I pulled my truck into the visitors’ parking spot in front of one of our client’s offices to start my two-week, 4,000-mile trip to visit clients and prospective clients in the Midwest. As I walked into the office and chatted with the receptionist, I was struck, once again, by how cool it was to see where the folks I’ve talked with on and off over the last 20 years spend their workdays. It was neat to get a feel for their company culture by witnessing their dress code, the way they decorated their offices, the way folks interacted with the receptionist as they wandered by to grab a cup of coffee from the break room or head back to their offices after an internal meeting.
Eventually, a company representative would come fetch me and we would head back—normally in a round-about way—as he or she showed me their office layout and introduced me to folks we passed along the way. Inevitably, we would retreat to a well-appointed conference room where we would dig down into the details of their 2020 plan—working to find ways we could help them connect with you—if that was what they were looking to accomplish.
At some point, I would find myself asking for a little history on the company—which would always lead to a fascinating tale of some ambitious person who, usually against all odds, started a small company that years and or decades later became a substantial enterprise. Every story was unique—but had the same basic elements. Somebody had a unique idea or was asked by somebody to help solve a particular problem and through perseverance and a dash of luck grew the company into something substantial and meaningful. All the stories were threaded with problems and challenges. All were defined by the owner’s refusal to quit. It was truly inspiring.