The new gig

For those of you who were following earlier posts, I decided to merge my company with another to help weather this economic snow storm. The month of February was spent moving, meeting and greeting, and learning a new environment. The new agency also has a ping-pong table, so we've all become interested in that as well (I even have my own paddle).

So far it's been a positive experience. There are parts about my own gig I miss, and likely will pick up again once things smooth out. But for now we are content meeting new people, learning new clients, and feeling how marketing and advertising co-exist. I've never been in advertising. It has always been pure marketing. But I see how the two work together. Advertising is about creating demand. Marketing is about communicating value. They are both salesmanship. Done well, marketing picks up where advertising leaves off. And both should really be about selling. Which brings me to my next point.

Someone once told me that every business is like a three-legged stool. You need 1. Sales, 2. Operations or fulfillment, and 3. Finance. After 15 years in Operations, I'm beginning to see the value of 1 and 3. My goal for this new gig is to learn sales. Perhaps I can leverage my consulting skills in this, but in reality before starting my own business I'd never really sold before. Hindsight is yelling that sales might have been important in starting your own business. Yeah well...

So, I'm excited. 2009 is going to be year of movement for me. Selling a house, learning business development, and getting my two credit cards paid off. So far the year is starting off well!

Running part 1

I'm a runner. I run. It's been a part of my life since I was able to put one foot in front of each other in rapid succession. My mom said I ran before I could walk. Once I figured out I no longer needed to hold on to the side of the table, I figured there was no reason to take it slow. That seems to be a common theme in my life.

I ran track in grade school. I was the fastest in the 100 meter dash in my grade. I played elementary soccer and football and did well, not because I knew what I was doing (I didn't), but I could run fast and that seemed to be enough.

During my teenage years, I watched the movie Rad and got hooked on BMX freestyle. I stopped playing all sports and focused on my bike. I didn't run or play sports from 7th grade until after college. During college I started a "Things to do before I die" list and put marathon somewhere near the top.

I remember the first time I decided to start running again. I marked a mile out in the car and put on my Vans and started out. I got about 1/2 mile before I had to stop.  I couldn't make it. I was out of breath. I walked back home and tried again the next day.

And the next. I bought Runner's World. I found a social media community before there was even such a thing (Dead Runner's Society is still going I believe, 16 years later). I found training partners. I bought shoes. I got a watch. I started keeping track of Personal Bests. I picked the White Rock marathon as my first race and then promptly got injured and didn't make it that year.

But in 1995 I finally did. I trained, fought through it all, and completed a marathon. 26.2 miles and I finished. I cried at the end. I put that medal around my neck and never felt more proud of myself. I wrote a story about it in a journal that I password protected and have forgotten what it was. I didn't run for 2 months afterward and thought I was done with that part of my life.

Except I'll never be done with running. I am thankful I can run. You see, a very little known fact about me is that I was born with Ataxic Cerebal Palsy. It's a milder form that many of you may know about. I had to wear leg braces from birth until I was about 3. I had to visit Children's Medical Center for therapy multiple times per week (back then it did not have the cool crayon park theme), but I remember going. Then something happened and I no longer needed them. My mom claims it was a bona fide miracle and I was featured on the 700 Club (no VCRs back then, sorry). Other people said I was mis-diagnosed. I have often thought about digging up my medical records in the basement of the Children's Hospital X-files style and piecing together the story.

When I run I can't think of work, or kid problems, or money. When I run all I can think about is the run. For that period of time I'm free from all that burdens me down. I put life on hold and I focus on putting one foot down in front of the other in rapid succession.

And I'm thankful.

Dude Penguin Cheese

"Are you a dog person or a cat person?" That's one of the questions that comes up when meeting new friends and I rarely find someone who says, "Both. I like them equally." People seem to fit into dog lovers and cat lovers. I'm definitely a dog person. Dogs seem more like a pet to me. Cats seem like they borrow people for awhile and allow them to exist in the same place. Dogs are blindly loyal and will love you unconditionally. There's a quote I saw once that said, "May I strive to be the person my dog thinks I am."

It's been 5-6 years since I last had a dog. It didn't end well, but through no fault of the dog. I was traveling for a consulting company and training for a marathon whenever I had time. I wanted a dog that could run with me and had the energy to go on longer runs. And so I bought a Dalmatian and named her Stampy (after a Simpsons episode. I think dogs with crazy names are awesome). Stampy had all the energy a runner could want - and then some. In the end she had to live with another family because I wasn't home to take care of a dog that acted like it was on two lines of cocaine all the time. She could run 18 miles with me, but if I didn't run that day....it was a bad scene.

Since everything else was changing in my life in 2008, I thought it was a perfect time to buy a dog (I am a brilliant planner). I had one criteria for my next dog. Less energy! After doing some research and a recommendation from my friend, I chose an Australian Shepherd. Enough energy to run with, but can still lounge around and relax on an off day. Plus they are great with kids. My research found a breeder who facilitated adoptions for pets that weren't show quality and we drove down to take a look (that's another post in itself).

On the way home I let the kids pick the dog's name. Abby said he looked like a penguin and Hudson said that dogs remind him of cheese because of hot dogs. I threw in my thought as well and we all came up with Dude Penguin Cheese.  There you have it. Welcome Dude!

holy crap it's 2009

Forgive me father for it's been 6 weeks since my last blog post.

The last month of 2008 was crazy busy for me. In an all out effort to make sure 2009 was significantly more stable for myself and the company in the coming year, I have been working tirelessly on inking some long term deals. In my free time I've begun training for a half-marathon, bought a rescue dog, and when I can no longer process thoughts, indulge in nerdy computer games.

All this to say that I think about blogging a lot. I talk about blogging. I probably get 4-5 blog ideas a week. But then I don't actually follow through with the actual writing of them. Part of my 2009 goal planning (I'm still working on that too) is to spend less time stressing about corporate finance and more reflecting on how the business and my personal life is changing. All of that reflection will be put into this and the corporate blog. Contrary to my production, I really like writing.

2009 is poised to be a great year for me. And I'm glad. 2008 ranked in the top 3 toughest years for me. I made a lot of poor choices, some very wise ones, and lucked into a couple of great opportunities. Through it all I realize I'm a much stronger person, but I don't want to go back for seconds. I may write a post on 2008 at some point, but for now all effort is focused forward.

My next post will be about my 2009 goals and changes I want to make. I'm curious, what is some of your goals for this year?

Oh right, I started a blog

I started this blog with all the energy and enthusiasm of a January 1st jogger. Now it's March 1st and I realized I haven't posted in a month. So, time to put back on the running shoes...

This past month has been very hectic, but not in the way we Americans have grown accustomed. Saying, "I'm busy" is like saying, "I'm normal" or "I'm not a bum." It works as an excuse as well, as I've heard everything from a failed date to an uninterested client give "I'm busy" as the reason for their not returning my calls. But this has been different. This has been along the lines of "is what I'm doing really going to pay off?"

Working hard to build a startup is one thing. Working hard to make your own butter is just plain dumb (unless it's 1840). I'm not sure I can tell the difference between hard work that pays off and hard work that's unnecessary. Sometimes I look back at a 14-hour day or after telling my kids that I need to get back to work and question the value of what I'm doing. If in 10 years I'm sailing in Greece while my company bills 10MM in revenue, then I'm doing the right thing. If I'm greasing someone else's sailboat to pay my company's bills, then it's a different story.

I love what I do, but loving something doesn't always equal success (however you define it). You still need to eat and hopefully afford the good bourbon. Kids need clothes and iPods and all that. Maybe it's easier to package the whole owning your own company idea and put it in the attic. It's definitely easier to work for someone else. Let them have the headaches and you just show up and perform. The thing is that I'm not sure I'd ever be happy doing that again. And hence the hectic struggle between whether I'm doing exactly what I've been crafted to do and whether I'm just a crackhead that hasn't come down yet.

I had someone approach me with a business deal that has made this choice a reality for me. Stop what I'm building and help him build something. It's tempting. Wake up and focus on doing one thing. Just that one thing. Collect your check and buy the expensive bourbon. Or a new car. A new house.

But it's his thing. Not mine.

My friend asked me this morning why I started my business. After telling her my thoughts, she pressed further. Couldn't you do that for someone else? All those reasons, couldn't you help someone else do that?

Well, yes.

Well, why don't you then?

The only thing I could think of was the difference between renting a house and owning one. Everything may be exactly the same. Same house, same costs, same yard. But with renting, in 10 years you walk away with just the memories. With owning, you walk away having built equity in something. You own it. It's not theirs. It's yours.

And for some reason I find that important to me.

Help! Help! I'm a granola!

Someone commented to me this week how much of a granola I've become. My first thought was, what the hell are you talking about? I don't hug trees while wearing hemp clothing. Matthew McConaughey is not my hero. I drive a BMW for chrissakes. Then they pointed out that over the last two years, I've:

• Switched from PC to Mac. (Since when do granola's use Macs? Right, since forever).
• I carry my lunch in a Get Hip Get Green bag (hey...it was given to me). 
• My kids go to Montessori school. (only because it's better than DISD)
• I make fun of SUVs (you gotta admit, fuh2 is good for a laugh. And they take up too much damn parking). 
• I stopped buying bottled water (it's too damn expensive). 
• I've switched from a Reagan supporting conservative to an Obama supporter. (it's this Sarah! that makes me crazy).

That's when it hit me...when did I become a granola?

Do you remember the video that made JibJab a phenom? As a fluke I watched it again. Kerry's jabs at Bush were spot on. If we knew what we know know, how many people do you think would have voted differently? I didn't vote for Bush in '04. Actually, I didn't vote. Bush was going to carry Texas whether I went to the local elementary school or not. Plus, I just didn't care. I couldn't see how one President would make a difference one way or the other. But, if we would have voted for Kerry, do you think we would still be in Iraq today? Interesting to think about.

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