Non-Negotiables

Throughout my life, I’ve always been plagued by decision making woes. From the grocery store, to the housing market, to friendships, where to work?-so many options, how to choose?

In order to combat this decision making paralysis, I built myself a process focused on non-negotiables. The fundamentals I wasn’t willing to sacrifice or move on.

For housing, a lot natural sunlight. For food, high in protein, good for the brain, organic and not processed. For Friendships? Ability to disagree amicably, and challenge each other to be better. For work? An environment focused on growth and enablement. All of these components allow me to grow consistently and put myself in a position to be my best self, which future SKV would be proud of/thank.

What I’ve come to realize is that the same formula works for building championship teams. Identifying your non-negotiables early & continuing to invest in the people who display these qualities leads to winning more.

When you win more, you put yourself in a position to build dynasties. There are untold riches on the other side of dynasties-just ask Michael Jordan, Real Madrid, Serena Williams, Mia Hamm, Leo Messi & Pat Riley.

1. Must have qualities for exceptional leaders and team members

2. Events you need to be attending

3. Why you need more sleep

Let’s get into it

⏲️ Estimated read time 5 minutes.

Was this email forwarded to you? Subscribe here. Also if you’re reading this as a subscriber and know somebody that would enjoy feel free to share. (Referral program down below)

Must Have Essential Qualities of Exceptional Leaders and Teams

In today's hyper complicated and fast-paced environment, certain qualities distinctly separate outstanding leaders and high-performing teams from the average.

After extensive experience working closely with successful individuals and building cohesive teams, I've pinpointed four non-negotiable qualities essential for achieving true excellence on my teams.

1. Self-Awareness

What do slow golfers, open mouth gum chewers and very loud restaurant talkers have in common?

Sure they are annoying but why? They might be lacking self-awareness.

Great leaders know themselves intimately, their strengths, weaknesses, passions, and blind spots. Great team members know which skills they are fantastic at & need to double down on while understanding their gaps & where they need to ask for help.

Why It Matters:
Self-awareness positions leaders and teams strategically, fostering transparency and authenticity. Leaders and employees who lack this trait can misdirect efforts, miss opportunities, move slowly, and can underperform to protect “ego”.

I’ve gained so much respect for the leaders above me, and people working with me who know where their strengths and weaknesses lie. It just makes the relationship better overall. After all, the more you know….the less you know #selfawareness

2. Resourcefulness

If you ever get a chance to go to Mombasa, Kenya, keep an eye out for the monkeys. These monkeys are extremely good at creating a plan, navigating oncoming human traffic, and getting what they want: anything & everything in your hands. Whether it’s your baby’s doll, the unopened banana in your hands, or your Iphone (yes, your Iphone), these monkeys WILL get what they want.

The resourcefulness of these monkeys is truly unmatched.

This is a small example but it really paints the picture of what Resourcefulness embodies: creativity, resilience, and adaptability, which leads to deep problem solving abilities.

Why it matters:
As you build and strengthen your teams, you MUST hire and continue to enable this trait. With the pace of the world & the rise of AI, more problems & challenges will continue to compound in your daily lives. Having a resourceful team means they can figure out solutions, freeing up your time from micro-managing, enabling you to focus on driving the business forward.

How have you trained, tested and refined resourcefulness lately?

3. Compete Level

During my third year competing in the Italian Beach Soccer tour as a professional beach player for Canada, we were locked into a 5-5 back and forth tie with Brasil. We had no subs, the sun was scorching, the sand was hot, and we were playing a team that was literally the definition of beach soccer. It would have been so easy to give up, throw in the towel, and congratulate each other for “being in the game”.

Yet, we dug deep. We all found another gear and fought until the very last second and ended up winning the game 7-6 to capture our very first trophy/title.

Canada…Beach…Soccer…champions. Who would have ever thought?!

When push comes to shove-Are you going to score the winning goal in the 90th minute, or are you going to sulk and blame the refs and your teammates?

A competitive drive goes beyond wanting to win, it's about delivering your absolute best under pressure, taking ownership, and embracing accountability. Competitively driven individuals see challenges as opportunities and setbacks as invaluable learning moments, not looking for excuses.

Why it matters:
Teams driven by a competitive spirit consistently display resilience, determination, and inspire others through unwavering commitment and accountability.

4. Storytelling with Data

In my current role as VP Growth, the first hire we made was revenue operations-the concept of connecting all of your internal systems across sales, customer success, product, marketing & billing to truly get a 360 view of your customer. The results were eye opening.

Being able to take data, and then sell a story internally about what moves/investments we need to make is a skillset I wish I practiced this earlier in my career. Data tells stories and is factual-it removes emotion.

Who in your organization today is owning this skillset? How do they understand, leverage & communicate the data available to help inform your decision making as a leader?

Data itself holds power, but storytelling transforms it into actionable insights and compelling narratives. Leaders who can articulate the story behind the numbers deeply engage their teams and customers.

Why it matters:
In my experience, when teams understand not only what they’re doing but why it matters, motivation soars, ensuring clarity, trust, and strategic alignment toward collective goals. More importantly, you are so busy running a company/building a championship team & need to make decisions quickly.

So what who cares? (Polaris Perspective)

Identifying these qualities in yourself or your team is just the beginning. Effective leadership involves intentionally nurturing these traits through mentorship, feedback, resources, and continuous growth opportunities. Ignoring these qualities or tolerating their absence leads quickly to stagnation and dissatisfaction.

What non-negotiable would you add?

Events you need to attend

🚀 Science in the City 2025: The Future of Medical Cannabis in France! 🍷🌱

Big things are happening in Bordeaux this October! After making history as France’s first-ever medical cannabis conference—featured in Forbes, no less—Science in the City International is back and bigger than ever.

A one-of-a-kind, full day of immersion encompassing elements of lifestyle and medicine that speak directly to all medical communities at large. They are offering continuing education on integrative and functional medicine, experts actively practicing in plant based research and scientific presentations on outcomes, healthcare provider health and wellness, practice design, tech, fashion, music and more! If you want to attend tickets are here, if you want to sponsor reach out and I’ll connect you!

📅 Champagne Reception @ InterContinental Bordeaux France
📅 Main Conference @ La Cité du Vin France

This female-led event is THE place to connect, learn, and shape the future of cannabis innovation. Secure your spot now—sponsorships and tickets are moving fast!

🔗 Join us here

Seeking impartial news? Meet 1440.

Every day, 3.5 million readers turn to 1440 for their factual news. We sift through 100+ sources to bring you a complete summary of politics, global events, business, and culture, all in a brief 5-minute email. Enjoy an impartial news experience.

Join for free today!

🧘 Longevity: Get Your Sleep

Sleep scientists and productivity coaches alike emphasize sleep hygiene, a set of habits and environmental tweaks that help you get better quality rest​

High-performing leaders can adopt the following evidence-based practices to optimize their sleep that I’ve been implementing for years (even when living in fast paced NYC)

• Stick to a consistent schedule: Go to bed and wake up at roughly the same time every day (including weekends), aiming for about 7–9 hours of sleep nightly​. A regular schedule keeps your circadian rhythm in sync, making it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep, and ensuring you reap the full restorative benefits each night​.

  .

• Optimize your sleep environment: Make your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet to facilitate deep sleep. Dim the lights in the evening and minimize blue light exposure from screens or LED bulbs, since blue light suppresses melatonin (the sleep hormone)​. (For example, Bill Gates replaced harsh LEDs in his bedroom after learning that blue wavelengths are the most “sleep-corroding” for the brain.

• Establish a calming pre-bed routine: Spend the last 30–60 minutes before bedtime unwinding in a tech-free way. This could include quiet reading, writing in a journal, gentle stretching or yoga, taking a warm shower, or practicing meditation and deep breathing​.

  ​

• Watch your intake in the evening: Be mindful of diet and stimulants later in the day. In general, avoid caffeine in the late afternoon and evening, since its effects can last 6+ hours and may disrupt your ability to fall asleep​. Similarly, avoid heavy meals right before bed; if you need a snack, keep it light and non-spicy. It’s also wise to limit alcohol at night – while a nightcap might make you drowsy, alcohol disrupts the stages of sleep and reduces sleep quality (especially REM sleep), leading to lighter, more fragmented sleep​.

• Take strategic power naps (if needed): Short daytime naps can be a useful supplement to nighttime sleep, as long as they’re done right. A brief nap of about 10–20 minutes in the early afternoon (for example, post-lunch) can help refresh your energy, boost alertness, and improve creativity without entering deep sleep or throwing off your nighttime schedule​.

By treating nightly sleep as a non-negotiable priority, (see what I did there) leaders can sustain higher cognitive performance, better decision-making, and steadier energy levels over the long run.

Have you enjoyed this newsletter? Is it providing value? Do you know somebody that would find it useful? Send them this newsletter and if you refer 5 people your next coffee run will be on me. (3 referrals = $15 Starbucks)

As the world becomes more complex, it becomes more and more challenging to stay grounded, focused and aligned. Stay ahead by fostering unity, innovation, and trust across your teams and yourself. Don’t miss out on upcoming events and insights that will help shape your success in the months to come.

- SKV