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Something Special

Dec 17th 2008Business

I spent today in the Washington DC area and visited many of my friends who over the last 5 years have led their teams from start up to delivering hundreds of millions in revenue with significant profits for their owners.  It’s something special to remember the initial business plan discussions and to now see how accurate those business plans were.  It’s even more special to realize that the most accurate plan was a one page chart that in 5 years has played out exactly as originally envisioned.  That company will be $200M in revenue this year.

It’s invigorating to spend time with these entrepreneurs, and it’s uplifting to hear their stories of success and to listen and learn about the hurdles they had to overcome (still are overcoming) to be at the point they are today. 

There is an incredible bond between those who have faced the intense trials of a start up company.  It’s an elite club of sorts that many people never get to join.  Those that do have an incredible passion, great confidence, great courage, short memories (have to forget the setbacks), and a great respect for those that join the team with them and fight through the start up challenges together.  It’s not unusual for those loyal team members to follow that start up leader into whatever next adventure he/she may pursue…because once they’ve reached that high that comes from business plan success, there is a deep yearning to sustain that teamwork and achieve that high all over again.

I have great respect for those that have the courage to start a company.  I have equal respect for those that willingly join a leader of a start up company and put their careers and livelihoods at risk to be part of that special team at that special time on that special journey together.  And I have utmost respect for those start up teams that deliver as planned and remain humble even in that success.

I met with several of those business leaders today, and even hours later, I’m still in awe of what they have accomplished.

These visits truly are something special.

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