2012 Goals

I have an annual ritual. I take some time to myself to free flow the thoughts and ideas I would like to design my life over the next year. Using my notepad and favorite pen, I let the first words that come to my mind tumble onto the paper. I let the words come out at random and do little to initially categorize or sort.

I call this process dream-catching. I use it to manifest my inner desires and dreams into my daily reality and goals. I use the themes that come out of this process to guide my decisions, actions and focus for the rest of the year. I hang up reminders of the most common themes all over my home, my office and I articulate my goals to as many people as I can on a regular basis. I never know how my dreams will unfold... that is the exciting part of the way the universe works that I marvel at and sit back to enjoy.

2012 themes:
Family- Last year I managed a huge transition in my personal life. I made a decision to part ways with my husband and partner of 12 years. Some people called me selfish during this process and some people called me courageous. I had to re-evaluate how I have been defining family. This year I invite, with open arms, new people who would like to call me mother, sister, daughter, partner and friend.

Abundance- This year I will appreciate gifts in all shapes and sizes. Joy and happiness are unlimited resources when I choose to let those emotions fill my heart. Time is such a relative thing that when appreciated on a moment-by-moment measure that I will choose to not feel rushed or pressured. While things like money and wealth are easily confused with happiness, I believe that rewards can be prolific when I choose carefully how to invest my and manage my wealth.

Success- My time is now. There is nothing else to be said. I have taken so many steps to arrange my life's pieces to be able to focus on the things that matter most to me that there is no way I can fail. This year I will feel successful when:

• I am recognized for my leadership by my colleagues
• My daughter stands confidently on her own in her chosen activities
• My friends and family recognize my inner growth
• My earnings more closely match the value of skills and talent

Featured Partner, Marvin Revoal

Marvin, a 25 year business owner of Pacific Benefits Planning joins the  Bulding Business Leaders Seminar to share his experience as a minority business owner. His company has grown over the years to over 25 employees with offices in Eugene, Corvallis and Portland. He provides benefits planning and investment services for small and mid sized companies. Prior to benefit planning he was a Eugene/Springfield Police Officer.

He gives back to the community by serving as Chair of the Board of Directors for the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce as well as a member of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Portland, Oregon.

"Being a minority business owner means you have to learn to mode-shift, so just get used to it. The best thing I can do now that I have enjoyed success in my life is to show other aspiring minority business leaders in order to be successful themselves they have to work hard and float between all segments of a community even in ones not in their personal identity"

Quentin Harley, Featured Partner

Quentin is an Eugene prodigy raised locally and graduate of Sheldon High School.

After graduating from high school, he was selected in the 5th round draft for major league baseball. He spent ten years in professional baseball before he retired as a professional athlete.

Quentin’s passion for creating, combined with his intuitive business sense, drove him to launch variety of technology inspired small businesses since 2000.

His most recent venture, Qreative Partnerships, challenges the conventional use of QR codes for marketing and branding.

He is a single father of two sons and gives back to the Eugene community by sitting on the board of Oregon Black Business Alliance along with coaching the Sheldon High School Baseball team.

When asked why he wants to partner with the Building Business Leaders project of Lundquist College of Business he says,

“Qreative Partnerships is about people helping people see outside of usual way of thinking and be the first to market with innovative and creative ideas. Building Business Leaders is doing exactly that. We see ourselves able to give and receive in this venture.”

News from the Network: Shamsu

Shamsu Said, senior at University of Oregon, currently interns in Captetown, South Africa. He works for a small consulting business that focuses on leadership skills and professional growth. His blog posts articulate a compelling story of leader emerging from within. Read his blog here:

Featured Business Partner

Clarence has agreed to be a featured partner and test some lessons learned from multiple new ventures.

Ron Tinsley, Featured Partner

"to succeed in business you have accept you will make stupid mistakes"
Ron has owned multiple business in Eugene, Oregon and is excited to share his wisdom with future minority business leaders .

tiny win

what better way to update business students and entrepreneurs of what's up than a quick blog? I used widgetbox.com to create this feed from my personal blog space. Hmmm, who could I sucker into texting updates on their start ups???

it takes time and space

Found myself needing some time to contemplate all the possibilities of the CEO Network. When I looked at the "in process" site I got overwhlemed and realized maybe a little space between me and the project would help too.

discouragement, par for the course

hard day at the office, didn't save much energy to test out new features tonight... got as far as make sample posts and loaded some code in. when it didn't work, my eyes hurt too much to even find the solution. tomorrow, another day makes another chance to succeed.

In honor of Magdalena

Everything I do, I do for you baby.

Some one has got to level the playing field.

Let it start with me.