Success can be fleeting. Everyone wants to capture lightning in a bottle, but if you can’t keep it on the shelf why bother?
Repeat successes demonstrate a strong team or player. Can you harness that talent consistently?
Credibility is more than just winning repeatedly. It’s also about stability, the belief that you can not only count on someone (or a brand) to perform for you, but also when you need them, now and in the future.
One of my friends from Georgetown used to say showing up is half the battle. He meant that performance was part of the equation, but so was the simple fact of everyday presence.
Markets need stable players they can rely on. Always strong, these blue chips can be trusted as service providers, as sources of intelligence, as persons/organizations that can help. They offer lightning when you need it.
Building the Business for the Long Term
When I look back at Livingston Communication and then Zoetica, I regret selling the first company. If I had the fortitude to make it through that period… But, at the same time those experiences made me understand the value of stick-to-itness. You can’t change yesterday.
People ask me if I am excited about Tenacity5 Media. Excitement is not the right word. I am having fun, but my enthusiasm is tempered with a healthy sense of realism.
After two start-ups, I am conscious of what it means to build a business. It takes at least five or ten years to really develop something worth keeping. There are many late and sleepless nights (I typed this line in at 11:54 on a Saturday night, for example). There is a constant tension of investment versus cash flow. There are periods of intense work. This is what stops me from being excited. I know what lies ahead.
The good news? There is no disillusionment. I look forward to meeting these challenges.
It is how I imagine a marathon runner must feel before they start their race. You don’t get crazy about the first mile. You envision the whole race, and are ready to finish it. All of it. The hills and valleys will still be there, they’ll just be less dramatic.
This is about building a stable services team for the long-term. Talk is cheap, and I get that. So let the walk do the talk.