Family is one of the most powerful forces that shapes us. It is also one of the most misunderstood. As the holiday season approaches, many of us prepare to gather with the people who raised us, grew up with us, or share our last name. For some, this brings warmth and comfort. For others, it brings tension, distance, or uncertainty. Both experiences are real, and neither says anything about your worth or your capacity for connection.

Crying Is Not Weakness, It Is Biology Doing Its Job. Entrepreneurs live in high-pressure environments, yet we still treat tears as something to apologize for. Most of us were taught as kids that crying means sadness and sadness means weakness. So when emotions rise, we say “I’m sorry” instead of recognizing what is actually happening.

Spot Manipulation Before It Controls You. Have you ever walked away from a conversation thinking, “Why did I just agree to that?” That’s manipulation. And it’s more common in business and leadership than we’d like to admit. Manipulation happens fast.

Every healthy relationship, personal or professional, has three entities: Me. You. Us. When all three are fed and cared for, that’s interdependency. You grow. I grow. We grow... together.

Entrepreneurs love to say they value honesty. But the real test comes when someone on your team makes a mistake. Do you punish the honesty... or reward it?

Stop Solving. Start Listening. As leaders, our instinct is to fix things. Someone brings us a problem, and our brains light up. “Let’s solve it.” But sometimes, that instinct (no matter how well-intentioned) crosses into mansplaining.

Most of us think of gaslighting as something that happens in toxic relationships. But it shows up in business all the time, and it’s just as damaging.

Why do we punish honesty? Entrepreneurs love to say they value honesty, until it shows up wrapped in discomfort.

Why do we punish honesty? Entrepreneurs love to say they value honesty, until it shows up wrapped in discomfort.

We often think lies have to be big to matter, but mendacity, a person’s willingness to lie, shows up first in the small stuff.

Entrepreneurs are taught to build systems, strategies, and teams... but rarely to build agreements in their personal lives. Yet everything we create in business is shaped by the relationships that hold us together (or quietly pull us apart).