We’ve always believed that forming a strategy is impossible until your clear on what your values and principles are. Without values and principles to guide you, making decisions can seem impossibly difficult. Given how important setting values and principles is to decision making we asked folks we admire to tell us about the values or principles that matter most to them.

Troy Upperman | Photographer

My late father, Christopher Upperman, always used to say, “Show your love”. There’s no way I could ever forget hearing him say those words. It’s is a simple yet profound phrase that emphasizes the importance of actively demonstrating love rather than assuming it will be understood or felt without any expression. Read more>>

Stevie J. Hirner | Founder, (Trans)itioning Voices | Conductor | Educator | Singer | Composer & Arranger

In society today, transgender and gender-expansive (TGE) individuals face a disproportionate amount of hardship than their cisgender peers. The world seems reluctant to understand and accept their identities, and this manifests in countless ways, big and small. From something as seemingly innocuous as ignoring one’s correct pronouns or their chosen name to the plethora of anti-trans legislation that has become far too commonplace in recent years, TGE individuals are forced to justify their very existence on a regular basis. Read more>>

Karim Yengsep | Jazz Musician and Educator

There’s a quote that’s attributed to Antoine de Saint-Exupery: “If you wish to build a ship, do not divide the men into teams and send them to the forest to cut wood. Instead, teach them to long for the vast and endless sea.” I think being able to inspire my students is my guiding principle. Read more>>