During the drive down to Florida, I listened to several podcasts. I was particularly stirred by the comments of …Brian Tracy……. discussing how to be more successful. Brian Tracy, a renowned motivational speaker and author, has provided numerous insights on success and personal development over the years. One of the points he spoke about is the Clarity of Goals. In the words of CHAT GPT “Tracy emphasizes the importance of setting clear, specific goals. He suggests that successful individuals have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and break down their goals into actionable steps. Clarity in goals helps in staying focused and motivated.” 
In thinking about that during my drive I had no distractions and could specifically see what I have as my goals. I do have two, one is to Grow Advanta Strategies, LLC to expand the concept and offerings. The second is to improve my watercolor paintings AND be juried into an art show. The sentence is simple but the actions to make these happen are much more complex. One of the suggestions is to tell people about your goals. Therefore, now you know. If interested, you can watch the ups and downs of achieving personal goals. I was energized hearing the podcast. I had bought a cassette tape and listened to it more than once in 1983 when I started The LRF Design Group. I was very successful in that business and retired from it. Although the message is always floating around, and I help others create specific goals and strategies. For me own life, I was a little careless. I’m reupping. More later
Branding
Branding isn’t built in a studio—it’s built in the moments between meetings, at networking events, and even while waiting for your latte.
From Drawings to Dialogue
Designers aren’t just visual thinkers—we’re translators of imagination.
When you can turn drawings into dialogue, every presentation becomes a partnership.
How Humor Can Lighten the Room
A smile can make your design pitch twice as memorable. Humor, when done right, isn’t about being a comedian it’s about being human. A little laughter reminds everyone that design is supposed to bring joy, not stress. So the next time you walk into a presentation, bring your sense of humor along with your fabric swatches. You’ll leave behind not only a beautiful concept but also a positive impression.
Foundation
"A successful man/woman is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him." – ...... -David Brinkley During a recent conversation with people in business group, we spoke about being tossed under the bus, getting the slings and arrows...
Lazy Artist
“No masterpiece was ever created by a lazy artist." – Anonymous Lazy artist? I keep thinking, I’m a lazy artist because it takes me atleast ½ hour plus to “settle down”. Translated that means, the monkey chattering in my brain supplies “other stuff” to think about....
Choice
Every moment is a choice to begin again ….unknown. Sometimes we wallow in the moment, sometimes we stand back and not make a choice. It is much easier to stand back and not make a choice or not make a change. By not choosing we wallow, we indulge ourselves in the way...
Friend
“A friend is someone who knows all about you and still loves you.” ― Elbert Hubbard There are a few people in our life who know everything. We are grateful for the few. We think of our foibles and of our faults as imperfections that chase people away. In some cases,...
Courage
Courage “Happiness is not found in things you possess, but in what you have the courage to release.” Nathaniel Hawthorne What needs to be released, the piano, the sewing machine or other “stuff”. Is it courage to release your fondest possessions? Courage today is to...
STARS
"Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious." Stephen Hawking Jerry is so curious he took a second degree in Astro Physics at 54. He loves it! There is nothing quite...