It is great to be a full-time entrepreneur again!
While I enjoyed influencing and achieving outcomes as part of a large organization in banking, energy, sustainability, innovation, and higher education, once again, I have answered the irresistible call of the startup.
You Never Forget Your First Love
There is something very special about startups. This time around, skill sets developed over decades of work are converging. I am lucky to be as excited now as I was at the age of 19 while opening an oil & gas well drilling office in Charleston, WV. Today, I am fortunate to be convening great people, full of positive energy and drive to effect change as we collaborate to improve the professional condition.
Together, we’re changing the game of work life, whether it is an individual who needs to get out of a performance rut, a team that needs to build trust in one another, or an organization of any size. My latest venture, which is the 12th startup of my career and the third of my own, represents a challenge for all of us to be and do better. Better for ourselves, better for those with whom we work, and better for our organizations.
It’s about collaboration. It’s about asking good questions, hearing honest feedback, having a vision, and realizing goals. And it’s about being true to our own purpose when we boot up every morning.
Better Together
A huge shout-out goes to the team! Many thanks to each of you for joining me at the outset of what is sure to be a transformative journey. You have a great deal to give, albeit helping business owners, executives, and others hone their skills to teaching how to run a business and thrive with people from diverse backgrounds. Hands down, the best perk of the work we are doing together is that everybody wins. When we help others improve, we too improve.
In preparing to launch, I sought counsel from long-standing clients, new and familiar strategic partners, and perhaps the best advice came from my eight-year-old grandson, Bodhi.
We Find Our Way Early On
Recently, I was FaceTiming with Bodhi, who was eager to show me his new home in the Tampa/St. Pete area, a little too far away for my liking from our Franklin, Tennessee home. After the virtual tour, I was impressed when Bodhi asked about my day. That day had been a busy one. I was tying up loose ends in the role I exited at Columbia State and preparing for an important meeting with a key strategic partner for this new venture.
As I told him about my rather busy day and mentioned needing to work on my new business, Bodhi shared a touching story. He told me that as a soccer player, he sometimes worries about kicking a ball that will clear the fence and land in a neighbor’s yard. I asked if he found that distracting while he was preparing to act upon the ball (using golfer’s jargon, one of my favorite dialects). He said, in that matter-of-fact way that only an eight-year-old can, “Nope. I just breathe, start running, and kick the ball!”
Join Us on Our Journey
Friends we cherish and those we have not yet met, let me be the first to welcome you to our new venture, here to provide customized services for individuals, teams, and organizations.
Introducing my new start, Simpatico.
