Projects!

Over the past week, I’ve been juggling two big projects:

 ✔ Preparing a family home for sale—estate sales, hiring help, repairs, contracts

 ✔ Laying the foundation for my consulting business through market research

Here’s what I learned and why it matters:

✅ Industry 5.0 & Supply Chain – Daniel Stanton and I discussed how additive manufacturing (like VRC Metal Systems, LLC) and advanced tech are reshaping operations.

 ✅ Finding My Why – Jennifer Landis reminded me that creativity thrives on movement and curiosity. 

 ✅ Industrial Engineering in Utilities – Sarah Bockelmann showed how IE principles fuel innovation in unexpected places.

✅ Consulting & Academics – Andrea Brickey, P.E. Ph.D. discussed the intersection of consulting and academic work—how both worlds can complement each other.

 ✅ Lean Success Factors – Jennifer Cross, Ph.D. worked with me to finalize edits on Lean success factors in utilities, sharpening my perspective on operational excellence.

 ✅ Business Structure Decisions – Heather Gosch helped me navigate LLC vs. S-Corp and EIN setup.

 ✅ AI in Action – Jacob B. West is building automation solutions with AI and working through the challenges of starting a business. His startup ideas are inspiring!

 ✅ Fractionals vs. Consultants – Henning Schwinum explained the flexibility Fractionals bring to leadership.

These conversations helped me clarify my spot:

I love running projects, guiding individuals, teaching, and finding efficiency by empowering teams to decide their destination. Now, I’m exploring how to turn that into a consulting or fractional business—leveraging my strengths in sales, supply chain, and systems thinking to create impact and profitability.

Lesson:

Market research isn’t just about data—it’s about conversations, curiosity, and 

connecting the dots between what you love and what the market needs.