Ten Years

Doing anything for 10 years requires commitment, good fortune, and a touch of insanity.

The first time I did something for 10 years, I was a negotiator for the US military. The advantage to being in the military is that they don't necessarily care whether you are fully qualified in your assigned duty. They train you as best they can, turn you loose, and rely on your dedication to the mission in order to succeed. I was not always the best Airman, but because of that job I got to negotiate with Nobel prize winning scientists, help open the former Soviet Union to capitalism, meet amazing people, and travel extensively.

It was a sweet gig. Another great thing about the military, however, is that they don't let you stay in one place so long that you get stale.

The second time I did something for 10 years ended yesterday. I started a company with a good friend and former boss. The company became very successful, and we evolved a working style that let us grow the company while remaining friends. All of this is rare! New companies often fail, and co-founders don't always remain good friends.

Both times, I benefited from my family’s stellar support, an amazing group of coworkers and clients, with a mission that I could fully support.

But, being dedicated to something means that you turn a lot of other opportunities away. I recently hit my 10th anniversary with the company I co-founded, and on reflection I realized that I had achieved most of what I set out to do when starting the company. Profitable? Check. Client list with household names and 25% of the Fortune 500? Check. Great group of unique people who work together seamlessly? Check.

So I decided to do something new. What that is going to be still remains to be seen.

First, I will reach out to people who I hadn't talked to in quite some time. For one reason or another, hyper focusing on my company left little room for a social life and professional network.

As I go off to do that, a question for all of you. You may be in a very good place, but is it the right place for you today? You may be delivering value, even helping people. But do you want to be doing it for the rest of your life, or accept some new challenges? Only you can answer that, and I hope your business partners, family members, and friends give you the same phenomenal support that I have as I move on to my next thing!