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Last week, I celebrated the retirement of one of my most cherished mentors, Ellen McDonald, someone I've worked alongside for nearly fifteen years. Together, we opened the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. We launched capital campaigns, created new spaces, produced festivals and performance series, and, at one point, edited a press release through 47 versions. Forty-seven. She's also the person who finally looked at me and said, "Bess, you really need to tell people yo

I've been spending some time listening to The Beatles' White Album lately. It's an album that shouldn't work. It's sprawling. It's inconsistent. It's experimental. At times, it feels like four different artists pulling in four different directions. There were disagreements during its creation, competing creative visions, and moments when the collaboration itself seemed to be fraying. And yet, many critics consider it one of the greatest albums ever made. The more I listen to

Yesterday, I put this website out into the world. As I looked at the calendar and realized June 1 marked nearly the halfway point of the year, I knew it was time to leap—one that I often encourage others to take themselves. Is the website perfect? No. Do I feel completely ready to take this on? Not really. Was I holding myself back? Absolutely. I often ask people, "What decisions would advance the work?" Publishing this site was one of those decisions. It moved me from consid

Welcome aboard. I'm thrilled to introduce Sea Change , a new consultancy built to help mission-driven leaders turn drift into direction —...