Listening Beyond the Lane: Lessons from Building, Teaching, and Relearning

Right now, I am coordinating chaos, I’m working to build a new consulting business, preparing to teach two courses in Spring 2026, cleaning out a house to sell, and reinserting myself into Sage Studios—the business my husband and I have nurtured for 20 years.

And then there’s QuickBooks. After a decade of only running profit-and-loss reports, I’m back in the trenches, relearning the system. Our beloved bookkeeper retired at 82 (rightfully so!), and she was the kind of person who kept everything on track with old-school precision. When she stepped away, I jumped in, thinking, “I’ve done this before.”

I had—back when the kids were little and I was working on my master’s degree. I could do bookkeeping in my sleep then, which was good because sleep was scarce with three kids under six. Now, with Studio Ninja, Square, Stripe, and other tools that sort of integrate with QuickBooks, it’s a different ballgame. Let’s just say I’m swearing more than I used to.

But here’s the unexpected gift of this season: the people I’ve met along the way.

• Bill, who works out at the same time I do at Exos, has been a sounding board for my business ideas. A retired military veteran and former franchise owner, he’s given me invaluable guidance on franchise consulting inquiries. He rows for an hour every day, then lifts. I do my guided 30-minute lift and sometimes more. He always greets me by name: “Hi Paula!” That small gesture matters.

• Eileen, who accepted my donation of pillow covers my mother-in-law made, reminded me to slow down. She and her friends make meals for people experiencing homelessness in Rapid City. When I dropped off the covers, she offered me sparkling water and shared her story. I almost rushed through that moment—but I’m glad I didn’t.

• Nicole, who came to our estate sale, now helps clean out the house. She’s a full-time welder who loves uncovering the history in old homes. Her enthusiasm for this work is contagious, and she’s doing a fantastic job.

These conversations have been a powerful reminder: we listen to news, social media, and data—but do we listen to real people outside our lane, political party, or age group? This season of transition has taught me that the most valuable insights often come from unexpected places.

Project management, Lean, teaching, and business development are skills I bring to my consulting work. But the stories of Bill, Eileen, Nicole—and so many others—are shaping my perspective in ways no corporate meeting or academic seminar ever could.

So here’s my takeaway: slow down, listen, and learn from the people around you. They might just change the way you see your own journey.

One of Many pillow cases.