How Purpose-Driven Strategy Builds Resilient Leaders
When I wrote “Strategy Is NOT a Four Letter Word” in 2019, it was in response to leaders asking me how to get their teams stop fighting strategy and start embracing it as their roadmap to clarity and success. Fast forward to 2025 and my message has a new twist: strategy still matters, but now it demands purpose. Here’s how my work at JMACRAE GROUP , The Inactive Company, and even my recent guest lecture to The University of Georgia’s graduating seniors is proving that point.
Sleep When You’re Dead? That’s Not a Thing Anymore
For years, I wore sleep deprivation like a badge of honor. Long hours, late nights, early mornings—because “sleep is optional,” right? Wrong! Science is screaming the opposite to us every day: sleep is the most undervalued competitive advantage for executives, leaders, and athletes alike. You can’t hack it, fake it, or replace it. Without quality sleep, decision-making suffers, judgment falters, and performance drops. (Take it from me - I’ve learned from experience!)
LeBron, Federer, Brady—they’ve built careers on recovery. Why shouldn’t we all do the same?
At The Inactive Company, we’re redefining peak performance. Because sleep isn’t what you do when the work is done—sleep is the work.
Best College Grad Advice Still True 30+ Years Later: “Never Bark Alone”
It's almost graduation season, a time filled with memories and wisdom. As a UGA graduate, I cherish the timeless advice passed down to me, now sharing it with those soon to become UGA alumni. The motto, “Never Bark Alone," goes beyond networking; it emphasizes building supportive communities, standing together in the face of challenges, and understanding that relationships are transformative, not just transactional. Graduates, remember the power of unity and support as you embark on your new journey.
The Monthly Brief: May Edition
In the May edition of The Monthly Brief, we focus on mental health awareness, sleep performance, and marketing strategies for a post-pandemic world.
Celebrating Strategy: Bringing a Plan to Life
While the last several months threw most everyone a curveball or two, we helped our good friends at ArtsNOW meet this challenging year head-on. JMACRAE GROUP led the efforts of charting a path for the future with a new strategy, a new look, and a new message.
Defining A New Path: What Companies Are Focusing On Now To Prepare For The Future
With the extraordinary events of the last several months, we created this word cloud after reaching out to our clients, colleagues, and friends in the industry. We asked what’s most important to their businesses right now and how we could help. Those who emerge as winners won’t be the businesses hunkered down waiting for the “all clear” – the winners are working hard now, having difficult conversations, and marking new paths.
First Impressions: Great Results Take Great Effort
Making the decision to launch a product, brand or business can be a monumental task… and then the real work begins.
Leadership Lessons Learned - Episode 1
“It’s OK to be disappointed when Life benches you; what’s not OK is missing the opportunity to lead from that space.”
Strategy Is NOT A Four Letter Word: 5 Reasons To Stop Fighting, And Start Embracing, Strategy
In today’s hyper-competitive marketplace, it seems as if we’re all moving at the speed of light…or at least, we feel as if we’re expected to. There’s never enough time to deal with major issues right in front of us, let alone time to plan or strategize the next business move. “Strategy” is treated like a dirty word, a distraction to the business of doing business, and often put on the back burner.
Yes, Focus Groups Are Still Relevant: Why High-Touch Input is Important in High-Tech Startups
Focus groups are arguably more relevant now than in past decades. In this era of influencers, instant sharing and social currency, focus groups are a window into how relationships can shape destiny and success. Not only are focus groups a front row seat to how individuals react and respond to a product or brand, but also why they react and respond in the manner they do. The relationships of those individuals – to the brand and to each other – are key to understanding why.