What is a mentor? According to Greek legend, the goddess Athene liked to come down to earth disguised as a man named “Mentor” so she could advise the young son of Ulysses. (The Greek root “men” means remembering, thinking or counseling; we still use it in words like “mental.”) Today, a mentor is an experienced […]

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Write your own personal definition of success. My friend the late John Cantu was a humor writer and was co-producer at the legendary Holy City Zoo comedy club in San Francisco. Many great comedy stars got their start there. When he counseled young comedians and new speakers about their success, he always says “Don’t compare […]

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There are many life lessons we can learn from movie stars and Hollywood. Be willing to pay your dues. My friend Scott McKain used to review films for WISH-TV in Indianapolis where he lives. He insists that one of the nicest guys in Hollywood is John Travolta. Two decades ago, Travolta seemed to be a […]

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There are many life lessons we can learn from movie stars and Hollywood. Set your own values. When I was 23, I became one of the first women in the new industry of men’s hairstyling. My boss, Jay Sebring, was the hairstylist to the stars. I would pick up the phone and find Steve McQueen […]

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Start by writing the screenplay of your life. My fellow Brit, Michael Caine, said, “To be a movie star, you have to invent yourself.” Cher and Madonna invented themselves. Cary Grant, Burt Reynolds, and Michael Caine invented themselves. And I promise you that Patricia Fripp has invented herself. You, in your own way, invent yourself. […]

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A short simple story heard while jogging with my friend Bobby Lewis decades ago influences my actions every day. Ralph Waldo Emerson is well known for a phrase very similar to this “What you are speaks so loudly I cannot hear what you say.”  Great advice for leaders and parents. Honesty, Ethics, Parenting If you […]

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