Up to this point...

How did I arrive at this place?  I guess you would have to go back to 1996 when I embarked on my professional career.  As an eager graduate I was ready to change the world and brought all my energy to my first job as a consultant.  My job was exciting, I got to travel, eat in the best restaurants, and live on an expense account - what isn't to love.

I jumped in with both feet and achieved success early on.  Then little by little my exuberance was stifled as I was assimilated into the corporate world of performance reviews, company goals, personal sacrifice, and PowerPoint.  I even adopted a new language where I spoke in bullet points and used phrases like "Let's reconnect...".  Then the tech bubble burst and I somehow managed to hold onto my job.  After 15 years I was successfully transformed into the perfect corporate citizen: working evenings and weekends, giving up vacations to ensure successful project launches, and eliminating all distractions to climb the corporate ladder.

Don't get me wrong, I was compensated handsomely for my focus and I fell comfortably into the lifestyle my new found wealth could provide.  I drove a  BMW, "invested" in clothing, and purchased a home.  I had it all...or so I thought.

Fast forward to 2012, I increasingly grew tired of the corporate treadmill and decided to take a dramatic step.  The time had come to set aside my empty existence filled with excess and focus on something meaningful, something I was truly passionate about, something where I could exercise  creativity, and influence on others.

So I quit my job and decided to take a different path that is more in line with my long-term goals.  Some might call this as a mid-life crisis, I see it differently.  I see it as an opportunity to reclaim myself and pursue my dream of owning an Executive Leadership company.  Immediately after making this decision I realized I had more questions than answers, like:

• What kind of company should I establish?
• How do I setup a new company?
• What kind of training/certification do I need?
• Do I want to have employees?
• How will I attract new clients?
• How do I finance my venture?
• And the list goes on...

Don't think for a second that I am not scared to death to embark on this journey, after all there is a chance I could fail!  In the end I determined I would rather fail than wonder what would have been.  This blog is meant to chronicle my successes and failures over the next year as I realize my dream.  My hope is this will inspire others to gather the courage to take what they want and design their destiny.  

And we are off....