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I do want to point out that the hairstyle, dress and shoes are right up my alley, and if I could throw back to the fashions and work hours of the time without the sexism, I’d be all in.‪#‎ThrowbackThursday‬

My favorite art story of all time is my Mother’s. In the late 60’s she painted a nude with a snail coming out of her belly button. The State University of New York offered to buy it from her, but she had already accepted an offer from a private buyer so she declined. She sold the painting to a man who took it home, and was promptly told it was “filth” and to go get his money back. She gave it back, but she had lost the SUNY commission. I heard the story many, many times as a child. My parents needed that money. Their loss of money was nothing compared to the void of beauty and understanding the person who deemed it “filth” must have been living in. No matter what we had, at least we grew up with a love of and exposure to art, and an open-mindedness about culture. Sadly, the painting itself did not survive – I would have loved to be its guardian today if it did.What does this have to do with business? ABSOLUTLEY NOTHING! Except to reinforce the concept that when something is true, and you believe in its character-- be it an idea, a campaign, a method of moving forward, it is always worth it to defend your “naked” assumptions. Your gut tells you what is right and what is wrong – that is instinct, instilled in us by nature. Defining and expressing it in art, or in a business judgment shows everyone we interact with who we really are – stripped down and “naked”.Cheers to all of you artists out there that have the belief in yourself that lets you put everything out there!Long Live “Naked Art”!

That being said, it is always a good idea to double check that the need for forward planning is not an excuse for failure to execute. In business, as in life, it can be hard to determine where the line is crossed.

As a business owner, I often think of a 3x3 resin square that sat on his desk with a quote that read, “The world isn't interested in the storms you encountered, but whether or not you brought in the ship.”My father was dedicated to his job, but even more so to his family. He raised, educated and loved us. He gifted us his values, both business and otherwise.Thanks for everything, Dad!

"The beginning of the end of war in Europe” was a success because it was expertly planned. The plan was thought through, the costs anticipated, and once the plan was set, the leadership never wavered from pursuing the direction outlined.We are fortunate today to be able to succeed and fail in business largely because of the success of the D-Day campaign. The fact that it is a valuable business lesson in and of itself is an added bonus.What can we learn from D-Day in the business world? Plan, anticipate the costs, both financial and otherwise, communicate the plan with precision, don’t flinch from the short term pain, and you will succeed.God Bless America, where we are free to try and fail, and try again and succeed. We salute those who have served in our armed forces and sincerely thank you for your service.