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Our world has changed forever. Many unsettling developments have occurred in the last three months. Everyone has been impacted in some way, whether it is an issue of kids and home schooling, adults coping with job loss and finances, seniors confronting isolation in hospitals and nursing homes, or graduates deprived of the traditional celebrations.

I feel especially sad for all the 2020 graduates. They missed their senior prom, senior week, and graduation ceremonies. My niece, Jessica, is a senior, and we all missed seeing her being awarded her high school diploma. She worked hard for four years and graduated with honors. Next year she plans to attend the University of Rhode Island. Another niece, Alexa, also graduated with honors and will be attending McGill University.

Not only do I pray for the students graduating from high school, but also for all my friends who have children graduating from college. With record-breaking unemployment, this will be a difficult time for the class of 2020 to find jobs. My best wishes for success go out to all of them.

The world is definitely changing, and it was good to be back to church at my local parish (St. Joseph’s).  It isn’t the same watching mass on TV or computer.  Being back renews the sense of community.  My son and his friend David went to a local demonstration and held signs that Black Lives Matter.  He is learning about our rights to protest at the young age of 13.  I am proud of him.

Given the current crisis and requirement for social distancing, this is a good time to reflect on your goals and adapt existing goals and expectations for the second half of 2020. We are all in this together. I want to share my skills in goal setting with all of you. I invite everyone in my community to join me for a complimentary webinar, Lead Yourself Through Crisis:  Reset 2020 Goals.  I am offering this complimentary workshop at two different times, Wednesday, June 24, at 7:00 PM and Thursday, June 25, at 1:00 PM. For more details, and to register for the workshop, please use the links below:

For June 24, register using this link.
June 24,7pm Registration Link: https://bit.ly/2020GoalReset7pm
For June 25, register using this link
June 25, 1pm Registration Link: https://bit.ly/2020GoalReset1pm

Thank you in advance for considering this workshop. As in the past (for my annual Goal Setting Workshops) there is no cost to attend, but I always ask for any donations (not required) be made to Children’s Hospital. http://fundraise.childrenshospital.org/goto/leadyourselfthroughcrisis.  If you have any questions about this workshop, contact me by email or phone, and please preregister.

On Friday, June 5^th I was interviewed by Susan Yakima on Facebook live. We talked about the upcoming workshop. You can view this recording using this link https://www.facebook.com/susan.shatzer/videos/10219765503186843/

And let’s send best wishes for success to the high school and college graduates of 2020.

I hope to see you at one of the workshops. I can help you put some personal and professional goals in place for the second half of 2020 and to make 2020 Your Best Year Ever!

With gratitude and best wishes!
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted advisor, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

Not everyone has a son or a daughter, but everyone has or has had a mom. This newsletter is dedicated to all of your moms, to those of you who are moms, to all moms everywhere, and, in particular, to my two moms: my birth mom, Camille, and my mother-in-law mom, Virginia.

My mom, sweet little Camille as we frequently refer to her, prioritized her activities as faith first, family second, friends third, and food an impressive fourth.

Paying tribute to the first, I truly think a mother is a gift from God.

 
An aspect of my mom’s value of caring for family and for friendship is represented by my recent card review project. This project involved going through cards, invitations, thank you notes, and so forth collected over the past 28 years. Although I like to collect things, I forced myself to get rid of any cards that didn’t include a personal note. I kept all the Christmas cards with photos of our friends’ kids and relatives. So many happy memories!

My mom never missed a birthday, an anniversary, a Valentine’s Day, Easter, or Thanksgiving. All her cards had personal notes and often had prayer cards, stickers, added sayings just to make the card more personal and, often, photos from a prior party or gathering. She always said that it takes just a minute to write a personal note; I always do just that.

Her value for friendships and example of maintaining them is a value I share. I think that is why I have so many long-term friendships, some over 35 years.  

As for food, my mom is a great cook. She makes a mean lasagna, and she always made one for me on each birthday. She has a bit of a sweet tooth and loves to make desserts. Just the other day, I came across her recipe for orange pineapple salad. Made of cool whip, cottage cheese, pineapple, mandarin oranges and Jell-O, it is so easy to put together. John Robert, my son, and I made it just the other day in honor of my mom. It was delicious.  How I wish I could bring her some. She is currently hospitalized and has been since December 14 of last year. It is so difficult not being able to visit her. 

My mother-in-law mom, Virginia, is the most caring, giving, and selfless woman. She will do anything for her husband and sister, her three kids, four grandchildren, and two daughter-in-laws. She is always willing to listen to problems or stories without judging and often hits the mark with her advice. She is also obsessed with keeping her home sparklingly clean. I can only aspire to such an immaculate and well-kept home. In addition, we know we can always count on her to help out.

A great mom is one who loves you unconditionally, always tries to find the good in any situation, and succeeds most of the time. I am so grateful for my mom and for my mother-in-law mom and feel so lucky to have both of them in my life. These women are incredible moms. They are two of the warmest and most loveable women in the world. Each mom has been my “biggest cheerleader” for all my activities and work endeavors forever.

Neither of them ever missed or misses a dance recital or acting performance by my son. They have front row seats for every production. So, they should each be awarded best grandmother status. I aspire to qualify for just half of their mothering talents, proficiency, and gifts. They taught me patience, kindness, gratitude, and generosity. Most importantly, they gave me their LOVE and, by example, taught me how to love.

If this note makes you stop and think about your mom, then I achieved my goal. If you are blessed to be able to see your mom, do so, and give her a hug, give a card or cook a meal. If you can’t see her, then call to tell her how special she is to you, engage in some virtual activities, such as going on virtual museum tour, viewing a favorite movie together, or simply having a video call. There is never a better time than the present, and I’m sure you will never regret your efforts.

Give thanks and show you cherish the woman who gave you life! And pay tribute and honor all moms everywhere in any way you can.
With gratitude and best wishes!
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted advisor, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

n the midst of uncertain times, we must celebrate and carry on. We are anxious about our isolation, necessity to remain inside, shortages of supplies, money, health insurance, and a myriad other issues. We worry about those who’ve contracted Covid-19 and grieve for those who’ve succumbed to the disease. Many of us are impatient with the extra time required to wash our hands for 20 seconds a zillion times a day, to do numerous loads of laundry, and to keep our homes clean and sanitary.

Yet, we can be grateful for our existing life. We can celebrate our holidays, birthdays, and accomplishments and those of others. And we can use this crazy time to improve our skills and work/life balance for now and the future. We must be resourceful and hang in there.

Gratitude

Not everything is bad. In fact, there is much to be grateful for. The first thing that comes to mind this spring/Easter season is gratitude for my nuclear and extended family. And, for the fact that currently, we are all well and healthy.

Other things to be grateful for include being able to make weekly trips for groceries (Thank you grocery workers), pick up needed medications (Thank you pharmacists, assistants, sales people, and others), and physically able to take walks on sunny days. It was not until my supplies of soaps, other cleaning products, and toilet paper were low or depleted that I appreciated their value.

In addition, I have found people more pleasant these days. Before jumping into business topics, people exchange pleasant salutations and heartfelt greetings.

Celebrations

Last week was Holy Week for those of us who are Christians. But it just wasn’t the same. Each year for the past 12 years, I’ve hosted an Easter/birthday dinner for about 40 people at our home. Including birthdays as part of the celebration is due to the many birthdays in April. Aunt Kathy’ birthday was on Easter this year; Papa Sasso and Aunt Judy’s birthdays are on April 15^th, and my son, John Robert, and Nana Sasso’s birthdays are on the 23^rd. My father-n-law (Papa Sasso) will turn 80 on April 15.

Despite the requirement for physical distancing, we still had a dinner on Easter this year and we conversed with our extended family and friends via two Zoom video-conference calls. Each of us could see and talk with all the others. We wished each other Easter blessings, and we gave birthday wishes to each of the birthday folks. I prepared lasagna, meatballs, and salad, and served numerous delicious desserts.

How did you celebrate your spring holidays – Easter, Passover or other holidays? I hope that you were able to enjoy a good meal with your immediate family and, possibly through Zoom, Skype, or another conference call application, share the holiday with your extended family and friends.

Self-Investment

Regardless of whether April is your birthday month or not, I want to share a present with you. Anyone who starts one of my coaching programs in April will receive a complimentary Professional Assessment Test, valued at $50. Now is a good time to invest in yourself and work on your values and work/life balance. This is especially true for those who are not accustomed to working at home.

I also have a new offer – Laser-Coaching. Laser Coaching provides you with four short 15-minute sessions per month that are designed to focus on a single, current issue. My offer can help people start coaching without the upfront costs in this Covid-19 world. If you are interested in this program, please schedule a (free) mini-consult (click here) so we can discuss if this is right for you. I have been participating in laser coaching with my own coach for some time now and have found it to be extremely valuable.  In this introductory period, I plan to limit the number of Laser Coaching clients and offer this at a discount as compared to my normal coaching rates.

John Robert and a Special Request

I can’t believe that our son will be a teenager in two weeks. His birthday is on April 23. If you can, please call him on his birthday at our home number, 781-944-6274, or reply to this email. I want him to realize he is valued and loved by many.

John Robert participates online in his seventh-grade school subjects and in his drama and dancing activities. It is amazing how much can be done remotely. I am so impressed with how mature he has become. He is a little bored being in the house all the time. But when the weather is nice, he and his best friends, David and Ryan, play outdoors or ride their bikes.

Until We Meet Again

At times like this, we need to be resourceful. And we all must continue to do our parts to stay safe and to keep healthy.

I hope that this message finds you all doing well. My thoughts and prayers are with anyone on this thread and their families, friends, and neighbors who have been impacted by COVID-19. 

Wishing you and your families health, happiness, and safety. Together, we will get through this.
With gratitude and best wishes
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted advisor, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

“St. Patrick’s Day is an enchanted time – a day to begin transforming winter’s dreams into summer’s magic.” — Adrienne Cook

St. Patrick’s Day is only a few days before the first day of spring. It is a fun holiday, and we all get to be Irish for a day and wear something green. It is a day for those who are Irish and those who love the Irish. How do you celebrate this day?

 
Many people associate St. Patrick’s Day with a leprechaun and his pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is not necessarily a real Pot of Gold but can be a symbolic one. It can represent your goal.
What is your primary goal? Is it:

• Achieving life/work balance?
• Obtaining the job you long for?
• Buying the car of your dreams?
• Traveling on an exotic vacation?
• Or something else?

Only when you identify your primary and other goals can you hope to achieve them. 

Working with an Executive Coach facilitates identifying both short- and long-term goals and, most importantly, helps you achieve them. Such a partner helps you brainstorm to identify goals, holds you accountable, and supports you along the way.

In addition, to achieve your goals, you need to be strongly motivated and to have the right mindset. In fact, to achieve most things in life you need the right mindset. It is 80% mindset and 20% action. But mindset puts you into action on a regular basis.

Another important factor in achieving your goals is gratitude.

One of the best ways to get into the right mindset is to express gratitude. It is like sharing a pot of gold. And anyone and everyone is capable of expressing gratitude. Each piece of advice given, greeting offered, or problem you help someone else solve is like sharing your pot of gold. The benefits are numerous and too many to mention here. I will talk more about gratitude next month.

Share your pot of gold with friends and family readily, and you will see your own pot overflow. People will fill your bucket with kind words and appreciation, and you will feel good about the transaction. The transaction doesn’t need to be a monetary; it just needs to come from the heart.

If you have any friends or colleagues who might benefit from my services as an Executive Coach (and who are looking for their pot of gold in the Medical Device Industry), I would appreciate a referral. Please introduce us to each other. If you are looking for support to achieve your goals, click here to schedule a FREE 15-20 minute call with me.
With gratitude and best wishes and a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted advisor, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a GIFT. That’s why it’s called the present.” – Bil Keane in his comic strip, The Family Circus

In honor of Valentine’s Day, I want to gift all my current subscribers with a sweet report, “Tips to Climb the Corporate Ladder: Advice from Leaders in the Medical Device Industry,” published on February 1, 2020 on my new, improved look and feel website.

To download the report, click here. Because you are a loyal subscriber to my Monthly Motivational Messages, it is yours free. While you’re downloading the report from my enhanced website, www.MedDevCoach.com, check out the easier, more user-friendly navigation.

I just finished hosting my fifth annual Goal Setting for Success 2020 Workshop with accountable, balance and gratitude. I am happy to share that, it was a success we raised $1,819 for Boston Children’s Hospital. This was the best year ever. Thank you for your very generous donations.

I would like to invite you for your FREE 15 – 20 minute Mini Consult.

During the call, you’ll

1) Gain clarity about what it will take to climb the corporate ladder
2) Understand how to live your values in the corporate world
3) Learn the next steps to move forward in your life and career

Reserve your time now by visiting https://bookme.name/lisasasso .

I look forward to talking with you to evaluate whether coaching makes sense for you.

I do hope that you like your gift, the Tips report, which is the new giveaway for those who want to receive my Monthly Motivational Messages.

I am looking forward to connecting with you during your Free Mini-Consult.

With gratitude and best wishes and a Happy Valentine’s Day!

Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted advisor, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ~ Maya Angelou

Happy 2020! I hope that the New Year is good for you, your family, your friends, and all the other people of this planet!

Maya Angelou’s observation about affecting people and making them feel valuable is, perhaps, an observation we would all do well to heed. How can we affect the way others feel? There are a couple of simple things we can do:

• We can tell others that they are loved, respected, and needed. We can tell them what they and their efforts mean to us. How much energy does it take to say, “Thank you so much for helping me clean a room, or write a recommendation?” Or to say, “You mean so much to my children, mother, or friend?”
• We can listen, really listen to the stories others tell us – about their heartbreaks or successes. We can express empathy. Perhaps we had a similar meltdown or made a similar mistake. It’s not something we wanted to repeat, nor is it something the other person wants to repeat. Empathize with the person and ask how they think they can avoid such a calamity or mistake in the future. Help them find their answers.

So now we get to the concrete issues of 2020. The New Year and a new decade are upon us and you probably have some resolutions for what you’d like to change in 2020, don’t you?

But there’s a problem… 

Resolutions are difficult to keep because we usually employ our willpower to carry them out, and willpower isn’t a very effective tool against subconscious patterns and habits.

Did you know that only 9% of people meet their goals each year?  Also, by just writing your goals down you are 39.9% more likely to achieve your goals.  That is why I encourage people to write out their goals.

It’s a good thing there are experts to help guide us through the ways we CAN make those positive changes in our lives!

Upcoming Event

• Workshop: 2020 Goal Setting for Success in 2020 with Accountability, Balance, and Success.
• Date and Time: Wednesday, January 29, from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
• Place: Constant Contact Headquarters, Reservoir Place, 1601 Trapelo Road, 3^rd floor, Waltham, MA 02451

At this event, you will have the opportunity to write out your goals and your values for 2020. Please come to my Complimentary Workshop: to Set Your Personal & Professional Goals for 2020.  Everyone is welcome! You do not need to be a Medical Device Professional. The objective of this workshop is to start everyone off with appropriate goals for the New Year.

There is no charge for attending the workshop. However, you will have an opportunity, not a requirement, to donate to Boston Children’s Hospital. The suggested donation is $10 — $20 and over $25 will get you a copy of my “Motivation Now” book. If you cannot attend, you can still contribute to this cause.  Click here to do so.

This is about starting the year in gratitude by giving to a worthy cause. Giving is not only a December activity; we can contribute gifts throughout the year. Together we can make the world a better place. 

Please RSVP using the registration link. This will help me plan for snacks and room set-up. Feel free to email me with your comments and goals for the workshop. First come, first serve so register today.

I look forward to spending the evening with you on Wednesday, January 29. You will leave with some tangible goals and a mini-road map for going forward in 2020.

Encourage your friends and colleagues to come, so everyone can be on the same page about what it takes to be successful by learning how to set Personal & Professional Goals for 2020. 

You will leave the session with:

• Your theme
• Your top core values
• A methodology for setting goals
• Three to four achievable goals

At 8:00 PM, there will also be FREE drawings for some prizes.

I hope to see you there. The Eventbrite link is www.bit.ly/Goals2020MDP. I can help you put personal and professional goals in place for 2020 to make it your Best Year Ever!
With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
 (781) 872-1045

As your trusted adviser, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance.

Other Information:

For more information on my services and offerings, please visit my website (www.MedDevCoach.com), or for a specific topic, click the associated link below:

1. Receive my Free (monthly) Motivational Message
2. Book your own Personal Assessment
3. Book your in-depth Discovery Session
4. One on One, Group or Corporate Coaching
5. Transitioning Groups – (Medical Device Professionals)
6. Motivational Speaking Testimonials
7. Executive Coaching Testimonials
8. Upcoming Events

Please contact me if you have any questions or feedback on this message.

This is the most wonderful time of the year! We have had our third snowstorm, and I predict it will be a white Christmas. If you are like me, you enjoy listening to holiday music on the radio and love spreading the joy of Christmas. For this holiday season, I want to wish Season’s Greetings to my clients, neighbors, friends, relatives, and family.  May you and your family have a warm, wonderful, and joyful holiday!

The day after Thanksgiving, we — Laura, my best and dearest friend, John, John Robert, and I – trimmed our tree. As of the 15^th, I purchased and wrapped all my presents. Thank Goodness for Gift bags! I buy for close to 40 people. I guess you could say I anticipate and look forward to the season. Everyone that attends our Christmas Eve gathering, this year 44 guests, goes home with a gift. It is a Christmas tradition. Our dinner features the seven pasta related dishes instead of the seven fishes. I’m allergic to seafood, and John doesn’t like fish, so 27 years ago we created our own tradition. We serve lasagna, eggplant, stuffed shells, chicken broccoli ziti, pasta salad, meatballs, and a spiral ham. The food is always delicious and plentiful. I do love this holiday and our family traditions. 

Stop for a moment and think about the holiday traditions that you do every year. What makes your holiday special?

Our holiday photo was taken when John Robert was featured in the article, A Greater Purpose, in The Readings magazine (Winter 2019). “The Sassos’ miracle son commands the spotlight in a role that motivates and inspires.” It is a seven-page spread with pictures of John Robert biking, dancing, canoeing, eating ice cream with a friend, acting in the play Shrek Jr., rock climbing, and smiling in the family photo (below). He engages in many activities, and this article covers everything.

This is the official Holiday Photo. You can see that John Robert is almost my height. How did that happen? Although I still have a few inches on him, I know this is short lived. He is 95% height and 75% weight for his age. He has grown like a weed approximately 2.5 inches each year for the last four years. He is a great eater and a really great kid. He is 12.5 years old and he has matured a great deal in middle school. He is making good progress at Learning Prep School, and he just made the honor roll. John and I couldn’t be more proud of him. School doesn’t come easy for him but he gives it his best.

Theater Update

• This Weekend John Robert plays Snoopy in Charlie Brown Christmas.
• Then in the beginning of January for the Cabaret, he is singing a solo song, “The Kite” and a duet with his theater friend, Nora.
• On January 12, John Robert will also be auditioning for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I am sure that he will get a decent part. He was born to act; it is his calling, and he is very good at it.

What is your calling? What do you love to do? Reflect on the past year and then plan to play to your strengths in the coming year. January 1, 2020, marks not only the start of a new year but of a new decade.

If you need help or assistance, I am standing by and would be happy to help you. Even if you only want to inquire about my coaching services, you can. Click here to set up time with Lisa.

Event Update

My annual Goal Setting for Success event is coming up on Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 PM to 8:30pm. I hope that you will be able to join us. It is free to attend, but donations are welcome and go to Boston Children’s Hospital. Each year over the past four years, the event has attracted more people than the previous year. I would like to make this year, the 5^th year of this annual event, the biggest and best year yet. Please RSVP on Eventbrite using this registration link.

Again, I want to wish you the happiest and healthiest holiday season ever.
With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker
www.MedDevCoach.com    (781) 872-1045

As your trusted adviser, Lisa empowers you to use passion to live your best life and achieve your goals with confidence, accountability, gratitude and balance

“I’ve had a remarkable life. I seem to be in such good places at the right time. You know, if you were to ask me to sum my life up in one word, gratitude.” – Carole King

This month, I suggest that you cultivate an attitude for gratitude. The fact that November is the month for Thanksgiving celebrations makes it easier to focus on gratitude. However, given our consumer culture, it is easy to want more and better – more friends, more money, a better house, or a better job. But are you truly grateful for what you currently have? Take a deep breath and focus on being thankful for every person, event, and thing in your life right now. I remind myself of the many people, events, and things I am thankful for by keeping a Gratitude journal and interacting with family and friends as often as possible. I am grateful to have all of you in my life. You are so important to me.

This past weekend highlighted the rewards of being with friends. Three of my best friends – Kathy, Laura, and Elizabeth — and I went to Lee, MA in the Berkshires to celebrate our 50^th birthdays. I have known Kathy since birth, Laura since elementary school, and Elizabeth since high school. We have been best friends for over 40 years. Amazing!

Since we are four busy ladies, it took us months to plan a three-day weekend when we could all get together. However, we had a blast. We enjoyed wonderful meals at various restaurants, shopped at the Lee Premium Outlets Center, and learned about the architecture and families at the Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum. We even participated in a game of pool and bravely performed two karaoke songs – Piano Man by Billy Joel and The Gambler by Kenny Rogers. A fun time was had by all.

I don’t know many people that can say that their best friends have been with them for over 40 years. I am so grateful for their friendship. I also have a set of friends from college with whom I’ve been friends for over 30 years. I love and value them all. I do believe in developing lifelong friendships and have been fortunate that it happened.

It feels so good to be around people that “get” you. They accept you as you are. They do, however, offer constructive criticism (most of the time) in addition to genuine love. If you haven’t taken a ladies or men’s weekend away lately, I suggest doing so. You come back grounded and ready to face the world again. It is surprising how many problems can be resolved when you talk them through with real friends.

I hope this message encourages you to process thoughts about gratitude in your lives. One way you can show your gratitude is to send thank you cards or emails to friends to let them know they are special. Although not everyone celebrates Christmas, almost everyone celebrates Thanksgiving.

Another way to show your gratitude is to enjoy your Thanksgiving celebration in the presence of others. Offer to do, make, or bring something to the person hosting the Thanksgiving dinner. If you are hosting, be thankful for all the people sitting around your table.

Thank you to all of my clients, past and present. I appreciate you more than you will ever know.

And I wish a very Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

Drama Update

John Robert was Prince Charming for his New England School Performing Arts (NESPA) Drama Group last weekend, and, this week, he plays Iago in the musical, Aladdin. Two performances going at the same time are challenging, but he is up for it. This is what he loves to do, and it doesn’t seem like work or effort to him. Remember you knew him when… before he makes it big.

Upcoming Event

• Forum: 2020 Goal Setting for Success with Accountability, Balance, and Success.
• Date and Time: Wednesday, January 29 from 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM
• Place: Constant Contact Headquarters, Reservoir Place, 1601 Trapelo Road, Waltham, MA 02451.

I would love you to attend. The Eventbrite link is www.bit.ly/Goals2020MDP. Although the event is free, donations are greatly appreciated and go to Boston Children’s Hospital.

With gratitude and best wishes,
Lisa Sasso, Executive Coach & Motivational Speaker