I think at this stage in my career - some quarter of a century in..omg what have I been doing with my life, lol - I am very content with my place in my business and with what I have accomplised. As such, I feel a quiet confidence about all I have learned about the insurance industry but also no real urgency to write every account I have opportunity to quote. I believe this allows me to pass along to an associate those risks I would rather not work on and take a consulatative, patient approach on those I do. And, of course, any lead I might receive from PowerCore represents something I absolutely wish to work on. So, at the end of the day, I am a pretty laid-back insurance agent and I believe that makes folks feel at ease when working with me. I still take the work very seriously, as I have seen up close what happens when someone is not properly insured; however, the process of getting a prospect to a place of "properly insured" is a smooth ride for all parties involved. 

One ability that has always come naturally to me is strategic patience—something I began developing as a child through playing chess. Chess taught me to think several moves ahead, anticipate my opponent’s actions, and remain calm under pressure. More importantly, it trained me to understand that rushing decisions often leads to unnecessary losses, while thoughtful timing creates opportunities for better outcomes.  I have learned through personal and professional endeavors, no good decisions are made when they are made based purely on emotion.

As a divorce attorney, this ability translates directly into how I advocate for my clients. Divorce is often emotionally charged, and many situations can escalate quickly without careful handling. I am able to step back, ask los of questions, assess the full landscape, and guide my clients through decisions with clarity and intention rather than reaction. This not only strengthens legal strategy but also helps protect clients from avoidable conflict and long-term consequences. My natural inclination toward patience and foresight allows me to navigate the emotionally charged family law issues with precision and purpose.

I'm able to synthesize information from different genres and translate for others.

Part of this excellence comes because of my brother - he turns anything about my business into a golf analogy!
Since we both grew up in the construction industry (four generations) we also have that common languge to riff from.
(As a heavy equipment operator he considered himself to be "sculpting the earth". He is also a potter. Ask to see my favorite work of his.)

Here are his golf points when I asked which was more important, the long game or the short game:
1: The most important show is the current one. Not the one before and not the one after this one. A 300 yard drive and a 1-inch putt both count as 1 stroke.
(My synthesis: referrals take both relationship (300 yards) and responsiveness (putt).

2: In your mind play the hole backwards to know where you want each shot to go Each shot doesn't have to be perfect to keep you in the game. 
(Identify the prospect WHO WANTS YOU - and the reason they want the result they'll get from you - then set that up with six InfoMinutes.)

3: When you have a question take the longer club and swing easier. If you're in the bunker set your feet solid, swing smoothly, just get on the green.
(Today's message doesn't create today's referrals. )

4: Play your own game. Not your opponents. Let them beat themselves. There are 18 holes. The game is not lost or won on a single shot. Play smart.
(Focus on the meeting. Focus on the person you're with at coffee. Be respectful.)

5: The better the competition the better you will play. Embrace it.
(This is why Teams with strong policies are always larger and pass more referrals than Teams that have a relaxed attitude toward the organizational standard.)

Good, eh!  He gave me 10 more.

I'm good at reaching common ground regardless of the type of personal injury case that I handle.  Communication is key.  I have represented over 3500 clients in my career from all walks of life and from all over the world.  Before I started representing plaintiffs exclusively, I worked for insurance companies.  I know their tricks.  As long as there is open dialogue amongst all parties, we can reach a common consensus and a good result for my client.

I've always been curious and tirelessly look for solutions to problems. Real estate is more than just putting a house on the market or completing a contract. Every step of the way there are many decisions to be made and many hurdles to overcome to get to the closing table. I like to think there are very few problems that I'm not able to find a solution to for my real estate clients. I feel like this is an ability that sets me apart from other agents as well as helps my clients get to the closing table. I have a can-do attitude and therefore have very few fall through sales. My 25 years experience in the business have honed this problem solving ability ensuring a positive outcome.

“My business card may say mortgage planning specialist, but what really sets me apart is something that’s always come naturally to me — I can take complicated financial situations and make them simple, clear, and actionable.

Most people feel overwhelmed by mortgages, rates, credit scores, down payments, and timing the market. I’m able to quickly sort through the noise, explain the best path in plain English, and help people make confident decisions without pressure.

I also tend to see solutions where others see roadblocks — whether it’s helping a self-employed borrower, structuring an investment loan, or showing parents how to turn college housing into a wealth-building opportunity.

People don’t refer me because I work for a mortgage company. They refer me because they trust that I’ll treat their friends and family like they matter, solve problems, and guide them the right way.”

One ability that has always felt like a second nature to me is the power to quickly establish a sense of calm and genuine connection with others. I supsect it stems from my childhood; I attended three different elementary schools, which forced me to learn the 'art of the new kid'—navigating unfamiliar environments and figuring out how to make friends and build trust almost instantly.

In my practice today, that translates to a high level of emotional intelligence and business growth. d I believe I'm able to calm down first-time buyers and sellers who are naturally anxious about a major life transition which makes their agents feel confident to refer to me.  I also have mentored younger agents  agents to develop contract clauses and work through contract disputes.  It has always been important to me that they feel comfortable coming to be on the frontend of a contract so they can avoid major issues on the backend.  I think my openess and ability to connect makes them feel heard and secure in their decision making and enjoy working with me. 

My super power is being able to google my symptoms, and then simply get up and walk away. 

When clients come to me something in their business is breaking or broken, and it can be hard to see a way out. The first part of my job is to remove the fear and simplify their situation. 

It has always come naturally to me to compartmentalize information, prioritize what matters most, and decide what to do next. I don't get hung up on what happened in the past or on what has not yet happened in the future, and from the very first meeting with a client I can give them a simple roadmap to get them where they need to go. 

One ability that has always come naturally to me is translating complex financial information into clear, practical guidance that people can actually understand and use.

Tax law, compliance requirements, and financial reporting can feel overwhelming to most business owners and individuals. I have a natural ability to break those complexities down into plain language, connect them directly to a client’s real-life situation, and help them understand not just what to do—but why it matters. I remain calm, even in potentially difficult situations, which helps to keep my clients calm and confident that I can resolve their immediate issues. Additionally, I am able to take financial information that is not properly organized or reported, and apply acceptable methods to correct and report accurately, while assisting my clients identify proceses to utilize going forward to maintain order. That clarity builds trust, reduces anxiety, and empowers clients to make better financial decisions.  

This skill makes me especially effective because my role goes beyond preparing returns or reconciling books. I help clients see the full picture—identifying risks, uncovering opportunities, and creating strategies that align with their goals. Whether I’m guiding a business owner through S-corporation planning, helping a client resolve a tax issue, or improving their accounting systems, I focus on making the complex feel manageable and actionable.

Clients don’t just refer a firm—they refer someone they trust to guide them. My ability to simplify, educate, and advocate for my clients is what consistently earns that trust and drives referrals.

One thing that comes naturally to me is an understanding of science. In restoration, this helps in a wide variety of areas, from understanding Building Science, to predicting and evaluating how water flows through a building, to understanding how and why we clean things. It could be something as complex as thermodynamics for determining what is causing a building envelope issue or something as simple as grasping why physical removal of mold spores from an environment is the only true remediation. 

As a certified Building Moisture Inspector, I can evaluate a commercial or residential building and identify the relationship between the indoor air and the outdoor air (hot to cold, high to low, wet to dry) and apply science to track down where water or moisture is entering the envelope and how to correct it. 

As a water restoration specialist, I can apply the fundamentals of thermodynamics and physics to dry building materials efficiently and completely.

As a fire restoration specialist, I use science to identify how to save metal components that will oxidize if not treated, safely remove dangerous contamination, clean, and deodorize a building.

As a trauma and crime scene clean up technician, I use science to understand what materials can be saved, how to clean biohazards, and how to protect workers.

All aspects of the restoration industry, from simple carpet cleaning to complex fire damage losses, rely on solid science and an expert who understands it. My instinctual scientific nature leads me to be very good at what I do.

Being able to ask questions, actively listen to the clients response and getting them to talk about themselves so that I can truly understand what the prospect or client needs, not just what they want.

Everyone wants to be heard, everyone loves hearing their name and everyone loves talking about themselves over anything else. Learned that from Dale Carnegie and it is very true.

Something that has always come naturally to me is the ability to translate complexity into clarity. Whether it's a cybersecurity risk, a failing server, or a compliance gap — I can sit across from a business owner who isn't technical and make them feel completely informed, not overwhelmed.

That's rare in IT. Most people in my field speak in jargon. I speak in business outcomes.

Early in my career, I noticed something: business owners don't wake up worried about firewalls. They worry about their business surviving. That realization shaped how I work. I don't sell IT — I protect what people have built. That instinct to think like an owner first is something I bring to every client.

So when you refer someone to me, you’re not just connecting them to a company — you’re connecting them to a partner

I am good at asking questions, I listen to the situation, ask questions and make notes. I also ask follow up questions to get to deeper issues, issues that may not be initially identified. I may make an initial assessment if its a situation I have come across before. However I always continue my research to ensure my analysis is accurate. I have a mentor who I bounce ideas off who also help me to confirm my assessment. If the later research is different than the initial assessment, I always get back to the person with correction/updates.  

Why choose me as your Trusted Estate Attorney throughout Georgia and New York?

1. Because I worked 6 years in bank and watched accounts wiped clean by power of attorney agents.
2. Because I am an empath and I can tell you within seconds which heir will challenge the estate when you pass away.
3. Because I am a former prosecutor (17 years) and business litigator (3 years) and I know theft by family, is not criminal, it's civil.
4. Because I managed $5M in court appointed estates and learned heirs do not fight because of assets, they fight because of childhood trauma. 
5. Because I appear in court regularly and I know the court will simply slap the hand of the taker and it will cost you and the estate thousands.
6. Because I know your best defense is to proactively plan NOW with a living trust while you can to give your family peace of mind and avoid 1-4.
7. Lastly, when you refuse to proactively plan and your family goes through the above, their grief period lasts twice as long.

When I'm in small business mode, I live and die by my calendar. I use my scheduling habits to the advantage of my customer. I want them to have a lot of fun cooking and serving their BBQ, not worrying about the fuel. I ask about their pellet inventory on a customized reminder basis so they can get a bag or two when they're running low. And I work with them on delivering the pellets, even via Marta.

The ability that has always come naturally to me is connecting with people, quickly and genuinely.

People can tell when you’re not real. And they also know when you are.

Because of that, leaders open up about what’s really going on, and teams are honest about where things are breaking. Not the polished version, the real version.

That connection is what allows me to see where things are off, align people around what matters, and actually move the business forward.

At the end of the day, execution doesn’t break because people aren’t capable. It breaks because people aren’t aligned, and you can’t fix alignment without trust.

That’s where I’m at my best.