Ulu Partners

The Hardest Part of Sales Isn’t What You Think Driving revenue fuels every early-stage entrepreneurship journey. It’s how we prove that customers truly want what we’re building—so we can hire teams, attract investment, and, quite frankly, keep the lights on. Some founders are natural storytellers, effortlessly having genuine and effective sales conversations. But for most of us, sales is a struggle at some point. And I find myself in that same position. ?? It’s not because we don’t believe in the value of what we offer. ?? It’s not because we lack confidence in ourselves or our ability to deliver. ?? It’s not because we don’t love talking to people about what we do. At its core, the challenge is more human than tactical—it’s the fear of rejection. So, what do the “sales experts” tell us? Use scripts. Automate. Outsource to AI. Dehumanize the process to protect that tender place inside us. But here’s the problem: ?? People can spot that a mile away. ?? When we lose the authenticity of our story, we lose the connection. And that creates a whole lot of ?? ICK ?? on both sides—you feel it, and your potential customer feels it. You get lost in the sea of sameness, sounding just like every other “trusted advisor” or “leading solution.” You use high-level language that could mean anything—so it ends up meaning nothing. The truth about sales? ?? You won’t always be what a customer needs right now. ? You will get rejected. ? And you do need a scalable, repeatable process for follow-ups and conversions. But the best sales processes aren’t about eliminating the human element—they’re about embracing it. ?? So, how have you kept authenticity at the center of your sales process, especially as you scale? (Asking for a friend!)

Last night, a completely bad@$$ group of Formidable Inc. member women gathered over wine, snacks, and some seriously high-powered conversation. On my way to and from the event, I was listening to "Let Them" by Mel Robbins. The mix of these two things got me thinking—so much so that it cost me some sleep ?? . But by the time I woke up, I had processed my thoughts into four key themes. This morning, as I started my day, I realized just how important each of these themes is—not just for a ?? healthy ?? and ?? happy ?? life, but for a successful ??career, ??too. I’ll dive deeper into each of these in future posts (or maybe even a full-on blog—my first since the blogger.com days!), but for now, I want to share how these reminders have already shaped my actions just this morning. First, here are the 4 themes: ?? Community isn’t just powerful—it’s essential. Find your people. And remember: everyone—even those you disagree with or those who underperform—is human. Connect. ?? When overwhelmed, come back to basics and focus. If a challenge feels too big, just take the first step. Do for one person what you wish you could do for all. ?? External factors don’t define you or control how you show up—you do. Don’t give away your power. ?? Live today like it matters—because it does. And here’s the best part: once I wrote these down, I took action. And you know what? It felt effortless. I was in the flow. ? I booked a trip to see my bestie, Mary, in France. She moved there years ago, and I still haven’t visited—which is embarrassing. Also… Hello!!! France! ???? ? I reached out to some incredible groups of friends and colleagues to check in, offer support, and set up time to connect. ?? ? I donated to a cause I care about (and set up recurring monthly donations). ? I invested in two companies through Wefunder —one that’s super local and one that’s women-founded and literally working to save the world. ? I recommended Formidable Inc. to a friend because Emily Parkhurst is building something incredible, impactful, and inspiring. This group is a game-changer, and joining is a great way to support both Emily and Formidable. ? I registered for a Seattle conference that will not only help me learn but is directly related to my board work and responsibilities. ? And… I made sourdough dough so I can have freshly baked bread with dinner tonight (fingers crossed!). ?? And that was all before mid-morning. So—what are you going to do with these reminders? Drop a comment and inspire us all! ??

I'm thrilled to announce that I’m joining Ulu Partners as a Partner, collaborating with the exceptional Kristin Toth, the founder of Ulu. Together, we're dedicated to helping leaders and organizations realize their visions without wasting precious time, money, or sanity. Kristin’s impressive career—from leading operations at Zulily through its IPO, to founding and scaling Fernish, and her impactful tenure at Amazon — has been a testament to effective leadership and transformative growth. At Ulu Partners, we leverage our hands-on experience to coach, consult, and advise leadership teams, focusing on: * Building adaptive, high-trust cultures * Developing pragmatic strategies * Implementing efficient operational processes Our mission is to transform potential into scalable, lasting success. To maintain our commitment to personalized partnership, we're limiting our engagements to five clients and currently have two slots available. If you're seeking experienced partners to navigate growth and change, we'd love to connect. Excited for the journey ahead and the impact we'll create together! https://ulupartners.com/ #NewBeginnings #Leadership #Strategy #Operations #UluPartners

I recently met with the founder and CEO of an incredible business—amazing leadership team, inspiring mission, a ton going right. And yet, this CEO felt they were letting the team down by not spending enough time on the “CEO things” that only they could do. ? Should they raise money? ? Make a strategic hire? ? Modify the board? ? Add or change product offerings? These were high-impact, big-picture decisions that no one else was in the best position to make. But instead, they were getting pulled into last-minute (trajectory-changing!) PR opportunities, talking to customers, perfecting budgets and board presentations… and when they finally had a few minutes, they ?? needed ?? a mental break. Sound familiar? This pattern is so common. Sometimes it’s unavoidable. ?? But in order to truly succeed as a leader, you have to overcome it—and your solution needs to work for you. ?? I’ve tried every system, every trick, every tool out there. Most left me mentally beating myself up when I couldn’t maintain focus or hit that perfect flow. I got up earlier, squeezed in workouts, downloaded every productivity app… and still got caught in the chaos. You know why? Because none of those systems were mine. They weren’t built for how my brain, my business, and my life actually work. ?? Finding my system took: ??? ? Introspection: What was I great at that my company specifically needed? What wasn’t I great at? When did I have my best and worst days? What drove great outcomes? ? Analysis: What were the three most important things I needed to get done next? What other resources could help me make them happen? ? Experimentation: I tried—and failed—a lot. I sought out others’ experiences and feedback, tweaking my system until it worked for me. ? Accountability: With so much to do, it’s easy to take your eye off the bigger, important things. Having to answer to someone was critical for staying on track. That’s exactly what I’ll be doing with the CEO I mentioned. We’ll strategize, try some things out, and work side-by-side to see what sticks. I can’t wait. I would’ve ?? loved ?? this kind of structure and partnership when I needed it most—and it’s why I love what we do at Ulu Partners. ?????? What about you? ?????? What system, mechanism, or tool has been most helpful for you in making sure the big, important things get the attention they deserve—amid all the chaos of leadership?

One of the most common (and exasperated) confessions I hear from leaders is: ?? “I struggle to drive accountability in my team.” ?? My response is always the same: “How certain are you that your team knows exactly what they are accountable for?” If leaders had to grade their confidence level, the average score? ?? ?? A dismal 2 out of 10. ?? ?? Why? Because accountability isn’t just about telling people what to do. It’s about creating absolute clarity and reinforcing it—consistently. It's got to be easy (relatively) to accomplish what are truly the most important things for the team/company/organization. How? ? Tie goals to the big picture. People need to know why their work matters. ? Define success beyond SMART goals. Be explicit about what success looks like and align on how to get there. ? Make accountability a daily conversation. If you set quarterly goals but only talk about future ideas, your team will assume those goals don’t matter anymore. ? Prioritize—or perish. If everything is a priority, nothing is. Leaders must be ruthless about focus. ? Create visibility and follow through. Metrics, check-ins, and celebrating wins drive momentum. And if people consistently don’t deliver, there must be some kind of corrective action. The best leaders don’t just set goals—they make sure goals live and breathe in the company’s daily rhythm. At Ulu Partners, we help leaders not just talk about (or stress about!) accountability but embed it into the ?? DNA ?? of their teams—without micromanaging or burning out. If accountability is a challenge in your org, let’s talk. ??

“Coach” or “Consultant”? How about a Partner? As I’ve worked with entrepreneurs and other leaders, I’ve noticed something interesting: almost everyone has a visceral reaction to the words “coach” and “consultant.” For some, “coach” feels a little too intangible—like it’s all about guidance without enough real action. On the other hand, “consultant” can feel like someone swoops in, takes over, and leaves without building lasting capability - and has no real ownership or reason to make it really work. And that’s exactly why I chose the name Ulu Partners. Ulu means to grow and flourish in Hawaiian, reflecting my belief that ?? growth ?? is at the core of every thriving leader and company. And also evoking an image of a beautiful island, full of joy and constant evolution. Partners emphasizes that we work together. I’m not here to simply guide from the sidelines or take over—I’m here to help you build, grow, and succeed. The truth is, I see myself as a PARTNER. Yes, this has some aspects of coaching and consulting…but it’s neither one nor the other - nor even just these two: ?? Coach? Yes, because I want you to build the skills and confidence to lead your business effectively—not just rely on someone else to solve problems for you. ?? Consultant? Also yes, because I’ve been in the trenches, and I bring frameworks, templates, and a hands-on approach to drive real progress. While you’re learning and growing, we’re also getting things done—avoiding wasted time, money, and (most importantly) sanity. ?? Advisor? I mean, yes again. I actually have advice. I’ve been there. I GET it. Nothing in leadership is simple or without nuance. (Well, rules and concepts can be simple, but implementing them always has some nuance!) So I can advise on the direction instead of simply coaching you to find your own answer…when the time is right. ?? Partner? Also yes, because I’m invested in your success. It’s my purpose. It’s why, after decades of doing this myself, I have shifted to multiplying the impact I can have by helping others and partnering with them to amplify their success. This balance is what makes growth sustainable and thinking of myself as a partner allows me to choose the right tool for the specific job we need to do together —and it’s why I’m so excited about the work I do. Have you ever had a strong reaction to the words “coach” or “consultant”? What do those words mean to you?

Can we talk about the name? What the heck is @Ulu Partners? Well…let me tell you a story. Naming this idea that had been brewing in the back of my mind was one of the biggest roadblocks to turning it into something real. And let me tell you—while I always knew this from my past experience —naming something is HARD. ?? I don’t know if it’s true, but J.R.R. Tolkien supposedly said, “One of the hardest things in the world is to name something.” If he didn’t say it, he definitely should have (though, let’s be honest, he got really good at it!). ?? I wanted a name that could grow with this idea—one that would withstand evolution, evoke a higher level of thought, and speak not only to the mind but also to the soul. Enter Hawaiian language: ? magical ? in how it weaves literal meaning with energy and spirit. So much of the Hawaiian language feels infused with soul and presence. The word “ulu” in Hawaiian means to grow, to flourish. ?? Not only that, but Hawaii is, quite literally, paradise. ?? I want my clients to continually grow—moving closer to their goals, their vision, their version of paradise. Professionally and personally. And then there’s “Partners.” After a bit of a mental wrestling match, I landed on this because it better reflected what I do. Words like “coaching” and “consulting” are great—they represent incredible pursuits—but they felt limiting for this vision. I didn’t want to do just one or even just both. I wanted to truly partner with my clients on their journey of leadership and building. Because that journey? It’s a roller coaster. ?? It’s thrilling, rewarding, full of possibility and growth - but it can also be overwhelming, ambiguous, frustrating, and downright terrifying. At @Ulu Partners, my goal is to be the kind of partner who brings personalized, pragmatic, and? results-oriented guidance—doing what needs to be done with the best tools for the job. And honestly? It’s an honor to help my clients grow, flourish, and move closer to their own paradise. ?? What’s your favorite name origin story? I’d love to hear it.