Jed Sherman

Kyle loves the philosophical maxims I tell to maintain perspective in the face of challenges in the field and with customers. He says it’s because they have a calming effect that minimize the anxiety caused by [insurmountable obstacles]. I appreciate, nay, admire his naïve honesty, and how everything he does comes from the heart. The way he ‘feels’ is akin to way I ‘operate’ – that is, one by emotion and the other by logic. These little gems help us achieve a learned understanding of one another.

In a tip of the hat to Kyle, below are some of his favorites.

1.      Nothing was ever accomplished by panicking.

The Adaptability profile in Gallup strengths states that Adaptable people tend to live in the moment, take things as they come, and create the future one choice at a time. I tell Kyle we must expect the inevitable sudden requests from clients and unforeseen detours, and emphasize the importance of staying focused and productive when demands pull us in many different directions at once.

2.      It’s okay to fail safely. There’s no mistake that can’t be fixed.

3.      Do not fear your mistakes, only the inability to correct them.

These two are generally given together – one to reinforce the idea that no one is punished for taking the initiative, and the other to remind us to learn what works and do better in the future.

4.      Let’s emphasize the proper outcome, doing what’s expected isn’t that impressive.

Hotel guests expect a smooth check-in and a clean room. Landscape customers want neat turf and a weedless flower bed. Our clinic patients demand a proper diagnosis and competent treatment – all basic expectations. There is no way we win the customer by highlighting these fundamentals. Instead, it is our differentiators, the “above and beyond” and the “gold medal plays,” that impress.

5.      Take the path of least resistance.

Not to be confused with laziness or do only what is necessary, the path of least resistance offers the highest return for the lowest risk. Returns in the form of customer satisfaction, revenue dollars, and/or relationship building; while risks are energy expended, dollars spent, and time.

6.      For every argument we win, we lose that customer.

This is adapted from Carnegie, and very accurately describes why the customer is always right, even if they’re not. I don’t suggest folks dehumanize themselves for the sake of placating an objectionable situation, but it is why I emphasize the use of “here’s what I can do for you [insert name… always use their name].”

7.      People don’t want to be sold, but they will buy good feelings and solutions to problems.

Not one I use with Kyle often given his high EQ and incredible expertise. Taken from a customer service book I read years ago; it is the easiest way I found to remove fear from those who quiver at the very utterance of the word “sales.” Not everyone is afforded the training to learn the X’s and O’s of the sales playbook, but with a good attitude and decent knowledge of our service, customers will buy what we’re selling.

8.      If you want to be taken seriously, speed of response is not an option.

More for me than any customer related axiom, and “speed” is a relative term, but Kyle, bro, don’t leave me hanging on that text message.

Jed Sherman is COO of Crestpoint Companies (www.crestpointco.com), a hotel development and management firm that merged with LinGate Hospitality (www.lingatehospitality.com) where he serves as VP of Operations. He and his team manage a portfolio of 19 hotels generating 520,000+ annual room nights.

He is Founder and CEO of First Landing Lawn & Landscape (www.firstlandinglawn.com), a boutique commercial landscape and grounds maintenance company delivering quality landscaping to individual business owners and small, appreciated commercial customers.

He is also a Co-Founder and Principal of Cura Health Partners (www.curahealthpartners.com), a health care company committed to delivering high-quality, timely, and easily accessible urgent care and related services to patients through a partnership with American Family Care (www.afcurgentcare.com/west-chester-voa-oh).

CINCINNATI - First Landing Lawn & Landscape is happy to announce the official opening of a Cincinnati location.

First Landing Lawn & Landscape had previously tested their commitment to customer service in central Kentucky before opening a home location in Cincinnati.

Commenting on the announcement, First Landing Lawn & Landscape CEO Jed Sherman stated, “Growing the company is an amazing feeling! We’ve been testing our operational disciplines over the past year in anticipation of opening a hometown location. Everyone involved in launching and expanding the company comes from the customer service industry, and that background drives every decision.”

Jed Sherman, Founder and CEO, is also the VP of Operations at Crestpoint Companies, a hotel development firm, and Director of Operations with LinGate Hospitality, a hotel management company. He continued, “I saw a need in the landscape industry to better serve small to medium businesses with transparent, easy to understand pricing and service delivery. Negotiating lawn care agreements each year at our hotels is such a complex process, far more difficult than it should be. Our goal at First Landing is to make it an easy decision to choose us based on our simple approach but fanatical commitment to the customer. We want you to be impressed, it’s that simple.”

ABOUT FIRST LANDING LAWN & LANDSCAPE

Founded in 2019, First Landing Lawn & Landscape provides superior customer service in the delivery of quality landscaping. The company focuses on lawn care and grounds maintenance for primarily commercial clients across greater Cincinnati. First Landing Lawn & Landscape is based in Mason, OH. For more information please visit

Illustration: Walter Molino, La Domenica del Corriere (Sunday Courier) December 16, 1962

All quotes were made during personal conversations over the past few months.

Well that was a gut punch!

Thanks to the COVID pandemic our lives have been shaken, stirred, and turned upside down. We are scared and worried. We “can’t get our kids into kindergarten,” yet are expected to work from home and clock 40+ hours every week, “how else do I pay the insurance bill for the car I’m not driving?” Others aren’t as lucky. They are the millions not afforded the benefit of being on the clock, or are choosing jobs “paying far less for the same work I performed just a few months ago.”

Even those who claim, “it’s just the flu,” aren’t immune to admitting, “I enrolled my kids into remote learning, you know, Zoom school.”

Let's be honest, we’re facing real problems, “a gut check of the highest order.” The foreseeable future is not so rosy. The riotous noise of uncertainty is swirling all around. The added impact of a negatively charged environment creates more feelings of fear and concern. To mask or not to mask, that is the question. And so goes the vicious cycle while more than a few recite with strained inspiration “be strong, be diligent, we’re all in this together.” Doesn’t that sound nice.

But, and I mean this with all the sincerity that has vanished since St. Patrick’s Day, the world will revert back to the mean and achieve a new equilibrium. Alas, hope is on the horizon, just beyond the steady beat of “wash your hands, frequently, for 20 seconds,” to scrub away the COVID virus, “just in case you stop one.”

So ask yourself, “did I let a good crisis go to waste?” Is there still opportunity?

Absolutely! The bottom is in. Trust me, I work in the hotel industry. Those jobs dried up quicker than super glue on your finger. Not that you could buy gloves anyway owing to the moratorium on those, hand sanitizer, toilet paper, concerts, the state fair, and hugging grandma. But this is not the time to mope. This is not the time to give up. It is not the time to blame “they,” or complain. COVID has forced us to “adapt and learn.” It has accelerated “a need to prepare and re-evaluate my goals.” The opportunity for positive and successful outcomes is the same even if the “measuring stick has changed.”

Whoever said, “growth only occurs outside the box,” understood that perseverance combined with endurance is an unstoppable formula for strength, and courage, and overcoming challenges. Accomplishment is still an essence of personal value to yourself and others “if I contribute and add value, if I take this chance to grow and learn.” After all, I’ll be judged more by what I accomplish while everyone else is looking the other way.

We are knee deep in it, but “there is still something in it for me.” This crisis “has shown me that I’m way more capable than I once thought. It has shown me that I can influence the world around me far more than I imagined. I will be better on the other side.”

Jordan Peterson, psychologist, therapist, and author thoughtfully lays out 12 Rules For Life with a personal touch, giving meaning to his lessons. While reading I began to think of my mom, and the advice she would still be giving me if she were with us. These are the four that struck me the most.

1. Stand up straight with your shoulders back.

In nature, standing tall and projecting confidence is a protective posture showing strength and position on the upper rungs of the hierarchy. These confident animals have access to better shelters, more food, and a wider pick of potential mates. Much like humans.

What is your impression of a man I describe as hunched over, face donned with a frown, feet shuffling along the sidewalk? Characteristics associated with this image typify, “weak, feeble, frail, limp, inadequate, helpless, timid, and powerless.” Without being prompted you likely put shoddy clothes on your man. You probably gave him ratty hair and a dirty beard. Soon you imagine him as poor and unemployed, maybe homeless and without friends. Amazing how to derive an entire life profile of a man simply by describing him as hunched over with a frown.

The opposite is true of the man walking upright, shoulders back, his confident smile unafraid to look the world in the face. Be honest, this man you put in a power suit, walking through the city. He’s an important man with money, maybe a stockbroker. He lives in a nice house with a pretty wife. Words to describe him are, “strong, resilient, formidable, sharp, bright, and sturdy.” 

Standing up straight with our shoulders back changes the world’s perception of us, creating positive feedback demonstrating that we are who they think we are. People, including ourselves, will assume we are competent and responsible (or at least not immediately conclude the opposite). Emboldened by these positive responses we become less anxious, finding it easier to converse more freely. This in turn makes it easier to meet more people, genuinely increasing the possibility that good things will happen. All because we took mother’s advice, “Stand up straight!”

2. Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.

Sacrifice for others is real and necessary. Self-sacrifice for the sake of is senseless, and after time becomes more thoughtless than the original sacrifice. The question is, are we strong enough to take care of other people over the long course of our lives if our mind and/or body are not well enough to do so? 

Imagine our dog (or cat, or hamster, or ferret, or peacock…) is sick. We take her to the vet. They prescribe her medication. We follow the instructions on that medication to the absolute “T”, never missing a dose. In two weeks, we follow up with the vet as requested. This shows we care; our actions prove it. On average, we probably care more. We are better at filling and properly administering prescription medication to our pets than to ourselves (a scientific fact). That’s not good, even from the dog’s perspective. She loves us and would be happier if we took our medication.

You can probably follow along with this scenario.

Sneeze, sneeze.

“Hey, are you getting sick? You should rest and take some vitamin C.”

“I feel fine. No worries here.”

Cough, cough, sneeze, sniffle, sore throat, fever, body aches, shivers, breathe through my desert dry mouth because my nose is stuffed shut.

“I should have taken the vitamin C.” 

So let’s treat ourselves like someone would treat us.

3. Make friends with people who want the best for you.

To surrounding ourselves with people who support our upward aim is to believe that we are worthy of upward movement to begin with. People that want the best will encourage us when we do good and will not tolerate our cynicism and self-destructiveness. A good person is an ideal. It requires strength and daring to stand next to such a person. Good people in our circle lend us humility, and courage, and compassion. These are the people who make us want to stand up straight.

4. Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.

I’ve written about this before – highly confident people don’t need to keep up with the Jones’ or obsess over the opinions of others. 

No matter how good we are, there is a better chef, a better musician, a more capable manager, and a prettier actress. There is always someone with better skills, better health, and more intelligence. In fact, a relatively small number of people produce most of everything. Winners don’t take all, but they take most. The three wealthiest individuals today have more than everyone residing in the bottom half of the United States. That’s worth repeating if you really want to compare how big your boat is, the three wealthiest individuals have more than nearly 100 million others. (Don’t worry, I don’t have a boat either.)

If there is only one or two people at the top, does that mean everyone else is at the bottom?

Being at the bottom is no good. We are unhappy at the bottom. We get sick, depressed, and lazy down there. Compared to the top, life at the bottom is a zero-sum game where worthlessness is the only certainty. The illusion where we compare ourselves to others is self-defeating, because we can never win, never be on top.

The solution: strip away the illusion that comparisons must exist. What hills did we climb yesterday? What peaks can we conquer today? The uniqueness of our accomplishments cannot be matched, because they were done by us. The goals were set by us, the outcome a result of our effort. Therefore, we are the best. Leading a winning life means comparing our own effect on it.

“The search for a scapegoat is the easiest of all hunting expeditions.” Dwight D. Eisenhower

If Dwight is right, I can neither confirm nor deny that my basement is full of stuffed scapegoats.

There are many reasons people find blame and place fault, in life and in business. The scientific school teaches that blame is a neurological function resulting from environmental stimuli. Sounds scientific but makes it difficult to pinpoint actual reasons. It also removes the actor from the play thereby allowing indefinite excuses for assigning fault and blame.

Another school explains blame as a technique used intentionally to induce fear. In this case blame objectifies and demonizes a person, people or groups as a tactic to sway public opinion or remove the negative spotlight from ourselves, usually to cover up deficiencies in our own behavior. 

And finally, there is the socio-psychological school, which views blame through the lens of our personalities. Consciously or unconsciously we make judgments about others, either to devalue them or make ourselves feel superior. We may also place blame as a defense mechanism from our own anxiety, shame, guilt, or depression.

Ok, so how do we avoid playing the blame game?

I preface by saying that certainly there are situations whereby someone deserves blame. But since that is highly subjective to unique circumstances, instead I’m looking at how I can avoid the blame game while leading a winning life.

It is easier to find a scapegoat than to drum up the courage to look within.

I was reading another article on the subject, and came across the following:

If you are looking for someone to blame then its your bad mood that should be blamed. Its your fears, your lack of control and your worries that should be blamed. Its your life problems that caused you such emotions that should be blamed. Its your helplessness and lack of life skills that should be blamed and not other people.

The author’s lack of proper “it’s” grammar notwithstanding, the passage gets an A for consistency (blame yourself for being helpless) but fails on accuracy. Placing blame on others does not mean I’m in a bad mood, or I lack control or have minimal life skills.

Instead I start with:

1.       I am responsible for the choices I make.

2.       I am accountable to the outcomes of my choices.

I didn’t lose money because my broker gave me a bad stock tip. I lost money because I bought a bad stock.

I didn’t gain weight because work took up too much of my time. I gained weight because I ate rubbish and didn’t exercise.

My neighbor’s dog didn’t bite me because he was a bad dog. He bit me because I was taunting him through the fence with a stick (I don’t claim to have been a smart child).

Instead of blaming others I believe in learning from the events that occur in life. Einstein’s relativity is also in effect – the most trying times seem to teach us the hardest lessons. To maintain sanity and my mental grasp on life’s outcomes, I find it necessary to detach from the need to blame and in doing so retain my power to control the events I can and accept those I cannot. 

This control also means accepting that my choices lead to outcomes, and those outcomes are the result of my choices (post hoc ergo propter hoc). Since I cannot control all problems, I will not blame myself or others. I understand that being authentic means having the courage to look first at the fault in my stars.

7. We don't let lack of resources stop us.

As highly confident people we make use of any available resources. We know all things are possible with a strong base of spirit, creativity and a refusal to quit. We don't agonize over setbacks, but zero in and intensely focus on finding a solution.

8. We don't make comparisons.

As highly confident people we don’t have to keep up with the Jones’. We compete against the person we were yesterday to improve the person we’ll be tomorrow. We know everyone is living a story so unique that drawing comparisons is an absurd exercise.

9. We don't find joy in people-pleasing.

As highly confident people we understand it’s impossible to please everyone. We are aware not all people get along, and that's just how life works. We focus on deepening the quality of our relationships.

10. We don't need constant reassurance.

As highly confident people we aren't in need of hand-holding. We accept the facts of life and expect the curveballs thrown at us. We know that complete control of the world around us is futile at worst and impractical at best. Instead we focus on our power to positively influence others.

11. We don't avoid inconvenient truths.

As highly confident people we confront life's undesirable issues. We know problems left unaddressed have a way of multiplying. We realize an uncomfortable conversation today beats a destroyed relationship later.

12. We don't quit because of minor set-backs.

As highly confident people we get up when we fall. The laws of probability mean that at some point failure is unavoidable. We are not remembered by the punches we took, but by the counterpunches we landed.

13. We don't require permission to act.

Not to be confused with reckless action, as highly confident people we act decisively and without hesitation. Seeking input and wise advice is important, but every day we are reminded "If not me, who? If not now... WHEN?”

14. We don't limit ourselves to a small toolbox.

As highly confident people we don't set limits, real or imagined, on our resources (see #7). We make use of any and all tools at our disposal. We test the effectiveness of ideas until we find the greatest results for the least cost in time and effort.

15. We don't blindly accept what we hear or read as truth.

As highly confident people we don't accept articles on the Internet as truth simply because someone said so (the irony here is duly noted). We look at every how-to article from the lens of our own unique perspective. We maintain a healthy skepticism, making use of any material that is relevant to our lives.

Are you confident? Am I confident? Do we believe in ourselves? Should anyone else? Improving self-confidence means paying attention to these 15 points.

1. We don't make excuses.

As highly confident people we take ownership of our thoughts and actions. There is no inception, and our thoughts aren’t planted. Pleas of "I don't have time" or "I'm not good enough" aren’t true. Confidence means making the time to know we are good enough.

2. We don't avoid doing scary things.

As highly confident people we don't let fear dominate our lives. We are aware of our fears and are prepared to overcome them. Fears are frequently conquered as we evolve into the person we are meant to be.

3. We don't live in a bubble of total comfort.

As highly confident people we conscientiously move outside our comfort zone. We actively pursue a feeling of readied discomfort because stretching boundaries is mandatory for growth and success.

4. We don't procrastinate.

Not to be confused with taking time for careful planning, as highly confident people we know a good plan executed today is better than a great plan executed someday. We don't wait for the right time or perfect circumstances. Beginning makes the circumstances perfect.

5. We don't obsess over the opinions of others.

As highly confident people we don't get caught up in negative feedback loops. While we do care about the well-being of others and aim to make a positive impact in the world, we don't get caught up in a cycle of negative opinions. We know our true friends will accept us as we are.

6. We don't judge people.

As highly confident people we have no tolerance for unnecessary drama, especially the self-inflicted kind. We don't feel the need to insult people, participate in gossip, or lash out at those with differing opinions. We are comfortable with who we are and resist the need to look down on others.

The conclusion of Fight the Fear.

7. I’m petrified of public speaking

At some point in our lives we’ll have to give a presentation, speak to a crowd, or sing karaoke at the holiday party. Public speaking, even the thought of, can be truly nerve racking. In fact, in an un-scientific poll asking folks if they’d rather give a public speech or receive a poke in the eye, I found more chose the latter.

In my junior year of college the communications curriculum was revamped. All juniors were enrolled into the final Public Speaking 101, a lecture class with 300 students – meaning no public speech project. I wish we had done one though because the following year I gave my senior presentation to a palm-sweating class of seven people, and three of them fell dead asleep, including the professor. I imagine the other four were just being polite.

When giving a speech:

Know the subject. Practice the subject. Rehearse the subject.

Keep it simple. Big words and jargon lose the audience.

Be confident. The one on stage is the expert.

Be excited. Your emotions will carry into the crowd.

Don’t worry about forgetting something, no one will notice anyway.

8. I hate phoning people

If you don’t like cold calling, magazine subscription sales might not be a good way to make a living. Neither is selling knives door-to-door, which I had the delightful experience of doing for two weeks that summer. I failed at that endeavor. I blame it on Public Speaking 101 with no speech project.

Invariably we will all have to call people we don’t know. Remove the fear by knowing all you can about the person on the other line. I teach sales directors in our company that if they are calling on the right clients then “No,” actually means “Not right now.” We know those customers have a need for our products and services because we’ve done our research in advance.

9. I don’t want to look stupid

I find myself surrendering to this favorite fear because it’s easy to use as an excuse. It’s debunking, however, doesn’t require much explanation.

Walt Disney was fired from the Kansas City Star because his editor said he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.”

Oprah was fired as an evening news reporter apparently because she couldn’t sever her emotions from her stories.

Elvis was told by the concert hall manager at the Grand Ole Opry he was better off returning to Memphis and driving trucks (his former career).

Before Microsoft success, Bill Gates and Paul Allen started Traf-O-Data, which flopped as a technology company. Not to be confused with the old computer disc of similar name.

Thomas Edison, with 1093 US patents to his credit, was fired from his first two jobs for not being productive enough. Many of his inventions (ex/ the light bulb) were at the time considered silly endeavors.

10. I can’t stop scrutinizing what people are thinking

As humans we have a strong desire to be accepted by others, and acceptance is not garnered by those who look stupid (see #9). The misconception of others’ opinions of us leads toward inaccurate representations of who, and sometimes what, we are as a person. The reality is that most people are too busy worrying about themselves to scrutinize us.

Furthermore, who cares? Someone else’s negativity should never get in the way of our goals. The right people will be supportive, and those that aren’t are like mosquito bites – annoying for a while but eventually we forget about it.

11. I’m scared to ask for what I want

A wise teacher of mine was offered a consulting gig with a nationwide real estate company. I asked what he charged them for his services. His reply, “$350 per hour, and that is a bargain for them.” Doing the math on a full-time basis, his $350 per hour comes to $728,000 annually for being an information resource and trainer to brokers and agents. He was so confident in the value and expertise he was bringing to the organization that his hourly rate equated to $14,000 each week!

Our value does not decrease based on someone’s inability to see our worth. Ask and ye shall receive.

12. I can’t take time out

Life and work are very demanding. Add in a cell phone, laptop, mobile wi-fi, unlimited news and social feeds, hobbies, health, and everything else not listed and it’s easy to find an excuse for not doing. I was sitting with a group of friends some time back when one asked if I was still playing the guitar. I answered, “Not in a while because I’ve been too busy.” Another chap chimed in, “You mean you haven’t prioritized it.”

Cue the pin drop – it was that quiet.

But he was right. Seemingly, we are always too busy. There is always a text to send, an email to respond, work to be done, games to play, and hobbies to be had. The actions that get done are those we prioritize, those we define as important.

Everyone about to read this has experienced at least one, and likely more, of the fears that hold us back from being successful and winning in life.

I recently read the book Fight the Fear by Mandie Holgate where she outlines 12 fears that get in the way of our success and winning in life. These negative mindsets erode our ability to reach potentials we never thought possible. Our advantage, however, is these are only mindsets; illusions we’ve created that put a mental block on our progress but can easily be erased and replaced. Since I enjoy viewing these topics from a vantage of personal experience, below are nuggets I’ve pocketed from her fear-destroying lessons along with anecdotes to drive home the idea.

1. What if someone finds out who I really am?

A massive downside to our continuously connected life is that we know what everyone is doing all the time. Since people have a heavy tendency to post positive events: vacations they’re on, promotions they’ve received, the giant fudge sundae they’re about to eat, we frequently compare ourselves against the immeasurable happiness and success we see on our feeds every day.

Don’t.

We can’t chase someone else’s dream, not physically nor mentally. Their dreams will never make us happy. Better to understand our own values, be true to and compare us to ourselves, chase our passions, and not worry about what others might think.

2. I’m scared of setting goals

People that fear setting goals or setting the wrong goals usually end up procrastinating, which in turn pushes achievements further down the road until they’re out of sight and forgotten. Setting goals can be downright scary and oftentimes difficult. Goals mean we’re committed to doing something formidable or uncomfortable. Just the thought of walking down Action Street opens more boxes of fears, questions of inability, and what-ifs. But without goals we are aimlessly wandering with no landmarks to guide us toward our desired achievements. Goals are shade trees in the desert that lead to our oasis.

3. I don’t want to appear arrogant

Success doesn’t sit comfortably with everyone. It can put us on stage, in the spot light, the center of attention. This perception often fosters feelings of making decisions above our pay grade – “I’m not sure I’m qualified or successful enough to speak or act.” This is equivalent to a fear of success. However, our success is not defined by covers on a magazine, but by the daily grind we endure each day.

4. I don’t believe I can succeed

Fear of failure stops too many of us from realizing incredible accomplishments. This fear is legitimate and leads to a paralysis that prevents us from pushing beyond our current comforts (I have butterflies even as I write this column). The apprehension is understandable. The obstacles in our way, real or imagined, must be tackled for us to experience the excitement of succeeding and winning.

The journey is never a smooth drive. It’s bumpy and pitted with more potholes than a Midwest downtown street in early spring. Also, what are the real consequences of failure? For most of us they’re quite negligible – a bit of embarrassment, maybe a waste of some resources, a front-end alignment if you live in Cincinnati. If we ask, “What’s the worst that can happen,” and the answer is “Not a lot,” then fear of failure is the negative illusion in our way.

5. I don’t ask for help

In other words - me. Some people don’t ask for help because they are afraid of rejection, they don’t want to appear stupid, or don’t want others to know they might be struggling. Me, I don’t want to look like I can’t do it by myself – call it pride. It is truly demising. That’s why I remember two realities when I find myself afraid to ask for help:

1. Very few people achieve success or win without the support and assistance of others. The best CEO’s have mentors. The best athletes have coaches.

2. People are willing to help. This is huge! Think about it, if someone you know asked for help, you’d probably feel flattered. Moreover, you’d probably go out of your way to help all you could.

We have more help available than we know, we just need to reach out and ask.

6. I’m scared of saying “No”

In other words - me #2, although I am getting better at it. I used to have a real problem saying no, especially at work. If there was a new project, I volunteered for it. If there was an initiative to launch, I spearheaded it. Eventually all that juggling took time away from my core responsibilities. I was constantly distracted by opportunities with short-term benefits.

I now find myself focusing on clear long-term objectives and say yes to the opportunities that feed into those objectives. I am also more comfortable (if not always tactful) saying no to opportunities that are not aligned.