HOMECOMING

This past weekend, I went back to Princeton for the homecoming football game against Harvard - a pilgrimage I took frequently with my dad (alumni and former football player) before he died in 2018. But even in his absence, there were still extended family members to connect with and old teammates to see as well. I love these weekends, where generations come together, school paraphernalia gets pulled out of the back of the closet, and adrenaline and emotions run high. It was a thrilling, and controversial, victory for Princeton, with 5 over times and a nail-biting finale that saw the crowd storm the field after Princeton finally made a 2pt conversion. I tend to have zero-chill at sporting events and I was reminded of the rush of pure joy one feels by being part of a larger group all focused on one victorious outcome. 

And I wasn't the only one celebrating homecoming this weekend, as the ladies of Issa Rae's Insecure also made their way back to their homecoming weekend at Stanford. The class pride was obvious. Issa participates in a panel for entrepreneurship which is a must-watch LOL!. But my favorite part is when Kelli Prenny, played by Natasha Rothwell, is accidentally counted as deceased and spends the weekend seeing and judging tributes to herself😹. 

ASKING QUESTIONS

Kelli takes in stride, but at the end of the episode, we find her recording her podcast, Prenny's Preguntas, asking the "Kelli Klan" the big questions: if you knew the end was coming, how would you make the most of your time left? What legacy would you want to leave behind? How would you want to be remembered?” 

A few weeks ago, I was asking my graduate students at Pratt the same questions as these are exactly the questions you should ask yourself when you begin visioning for your business: if you knew the end of your time as an entrepreneur was coming, how would you make the most of your time? What legacy would you want to leave behind through your company? How would you want to be remembered as a leader?” 

START WITH THE END IN MIND

When I start working with new students or clients I will often ask, why did you start your business? And always the 2 most common answers are money and freedom. But the irony is most entrepreneurs become so mired in the day-to-day that they never find that freedom, in fact, they find themselves even more consumed with work and worry than when they worked for someone else. This is because almost nobody knows to start with the end in mind. That end is your vision: who you will become in the world and what impact will your company have when it is fully realized? It is a full sensory experience.

If you find yourself lacking both the freedom and financial gain you so deeply desired when you started, ask yourself how clear your vision actually is. How in touch are you with what it is you're actually creating? And how deeply do you let yourself feel that? If you find yourself making excuses about there not being enough certainty to answer those questions or going with the more pseudo-spiritual "I like organic growth" spend some time reflecting on your own resistance to vulnerability. There's no vision without it. And when you're ready, be sure to document your answers to these questions and see what it takes to stay accountable to them. Because, unlike football, in entrepreneurship, there is no OT. #thatsgrowth

NOVEMBER 2021  ZOOM BOOK CLUB   

Our next book club will meet on November 9th at 7pmEST. We will be reading The Conversation by Robert Livingston. This is a free event, please email me to register. 

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