What an incredible time at Annie Franceschi’s Make More Magic retreat at Disney World.

Not only did I get to speak on Decide, Design, and Deliver Better With Your Not-Now List, but I also conjured two “pixie-dust pluses” that I'll be gifting to members of the Reclaim Your Workday Action Club (one valued at $99!). If we can’t bring a little magic back in our carry-on, what are we even doing?

Visiting the Magic Kingdom with the Queen of Disney (Annie) made it even more special — she knew exactly where and when to go to rides, plus which foods were worth paying for in both dollars and calories. (Yes, I ate the special Disney cookies. Yes, I had the crème brûlée croissant and cheeseburger spring rolls. And nope, no regrets.) My favorite ride was Tron, and my favorite character is Deadpool.

I know. Not “traditional Disney.” But Marvel counts, and I refuse to be shamed!

One thing Annie did extra well - DETAILS. Each person was given their own special, personalized swag: Favorite character. Favorite color. Thoughtful touches everywhere. The whole retreat was a masterclass in experience design. Learn more about the retreat here.​

And then… I came back to real life, where the magic looks a little different.

It was pretty hard to follow that week, but I met up with fellow National Speakers Association Carolinas members for coffee, where my jacket made a splash.

Someone asked, “How has speaking changed?”

My Answer: More crossover between influencer marketing and professional speaking—a good reminder that the skill sets are very different. Being great at short, highly edited content doesn’t automatically translate into holding a room for 45–60 minutes. Speaking well for an hour is a craft: structure, stamina, and real-time connection.

Over the weekend, I hit a Stax Records tribute, then jumped back into business mode speaking to 300+ accountants about how to Work Well Remotely: Healthy Habits at Home. ​

Pro tip: if you use a standing desk, get an anti-fatigue mat. Your hips, knees, and back will send you thank-you notes.

Then I headed to NCSU with RaderCo Leadership & Strengths Specialist Dawn Sander to work with a team on Strengths, Priorities, and How We Work.

A good alignment question for every team: What’s our ultimate purpose? If you get different answers, it’s time for a refresh on priorities—because “more magic” doesn’t always mean fireworks and castles. Sometimes clarity is the magic. Sometimes it’s alignment. And sometimes it’s reclaiming the workday with an updated plan that protects your team's goals and their energy.

If you want more guidance on how to bring the magic back to your team, hit reply and tell me what’s feeling the messiest right now.

When you get this, I’ll be in the midst of a full weekend — walkie-talkies with friends, quarterly lunch with Annie, hosting brunch, mountain biking (yay warmer weather!), and seeing the play Pipeline.

On with the Weekender!

One Thing You Can Do Now: Finish this sentence: “When I’m under pressure, I overuse ______.” Then add one guardrail: a time limit, a recovery block, or a second set of eyes.

PERFORMANCE POWER TIP Turn your strengths into guardrails. When you’re stressed, your strengths don’t disappear. They get louder. This episode shows how to spot the “too loud” version — and add guardrails before your strengths take over the show. LISTEN (18 min) READ SUMMARY

TRY IT- pick a category and do one question a day this weekend.

RADERCO RECOMMENDATION Agape App Kevin and I are hooked—one question a day, and a fun way to keep learning about each other. Pick your vibes: silly, philosophical, investing, spirituality, trust, conflict, and more. Best feature: you can’t see your partner’s answer until you’ve answered (aka: no “I’ll just match yours” cheating).

RADERCO-SPOTLIGHT Reclaim Your Workday Action Club Your calendar is not the boss. I’m running the Reclaim Your Workday Action Club because your calendar shouldn't be in charge of your life. It’s an 8-week program with quick chapter TLDRs (summaries), live Q&A, and hot seats - so you make one practical change each week. Tuesdays 12:15–1:00 p.m. ET (one Monday: Mar 23), replays included. Details + Seats

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PS: Save with a Team Pack for 3-5 members for Reclaim Your Workday Action Club! Reply to grab your special rate.