Time for a next chapter

The past six months have been a rollercoaster ride that I could never have imagined. I doubt any of us could have. I am simply blown away by so many inspiring stories of agility and adaptation but also humbled by how much our physical and emotional capabilities have been put to the test. 

When my 82-year-old mom fell and fractured her hip two weeks into the lockdown, we knew that recovery in the middle of a pandemic would be challenging, and that she would be exceptionally vulnerable. Sure enough, soon after her surgery, when she was in a rehab center, she contracted the virus. After a rough, long road filled with ups and downs, my mom, thankfully, has made a surprisingly full recovery.

We also recently celebrated a very special moment in my daughter’s life – her wedding day. Though the day wasn’t as she had originally planned, a small gathering of close family members made for a wonderful, highly-emotional day.  

Today’s environment has made us all look at life differently. It has made me appreciate special moments – such as my daughter’s wedding and watching my mom getting stronger during her recovery – and these have helped me keep my strength up amidst the incredible pressures of home and work life during this stretch. I find myself more dedicated to making sure I get solid exercise every day, and because I’ve been home, I am able to take some “mindfulness” time more often which for me comes from practicing saxophone. 

It is also leading me to make a big transition in my career. As a result of the latest restructuring at CVS/Aetna, I will be stepping out to be a free agent next month.  It has been a terrific ride.  I will miss my team and I look forward to seeing the great impact on healthcare that they will have. 

But I am also welcoming the break from what has been an extremely stressful year. I’ll be taking a breath for a bit, and then focusing on building a portfolio of work from independent consulting and coaching. Having thirty years of experience in both client-side and client-service leadership, my hunch is that I can help executives and their teams accelerate progress on marketing and digital transformation, unlocking new vectors for growth, and building leadership presence -- at the enterprise level, for smaller companies, or as an advisor on Private Equity holdings. 

I am excited by the possibilities, and if you are interested in chatting live about appropriate opportunities where I could be helpful, let me know.  

Stay safe, stay hopeful, and thank you all for the inspiration you provide every day.