I spent years watching capable people struggle — not because they lacked talent, but because no one helped them clearly locate where they create value.

You see it early with humanities majors who freeze in interviews. With generalists who get told to “just pick something.” With new grads who start roles and spend months unsure where they actually fit.

But the underlying issue isn’t limited to early-career talent. The same pattern shows up inside teams and organizations as well. The problem isn’t them. It’s that we skipped a foundational step.

My background is in architecture. I learned that structure shapes behavior before anyone makes a choice. The same is true for work: how we prepare people shapes how they show up.

That’s why I built Cgility North — a facilitated orientation experience that helps people see how they work, apply it in real situations, and communicate how they create value.

I write about the gap between education and work and what it would take to actually close it.