I recently had a conversation that completely shifted how I think about leadership in the workplace. We were discussing office culture, and someone made a point that really stuck: sometimes, an office manager’s job isn’t just managing orders, phone calls, or technology—it’s about managing attitudes....

For a long time, I assumed retirement meant a clean break. License gone, career wrapped up, responsibilities finished. Recently, I was reminded just how wrong that assumption can be—especially when it comes to workfiles.

Here’s the reality: retiring or letting a license expire does not erase profes...

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what “fair compensation” really means—especially when hiring or partnering with another appraiser. This question comes up constantly, and every time my answer starts in the same place: it depends. Not because I’m trying to dodge the question, but because compen...

If you’re considering hiring a virtual assistant (VA) to help grow your appraisal business, here’s something important to think about. There are basically two ways these companies operate when connecting you with overseas VAs, especially from places like the Philippines.

One type of company simply ...

Every now and then, I find myself grabbing a bowl of (butter-free ;) ) popcorn and scrolling through the latest appraiser debates online. The newest hot topic? Whether using a virtual assistant—especially one based overseas—is a violation of the USPAP confidentiality rule.

Here’s the argument I kee...

I’ve been getting a lot of questions lately—some genuine curiosity, some lightly disguised criticism—about why I spend so much time using ChatGPT. Fair question. But let me be honest: I spend time on it because it matters.

I’ve always believed my purpose is to help others, especially appraisers, be...