The road to becoming a Cause and Effect Strategist was paved by Alison at an early age. As with many roads the course wasn’t straight and true, but rather filled with curves, detours, and unexpected potholes. As she would discover the road travelled still delivers and today Alison Donaghey helps others through her Domino Effect Decision Matrix – a unique way to suspend one’s belief, consider the opposite, and proceed with perspective.

As a single mother at the age of 20 Alison realized that the minimal number of jobs she was qualified for were never going to put food on the table. Thus she found the reserve to put herself through university by working three part-time jobs. She set her sights on a degree in Criminology with the understanding that sacrificing time with her young son now would hopefully pay dividends down the road for the both of them.

It was while studying criminology that she began to notice her unique perspectives and viewpoints on the world and how she saw things in a different light. This enhanced way of thinking caused her to switch to social work but again the rigid thought process of the industry didn’t seem to gel with her perspective. This road block was enhanced by the chance meeting of a man who told her she could make a lot more money and spend more time with her son while in the painting business. She left school, began a relationship with this man, and learned the art of painting.

Unfortunately, right after moving in together her boyfriend had a drug relapse and the ugliness of addiction resurfaced, culminating in his death. Struggling to figure out her next move and rid herself of credit card debt caused by her ex’s addiction she threw caution to the wind and started her own painting company, Sonshine Girls Painting.

Within a few months Alison and her son were completely off welfare and the business was booming. Being able to communicate and understand her clients’ needs and empower her staff was the key to success. Things progressed and the very next year she returned to university and finished her degree in one year. She completed with a Bachelor of Arts and a double minor in psychology and sociology.

As the recession hit Alison was forced to tighten the screws of business to survive and this is where she really began to learn “about” business. How critical thinking is the key to every situation and an understanding of her ability really began to surface.

Being asked to speak at an event she realized she had something other than painting to offer the people and business owners of the world; the ability to look at a situation differently and anticipate potential outcomes. This was the seed that led to Alison creating Domino Thinking.

She wrote an international bestselling book called “Think Opposite: Using the Domino Effect to Change Your Business and Change the World.” Today Alison speaks to entrepreneurs, small business owners, and coaches about the power of critical thinking. She believes an unexamined perspective, an unexamined law, and unexamined government, business, life, relationship…are all deadly viruses. The Domino Effect Decision Matrix is the vaccine with which to make the world a better place. Her outreach continues with a live online radio show called “The Alison Donaghey Show” where weekly guests challenge the views of its listeners and offer different perspectives.

Her latest project is #mypart. Accepting our part in every single situation we find ourselves in which brings us to a place of true empowerment with the goal tosee ourselves as part of humanity as a whole rather than dividing it into victims and victimizers, oppressed and oppressor thus moving towards understanding the inherent value of everyone.

Domino Thinking Blog

Thoughts, musings, and ruminations.