Borrowed Words of Wisdom: 20 Golden Rules to Help You Shine As An Analyst

Republished from CPGdatainsights , Sally Martin

I was recently purging some old files. I found a long-buried gem, from my IRI days, that I want to share with you. These words of wisdom came from my all-star manager, Linda Abraham. Linda went on to co-found Comscore and is now an investor and advisor to tech companies.

Note: when Linda crafted her Golden Rules, she was heading an Advanced Analytics group at IRI, consulting on data modeling projects. Our “clients” were CPG companies purchasing studies. But everything she says applies to any analyst because we all have “clients”, whether they are external (a company purchasing services or you readers who are opting to spend time on my blog) or internal (some other department in your company, the CEO, or just your immediate boss).

Understand the issues before you begin a project.

Take the initiative, particularly at the onset of a project, to meet with your internal or external client to get a clear understanding of the issue at hand. Obtain copies of key background documents. Find out why the client is interested in the analysis. Is a competitor doing something new? Is one of the clients’ initiatives not working out as expected? This background may help you to go beyond the specific request and provide additional perspective, and will also help when it comes time to recommend specific action.

Structure your projects so that a business decision can be made based on your results.

Encourage clients with fuzzy questions (e.g., Is my brand price sensitive?) to think through the issue more thoroughly (e.g., Should my brand take it’s regular price down? Should I raise promotion spending?).

Think about possible business decisions and actions from the start of each project.

Ask questions like “Why is this important?”, “How would you use this?”, and “What would you do if I gave you the answer now?”

Take a position and recommend action based on your results.

Go beyond reporting of numbers, and say what your numbers mean for the client’s business. This is not easy and takes practice.

Separate strategy from execution.

Make sure the fundamental directions (e.g., key issues) are clearly articulated and agreed to before getting into the execution details (e.g., source of data or analytical technique to use).

Get a second opinion.

Ask other analysts or colleagues to review your work in process. This brings additional expertise to bear on the problem and usually results in better analysis. At the very least, you will have greater confidence that your approach and findings are sound.

Adopt a sense of urgency.

Time is money. Opportunities do not necessarily last forever. If a decision will be made in two weeks, a one month study will have little value. Do your best before the deadline, but feel free to point out the potential value of a more thorough analysis.

Take the initiative to find out how your analysis compares with previous learning.

If your results agree, point that out. If not, find out why. While anything is possible, we would not expect to see, for example, that a brand is price sensitive in March but not in April. Extra support might be needed if your learnings vary dramatically from what has been seen before. Or you might have “invented a better mousetrap” and will want to emphasize that.

Initiate and maintain good interpersonal relationships.

Your ability to get involved in the key business issues, obtain access to confidential information, and recommend and sell analyses will all be enhanced if you are open to building informal relationships with other functional areas, clients, managers, peers, etc.

Follow-up on your recommendations.

Find out what happened and why. Did the client act on your recommendations? If not, why not? If so, what were the results?

Learn to make good presentations.

Get to the point quickly. Allow plenty of time for questions and discussion. Presentations are an excellent way to build your credibility with clients – look for opportunities to practice.

Make your charts clear.

Always indicate the source of data, time period, brands, markets etc. Label each row and column so there is no doubt about what the data represents. Explain any unusual terms or figures (e.g., price elasticity) in a footnote. If attaching an exhibit to a memo, consider restating your conclusions on the exhibit itself. Note from Sally: Robin and I have written lots of posts on charting. Keep it simple. Focus on the 1-3 most important points in a memo or presentation ane ignore the rest. Do not answer questions that weren’t asked, or provide additional data just because you have it. If you think the “wrong” question has been asked, rephrase it. There is no point in wasting time on a side issue if a key point in unresolved. If the Captain of the Titanic asks how the deck chairs should be arranged, point out that there is a more important issue at hand (tactfully, of course).

Learn to write quickly and concisely.

It takes lots of practice, but you should learn how to put together effective talk sheets, recommendations, file memos, exhibits, meeting notes, etc. with a minimum of effort.

Do not provide unnecessary technical details in your written documents and presentation.

While you must be prepared to defend the data, methods, and results to any and all comers whenever asked, most of your readers/listeners/clients do not need or want to know all the steps you went through to get your results.

Learn how to manage errors.

As thorough as you might be, everyone is bound to deliver “wrong” data at one point in his/her career. When this happens, respond quickly. Find out how and why the error occurred, and develop a plan for how to correct it. Think of the best way to this could be positioned to the client – many potential disasters have been avoided due to proper positioning. The most important thing to do is accept responsibility (even if it’s not your “fault”), inform the right people and correct the problem. If handled well, this process can actually enhance your credibility with the client in the long run (provided it doesn’t happen often!). Note from Sally: Read my tips for reducing data errors.

Maximize the use of your time.

Prioritize your “to do’s” into big, medium, and low priority, and try always to be working on high priority items. At the end of the day, you’ll be a lot better off having completed one high priority item than several low priorities (although the latter is usually a lot easier). Always ask yourself, “Is this the best use of my time right now or is there something more important I should be doing?”

Expose your work to other departments and take the initiative to find out what they do.

The more you know about products outside your area of expertise, the more you can truly act as a consultant within your organization.

Set goals for yourself and keep an on-going log of accomplishments.

If you do this, it will be easy to summarize your contributions every 6-12 months. This will not only help you in your review process but will fuel your sense of accomplishment when you periodically step back and realize how much you have learned.

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Borrowed Words of Wisdom: Relate by Zendesk

Original Post: Company culture is more than ping pong and free snacks

Culture is more than a buzzword

If you take a look back at 2016, we couldn’t get away from the terms “big data” and “thought leader” or, here’s my favorite, “gamification.” (Can someone tell me what that really means, by the way?) Those were the buzzwords of the year, at least in tech; I can’t speak for other industries. This year, it seems the narrative is changing. One of the buzzwords for 2017 is “company culture.” Truth be told, I think that’s okay.

Here’s the problem, though. It's hard to tell what company culture is. For many, it’s an esoteric term that gets thrown around with minimal understanding. If you do a little search on Google, the first result, Investopedia, defines company culture as, “the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company's employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions. Often, corporate culture is implied, not expressly defined, and develops organically over time from the cumulative traits of the people the company hires.” Do I sound like I’m delivering a bad speech at a wedding reception or what? Oh, Webster’s dictionary defines love as…

But I digress.

Beyond the Definition; Beyond the Perks

Long story short, company culture is how your employees feel about working at your organization. There are many factors that go into a good (or bad) culture and they can vary by department. But universally, perks are a primary contribution to culture. Do you offer generous parental leave? Do you host events for employees to take time to interact with each other, maybe over a beer? Is your kitchen stocked with free snacks? Do you even have a kitchen? What kind of medical benefits do you offer? Do you host ping-pong tournaments?

While perks absolutely have an impact on the culture, perks are not, in and of themselves, the culture. Sound divisive? Certainly. But also true. I often see perks and culture interchanged and it would be a disservice to yourself and your organization to see them as one in the same.

Companies frequently list “FREE SNACKS” and “MONTHLY HAPPY HOUR” as benefits on their Career page, yet they neglect to mention health and wellness, rest and relaxation, professional development, and future planning.Does your website reflect the questions that candidates actually have?

Does management recognize good work?

Does the workforce generally eat dinner with their families (or friends, or roommates) rather than at work?

Is PTO truly free from work emails?

Are employees adequately and fairly paid for the work they do?

Does your workforce feel like they are making an impact on your bottom line?

This isn’t an exhaustive list, but you get the idea. These are the culture comforts that today’s workforce cares about.

Borrowed Words of Wisdom: Moss Adams 2017 Food, Beverage, and Agribusiness Annual Conference

Written by: Bryan Powell has provided tax and business consulting services to agribusinesses and cooperatives since 1983, bringing valuable expertise to tax planning, structuring, and compliance. He advises clients on federal and state taxes, control structures, cost analyses, and projections. He can be reached at (509) 834-2455 or bryan.powell@mossadams.com.

The food and beverage industry is growing and changing rapidly. Start-ups saw significant profit increases in 2017, and new companies are seeing explosive growth across the industry in nearly every sector—many at double-digit rates. Meanwhile, consumer trust and market growth continue to be challenging for many legacy food-and-beverage companies. Only 41% of iconic brands grew in 2017, and most of them saw single-digit increases resulting mainly from cost-savings or M&A activity.

Online grocery shopping, meal kits, and food policies developed at the federal, state, and international levels will continue to cause uncertainty in the food, beverage, nutrition, and agriculture sector for the foreseeable future.

M&A Activity

As consolidation continues to be seen as a viable pathway to short-term growth, additional M&A activity is expected in 2018 and beyond. Private equity investors are looking for opportunities among legacy food companies similar to the synergies developed from the 2015 Kraft-Heinz merger. Separately, investors are investing in disruptive start-up food and beverage companies with innovative and healthier product choices that appeal to modern consumers.

Top Consumer Trends

Today’s consumers have redefined the global food supply chain through their willingness to pay more for products they perceive as healthier and more environmentally and socially responsible. This paradigm shift has led to several significant trends that are reshaping the food and beverage industry:

Start-Ups Gain Market Share

Large, iconic food-and-beverage companies are attempting to adjust their business models from a high-volume, low-profit margin model focused on affordability, convenience, and taste to fit the new consumer paradigm. Start-ups focused on catering to evolving consumer demands—such as healthy, fresh, local, and organic ingredients—will likely continue to grow exponentially and continue to challenge legacy brands for market share.

Legacy Brands Are Struggling

Campbell’s has seen negative growth for 11 consecutive quarters. General Mills and Nestle have also seen significant decreases in profits in the United States. Kraft–Heinz is profitable; however, the gains largely resulted from cost-cutting efforts.

Pepsico, meanwhile, has proven to be one of the nimblest legacy brands and is driving revenue growth with its healthier product lines—a practice other legacy brands will likely need to follow if they’re to remain competitive.

Health Foods

As more consumers seek healthier diets, they’re attracted to products with real and perceived health benefits. Clean label, non-GMO, and fresh, local, and organic products are priorities for many of today’s consumers. To capitalize on these trends, food companies have introduced more than 30,000 healthier product choices since 2003, incorporating smaller portions, fewer calories, and less sugar, fat, and sodium.

Trump Administration Food Policy

The Trump administration’s food policy has been centered around deregulation so far. In an effort to promote business growth and reduce the inflating cost of food production, the administration is beginning to unwind much of the Obama administration’s regulations.

During the Obama era, blame for the US obesity, diabetes, and heart disease epidemics was placed on food and beverage producers and manufacturers. Regulations were set in place in an attempt to help curb these issues, such as mandatory nutrition facts panel updates, sodium guidelines, school nutrition standards, and front-of-packaging nutrition labeling.

The Trump administration, on the other hand, is placing more responsibility on consumers and views increased regulation as a hindrance to economic development.

Policy Changes So Far

• School lunch regulations have been frozen and are being evaluated
• Delayed enforcement of restaurant calorie labelling law
• New nutrition facts panel requirements delayed to 2020
• Proposed cuts to food-safety spending
• Proposed cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

Food companies are taking different approaches to the Trump administration’s deregulation effort. Some believe more nutrition and labeling regulation is aligned with their effort to attract consumers with healthier products and more transparency. Others believe additional regulations are unwarranted, would increase operating costs, and won’t successfully impact public health outcomes.

Online Grocery Disruption

Market researchers anticipate online shopping will gain approximately 20% of overall grocery market share in the United States by 2025. More than $5 billion of meal kits have been purchased online in 2017 alone, which is a notable bellwether for the industry as a whole. Surveys indicate Amazon Prime has achieved an estimated 44% penetration into US households. Costco and Sam’s Club are at 34% and 31%, respectively.

As online grocery shopping continues to gain popularity among consumers in the United States, retailers should strategize accordingly by either developing ways to leverage the trend or manage the associated loss of market share.

What’s Changed?

The consumer decision-making process is now being influenced digitally throughout every stage of the sales cycle, from getting inspired to try a new recipe to comparing options and even leaving online reviews through social media or other customer-review digital platforms.

Consequently, the consumer purchasing process is also moving online. Where purchasing decisions are being made, the demand for price transparency and the disappearance of search costs are all digitally influenced.

Opportunities

While the convenience level of online grocery shopping is high, the consumer experience still has room for improvement. This is an opportunity for brick-and-mortar stores to create a better and more personal in-store shopping experience.  

What’s Next?

Corporate investments are being made to make online grocery shopping more accessible and convenient. Almost every major online grocery retailer is now offering free shipping or discounted delivery, for example.

Smaller, specialty stores like Trader Joes have also been growing the last 10 years. This trend is largely because most people still want to pick out their produce, meat, and deli products in person rather than online.

Product prices are also expected to continue to drop as competition among online retailers increases. When Amazon announced its merger with Whole Foods in June 2017, stock prices across grocery competitors dropped 6% overnight—and they’ve yet to recover.

AgTech Investments

Since Monsanto acquired the weather insurance company Climate Core in 2013, AgTech companies have seen their capital market mature at an exponential rate. There are now AgTech-specific venture capital companies—such as Fall Line Capital and AGR Partners—and more corporate venture groups are looking to invest earlier in company lifecycles than ever before. By the end of 2017, annual financings are expected to reach $8.8 billion.

This trend is likely to continue as demand for more cost-efficient automated processes in the food and beverage industry increases.

Main Drivers

• Increasing regulation is creating a need for technology products that can help farmers and companies deal with maintaining compliance.
• Labor shortages are driving up the cost of food production.
• Population growth demands higher yields from existing farmland.
• Protein consumption is increasing globally on account of population growth, rising incomes, and urbanization.

Challenges

While it’s not necessarily detrimental to a tech start-up’s lifecycle to retool their product, growers and producers place themselves in a high-risk scenario whenever they adopt a new technology. If the new product doesn’t work, growers and producers lose profit—often, a significant amount. Even established AgTech companies have a long sales cycle because of this disconnect.

To build trust between new AgTech companies and farmers, trial programs that devote only a small portion of an operation to testing out a new technology—often at a steep discount—are becoming more prevalent.

Looking Ahead

Water and labor shortages will continue to be the food and beverage industry’s greatest challenges moving into 2018 and beyond. Potential renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) could also have a significant impact on the industry.

Water Shortages

More than 17% of US cropland is currently irrigated. As demand for food increases along with population growth, the Western United States will feel the pressure on its water resources most. California, which accounts for the majority of US vegetable and fruit production, irrigates 98% of its cropland. Idaho irrigates 73% of its crops. Oregon and Washington aren’t far behind at 50% and 38% irrigated cropland, respectively.

Labor Shortages

The food and beverage industry’s labor force grew by 0.5% in 2017. That rate’s not high enough to meet increasing demand. Consequently, job openings are at record high numbers and monthly employee earnings continue to trend higher—peaking in September 2017 at 2.9% growth. This trend will likely put pressure on companies to reduce their reliance on labor and add fuel to new AgTech businesses than can help drive automation and cost reductions for producers.

NAFTA

The US is dependent on California for most of its fruits and vegetables, followed by imports from Mexico. If the Trump administration’s proposed NAFTA renegotiations evolve into a trade war with the United States’ southern neighbor, the cost of produce could rise dramatically.

The following insights were compiled from the Moss Adams 2017 Food, Beverage, and Agribusiness Annual Conference held on October 19. Observations and statistics are sourced from the event’s presenters: Sean McBride, Founder and Principle, DSM Strategic Communications; Chris Innes, Vice President–Packaged Food and Food Retail, Wells Fargo; Erica Riel-Carden and Conor Riley, Principles, Global Capital Markets Inc.; and Bill Lapp, Owner, Advanced Economic Solutions.

The Vendor-Retailer Matrix

There are so many metrics and sub categories these days to evaluate a product, that every item on the shelf can find its niche to be the best. I once overheard a vendor exalt themselves as the fastest growing bread brand within the non-wheat, high protein subsegment - and I'm guessing that's a subsegment comprised of one other brand. 

However a vendor decides to fill that hour in front of the buyer, it boils down to two questions:

(1) How profitable is the brand to the buyer and (2) How popular is the brand to the consumer?

The Vendor Retailer Matrix

Quadrant A: Cash Cow for All - strong sales and strong margins

What to ask for: eye level placement, SKU expansion, best promotion opportunities.

Quadrant B: Vendor Leverage - weak sales and strong margins

This is where a retailer will lean in to support the brand, as the brand drives high profitability within the section. 

What to ask for: better placement, strong promotion support

What to fix: brand needs to figure out how to resonate better with consumers - change in marketing tactics or formulation

Quadrant C: Retail Leverage - strong sales and weak margins

This is where a retailer has the most leverage and can control the fate of the brand. The brand is popular enough that a retailer has to carry them, but not profitable enough for them to invest extra shelf space and promotion opportunities for.

Brands - be prepared to offer an EDLC or OI to support a retailer's gross margin.

Quadrant D: A brand's existential crisis - weak sales and weak margins

The brand is at risk of being discontinued 

What to fix: brand needs to figure out how to stay relevant with consumers and fix its costs.

MAIN TAKEAWAY: Knowing where your product sits within the matrix allows you to focus on what to ask for at a meeting.

Damnit, Amazon. Lowering Prices Wasn't the Right Signal

First moves are about shock and awe, but they are also the representation of decision maker priorities. And Amazon got this ALL wrong. Lower prices on avocados is not what Amazon's core competencies are for Whole Foods, nor is it the branding vision Whole Foods needs in the long run.

Amazon, here's what you should have done.

SHOW OFF ALEXA'S CAPABILITIES IN STORE

Use Alexa as an in-aisle customer service assistant - customers can ask Alexa what the best organic diapers are and which aisle to find them or notify the store when items are on low inventory on shelf. Piloting ONE store would have generated more buzz than the tepid press received from lower prices.

FEATURE LOCAL ORGANIC PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AT WHOLE FOODS THROUGH AMAZON.COM

A customer is about to buy hot sauce through Amazon.com. Amazon.com prompts customer that a local brand hot sauce is available at Whole Foods. There would be little cannibalization in sales between the two platforms and offer a revenue generating service from local brands to feature ads on Amazon.com.

AMAZON DASH SALE ON 365 PRIVATE LABEL

Create a Dash button for purchase at Whole Foods for all private label brands.

2 HOUR DELIVERY ON ALL WHOLE FOODS HOT FOOD BAR ORDERS

Harbingers of Decline

Looming deadlines, growing to-dos, and tons of carbs. These modern day "fight or flight" responses manifest in subtle stressors that ultimately accumulate into a clear sign of deteriorating health. Whether it is realizing you're constantly anxious, even while on vacation, changing weight rapidly, or relying heavily on external stimulus to get you through the day, your body and habits adapt to stress way before your mind acknowledges the condition. They manifest through: 

Small Tasks Postponed

It would take me under five minutes to file my expense report, under ten to call my mom, under two to schedule a teeth cleaning...but I spend more time reminding myself to do so than to actually sit down and do it.

Measurements Avoided

I haven't checked my fitness performance measurements, asked for comprehensive feedback at work, controlled my portion sizes or shopped for new clothes (a round about way to check my self esteem) for over two months. Ignoring my status quo is an unspoken fear that I've fallen below baseline.

Daily Rituals Ignored

I jot down daily summaries in a planner. Last journal entry was June 30...

Discipline Languished

I have two acts of discipline that completely regulate my mood and self-esteem: (1) wake up before 6am and doing at least 30 minutes of work before the gym, and (2) don't eat after 6pm. 

It takes me about two to three weeks to actually realize that my "off days" are actually harbingers of chronic stress. While for now, they don't change my dynamic at work, with friends, or with family (I do call my mom before she worries!), they make me feel like I'm operating at 80% optimism, productivity, and confidence. And potential untapped is potential wasted.

Borrowed Words of Wisdom: Deuce Gym

6/16/2017: Don't Compete, Contribute

Let me ask you something. What can you do? How can you add value to this place? After all, this place is much bigger than the space you take up. “This place,” of course, refers to the space we all occupy as humans. We all have a role. We all have relationships. We all have pursuits. Comparing yourself to someone else is part of our nature as humans. When we grow up around others, there are both high achievers and not so high achievers. Though it’s natural to compare yourself to others, we can get ingrained in this. I want to challenge you to grow past this. Grow beyond trying to be better than the next guy. I am really working on this one, too, because I have news for you:

Someone is always better.

When we can separate ourselves from the competition, and the personal value that comes from the recognition, I believe we are on to something. I am not telling you to stop achieving, I am just suggesting that you place less value on what others think. Take a look inside, and try to contribute. What can you give to this place? What can you provide for others better than anyone else can? Let’s go there and let’s have that conversation.

Finding value in yourself can get deep. It’s really personal. Have the conversation with yourself about worth. Go down that road.

Where do I find my worth? I can tell you there have been many times in my life that I have found my worth external to myself. This is a treacherous path. It doesn’t lead to a positive place. You see, to contribute and to really provide value, you need to have a firm belief in your self-worth. Being secure in your value to this place is a direct link to where you derive your worth. Let me be the first to tell you that you are worth more than you know. Don’t ever undervalue yourself. Lock into your worth. Do yourself a favor by not letting others diminish this. When you find it, start shining, my friend.

Competition is a great thing and it is a great teacher. I would encourage everyone to compete, but for the love of God, contribute. This has some real teeth. Make yourself useful. Help someone learn something. Help an old lady across the street. At some point in life, we have to recognize our role in relation to the grander scheme. You are a piece in a large puzzle. It’s up to you what is on that piece. Make it a cool one.

The Winners and Losers of Amazon-Whole Foods

What is lauded as the most disruptive event in grocery since the opening of the first Walmart is also the most obvious synergy no one saw coming. While low cost and quality, sustainable products seem incongruous at first glance, the taste making skills of Whole Foods coupled with arguably the most expansive and precise operations capabilities of Amazon will create the ultimate consumer first value.

The Loser: Instacart and other third-party delivery platforms

I'd speculate that more Whole Foods shoppers are also Amazon Prime members than they are Instacart or any other delivery platform users. Amazon will aggressively grow their Amazon Fresh grocery delivery reach through some introductory deal with existing Prime members and most likely do a spin off of single-use and Fresh only memberships.

What I can't predict: How the online ordering experience will be for consumers who buy exclusively Whole Foods items, a mix of Whole Foods and Amazon.com items, or Amazon.com items who could trade up to Whole Foods items. 

The Winner: Start Up Brands

Twenty years ago, Amazon brought riches to the niches by uncovering the potential of long-tail brands, and this expanded omnichannel synergy will do the same. Startup brands who had difficulty testing its potential against Big Food on a limited capacity shelf will have more opportunities to launch on an digital and/or shelf solution.

The Loser: Third Party Distributors

While the transition from storing inventory through UNFI to Amazon distribution centers will be slow as Amazon build its logistics network to ship to more than 400 stores, there is no doubt that Amazon will bring everything operations in-house.

The Winner: Consumers

This one is the most easy to imagine - you have expanded shopping solutions as both a Prime and Whole Foods shopper. Whether it's dropping off Amazon returns at the same time you're picking up asparagus water or adding 365 brand items to your Amazon cart, you'll realize you'll transition more of your shopping experience to Amazon than you originally imaged.

The Loser: Single Purpose Chains

While general vitamin shops and natural health stores are going the way of Radio Shack (whether they are ready to accept that or not), Amazon-Whole Foods will help expedite the funeral proceedings. Single purpose chains may always boast a wider selection, but lowered prices and better convenience at Whole Foods will convert a significant amount of shoppers fast.

Up in the Air: The Producers

I'm hoping the rigid standards of Whole Foods sourcing and sustainability practices expand beyond the brick and mortar banner. Amazon is in an unprecedented position to change the way consumers shop for food, thus changing the way manufacturers make food and producers produce food. Clean ingredient decks, humane practices,  sustainable harvesting should now be the expectation of the new retail trailblazer.

Warning Signs for Jobseekers

Whether you are looking to join a blue chip company or a newly minted start up, your interview experience is as much about you pitching yourself to the company as it is the company pitching itself to you. So while it's fun to imagine the perks of catered lunches and weekly ping pong happy hours, the ultimate test is to discover whether that company's mission and future are aligned with your principles and personal development goals. 

Some of the warning signs I've discovered during my interview process:

What are the objectives set for the company/team the next one and five years?

Especially if I'm interviewing during a post funding round hiring frenzy, I want to ensure that my position has been thoughtfully created within the context of the organization, rather than just being added headcount.

How has the company culture evolved? What parts would you maintain, and what parts would you change?

The next hire is the riskiest asset to a company's culture. If the leadership team doesn't value its culture's preservation and evolution to that extent, I probably will be just as apathetic towards my impact on the company.

What is your favorite part about the work? What makes the work interesting?

If the answer does not kick off with some variation of "my coworkers," the interview is as good as over.

What is something silly or fun you enjoy doing?

Literally having any answer without pause is a good sign. 

Why Start Now

2 DAC – Two Days After Christmas feasting do you actualize those liquor-laced and sugar coated calories. Tiny pimples start dotting places they haven’t explored since high school; new shadows of paunch keep you entertained in front of the bathroom mirror longer than usual. It’s about now, when the taste of immediate gratification fades and the results set in, when people look forward to the excuse of the New Year to make resolutions for healthier choices. But why wait?

I prefer to pass the First with a running start and a right frame of mind.

The Right Frame of Mind

Don’t feel like you need to punish yourself for the excess holiday calories. Although I usually recommend an approximate “calories-in-calories-out” mindset, I shift to a “dirty-fast-clean-slow” approach to those (hopefully) infrequent days of gluttonous indulgence. Think of those extra holiday calories as fuel to work on those muscle groups you’ve been wanting to bulk. For me, it’s my hamstrings and forever pancake flat butt. 

A Running Start

That extra helping of Christmas pudding gets harder to work off the longer you put it off, so make a strong effort from the 26-29 to hit the gym every day. Better still, once the new year arrives, those resolutions feel less like goals and more like routine.

Mother Knows Best: How to be Happy

If you have never experienced the pleasure of eating fresh Texas grapefruit fillet after fillet, in juicy, full wedges with the bitter member completely removed, you must pay a visit to my parents' house during citrus season. 

Mothers always find unique ways to live out their acts of kindness, and peeling about 8-10 grapefruit an evening is a dedication that goes beyond a mother's call of duty. 

My mom sacrificed her own independence in order to raise me and my sister, deciding to be a housewife while my dad travelled back and forth between China and Texas to run his well-logging company. She often confesses her deepest sorrow is not being about to dote on her kids with money she's made

So I asked how she's able to stay happy for more than 30 years, and her response had the incredibly pragmatic and hardy perspective of a half-assimilated Asian immigrant:

If you sacrifice in hopes that you'll receive gratitude for it, you'll never be happy. Think of sacrifice as a decision you made for yourself, and carry out those responsibilities for your own sake. No one owes you anything for the choices you made.

Life Lessons from the Box Jump

I walk up to a 35-inch tall obstacle. For me, standing at five feet and three glorious inches tall, it’s about hip level. Even though my shins are tingling as I imagine them smacking hard against the edges of the rubber plates, my favorite WODs usually includes the box jump. 

So how do you muster the physical strength to jump more than 50 percent of your vertical; what's the secret of the box jump? It has nothing to do with physical strength: it is 90 percent mental, 10 percent hip mobility. 

My approach to the box jump also translates into how to tackle obstacles outside the gym:

Put some distance between you and your obstacle

Seeing the obstacle up close is daunting and appears insurmountable. Take a few steps back and the obstacle becomes less significant with distance.

Swagger walk to the obstacle

I like to walk up to the box jump because it creates a sense of momentum; in reality, it doesn’t since I plant both feet before jumping, cutting off any speed I gained. The swagger part adds confidence, and confidence curbs overthinking.

Confessions of a Restaurant Server

Though most people with restaurant experience may not have as quixotic of memories as I do about the experience, I absolutely loved the seven months I spent at Nojo Ramen in Hayes Valley in the evenings after my day job at General Mills. Beyond beating humility into me, being a server taught me how to leverage my strengths (adaptability and on-the-fly learning) and weaknesses (attention to detail and patience) to become a better worker.

Here's how I would bullet point my takeaways:

Make Every Step Count

Your bottleneck resource is your attention and time. The obstacles between you and your destination are all time sensitive, so maximize each step and anticipate those obstacles by being prepared and constantly vigilant. 

Someone Will Always Catch Your Mistake

That someone is your customer, and you'll have to admit the mistake to the kitchen and the floor manager (to cancel/add/rush an order). Don't waste time figuring out where communication broke down until after the rush, salvage the relationship and pray for at least a 10% tip. 

Your Manager is Underappreciated

General managers tend to make less than the servers they manage. They are the ones that unlock the doors in the morning, turn off the lights in the evenings, and cover your ass when a you can't show up for your shift. I can guarantee your day is usually better than your manager's; stop whining.

Pick Your Slack Off Days Wisely

When the responsibilities are shared, your work ethic directly affects how much harder your coworkers work. They are your most considerate allies in the face of work, so treat them well when you feel well, because they'll be there for you when you need a break. 

Intention and Discipline

The mindful questions guiding me right now:

AM I EXPRESSING GRATITUDE?

Whether it's as simple and nonchalant as sending positive vibes to the people I'm thinking of, or establishing communication directly to express their impact on my life.

AM I SHORT CHANGING MYSELF?

Self: Am I giving myself too many excuses to opt out of something I should be doing (eating healthy, working out, reading...)? If so, find the discipline to overcome those challenges.

Relationships: Am I making compromises to avoid constructive conflict? If so, be honest and express gratitude.

AM I INVESTING RESOURCES EFFICIENTLY INTO ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HAVE DIRECTIONALLY POSITIVE BENEFITS TO MY LIFE?

Things I'm currently prioritizing:

1. Maintaining relationships
2. Fitness and health
3. Personal projects
4. Golf