by Valerie | Jan 22, 2020 | Front and Center, Keepin' It Real...
It’s an unseasonably cool night in May and I find myself at home, alone, with nothing to do. That’s right. Nothing to do! (This must be a fantasy story, you think. Who has nothing to do?) On this particular night, both kids were out of the house, the dog had...
by Valerie | Jan 7, 2020 | Advice, Career, Front and Center, Goals
Sometimes it’s thrust upon you and you never saw it coming. You find yourself downsized, made redundant or replaceable. Other times it’s that nagging feeling… is this all there is? Sometimes it’s the turn of the calendar page. The start of a...
by Valerie | Nov 11, 2019 | Advice, Front and Center, Storytelling
I love old bookstores. I always find some new treasure to bring home while continuing my search for my childhood favorite, the out-of-print “Cheese, Peas and Chocolate Pudding.” It was about a finicky eater. It might have been titled “Peas, Cheese...
by Valerie | Sep 17, 2019 | Advice, Communication, Front and Center
“I feel like if I apply for the job, they’ll laugh at me.” “There’s nothing interesting about my story.” “This will never happen for me.” Each of these statements was said to me in the last week by clients struggling to...
by Valerie | Aug 26, 2019 | Advice, Communication, Front and Center
OK, so this might seem silly, but I want to tell you about one of my pet peeves… I mean, I know it’s no big deal in the grand scheme of things, but it just bugs me, you know? You might not be bothered by it, but I am… It’s when people provide a...
by Valerie | Jan 14, 2019 | Communication, Front and Center, Storytelling
So many women shy away from presentations. The thought of getting up in front of a crowd is nerve-wracking. It makes them feel exposed, subject to scrutiny and afraid to fail. I’ve been in front of audiences many times and yet still get sweaty palms. Knowing how...
