2023 a year to enjoy

The word of the year for me and my family is to *enjoy*.

Enjoy the grind

Enjoy the journey

Enjoy the good and the bad

Enjoy each moment and this season with our kids

Business and tech operators that come out of this uncertain road ahead will have serious street cred in the next fundraising cycle. My first job out of college was at a commercial bank that had over invested in real estate deals from 2005-2007 and experienced massive growth. It all came crashing down in late 2007 along with the rest of the financial markets. And if it wasn't for a $135M capital infusion from the federal government, a 55-year old institution would have collapsed.

At the time I felt cheated since my coworkers who joined the bank 2-years before me were getting fat bonuses while I was wondering if I was going to have a job next month.

But man, I learned a TON. Especially in the 18-months I worked in our special assets division (where all the crappy loans get worked out and negotiated). Now that's the grind. That's where rubber meets the road. That's where some real old school bankers shined. And I was a passenger for it. Lucky me.

Fast forward 15 years into my career and I enter another pivotal time. I'd be lying if I wasn't a bit scared. If I didnt think in the back of my mind "man if this was 2 years ago Lightspin would be a unicorn already and I'd have a huge budget!"... But as my own history dictates: these are the times you grow the most.

David Goggins preaches "enjoy the pain, after all, you earned it."

So get into the arena, push yourself, and enjoy every painful second of it.