While most of us know how quickly a few deep breaths can defuse a toxic situation, did you also know that this age-old advice is backed by scientific research?

At Boston Private, we have the opportunity to partner with many diverse and talented business owners, helping them live their lives the way they want to and achieve their goals, hopes and dreams. Every single one of them has a different reason why they work so hard to achieve so much in life. We took 30 minutes with Lisa Wexler and Ken Wexler of Elaine Construction Company, a third-generation, family owned and operated woman-certified business that delivers construction management and general contracting services to academic/institutional, corporate interiors, health care, pharmaceutical and fitness sectors. Read on to learn more about their biggest influences and what has driven their success.

“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.” In 1739, “Poor Richard” published this simple axiom in his annual Almanac to remind readers about the vital role that good health habits played in building wealth. In the two centuries since then, a host of research studies have confirmed what “Richard” and the rest of us have suspected...