Seven years ago, I sat in a cubicle, my hands shaking and tears rolling down my face as I wrote the first entry in what would become the journal of my entrepreneurial adventure. With a beloved team behind me at Sinclair, an understanding of the risks, and the imminent arrival of my first son, Wyatt, many called me out of my mind. Yet, after stewing over various business plans for two years, I knew it was now or never.
Now, 2,556 days later, I’ve learned a few things—not just about the business or myself, but about the essence of any climb. Here are seven pivotal lessons from these years:
1. Make a difference
At the end of the day, life is fragile and short. Life’s fragility hit home with the loss of Wyatt as my entrepreneurial path was just beginning. This taught me the profound impact of even the smallest touches of connection. Never underestimate your ability to make a positive difference and always remember that no matter what you plan for, the universe has other ideas for you.
2. Take risks
Echoing Richard Branson, seizing opportunities even when unsure is crucial. Yet, it’s essential to recognize your limits. While risks have led to significant achievements and partnerships, they’ve also come at a cost. Risk-taking is arduous but rewarding when managed well.
3. Play!
The relationships with your team, customers or clients, and partners should bring joy. We chase happiness in the balance between work and life, enduring mundane days alongside uplifting ones. Embrace fun and light-heartedness in your professional interactions. Business is personal, if not, why pursue it in the first place.
4. Break Boundaries
In a world keen on labels and confinement, it’s vital to push beyond perceived limits. Our team’s creativity flourished by believing in themselves more than the external voices aiming to define us.
5. Fail and Learn
6. Shake Things Up
7. Know Your 'Why'
This journey would be impossible without the incredible individuals who believed in and joined the mission to innovate and impact, from team members across the U.S. to clients worldwide. Though too numerous to list, you know who you are, and your contributions are deeply valued and will always be part of our story.
“We are dedicated to the idea makers. The courageous one that moves forward based on belief. The belief that what is out there , can be better, or better yeet, done at all. Few people have the courage, vision, or creativity to see it through. That’s why it’s up to you – the dreamer. It’s up to you to make the change. People don’t believe in your product, your service, they believe in you. Your story. Your passion. You don’t have all the answers but you find your way because what you do is with purpose. What’s your story? Tell it. Be it. Make a difference. Be the change.
Just whatever you do, keep moving forward. It’s not easy, but that’s why you know it has to be done. To take the road less traveled. To start fresh. To GROW. You don’t pursue this path because it’s easy. You do it because it’s who you are.”
As we look forward to many more years, our commitment remains strong—to not just grow, but to inspire and enact change through the stories we tell and the lives we touch in a responsibly different way.
