Highlight Reel 2021: “Into Them” Year in Review, Part One

Our 2021 Highlight Reel: Part One

So we’re another year older and feeling so much wiser after talking to our many featured rock stars. We wanted to be kind and rewind the tape (yup, we said tape) in case our dear readers had missed some of the best things we’ve learned from them so far. Dip into their advice and you, too, will see why we can’t stop crushing on our Into Them subjects—the many fascinating doers, thinkers & shakers who have answered the call of our small (but mighty) team by generously sharing their stories with us. 

John Doherty

“Cooking is just one way to express love for others, and it can become fulfilling once you’ve learned the chemistry of it. When you learn why things happen when you cook, you no longer need a recipe—then it’s an extension of your heart.”

Marjorie Gublemann

“The advice I would give someone who is thinking about a similar radical change is to be smart, but give it a shot anyway. If I had over-thought it, I don’t know that I would have done it. Luckily, someone dared me. Don’t be reckless—after all, many of us have responsibilities—but decide that you are going to at least give it a go for some amount of time. Just do it. For me, it all came full circle.”

Lydia Fenet

“Charity auctions are completely different. Most often, few people know that there is an auction taking place; the crowd is usually focused more on socializing. As the auctioneer, you need to ensure that you know how to get their attention and keep it. Getting the audience on your side is the key to getting bidders in a room. My trick is to approach the entire room as a bidding group, and have them cheer on the people who are bidding. There is something to be said about how much people will bid if a room full of people are chanting their name.”

Peter Wilson

“Inclusion to me is about how you create an environment, a place, a space, where all of these individuals have equitable access to resources and opportunities in their careers. We recognize that the differences people bring to the table help organizations to create better products and outcomes. We also know that inclusive environments create a sense of belonging that motivate and empower people to perform to their highest potential.”

Marion Greely

“The masks brought lots of much needed laughs, much-needed sales, and two new employees. They saved our business. It felt good in a year of so much suffering that I could try to help. Though I wouldn’t want to repeat 2020, the best part of the year was the necessary slow down, getting back to basics, and focusing on our mental health. I think the world was spinning so fast before and the universe needed to pump the brakes.”

Leslie Jordan

“While sometimes people think that I’ve had all this success overnight, this is really many years of work coming to fruition. In my mind, I am still a person who got off a bus in Los Angeles in 1982 with $1,200 hoping I could be an actor. A big part of sobriety and recovery is gratitude, and to be 65 and content with who and what I am is something to be truly thankful for.”

Laura Witt

“I have always loved the positive energy that surrounds entrepreneurial businesses, but investing in a mission-driven area is a whole new world. I love having a purpose—a calling to leave the planet better for my children. Coming from the hyper-competitive technology investing world, I’ve found the community around impact investing to be incredibly warm and collaborative. We all want to help each other out, because we actually want everyone to succeed in doing their part to save our planet.”

Lucy McBride, MD

“We’ve had to make a lot of changes out of necessity, but if we have the luxury to consider lessons-learned this can be a moment of reflection. Are there things we do/don’t want to take with us to the other side of the hellscape? Maybe you don’t need to travel as much for work; maybe less of it would help you sleep better. Maybe cocktail party chit-chat with 50 people is far less appealing than a date with me, myself & I on the couch. Maybe, just maybe, no is the new yes. Tell them Dr. McBride made you say it.”

Suneel Gupta

“I am always looking to be fully engaged in what I am doing, to have conviction (which, as I said, makes you backable). That’s why I decided to trade in my map for a compass. I didn’t need to know the last step in order to take the first step. Through writing this book, I’ve realized that what holds many of us back are three words, ‘I'm not ready.’ And yet, if you look at some of the most extraordinary people and rewind the tape to the beginning of their journey, very few of them were ‘ready.’ Like anyone else, they had setbacks and made mistakes, but they all played what I now call the ‘Game of Now.’ And in the Game of Now, the opposite of success isn’t failure. It’s boredom.”

Chip Conley

“Management theorist Peter Drucker coined the term ‘knowledge worker’ in 1959, suggesting that the future of work would be ruled by these people. He was right: 7 of the 10 most valuable companies in the world today are tech companies. We’re awash in knowledge today. But what’s scarce is wisdom—so I think it’s time to elevate the role of the ‘wisdom worker,’ who helps everyone around them be better at what they do based upon tapping into EQ (emotional intelligence). The level of ageism in our workforce depends upon the industry, but it’s rampant in Silicon Valley, advertising, entertainment and a growing number of other industries reliant upon DQ (digital intelligence).”

Jackie Skye Muller

“Everyone should make time for recreation because it helps us to enjoy life. It’s the perfect time to pause your brain and be thankful for everything you have, to push yourself physically and just enjoy the moment.”