Lori DaNae Busche

I attribute my success to tenacity, a caring heart, and my ability to see solutions where others might see problems. I’ve always been someone who believes there’s a way forward, even when I can’t see it yet.

I love the co-creative process and genuinely believe we’re all pieces of each other’s puzzle. Each of us brings something unique to the table, and when we connect, collaborate, and support one another, extraordinary things become possible.

I’ve come to see life as working for me, even when things don’t unfold as expected. I approach it as one big playground where we’re here to connect, contribute, create, and discover what’s possible together.

Some of the best career advice I ever received came from a woman early in my corporate career who told me, quite bluntly, that I needed to “grow a pair of balls!”

I was the oldest girl in a family of 15, so nurturing, caring for others, and making sure everyone was happy came naturally to me. But those same qualities weren’t always serving me in the business world.

She told me, “These people work for you. You don’t ask them when they can get something done with a smile. You tell them when you need it done. You’re being too nice!”

It was a defining moment for me. I realized that I was teaching people how to treat me, and that being kind didn’t mean I couldn’t be direct, confident, and clear about my expectations.

That advice helped me become a stronger leader without losing my caring heart. I just needed to learn how to include myself in that care.

Be yourself. Don’t spend your life conforming or performing in order to belong. Your greatest strengths may be the very things you’ve been told to tone down—your quirks, your unconventional ideas, the parts of you someone once called “too much.”

Those are often the very qualities that make you extraordinary. Embrace what makes you different, trust your own voice, and don’t be afraid to challenge the way things have always been done.

Be bold. Be willing to be seen as yourself. That’s where your genius lives.

My biggest challenge has been learning how to be an entrepreneur—putting structure behind my creativity and turning ideas into something tangible. I love creating and imagining what’s possible, but learning the business side of bringing those ideas to life has been a whole new adventure.

One of the greatest opportunities has been learning to trust the creative process. As I was writing my book, I discovered that when I relaxed into the experience and stopped trying to figure everything out at once, people, tools, and support began showing up in ways I couldn’t have planned.

I’m learning to commit fully to what I’m creating while staying open and flexible about how it unfolds. There’s a beautiful balance between taking action and surrendering the need to control every outcome. That’s where I’ve experienced the magic.

Respect and kindness are at the heart of everything I do. I genuinely believe that no one is above me or below me. Regardless of our titles, roles, or circumstances, we are all human beings deserving of love, dignity, and respect.

I believe in leading and serving with love, speaking the truth, and leading by example. I value personal accountability and taking 100% responsibility for my own choices rather than blaming others. I also believe in seeing possibilities instead of limitations and creating win-win situations where everyone has an opportunity to thrive.

And I love to have fun! I believe joy, laughter, and play are some of our greatest tools for learning, connecting, and creating together. Life is meant to be lived and enjoyed, and I want the people around me to feel that.

Ultimately, my values are about showing up for one another, celebrating each other’s successes, supporting each other through life’s challenges, and remembering that we all have something valuable to contribute. I want to leave people and places a little better than I found them.