Yeah, it’s what I do

When I’m asked, “Do you see yourself as a leader?” I usually answer with another question: Do you see potential in people? Because for me, leadership has always been less about titles, corner offices, or organizational charts—and more about recognizing talent, nurturing it, giving people the tools to shine and most importantly standing behind them by protecting them when they screw up..

I’ve spent my entire career in leadership roles, from managing sales force regions and many department stores with hundreds of workers to running my own businesses with only a few staff members . Along the way, I realized that true leadership isn’t about telling people what to do—it’s about seeing who they can be and helping them get there. I like to call it being a “people finder.”

Being a people finder means noticing the quiet strengths, the hidden skills, and sometimes the spark in someone others might overlook. It’s about creating opportunities for them to grow, challenging them to stretch beyond what they think they can do, and celebrating when they succeed. It’s about helping someone transform potential into performance.

Leadership also means knowing when to step back. It’s about trusting that the person you’ve helped develop can handle the job, even if it’s not exactly how you would do it. My most satisfying moments have always come when I see someone I mentored rise to the challenge, outperform expectations, and take pride in their work.

Over the years, I’ve learned that being a leader is a bit like coaching a team. You identify the right players, put them in the right positions, and guide them to play their best game. But more importantly, you help them believe in themselves. That belief is often more powerful than any strategy or process.

So yes, I see myself as a leader—but not in the traditional sense. I see myself as a people finder, a mentor, a guide. Leadership, to me, is about spotting potential, cultivating it, and giving others the chance to succeed. Because when the people around you thrive, the entire organization thrives. And that, in the end, is what real leadership is all about.