One year ago today, my father, Mark Schlafman, passed away peacefully at the age of 80 after living with dementia for four years. On this anniversary, I decided to write him a letter expressing what’s alive in me right now. Writing letters, whether to those still with us or…
I’ve spent most of my career hiding as an individual contributor, afraid to fully step into leadership and unsure of my own power. In the first half of my career, I worked behind the scenes on high-performing teams at Microsoft and The Kraft Group. Later, in venture capital, I…
This essay was originally published on my Substack, Where the Road Bends, where I share long-form essays on conscious change and life transitions. Jesse stared into the camera, his face illuminated by the soft morning light streaming through his LA apartment. Despite our decade-long friendship and the casual setting—complete…
I first came across Andy Johns through an essay that stopped me in my tracks—How to Know When to Stop. It was one of those rare pieces that doesn’t just resonate but shakes something loose inside you. Written with both clarity and depth, it offered a perspective on…
This essay was originally published on my Substack, Where the Road Bends, where I share long-form essays on conscious change and life transitions. Earlier this week, I spent time with a prospective client, an executive who had dedicated the past decade to building a wildly successful company. In 2022, the…
Yesterday, the Downshift team gathered for our first off-site in Beacon, NY, with the crisp fall breeze and the mountains turning shades of yellow and orange behind us. The leaves crunched underfoot, and the sun cast a warm glow through the cool October air. It was the perfect setting to…
This essay was originally published on my Substack, Where the Road Bends, where I share long-form essays on conscious change and life transitions. Today, I turn 45. It’s surreal seeing that number—45—staring back at me, not because of the age itself, but because of what it represents.…
Yesterday, I visited the location of our upcoming Downshift retreat: Menla Mountain House in Phoenicia, New York, nestled deep in a valley within the Catskill Mountains. Surrounded by lush forest and a gentle stream, it’s a place that feels intimately connected to the earth—quiet, natural, and grounding. For…