WORK

In 2026, I'll be working with several new clients, and deeply focusing on the industries I love - Distribution, Manufacturing, Construction, Industrials and similar frontline spaces. I'll be traveling around New England, and beyond to Utah, Montana and more.

I'm also fortunate to be able to keynote at some association conferences this spring, which will take me to Arizona, Indiana, and more.

(If you have coffee shop recommendations for any of these areas, let me know!)

As we close out the year, I figured it was a good time to write more about what I do!

I do many different things, from speaking to advising to targeted project work to building and creating. But here is the heart of what I do:

I fix the people problems that keep manufacturing, distribution, construction and industrial CEOs up at night.

Turnover bleeding profits? Succession plan that's really just hope? Key people walking out the door taking decades of knowledge with them? I step in, diagnose what's actually broken, and build solutions that stick.

I help CEOs see around corners. That could mean spotting the talent risks before they become crises, identifying the leadership gaps before they derail growth, preparing for transitions before they're urgent, and so much more. I bring the pattern recognition from 30 years and many different companies so they don't have to learn expensive lessons the hard way.

And I meet HR leaders where they are. We work on upskilling to think strategically, embrace AI and technology, and operate as true business partners instead of policy enforcers. I give them the frameworks, confidence, and practical tools to elevate their impact.

I work alongside CEOs to fix what's broken, prevent what's coming, and build the capabilities that last long after our work together ends. And often, I help them hire their next HR leader, and work alongside both of them. Companies get executive-level insight without the executive-level overhead, and in a custom-designed way that works for them.

I bring this same perspective to keynote stages, challenging leaders to see their people strategy as the competitive advantage it actually is, and giving them practical ways to make it happen.

This work itself isn't radically different from what I did as a CPO. How I do it is. But now, I get to have an impact across multiple companies! And I love it.

COMMUNITY

In 2026, I am going to regularly use this space to highlight some of my favorite LinkedIn community members (and members of communities elsewhere!)

But today, I want to take a minute to thank everyone reading this. I didn't start a newsletter last year with any specific goal. I just wanted something that was all mine, off of LinkedIn. Somewhere I could write, ramble on about my thoughts on work, and share helpful tips with my distribution and manufacturing communities.

And I've done that!

And now it's time to reinvent a little bit. I'll share more about my work, what's working (and not working) in and outside of the industries I love. And I'm thinking about returning to weekly, and alternating content (HR focused one week, Executive and leadership focused the next.)

As always, let me know what you would like to see!

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COFFEE

If you read this newsletter or know me at all, you know I love coffee. (Iced espresso technically!)

Here's a fun coffee and work-related fact I just learned today:

The workplace coffee break was invented in Buffalo, NY in 1902.

Barcalo Manufacturing employees organized it themselves. They nominated the assistant bookkeeper to make coffee in the boiler room on a hot plate, and everyone chipped in for the cost.

Eventually, management made it official.

And anecdotally, that's why companies have "coffee breaks" today!

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THANK YOU!

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Until next year....... thanks for reading!

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Tracie