No matter how old you are, at some point or another, you will have heard someone talk about ‘The American Dream’. This is an ideal that has been the inspiration of countless films, TV shows, books, art, and more. It has been the subject of countless rousing speeches from politicians and business leaders, and the drive for generations of people.

The new year is upon us once again, and I’m sure like many others, you’re experiencing similar feelings of reflection and optimism. Reflecting on the things you could’ve done differently over the past 12 months, while being optimistic at the chance to get yourself back on track.

With the news this past Friday that the US Inflation rate hit a 39-year high of 6.8% in November[1], we should talk about inflation. It’s a word that you’ll hear on the news or read online almost daily when the subject of the economy or the Federal reserve comes up and is thrown about in numerous conversations related to finances.

Sustainability has been the flavor of the month for what feels like the last five years. It’s been a topic not far away from many people’s minds, especially now in light of the recent COP26 that has been making headlines around the world. It seems every man, woman, and their dog is talking about sustainability for the planet and sustainability in business.

I didn’t come from money. Actually, the opposite is true. Before I was 10, my family had fallen apart, my father had lost his business, and our home was repossessed by the bank. At the time, my brother and I didn’t realize what was taking place, we just thought it was cool to have a green pool with tadpoles living in it! What we didn’t realize is that we’d basically lost everything.