Leading Wire to Wire
I have a signed photograph of the great jockey, Ron Turcotte. He's at the finish tape aboard Secretariat, in the 1973 Belmont Stakes, annihilating the competition by 31 lengths. It's a feat probably never to be duplicated. I'm literally in tears thinking about Turcotte's passing at the age of 84 this week. He was a winner through and through whether on Tom Rolfe in '65 or Riva Ridge in '72, yet had been fated to lose all feeling after a crash in '78. Jockeys get beat up—and though diminutive in stature—have giant hearts, and wear big smiles in front of the spotlight.
What people don’t typically see is how the daily game of riding thoroughbreds, the dawn workouts for demanding trainers and owners, as well as making weight like boxers, is played. As we dream about riding the next unicorns of great entrepreneurs to the finish line, we also—day to day—harness bursts of energy that scale various client’s projects of promise. Knowing we must first ride washboard dirt tracks and fields pitted with gopher holes to get to the prized bouts and stakes races, is the game we play.
I was once at Jefferson Downs in New Orleans with my mom and they had to put down a horse in the 5th race. Being an animal lover through and through and a great lover of all things equestrian in her own right, we abruptly left to not get stuck in the proverbial mud—and always her mantra. She herself had been fated to contract MS and lost all feeling as Turcotte.
Yet, despite the ravaging setbacks, she would boldly drive her Amigo electric wheel chair down NYC's 7th avenue weaving through traffic to next appointments. It’s that kind of grit we're grateful and privileged to witness each new day as we help clients at Climabilt build various businesses in all sectors of our economy, whether social impact oriented or for profit.
I was fortunate to witness other feats of extraordinary sportsmanship growing up. They guide me as lodestones in business and life. I remember the promise of a great halfback, Floyd Little, out of Syracuse, marching the ball down the gridiron at the old Bear's stadium where my beloved Broncos played. Leaders aren't born, they're shaped. They have one thing in common, when they set out, they tell folks they'll do something, and actually get the work done as promised, usually without fanfare.
In today’s business climate and landscape, it's a gift to strive and drive bold strategies in marketplaces of all stripes. Meeting moments and people where they are—in both digital and analog forms—in order to create and shape winning plays as Turcotte, my mom, and Floyd once did, feeds the soul.
It feeds your soul on a daily basis–enjoying the journey, building something special, whether it’s an idea that revolutionizes technology or a concept that has game-changing social impact. Remember, there are a lot of moments along the way to market success. There are lots of peaks and lots of valleys, and the key is to stick to your process, not getting too high or too low. There’s always tomorrow.