Before digital was analog. Before CDs there were cassettes. And after hard drives came internet software. Now the time when startups took its place in my thinking was back when I had no sleep, an exacto razor, sheets of sixteenth-of-an-inch basswood, and fingers worn with cuts and glue.

With hopes and dreams, I was chasing architecture and working hard to become better than most. What I didn’t think about were tradeoffs. What was I giving up to invest in an education and work at a career in architecture?

After nearly working myself in a grave I found myself in a hospital. It wasn’t what I was working for so I made changes. And that was when the startup culture took over my world.

Before the idea of partnerships took off for me, I was working hard at growing my business and working even harder for customers. That concept was a recipe for the latest problems which didn’t align with the vision I have for myself and my family.

You see being honest and working hard won’t always get recognized. Consulting for financial advisors, retail business owners, software companies, and internet agencies was fun and profitable for a while.

There I needed to make better decisions and evaluate the tradeoffs I was making while chasing the opportunities.

Then a longing came to mind. It was a deep feeling like I had before but different. I asked myself, what was I missing in my life that would make it all worthwhile?

Can you really delegate everything for passive income?

The saying goes. First, you need to know where you are to know where you’re going. Second, you need to be connected.

The idea of partnerships came to mind and it was then I realized this is what was lacking in my business. By this time I had been overworked in an agreement with a real estate development company. You can have the best sales skills but working with a poor marketing strategy and weak operations behind you, makes the work even harder and less rewarding.

Running a few stress tests I challenged the agreement I was in and found the partnership I thought I had wasn’t anything of the sorts.

At Goldman Sachs partnerships is one of its four core values. In a true partnership you have growth between you and the work ethic to focus on your partner coming out of it better than when they went into it. It must be reciprocal, working both ways in revolutions.

In great portfolios there are talented teams, valued resources, and priceless capital to make the business venture work better than intended.

So when Suzy Batiz, founder and CEO of Pourri, was in hot waters many times she relied on suppliers as true partners in her business. A supplier producing her inventory when she could not afford it during the holiday season truly helped her company grow through a tough time.

That feeling you get when you feel as though you’re at a crossroads and then people act like partners in your business. It’s priceless and should never be taken for granted. Living up to core values while creating the environment you see that will produce in abundance the vision you have intended.

Your brand story needs to be clear at each touching point so people get what your brand culture is all about. They know what it feels like, and it feels good. They know what it act likes. And they know what it looks like. These are personal experiences in the hearts and minds of people. Your brands must be intentional, it’s a must.

Make a mental shift from “I don’t have the time.”

You create time.

As long as you have these things in order, there’s less resistance during growth periods especially when it’s needed most.

I hope this gives you some inspiration.

See you next week.