March brings so much joy here in Marin, from longer days and spring blossoms to my personal favorite — the Fire Horse celebration for Chinese New Year. I love any excuse to manifest my next chapter(s) and buckle in my friends; 2026 is going to be powerful. According to mychinesezodiac.online, this year will offer a spark of confidence and a push to move forward for all signs. Expect more clarity, more courage and more reasons to say “yes” to what lights you up, while trusting your instincts and following the path that feels alive. Is that awesome or what?
In the spirit of “saying yes,” my business partner and fellow Fire Filly, Nikki C, and I had the honor of attending and participating in a Helix Mastermind conference last month at Cavallo Point. The two-day event was hosted by world renowned leadership coach, Tiburon-based Blair LaCorte, while the group was anchored by mid-sized business founders and CEOs of private companies, representing 38 different industries. In an unexpected twist, LaCorte opened the conference with a thought-provoking question:
We are all going to die, how will you rate your “Exit Valuation” and the “Net Present Value, NPV” of your business and your life? LaCorte made it clear to his audience that you can not separate personal mastery from business mastery and achieve vitality or longevity in either.
Throughout the two days, we heard from eight keynote speakers, including two locals: team-building expert Mike Robbins and Allyson Massari, who shared her harrowing story of literally being burned alive, her years-long journey to recovery and her eventual rise to becoming one of the top 100 motivational speakers in the world. I was also honored to moderate a panel on entrepreneurial tenacity featuring three Marin superstars: Helen Russell, Susan Griffin Black and Mike Higgins (look for that article in the next issue). For these three who all lead companies that have made the world a better place, the answer to Blair’s question is an easy “yes.”
Several speakers, including Anna Liotta, sounded the alarm on how phones and screens have permeated nearly every aspect of modern life. Liotta shared that 60% of Gen Zers are on some form of medication to support their mental health and report higher levels of concern about mental health than any generation before them. Why? Experts point to smartphones and immersive online games that emerged in the early 2000s — just as this generation’s brains were developing — ushering in social media and
gaming platforms engineered for constant engagement, fueling addictive behaviors and rising rates of anxiety and depression.
On this very topic, I’m grateful to managing editor Ashley Lane, who tapped her friend — also named Ashley — a tech entrepreneur, to pen an article on screen-free activities for kids.
We’re not alone in grappling with these issues. Last December, Australia banned social media access for children under 16, placing responsibility (and penalties) on the companies rather than the children themselves. South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand have enacted versions of a “Shutdown Law,” which restricts children under 16 from playing online video games after midnight. France has restrictions on phones for students under 15 and even China has limitations on gaming times for minors.
In this issue, we offer not only engaging activities for our little ones, but also an inspirational look at Mill Valley artist Tiffany Shlain and her husband, Ken Goldberg, whose Trees, Time and Technology exhibit will be on view at the di Rosa SF through April 11. And for parents everywhere, there’s a reason we publish our annual summer camp guide in March — we want to help you secure spots at your kids’ top choices for summer 2026.
