Several years ago, around age 40, it occurred to me that I would soon reach the halfway point of my professional career. I started my business when I was 25 years old, I would soon be 45, and a lot of people retire around age 65. What would I do with the second half of my career? Would I continue to run my business for another 20 years? Start a second business? Invest in other entrepreneurs? I wasn’t quite sure, but one thought was clear: I want others to benefit from my experience.
I love being an entrepreneur. I think it’s a noble profession and a great way to live. I wish everyone could have the experience of building a business from the ground up. It’s a humbling, challenging experience that I find highly rewarding. If done successfully, the reward is multiplied many times and for many people (think employees and their families, customers, suppliers, communities … perhaps even humanity itself). For me, entrepreneurship is the greatest profession in the world.
I heard a friend speak recently on the topic of leadership multiplication. He pointed out that approximately 55 million people die every year. Sadly, only a small percentage of them have wills in place to pass their wealth and other assets to their heirs. That is a shame, but the real travesty is this: An even smaller percentage of people who die will leave behind their knowledge. This is a call to action if I’ve ever heard one. You, dear reader, will literally have a lifetime of experiences and you will learn many things in the process. What will you do to ensure that all those powerful lessons are not lost with your eventual and unavoidable passage from this earth?
So here we are today. I’m 47 years old and I’m almost certainly on the downhill side of my professional career. I’ve been an entrepreneur for most of my adult life. It’s time to share my experiences and knowledge with others. My intent is to add as much value to you as possible by sharing details of my experiences as an entrepreneur and leader. What’s worked. What hasn’t. What mistakes I’ve made along the way. How I’m changing and improving over time. Stick around, dear reader, because there’s a lot to share!
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