I sometimes wonder who I would be and what I would be doing if I stayed in Lansing. I’d still be in tech but wouldn’t have had the opportunities to meet and level up so rapidly as I had in San Francisco.
Quality advice. I was chatting with a young man today who is about to start his career trajectory and he asked me for advice. I told him that he should be working on himself, first and foremost, and that the most successful people I know and follow crush their most important work in the morning.. "win the morning, win the day".. things I learned by top-grading the rooms and conversations I put myself in.
I've been INCREDIBLY fortunate to literally meet many of my heroes in the industry that I operate in. And a lot of the steam that drove me to those outcomes came in no small part to my connection to you and what y'all built at LiquidWeb.
Which just happened to also be in Lansing.
So in this regard geography and being in the right rooms at the right times was absolutely a strong wind at my back.
But I now also know that if I really want to move things forward I have to - multiple times per year - NOT be here. I have to go to other cities in other times zones and hope that the rooms will have me when I arrive.
Zoom and being a remote native company has always been helpful in this capacity.
But I'll literally be getting my ass on a plane to fly clear across the country in September to be in the right room with the right people.
If you're really lucky and you earn a spot at the table with the best thinkers in your field then you get to have the best of it. Because you can literally pull your phone out of your pocket and jump in and out of the room whenever you want.
But earning that spot... it generally happens in person. Or at least it is solidified in person.
Aspiring founders of Mid Michigan: the great work you wanna do... this is probably not the best place to build your empire. So get your ass to Mars.
I sometimes wonder who I would be and what I would be doing if I stayed in Lansing. I’d still be in tech but wouldn’t have had the opportunities to meet and level up so rapidly as I had in San Francisco.
It’s been awesome to watch you continue to grow and prosper. You made the right choice, it would seem to me.
But I did sacrifice so much quality family and friend time with my Michigan people!
Quality advice. I was chatting with a young man today who is about to start his career trajectory and he asked me for advice. I told him that he should be working on himself, first and foremost, and that the most successful people I know and follow crush their most important work in the morning.. "win the morning, win the day".. things I learned by top-grading the rooms and conversations I put myself in.
Thanks buddy. I had never heard the “top-grading” phrase.
That surprises me! You've successfully done it for decades I'm guessing, but maybe didn't consciously acknowledge it?
I've been INCREDIBLY fortunate to literally meet many of my heroes in the industry that I operate in. And a lot of the steam that drove me to those outcomes came in no small part to my connection to you and what y'all built at LiquidWeb.
Which just happened to also be in Lansing.
So in this regard geography and being in the right rooms at the right times was absolutely a strong wind at my back.
But I now also know that if I really want to move things forward I have to - multiple times per year - NOT be here. I have to go to other cities in other times zones and hope that the rooms will have me when I arrive.
Zoom and being a remote native company has always been helpful in this capacity.
But I'll literally be getting my ass on a plane to fly clear across the country in September to be in the right room with the right people.
If you're really lucky and you earn a spot at the table with the best thinkers in your field then you get to have the best of it. Because you can literally pull your phone out of your pocket and jump in and out of the room whenever you want.
But earning that spot... it generally happens in person. Or at least it is solidified in person.
Aspiring founders of Mid Michigan: the great work you wanna do... this is probably not the best place to build your empire. So get your ass to Mars.
Come back with your riches later.
This is so perfectly said.