I finally finished Bitter Brew: The Rise and Fall of Anheuser-Busch and America's Kings of Beer and the story of the Busch family, politics, commerce, and more. It was interesting because this truely "American" company is a very strong brand that has evolved over 100+ years before its monarchy ended in 2009 with the InBev partnership. What I enjoyed about the book is the factors that made the company great and their leaders so iconic.
  1. Influence of popularity
    • When your name is synonymous with a brand, you flaunt your money in ways that sometimes seem unethical. Popularity causes crowds of people to flock to you and as a result you feel obligated to keep them there. The Busch family threw parties, built theme parks, and gave away free beer.
  2. Quality above Quantity
    • Beer and other perishable goods must meet very strict demands to taste good and stay fresh. Busch never changed their formula to meet demand and instead stayed true to the fermentation processes and would inspect distributors for old beer past its shelf life. They never compromised on their recipe and it helped them gain loyal drinkers. This enabled Busch to hold a majority market share in the competitive market of beer for years and years.
  3. Trends Come and Go
    • As the company grew and supply chain sped up, Busch branched out to some but not all "comparable" markets like food, baseball, and merchandise. They stuck through Prohibition by lobbying. They didn't join the light beer party until well after it was established. They did make an Australian style lager and hard alcohol options when tastes changed. Knowing your market strategy can guide you to making the best decisions for you and whether or not you should participate in certain trends.
Fame and fortune did a number on the Busch heirs named August (3rd and 4th specifically) and the story really does have a sad end. Partnerships can change your values and change your brand and it has taken its toll on Busch beer. Do you know another brand that has an interested history? Share!

Standing on the edge with sweat on your forehead looking down, down, down into a deep blue pool of water. Count down, 3, 2, 1 and... do you jump off the cliff into the certain fun? Do you know that combined feeling of fear and excitment in this song? This is my inspiration this week. I hear a splash of a cannonball but I just watched the music video and the playful but serious aspects are portrayed in that same exact smile of fear and excitement. Watch it below and read what I think this feeling is about:
  1. Run before you can fly
    • Smart people don't wait for good things to come, they go out there and get them. Almost always this means due diligence and practice practice practice. So you know you have to take on the small challenges that look scary before you can take on even greater and bigger things.
  2. Not afraid to crash and burn
    • It isn't that you have no fear, instead it is acting in spite of it. Saying to hell with it to stepping out anyways. Trying new things means you assess your risks, ask what if, and then carefully disregarding them, haha!
  3. Enjoying the journey
    • Half the fun is getting there! You know the struggle and the work and the dream is what earns you the reward and you will look back on the fond memories and emotions that led up to the final moment. Here's to taking a big breath, taking a chance, and running for it head on!


Sheppard - Geronimo
I've been tired this week. The constant travel has really taken a lot of my energy and all I really want to do is get some sleep and take it easy for a couple days. Unfortunately, life doesn't always let you take a break when you need it. Sometimes you have to power through until you can catch a breather. Here are the symptoms and my recommendations for not losing your cool when you feel like crap.
  1. Short temper
    • Your emotions sometimes get the better of you when your normal levels of Emotional Intelligence (EQ) can't keep them in check. I know that I am guilty of being quick to anger when I'm tired and it usually turns out I just made a bad assumption somewhere. Know when to step outside for a breather and do all you can to not talk about (or think about) work at dinner and bedtime.
  2. Miscommunication
    • Ugh, I hate this one. An email comes in and you reply with an answer and you get a short response back pretty much asking "wtf". I either didn't make sense or didn't solve the right problem. My best solution for this one: apologize. When you make more mistakes, you need to own up to them and not be afraid to just say "woops" and "sorry".
  3. Losing concentration
    • Honestly, when you are wiped out there is no where else you'd rather be than chilling in front of the TV half asleep. It is hard to stay focused and actually get work done. The stress, added mistakes, and never ending to-do list makes you put more than your usual 40 hours in. Even though you feel like you aren't finishing anything, try to remove distractions or set mini-deadlines. I actually block out my calendar with each task so that I stay committed to the task at hand.
You are probably like me and if you aren't already, growing an addiction to coffee and other unnatural caffeinated ways to stay awake. Try to manage it and remember that being awake doesn't mean you are alert!
I had a few lunch meetings in the last two weeks and there is just something about some people that makes you feel good after you hang out with them. I feel grateful to have some of these people in my life so thank you shoutout to Miranda, Jung, Jeanne, Guy, and the ladies of Butler County. I leave feeling rejuvenated after we simply share personal stories about our families, personal challenges, or just plain gossip. Typically it is because these special people are one of these types to me:
  1. Optimistic
    • Maybe misery loves company, but I would choose a friend with a you-can-get-through-this attitude any day. That friend's shoulder is for the tears, the complaints, and the drama with no regrets. I love these people that always look on the bright side no matter what; it helps us remember how good we have it now and make those challenges ahead look less fierce.
  2. Fun
    • Sometimes all you need is to have a good time. That shopping trip, couple of beers, or remember-to-be-a-kid joy of a silly movie. I always feel ready to take on the world with a smile after I've maxed out my fun level. No matter how grumpy of a face is looking at me today, yesterday was awesome and you can't ruin that wave.
  3. Resourceful
    • Then there are those people that you look up to. They make smart decisions and give sound advice. They seem to know everyone and offer to help you in any way they can. I don't know how they do it! But they are always there and it makes you want to be a better person and make better choices yourself.
photo credit: Celebrate 6 via photopin (license)

Why do we work 40 hours a week and can the government do anything about changing that? Actually, just this last week the Save American Workers Act of 2015 is in the news about Obamacare workers' hours. There are a bunch of great books out there that advocate a 30 hour or at least a different structure of work week. I totally agree and here is why.
  1. Necessary to achieve work-life balance
    • In my opinion, the math is realistically something like this: 8 hours of work + 1.5 hour of meals + 1.5 hours of getting ready morning/night + 1 hour commute + 8 hours of sleep = 20 hours. That leaves 4 hours to ourselves and our family, much less time (1/2 the time in fact) than we spend at work. If you add weekends, the ratio barely reaches 50-50 of home-work time (a ratio of 44:40). Doesn't that make it tough to fully care how you spend your time at work when someone else designates how long?
  2. More time at the desk doesn't equate to more done
    • How many of us actually work the whole time we are at work? Turns out very few. We need breaks. We need distractions. We need other things in our lives than work to stay motivated, creative, and hard-working. Just admit to it and be okay with getting up to leave for lunch, go workout in the middle of the day, or leave early that one time to pick up your kid.
  3. Guilt
    • I think in general we are breeding a society that feels guilty for not spending enough time at home or at work and instead of trying to find a better balance, we blame reality and say "there aren't enough hours in the day". Seriously?! No, we just need to give ourselves permission to enjoy life away from the desk and to feel confident when we are in charge at work. Take control and be 100% there wherever you are.
At the very least, use all of your vacation time so it isn't every week. You know what I'm saying?


IT'S GONE! Finally. We had bought a keg of Dale's Pale Ale for my dad for his retirement back in November and it is finally empty! Now that we have gained more weight than anyone should over the holidays, we can start the New Year's weight loss resolutions on the right foot. A few things I've learned from this "adventure":
  1. Repetition
    • When you have that much "work" to get through, it can become repetitive and lose the initial excitement. It becomes almost a chore. A great way to "stay hungry" is to bring in other people to enjoy it like new again. Everyone enjoys a good beer and a good cause!
  2. Nearing the End Goal
    • I can't even count how many times we said "it feels so light, it must be almost there". It felt just like any project when you are almost done and somehow more and more keep coming and preventing the inevitable. You have to remind yourself that it is not only about the destination but also the way you get there that is worth while.
  3. Rules of General Upkeep
    • Because it took so long to finish the keg, there were many times (like below) that we had to bring it inside to keep it from freezing in the sub-32* temperatures. It is easy to become lazy and let things slip "just for today" since it is an ongoing project. You just can't afford to put things off though - the health of the project needs to stay consistent!

Jones the cat and the keg

About Me



So if you want to be happy at work like I am, then thanks for being a reader! I am a consultant that travels constantly and is always working with new people. I love what I do! I'm formally trained with an MBA and BS Engineering. At home and in my free time, I like to drink beer, travel, garden, read, hike with my dog, and play board games.

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