A reflection on the values that shape Kitsap—and the future we’re building together. Last month, standing before a room of business, government, and community leaders from Bainbridge Island and across the Kitsap Peninsula, I asked a question: As we look to the future, what do we want Kitsap to be known for? While facilitating the …
A little known secret in life is this: “Memories pay dividends too.” At 12 years old, my first job was in the cornfields of the Midwest pulling tassles out of corn stalks. Yes they pay kids to do that for seed corn operations! It was farm life at its finest, and by that I mean …
Nestled between the waters of Puget Sound and the forests of the Pacific Northwest, Kitsap County has long been known for its scenic beauty, maritime heritage, and small-town charm. Today, however, tourism, hospitality, and recreation are doing more than attracting visitors—they are playing a significant role in shaping the county's real estate market and economic …
It was July 1976.I was 11 years old and had just finished 5th grade at Olympic View Elementary in Oak Harbor, WA. The nation had just celebrated our bicentennial — 200 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence. And like most kids my age, I loved to listen to music.Prior to 1976, I …
What if your interview process is eliminating some of your best candidates before you ever recognize their potential? Often, interviews are seen as an opportunity to identify the strongest person for the job. Yet they often measure something entirely different: a candidate's comfort level in an interview setting.Those two things are not always the same.The …
I was recently talking with a business owner who told me they had allocated their entire marketing budget to Google Business. It wasn't an unusual conversation. In fact, I hear some version of it quite often. The thinking is simple: "That's where people are searching, so that's where I should spend my money." I could …
Vacations are a joyous time for family reunions or playing tourist, but they also serve as a critical window for noticing if aging loved ones need daily assistance. There can be subtle changes to look out for such as mobility, home maintenance, or memory that often become undeniable, signaling that it may be time to …
Picture a summer weekend: the ferry is delayed, the parking lot is overflowing, the restaurant is triple-seated, two servers have called in sick, the event coordinator has just quit, and a wedding rehearsal dinner starts in four hours. This is not a disaster scenario. For many hospitality managers, it is simply a Saturday in July. …
If you put pancake batter in a waffle maker, is it a waffle or a pancake? It’s a strong question simply because it always starts a discussion and everyone has an answer. The same result is achieved by asking the question, “Should I pay off my mortgage?” The explicit danger in giving any financial advice, …
Selling a longtime family home and transitioning into a senior living community is a major milestone. It is a unique blend of deep emotions and practical logistics. Decades of accumulated belongings cannot be sorted overnight. However, with an organized strategy, you can turn an overwhelming house clean-out into a manageable, empowering journey. Taking the time …
