Beginnings Require One Thing…an Ending!
We did a lot. We cried a lot. Learned more than I ever thought possible. We spent days elated with the next client and growing successes, but also spent nights in tears working through the unknowns of consulting. I cannot say that as a newly single mom you gave me the needed stability and security, but you most certainly saved me.
On the best days, we worked. On the worst days, we worked. We did a lot wrong, but somehow managed to come out ahead with the right’s.
Babies and Business
Starting a business is the same feeling you have when you take your first born home for the hospital. You are terrified, delighted, anxious, proud and have a bit confidence that you can in fact keep a tiny human alive. After all, billions have successfully achieved this challenge.
I always said YES, even if it was after the five NO’s beforehand. I can admit most of the time I did not know what I was doing. The ideas; rampant, never-ending, encompassing. But you have to focus. You have to determine what is the next step, not the next mile. That was hard for us. Too many ideas, too many variables.
The best part…We are parting, but it is amicable. It’s not that we didn’t find a way to make it work. The future was pretty bright, but I can’t say no. Nothing more I would rather do, nothing more joyful or exciting. You knew this project took up most of my heart. The potential to go back and do what I love more than anything was waiting on me to say yes. For us, I let go of what was next. I need to go back to where it all began. I need an opportunity to “do” and lead initiatives, not just talk about them or write them up for someone else to execute.
Going Home
I realize I’d been away for too long. Away from communities. Away from teams. Away from residents and families. The past 4 years we have had the most epic, nomadic adventure. Almost a bit like gypises. We had Kelly too! A bright ray in our journey. Just you, me and my laptop. We were a trio. We’d go anywhere. But life has settled. The dust has fallen. I need a different pace. In no way slower, just much more calculated. Remember that focus thing I talked about. I found it. Maybe it found me.
“What if”, it’s been our tagline since the beginning. What if you could really change the way people think and perceive senior living? What if there was an operator who actually believed and supported your wildest dreams? What if you fail while trying, but you still know you tried and learned what envelope is still waiting to be moved? I will fail again and again. I learned a lot these past 4 years, but never in my life have I felt like there is still so much I need to learn.
I am not leaving, just putting a pause for an indefinite time period. Not sure if I needed this adventure to prove something to myself or chase a dream I never knew really existed. It isn’t about titles. You don’t gain anything by saying you own a business. Work is not more important or powerful based on the entity of a business, how it is governed or how it is funded. Work is only measured by the lives impacted. I do not know the impact on other companies, solutions, peers and whomever else I was trying to reach. I cannot measure it. That makes me crazy. It’s not that I felt ineffective, but I did feel less effective. There was always a gatekeeper, be it people, operations, timing, leadership changes, acquisitions, etc. The best that I could do was wrapped up in someone else’s full time role. All makes sense, but hard to justify. Where’s the value? I worked a ton, but I know my work didn’t always move the needle. Money alone does not equate to success, only impact.
Who Does the Work?
The one thing I have learned…Consultants cannot swoop in and “fix” problems. Consultants are limited in their ability to execute. Identifying opportunities and solutions is the easy part. Work is the hard part. A playbook, a manual, brand standards, programming matrixes, staff coaching and development, education, processes…they all require buy-in and internal work. Not just work, but TIME.
I would report one finding over and over again. Dollars cannot make you excellent, hard work makes you excellent. Hard work is not easy and it takes a lot more time than you schedule or anticipate. We are not changing or rewriting code to automate something to be more efficient and quick, rather we are pouring into people that have their mixed bag of stuff that do not respond or operate as programmed widgets. People are complex. Senior living is everything to do with people. From how it is operated to how it is occupied. People are the dominant factor.
LE3 (I know what you stand for, no one else does, total marketing flaw on my part, my apologies) what are you doing, say June 2028? Maybe we should pencil in a call. Check back to see what we have learned. Where we want to go. I’ll bring the explosives to blow up the dams of complacency. Maybe more will be ready to step outside the box. As for now, I found my perfect match and it’s time to go in guns blazing.
Oh, LE3!
We are living Life Elevated! Those 3 - Body, Mind and Community are my core tenants. I will never let you go. You, dear three are the lifeblood. A perfect triangle of must haves in order to live life well.
I have to go explore the world. Thank you for everything. What a wild ride. Crazy how parts of my soul are wrapped up in this logo, this name, this business. Thank you for sticking with me through all the unknown part. Thank you for countless nights of interrupted sleeps. Thank you for teaching me how to dream big. What started as reserved for a bedtime song became my biggest inspiration. “Dream Big - You Can Do Great Things”. Along the way, do not forget to “Love Lots”. If you ever need a reminder, the team Kyle is available at any time for a concert!
All my love,
Sara