"If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." African ProverbYes, we can choose to fly solo on our entrepreneurial journeys, but I firmly believe that we can soar higher when we collaborate with others. Thankfully, LinkedIn provides this profile space to share more of my story. My intertwined passions for connection, information, and encouragement are foundational to my work.Some might say I'm an eternal optimist; while I believe there is enough for each of us, I wasn't always full of such abundance. When I was younger, my competitive nature caused me to have a scarcity mindset, leading me to hoard information, people, and stuff. All of that started to shift when I was in graduate school. During an internship with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, my task was to help the agency figure out how it and other city agencies that served overlapping populations could work together to implement welfare-to-work legislation. That coincided with a Geographical Information Systems course that opened my eyes to the importance of data and how entities could use it to impact resource allocation. While my mindset shifted from scarcity to abundance, I retained my hunger for information. Throughout my career, whether crafting legislation in the US House of Representatives or homeschooling my children through high school, taking in massive loads of information, finding connections between people and information, and using the information to encourage others has remained constant. All these experiences help me give my clients an extra set of eyes and a unique perspective on the analytical and operational issues impacting their businesses. I empower business owners to use data in their marketing decisions and show how it impacts their overall operational efficiencies. In the words of Sherlock Holmes, I too believe that "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data."It's time to take the guesswork out of running a business. You don't have to run your business like you are wearing a blindfold. On a personal note, it probably doesn't surprise you that I'm an avid reader. I also love tiramisu, and I'm delighted to know a wonderful gluten-free bakery that makes the most delicious version. My family and my faith are important to me, and I firmly believe in having core values in your business. Contact Information:E-mail: hello@the516collaborative.comCompany Website: https://www.the516collaborative.com/Podcast: https://www.the516collaborative.com/podcast