Building a business is not just about cash flow, and I think that's often how we measure success.
Of course we want to hit the big MRRs, ARRs, and eventually an exit. But what's the purpose without intention in our lives?
As I get older, I've learned that while money makes an impact, it doesn't change who you are as a person. It doesn't change how you emotionally respond to the world, the circumstances you face, or the trials you need to overcome.
Finding balance with family, work, and everything else can be difficult. In my case, my work is very much a part of my life. There are days where I work late into the evening, and other days where I decide not to work so I can spend time with my family—making them the priority to match my words, values, to action.
This fits the lifestyle I want to build around my business—an aspect that tends to be missing, at least in the business world.
Build, build, build, sell, exit, live the dream.
But like many of the contrarians and pundits out there would say: if you're not enjoying the process, and you're not enjoying the building, then you probably shouldn't be doing it.
Because that is where you're putting in the years of dedication to build something successfully.
Fortunately, my business takes me into a lot of different arenas: photography, videography, marketing, consulting, and advising.
All of that wrapped up in working with people remotely across different industries, and traveling to different locations to capture stories and engage with people.
My point here is this: if you've come across my content, realize that my focus is not just about building Chasing Creative. That is a goal, and I'll always want to achieve more, regardless of whatever milestone I hit.
The main goal is to be a great husband, a great father, and to live out my faith in action--in the way I treat, respond to, and support other people.
This has had us thinking, over the last several weeks, about the small things we can do with our talents and our time to give back and support others. That could be:
- Highlighting an important project--something we're curious about doing in the future, in a documentary style
- Creating a path to ongoing support for the things we care about most
Every day is an opportunity to do something different, to stretch yourself into new skills, and to realize that the life you're living now could change rapidly—but it doesn't necessarily need to.
From social media to the friend of a friend, we're constantly bombarded with highlight reels. But living out your actual story is what creates those reels. Those are the moments we'll remember forever.
Take a step back and think about these five things:
2. What type of people do I enjoy working with--people who find fulfillment in me, and I in them?
3. If I could be doing anything on any given day, what type of work most correlates to that joy and fulfillment? The kind that makes work feel "not like work"?
4. As I'm building my life, what do I want my legacy to be? What do I want to be remembered for? What can I do now to make that happen later?
5. What's a way to challenge myself in the next year? The next 30 days? The next week?
If you're thinking about what to do in business, join the club. Many of the people you see as successful are constantly trying to decide what they want to do and what's next.
If you're still in the building phase like me, grab on tight, get the work done, and be your own boss.
Make sure everything is how you would expect it to be if somebody was working for you.
When you're building in entrepreneurship, you're setting your own bar, your own standards, and you have to be your own judge. KPIs, OKRs, and a clear outline of goals on a whiteboard are the best ways to do that.
If you're interested in learning more about business, entrepreneurship, and Chasing Creative, shoot me a message. I'd love to chat, and I hope this was helpful for you today.
Building a business is not just about cash flow, and I think that's often how we measure success.
Of course we want to hit the big MRRs, ARRs, and eventually an exit. But what's the purpose without intention in our lives?
As I get older, I've learned that while money makes an impact, it doesn't change who you are as a person. It doesn't change how you emotionally respond to the world, the circumstances you face, or the trials you need to overcome.
Finding balance with family, work, and everything else can be difficult. In my case, my work is very much a part of my life. There are days where I work late into the evening, and other days where I decide not to work so I can spend time with my family—making them the priority to match my words, values, to action.
This fits the lifestyle I want to build around my business—an aspect that tends to be missing, at least in the business world.
Build, build, build, sell, exit, live the dream.
But like many of the contrarians and pundits out there would say: if you're not enjoying the process, and you're not enjoying the building, then you probably shouldn't be doing it.
Because that is where you're putting in the years of dedication to build something successfully.
Fortunately, my business takes me into a lot of different arenas: photography, videography, marketing, consulting, and advising.
All of that wrapped up in working with people remotely across different industries, and traveling to different locations to capture stories and engage with people.
My point here is this: if you've come across my content, realize that my focus is not just about building Chasing Creative. That is a goal, and I'll always want to achieve more, regardless of whatever milestone I hit.
The main goal is to be a great husband, a great father, and to live out my faith in action--in the way I treat, respond to, and support other people.
This has had us thinking, over the last several weeks, about the small things we can do with our talents and our time to give back and support others. That could be:
- Highlighting an important project--something we're curious about doing in the future, in a documentary style
- Creating a path to ongoing support for the things we care about most
Every day is an opportunity to do something different, to stretch yourself into new skills, and to realize that the life you're living now could change rapidly—but it doesn't necessarily need to.
From social media to the friend of a friend, we're constantly bombarded with highlight reels. But living out your actual story is what creates those reels. Those are the moments we'll remember forever.
Take a step back and think about these five things:
2. What type of people do I enjoy working with--people who find fulfillment in me, and I in them?
3. If I could be doing anything on any given day, what type of work most correlates to that joy and fulfillment? The kind that makes work feel "not like work"?
4. As I'm building my life, what do I want my legacy to be? What do I want to be remembered for? What can I do now to make that happen later?
5. What's a way to challenge myself in the next year? The next 30 days? The next week?
If you're thinking about what to do in business, join the club. Many of the people you see as successful are constantly trying to decide what they want to do and what's next.
If you're still in the building phase like me, grab on tight, get the work done, and be your own boss.
Make sure everything is how you would expect it to be if somebody was working for you.
When you're building in entrepreneurship, you're setting your own bar, your own standards, and you have to be your own judge. KPIs, OKRs, and a clear outline of goals on a whiteboard are the best ways to do that.
If you're interested in learning more about business, entrepreneurship, and Chasing Creative, shoot me a message. I'd love to chat, and I hope this was helpful for you today.
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