co-founder, and previous podcast guest , Greg in local not- for-profit work with Junior Achievement of Delaware. Over...

Send us Fan Mail In case you missed it, Placers President Chris Burkhard shared his Outside Insights vlog on our 2024 theme: "Our Theme Is To Be" Despite loss, he urged us to "embrace change & find opportunity in every moment." Key Quotes: "Be present, supportive & our best selves to honor our colleague's legacy." "This year is about being over doing...

Send us Fan Mail I’m a Delawarian through and through and perhaps one of my favorite characteristics of our little state is the big impact that local nonprofits have on our communities. I’ve been honored to speak with many leaders from these non-profits and am thankful that I can further their message through the Outside Insights platform. Recently, I had the chance to speak with the co-founder of...

Send us Fan Mail In life, we encounter a diverse cast of characters. Among the cast that surrounds us, there are characters that particularly stand out, such as energy vampires — individuals who, knowingly or unknowingly, sap our vitality and leave us feeling drained. These individuals aren’t confined to our social circles; they can also reside within us, manifesting as counterproductive thoughts...

Send us Fan Mail In this insightful episode of the Outside Insights podcast , I sat down with John Ratliff , the entrepreneurial force behind Align 5 and CEO of Scaling Up Coaches . During the episode, John and I discuss the multifaceted journey of entrepreneurship and the significance of mental health and creativity in the entrepreneurial realm.  I have known John for decades and admire his body...

Send us Fan Mail I’m going to share a little secret about your job and career. It’s a simple truth: You, and only you, are responsible for managing your career. This wasn’t always the case. Our grandparents lived in a world where careers were often linear and lifelong, with a single organization rewarding decades of loyalty with a gold watch as a symbol of their appreciation. But times have change...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Outside Insights , I chat with Pat Callihan , CEO of the national nonprofit Tech Impact . During our discussion, Pat shares how his organization is creating meaningful change through technology and workforce development programs. I'm inspired by Pat's commitment to leveraging technology for greater social impact through workforce development and nonpro...

Send us Fan Mail Welcome to 2024! We are trying something new on the Outside Insights Podcast with some solo podcast and thought leadership in addition to the interviews we have shared have been part of what Outside Insights is and the community around it.  Thank you for tuning in to the Outside Insights Podcast! We appreciate your support and look forward to bringing you more valuable content in...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Outside Insights, I chat with Chris Bystriansky, an author, attorney, real estate investor, coach, speaker, and endurance athlete. Yeah - some people really can do it all. During our discussion, Chris shares his journey from a challenging childhood to pursuing higher education and then eventually finding himself climbing the corporate ladder. He then shares how...

Send us Fan Mail We’re officially kicking off the 2023 holiday season this week! With that in mind, I wanted to bring you some fun, lighter content to be consumed while recovering from too much tryptophan and your leftover turkey. Thanksgiving is a time to count our blessings and to recognize our abundance and it is my hope that you spend this long weekend with your loved ones, friends and family...

Send us Fan Mail As many of you know, I’m a proud Delawarian. There’s nothing I enjoy more than watching our local businesses thrive. When a business’s core mission is helping other Delawarians thrive, well, I’m sold. In this episode of Outside Insights , I sit down with Desa Burton , Executive Director of Zip Code Wilmington , a nonprofit coding bootcamp. Zip Code Wilmington provides adults with...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Outside Insights, I sat down with Nick Wilkinson , Founder and CEO of Wilkinson Advisory services. Prior to launching his own consulting firm, Wilkinson built a successful career spanning various industries and has collected multiple hats over the years, including CEO, entrepreneur, author, and filmmaker – more on that later.   Nick and I go way back. I first met N...