🌿 Excited to Help Bring Natural Wellness to More People!
I'm excited to share a new project that’s close to my heart!
I’ve partnered with Aisha Wells and Alicia Tanksley to help bring affordable, natural apothecary products to more people through A Godd3ss3s Cr3ation.
This collaboration has given me the opportunity to put my growing web design and digital skills to work by helping build and enhance the website. It’s been an amazing experience combining creativity with technology while supporting a mission centered on holistic wellness and natural living.
The site is still a work in progress, with two products currently available and more to come. You can also reach out directly to founder Aisha Wells to learn more about her vision and passion for natural healing.
Check it out and follow along as we continue to grow!
17 Years Without a Drink... and I'd Like to Keep the Body Parts I Have Left
On June 6, 2026, I celebrated 17 years without a drink. That's 17 years since I last picked up an alcoholic beverage, and I am incredibly grateful for that gift.
I received a medallion, or as many of us call it, a chip, recognizing the milestone. When I picked it up, I was reminded of something that has been said in meetings for years:
"Pick up the chip to show the newcomer that it can be done."
I love that thought.
Have I worked the program perfectly? Absolutely not.
In fact, when I stop doing the simple things that got me here, life has a funny way of reminding me who's really in charge. Somewhere along the way I've lost a leg, gained kidney failure, and accumulated enough medical specialists to field a baseball team.
At this rate, if I stop working the program, it's only a matter of time before I run out of body parts to donate to bad decisions.
Humor aside, I've learned something important.
I once heard that science is the ability to reproduce the same result over and over again. In that sense, the recovery program I work is scientific enough for me. I do the work, I receive the gifts that are promised. I've seen it happen in my own life, and I've watched it happen in the lives of countless others.
The difficult part is that recovery often requires me to do the exact opposite of what my brain naturally wants to do.
I want to isolate.
The program tells me to connect.
I want to think only about myself.
The program tells me to help someone else.
I want to complicate everything.
The program reminds me to keep it simple.
For whatever reason, those simple actions continue to produce extraordinary results.
Today, I have friendships I never imagined, opportunities I never expected, and a life that—while certainly not perfect—is far better than the one I left behind 17 years ago.
To everyone who has walked beside me during this journey, whether for a day or for years, thank you.
Your encouragement, friendship, honesty, patience, and example have helped carry me through some incredibly difficult times.
I appreciate each and every one of you.
And if you're new and wondering if recovery is possible, I'm holding this chip for you.
It can be done.
On June 6, 2026, I celebrated 17 years without a drink. That's 17 years since I last picked up an alcoholic beverage, and I am incredibly grateful for that gift.
I received a medallion, or as many of us call it, a chip, recognizing the milestone. When I picked it up, I was reminded of something that has been said in meetings for years:
"Pick up the chip to show the newcomer that it can be done."
I love that thought.
Have I worked the program perfectly? Absolutely not.
In fact, when I stop doing the simple things that got me here, life has a funny way of reminding me who's really in charge. Somewhere along the way I've lost a leg, gained kidney failure, and accumulated enough medical specialists to field a baseball team.
At this rate, if I stop working the program, it's only a matter of time before I run out of body parts to donate to bad decisions.
Humor aside, I've learned something important.
I once heard that science is the ability to reproduce the same result over and over again. In that sense, the recovery program I work is scientific enough for me. I do the work, and I receive the gifts that are promised. I've seen it happen in my own life, and I've watched it happen in the lives of countless others.
The difficult part is that recovery often requires me to do the exact opposite of what my brain naturally wants to do.
I want to isolate.
The program tells me to connect.
I want to think only about myself.
The program tells me to help someone else.
I want to complicate everything.
The program reminds me to keep it simple.
For whatever reason, those simple actions continue to produce extraordinary results.
Today, I have friendships I never imagined, opportunities I never expected, and a life that—while certainly not perfect—is far better than the one I left behind 17 years ago.
To everyone who has walked beside me during this journey, whether for a day or for years, thank you.
Your encouragement, friendship, honesty, patience, and example have helped carry me through some incredibly difficult times.
I appreciate every one of you.
And if you're new and wondering if recovery is possible, I'm holding this chip for you.
It can be done.
Leadership Is More Than Looking Back
I came across a recent post on X from Nextdoor CEO Nirav Tolia reflecting on the challenges of returning to lead a company he founded. My reaction? It reads more as frustration than inspiration.
Running a public company is difficult, and every CEO faces pressure. But leadership is about setting the tone for employees, shareholders, customers, and the broader community. Looking backward can be part of the journey, but people also want to hear a vision for moving forward.
I've also seen current and former employees post online about what they describe as a difficult workplace culture. Those are their opinions and experiences, not mine, but they reinforce the importance of leadership messaging.
In a previous blog, I also commented on a March 3, 2026 X post that began with the phrase, "I'll be honest…" I believe communicators should avoid that expression because it can unintentionally invite readers to question whether previous statements were equally candid.
Which brings me to another question: Does Nextdoor have a public relations strategy that helps shape these messages? The company has a Media Relations team, but strong executive communications require more than media outreach.
If you need additional communications expertise, firms like JMac PR, led by John McCartney and known for technology and media campaigns, can provide strategic messaging support to help organizations better connect with stakeholders.
Leadership isn't just about what you say—it's about the confidence and clarity people take away after hearing it.
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Empathy or Automation? The $1,000,000 Nextdoor Question
I recently received what appears to be a familiar, canned response from Nextdoor Support after posting on X. The message said they were sorry to hear about my issue and wanted to investigate, asking me to send my email address so someone from the Support Team could reach out directly.
So I replied.
I explained that I no longer have an account, but I have an unanswered question regarding Nextdoor's Terms and Conditions, and I invited them to contact me by email.
Now comes the $1,000,000 question:
Will someone actually follow through?
It's easy to express empathy with a template. It's much harder to demonstrate it through action. The appearance of caring and actually caring are two very different things.
That reminds me of Natalie Beckerman's new book, When Did You Stop Caring?, now available June 23, 2026, through Amazon and Barnes & Noble. I'm also looking forward to her presentation at Customer Contact Week (CCW) in Las Vegas, June 22–25, 2026, where I hope the conference delivers an enormous conversation around empathy, leadership, and customer experience.
The title makes me wonder:
When did Nextdoor stop caring enough to see conversations through to completion?
I'll gladly update everyone if an email arrives.
Does Dynamic Pricing Build Community or Divide It?
I recently read Nextdoor's latest travel insights report, "Who Are Nextdoor's Summer Travelers? New Data Shows a High-Value, High-Intent Audience," which highlights that neighbors plan to spend significantly more on travel this summer and offers guidance on how advertisers can capitalize on these spending patterns.
I encourage everyone to review the full report and draw their own conclusions.
One section gave me pause.
In a previous post, I questioned whether moderators or platform personnel have access to verified address information. If any individual with inappropriate intent had access to that information and could also infer travel plans, it raises obvious privacy and security questions that deserve discussion. Strong governance and safeguards are essential for any community platform.
I also noticed the report is based on an internal Nextdoor survey conducted in April 2026. Yet, many of the detailed survey methodologies and statistical metrics are not publicly provided alongside the findings. Greater transparency around methodology can help readers better evaluate research conclusions.
Finally, the report discusses opportunities for advertisers to target neighbors based on spending behaviors and travel intent. Dynamic pricing models have become common across industries—from airlines to rideshare services and technology products—but I question whether encouraging businesses to maximize pricing based on demand truly strengthens neighborhood relationships or creates additional financial pressure for families trying to enjoy time together.
Community platforms should strive to connect neighbors, not simply optimize monetization opportunities.
Read the complete report and decide for yourself.
Subscribe to NielFlamm.com.