OPEN MIKE
reflections
ARTICLES AND PERSONAL REFLECTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN MAGAZINES, NEWSPAPERS, AND ON BLOGS
Jay Jay French
This has been a hell of a week...and it’s only Tuesday. A little over three months ago, I set a personal goal to do a half-marathon by October. I spent 16 weeks training for it by completing 5 workouts per week, every week, over that time period. While I was nervous...
He made me an offer I couldn’t refuse
There are a few occasions in my life that are seared into my memory banks; my first kiss, the day I met the woman who would become my wife, the night my triplets were born, and the first time I had Wagyu beef. That was last night. Usually it’s Larry at LaRocca’s...
Using UX Research to Help Create New Products and Services
I first started conducting user experience (UX) research back in 1997 while working for Modem Media, a digital ad agency. At that time, we were building some of the world’s first consumer-facing websites (mobile was still far off) for clients such as AT&T, Delta...
Reflections on Vulnerability
In the course of my job, I'm honored to speak with consumers and business professionals about their wants, needs, experiences, and opinions and transform those observations into valuable insights our clients can use for decision making. Through the Uncorking a Story...
A Visit to Dad’s Corner
Joe Roberts Sr. took the news regarding his the state of his health with indifference; at 93 he felt as if he had a good run and now was as good a time as any to pass on. He had a full life which included serving his country in World War II, touring as a professional...
Hitting Curveballs
When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball. My love of the game came from my father, who would take me and my twin brother Jimmy out to the backyard and play catch or, time permitting, a three-person game we called Roy Hobbs, named after the protagonist in The...
The Little Things
Listen Here or Read BelowNew Release FollowBack in 2017, U2 toured the world performing The Joshua Tree in its entirety to commemorate the 30th anniversary of that iconic album. Really, there’s not a bad song on it and you haven’t lived until you’ve heard Bullet in...
The Tiger Within
In April of 2019, I was in Florida with my kids for their spring break. We stayed where we always stay, with my parents, and that year a special visitor came along—my twin brother Jimmy. I hadn’t really seen much of Jim in the years prior, for a variety of reasons,...
The Lost Art of Letter Writing
About This EpisodePrefer to listen? Click on the play button below.Today I am inspired to share with you one of the greatest gifts I’ve ever received. It came from my sister and she gave it to me this weekend. It wasn’t for a special occasion; then again, just getting...