Thankful for Something of My Own

During the season finale of "Mad Men," Don Draper blurted out, "I want to build something of my own. How do you not understand that?" By the end of the show, Don and a small crew from the ad firm had jumped ship and started a new firm.

That's not exactly how things went down last November, but a year ago this month wheels were set into motion that churned slowly and certainly into something called Floricane.

Oddly enough, the last thing that crossed my mind when I walked out of Luck Stone Corporation last November was starting my own business.

And, yet, here I am.

A year ago, I'm not sure I would have understood Don. Today, I do.

I've spent the better part of a year doing something I love -- building something of my own. But I didn't do it alone.

No, the pretty stellar thing about this past year has been -- quite simply -- how much of a case study in collaboration it has become.

I think that's the real beauty of venturing into new territory -- the very real possibility that you might discover something much more amazing than you originally anticipated.

I knew I would have fun building a business. I didn't realize how much fun it would be.

I knew I would learn a lot along the way. I didn't quite get how much there was to learn (and remains to be learned).

I suspected that there would be challenges. I didn't anticipate how difficult some of them would be to overcome.

I anticipated that I would meet new people. How could I ever have foreseen the number of new friends I would make?

Entering a busy Thanksgiving weekend -- one with more than a few hours set aside for business -- I am most thankful to have had this opportunity to build "something of my own" and for the help of so many phenomenal people along the way. Because without them, what I've managed to cobble together would be far less.

Comments

[mark brady]

Nicely put. Now get back to work. And happy thanksgiving!