Josh Linkner

At a recent lunch in downtown Detroit, I received a very thoughtful fortune inside my after-meal cookie. Unlike the platitudes that often fill these crunchy treats, this 'fortune' really got me thinking. The crumpled white paper read, "Great things are made of little things."

Learning from others who have succeeded before you can be a difference-maker in your own pursuits. In fact, strong advisers have played a key role in the achievement of nearly every celebrated leader. The challenge is, how do you connect with the best mentors and persuade them to contribute to your success?

The dog ate my homework ... Jan was furious she didn't get that big promotion. "I deserved it," she complained. "The boss is a jerk. My company doesn't get it. The person who got the promotion instead of me is a suck-up."

Today, Detroit’s Emergency Financial Manager Kevyn Orr filed a volunteer petition for Chapter 9 bankruptcy protection. Michigan Governor Rick Snyder authorized the filing soon...

Sure, we'd all love to win the lotto, possess prodigy-level talent, or be born into royalty. The luck of the draw can seem painfully unfair as some are stricken with disease while others grab an oversized helping of fame and fortune, and then come back for seconds.

As kids, our well-intentioned dentist forcefully instructed us to "Brush and floss twice each day." Sound advice that we largely ignored. After we blew off that first evening chore and realized the world didn't end, we became more ambivalent on following the regimen with precision.

Like so many around the world, the unspeakable events in Newtown, CT literally brought tears to my eyes. Even as I write this, my gut is in a knot and my head is pounding like a snare drum. How could something so unimaginable occur? What kind of monster could commit such a heinous act? And the biggest question on everyone's mind....Why?

Editor’s note: Green Bay Mayor James Schmitt wrote a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell about the potential economic impact of the league’s lockout of its referees on the city of Green Bay. The Packers were robbed of a victory by replacement referees Monday night. The text of Schmitt’s letter comprises today’s Milwaukee Biz Blog.

At breakfast with my 13-year-old daughter Chloe and her friend, a baffling question was posed. Chloe's friend asked, "Can I get the vegetarian omelet...but with ham?"

I experienced the joy of a doctor's waiting room this past week. After waiting 29 minutes, I asked the staff behind the glass what was up. With striking disdain and apathy, a grim woman told me, "The doctor is running behind." No kidding.

"I have an incredible, game-changing, transformational vision for the future," the eager entrepreneur tells me as part of her pitch. Naturally, my next question...

Love him or hate him, Floyd "Money" Mayweather, Jr. is the champ. With a perfect record of 43-0, he's the highest paid athlete in the world having earned over $200 million in the ring. In Saturday's pay-per-view bout, he made a cool $32 million; putting his total purse from the last three fights over $100 million. Floyd is considered one of the greatest fighters of all time.