Balls. Lots of balls.

Pool balls to be precise. And a good cue stick, of course.

Let’s go back in time a bit. A short trip back to when I joined the ranks of winning pool players.

As a new player, I was improving… very slowly… slower than a turtle running a race in peanut butter…

Then I was matched against a top-ranked player.

The Big Kahuna.

The Superstar.

The National Champion.

The one who makes strong players’ knees quiver and hearts pound.

Ignorance is bliss. I didn’t know any of this.

I was told he was too cocky for his own good. It was up to me to knock him down a notch.

So, I did.

This was the moment I went from a hesitant beginner to a confident winner.

Something similar happened when I needed to become a great salesperson for my business. I stepped up at the critical moment when I needed to connect with people and talk about my business.

I used social media to create warm leads, land clients, get referrals, and then used email to sell my products.

After a lot of course corrections along the way – I started my own business to leverage my marketing, business, technical, research, and writing skills.

Now I offer those skills in the form of consulting, copywriting, and new ventures.

There’s more, of course. There’s always more. All that “more” is what I bring to the table.

I PREFER TO WORK ALONE – WITH A TEAM

I love being a part of a team but when it’s time for me to work, give me solitude. I don’t multi-task. The engineer in me creates an understanding of the final outcome desired, a plan to work from, a checklist to follow.

MY LIFE PHILOSPHY

I’m very skeptical, and was surprised to find that’s a philosophy. This means: for almost anything on this page, the opposite may also be true. I don’t trust what I tell myself. It’s not a lie — it’s my truth at the time. But an opposite point of view can replace it when I shift my perspective. This happens as I learn new things.

I’M AMERICAN

I’ve traveled to Spain, Germany, Switzerland, France, and Canada. Yet, I’m a stereotypical American. While I do have some midwestern values, because I’ve traveled to other countries and to most of the States in the US, and have lived in numerous communities, I’m simply – American:

• value my independence
• very individualist
• live-to-work
• nomadic with weak family ties
• averse to traditions
• my meals usually last just a few minutes
• slow to open up emotionally
• friendly but reserved with new people
• conservative with resources
• law-and-order is a good thing

Debate isn’t my forte. Quick-fire exchanges don’t suit me. I prefer to ponder and respond with consideration, even if it takes days. This approach frustrates some, but I do this because I think the fast answer isn’t the wisest.

Before any interview, I request the questions ahead of time. Not to script my authenticity, but to ensure my responses are thoughtful and substantive. And if someone tries to hit me with a “gotcha!” question…I’ll walk away or completely avoid answering. It’s about quality, not speed.

First reactions? While many think the first reaction is the most honest, I disagree. They’re rarely the full story. The first reaction is outdated…it’s either a response you came up with long ago and use now instead of thinking, or it’s an emotional response based on something in your past. Deliberation allows for a response that’s current and considered, not a reflex from the past. It’s fine to take a beat, to think, then speak. People who are good fit for my inner circle appreciate the value in a more measured reply.