Culturate Advisory

Some reviews stick with you.

This one came after a half day workshop that was not supposed to have anything to do with brushes.

Or hair.

But the night before I recklessly forgot to pack my hairbrush. And I was at a retreat in the middle of nowhere. And I had to get creative.

So I told everyone about it. Not scripted. Just real life. And we found ourselves referencing that story throughout the workshop. It ended up being the memorable illustration of the day.

When the review came in I smiled.
And ran to show my wife.

I spent countless hours meticulously planning this workshop. And, thankfully, the other reviews said nice things about all that hard work.

But the one that stuck with me the most was about a moment I never scripted.
About a missing hairbrush.

That story became my opener, scrapping what I had originally planned.

I’ve watched a lot of videos about the perfect opening line. The prepared hook that makes people lean in.

While I’ll probably keep trying to use them, this review reminded me that the most meaningful thing you can do is simply prepare to show up as a real person.

People don’t care about perfect plans.
They care about real things.
Real people.

And hairbrushes.

We’re taught teams need perfect leaders.
They don’t.

They need the truth.

When people aren’t performing, we add pressure.
And when that doesn’t work, we add more.

That’s the problem.
The fix isn’t what you think. 👉

On the way into work, a friend called me and said, “I need some grace.”

He was stressed because some bad advice made by someone else pointed straight back at him. He couldn’t stop spiraling.

My first instinct? Quote the great “Taylor Swift “haters gonna hate.”

But then we got serious. I told him: breathe through it. Focus on what you can control.

That call stuck with me. It reminded me how often stress hijacks our minds, our bodies, our stories, and our relationships.

So I sat down and made a list—12 simple daily habits to meet stress differently. Not with more stress, but with something that creates space to grow.

👉 Save this for when the pressure closes in.
👉 Share it with someone who’s carrying too much right now.

We’ve been told to “leave it at the door.”
Work first. Feelings later.
Humanity doesn’t belong here.

But here’s the truth:
Pressure. Perfection. Power.
They don’t spark growth.
They break culture.

And when culture breaks, growth stops.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

There’s a new edge in leadership:

Let humanity in.

Not as a guest.
As the leader.

Because when people bring their whole selves through the door, they don’t weaken performance.
They multiply it.

🟡 That’s how we unlock extraordinary growth.

What about you?
How are you letting humanity in at work?

The uncomfortable truth:

Of course leaders have favorites.

They’re usually the top performers or the people they just click with. That’s human. The real problem isn’t having favorites.

The real problem is favoring the favorites — and forgetting everyone else.

And here’s the thing: these aren’t villainous leaders. This is the uncomfortable truth most won’t admit (sometimes even to themselves) because they’re afraid of being called out for playing favorites.

Leadership means creating space for all employees to grow, not just the chosen few.
That means:
• Recognizing the middle of the pack, not just the stars.
• Giving stretch assignments to the overlooked, not just the “favorites.”
• Spending time developing people who may never be top performers, because they still deserve your leadership.

Great leaders don’t erase favorites. They balance them with intentional investment in everyone else. That’s where trust is built and potential gets unlocked.

👉 Follow for more real talk about the toxic bosses we love to hate (and how to lead better than they did).

A great morning with the amazing and fun incoming students at St. Mary’s University. We’re owning our superpowers!

Just gonna leave this right here.

From Startup to Standout: Avoid the Toxic Boss Trap

👏 This week, I had the honor of speaking to a room full of founders, leaders, and difference-makers at Venture X Northwest in San Antonio, TX.

We talked about the hidden cost of toxicity in the workplace—and why it’s not just about bad behavior.

It’s about pressure, perfectionism, and power.

I call them survival strategies, and they slowly erode trust, creativity, and performance.

But there’s a better way.

I introduced Fanatical Grace™.

A human-centered, results-driven approach to leadership that helps you replace:

❌ Perfectionism → ✅ Progress
❌ Pressure → ✅ Presence
❌ Power → ✅ Purpose

Because when you create space for humanity, you spark growth.

Thank you to and the whole crew at for a great event.

And thank you to everyone who showed up, leaned in, and asked the hard questions.

This movement is just getting started.

Let’s make grace fanatical, and build cultures that last.