As many of you know, I love to read – a lot! I especially love to read books that allow me to gain insights into some of the world’s best companies. I love learning about their trials and tribulations and why they continue to succeed.

It’s 6:30am on a dark Saturday morning in February when I begin to hear what sounds like rain hitting the exterior of an aluminum window.

A recent Gallup study shows some staggering numbers regarding workplace engagement and happiness. The latest figures indicate that 70 percent of Americans feel disengaged in their jobs.

For the past 17 years, one of my annual highlights is attending the Moulding Design Show in Italy. I love it because in my experience, Italy is the worldwide leader in producing the best-designed products that feature superior quality.

All of us want to be successful. Throughout my travels, I’ve never met someone that didn’t want to achieve some form of success. Many of us have different versions of what success looks like.

For the folks who know me well, you know that I’m a huge advocate of social media! I also know that I can be a big pain in the butt when it comes to sharing the benefits of social media.

Keep avoiding failure, I dare you… How’s that working out? The fact is, failures are the secret and most powerful ingredient to success!

The retail market is tough! We’ve all seen the much-publicized closures over the past few years and recently even more major retailers have begun to pull the plug.

You know that new car smell that everyone loves? How about the feeling of cracking open a book for the first time? Maybe you love peeling the plastic off a new mobile device.