Tips for Business Success from a Fashion Designer

Cathie Leimbach • September 7, 2021

Jerry Lorenzo, founder and owner of the Fear of God luxury casual clothing line, is an intentional leader. His faith and his values guide every decision. His attention to ethically serving his customers’ preferences positioned him for a sneaker partnership with Nike. His belief that “collaboration works best when all parties see the future the same way” led to him leaving Nike and partnering with Adidas.


Here are some of his principles for life success that may inspire you to fulfill your vision and experience your definition of success in your career and personal life.


1.      Strive to be the same person in every part of your life.

2.     Have a clear vision to guide you.

3.     Be disciplined. Choose what you want most in life over what you want now.

4.     To energize creativity, start with the problem.

5.     When feeling stuck do something that sparks options, such as read, watch a video, or have a conversation.

6.     Keep the vision at the front of your mind, but focus on the actions for the week.

7.     Be humble when there are disagreements. Ensure you are focused on solving the problem, not on getting your way.

8.     Hire people who believe in the organization’s vision.

9.     Collaborate with people and organizations that see the future the same way you do.

10.   Pray for help from God and listen for his response.


Jerry offers a lot for us to consider!  Which of these success tips are already part of your way of life?  Which would you like to aspire to?  Pick the one that you would most like to become a habit for you.


Which piece of Jerry Lorenzo’s advice will you start to follow this week?  I'd love to hear what you are going to do today or tomorrow to achieve more of your life's purpose.

4 Leadership Behaviors That Drive Trust, Performance, and Accountability

By Cathie Leimbach • March 31, 2026
Most leaders don’t struggle because they lack knowledge. They struggle because leadership opportunities show up in daily conversations —and those moments are easy to miss. The difference between average and high-performing teams often comes down to four leadership behaviors: 1. Build Trust Through Everyday Conversations Trust is built in small moments. Listen to concerns Ask thoughtful questions Follow through Address issues quickly and respectfully 🤝 Trust grows through consistent, everyday conversations. 2. Reinforce What Good Looks Like People repeat what gets recognized. Be specific: “I appreciated how you handled that client issue quickly—that made a difference.” 🔒 Clarity + recognition = stronger performance. 3. Address Problems Early—Kindly and Clearly Avoiding issues creates bigger ones. Keep it simple: What was expected? What happened? What needs to change? 👥 Clear, timely conversations reduce drama and improve results. 4. Support People So They Can Succeed Your role is to help your team succeed. Clarify priorities Remove obstacles Provide resources Coach progress 🔍 When people have clarity and support, performance follows. The Real Lever: Conversations None of this requires new systems. It happens in everyday interactions— 1:1s, quick check-ins, and follow-ups. Better conversations → better results. Quick Reflection Which one would make the biggest difference for you right now? Build trust Reinforce performance Address problems early Support success 👉 Join our next 60-minute Leadership Conversation – Inspiring Employee Performance on Monday, April 6, at 3:00 pm ET. Not a webinar. A working session with other leaders looking at what’s actually happening on their teams—and how small shifts in daily conversations change performance fast. If you're curious what even a 10% shift in consistency could look like for your team… this is a good place to start.

Three Small Shifts That Change Everything

By Cathie Leimbach • March 24, 2026
You don’t need to make big changes in your leadership practices to get better results. Often, it’s small shifts in everyday leadership conversations that quietly change how work gets done. Here are three that work:  1. Make priorities clear Start meetings by stating current priorities. That creates focus right away and helps conversations stay on topic. 2. Ask instead of solve Instead of answering an employee’s questions, ask, “What are your suggestions?” Such questions encourage employee thinking and stronger follow-through. 3. Hold short monthly one-on-one check-ins Meeting with each employee one-on-one allows the regular review of goals, progress, and obstacles. These short conversations surface issues early and keep everyone aligned. These small habits keep teams steady and focused. Your challenge this month: Pick one shift and try it. Notice what changes in clarity, buy-in, or accountability. Sometimes the difference between teams that struggle and teams that move smoothly comes down to a few simple leadership conversations happening consistently. 👉 Join our 60-minute Leadership Conversation on March 30th at 3:00 PM to see how small shifts in everyday leadership conversations can quickly improve clarity, ownership, and results.