It was suggested that on Sunday posts, we go personal. “Write something about what you are doing for the business instead of what the business does” Good idea. Here you go.

With this post, I want to reflect on this year almost gone.

I’m SO thankful for my business supporters, my allies and, most importantly, my wife and kids. Jill Konrath has been a superb mentor and sounding board. Marketo, for whom I wrote a white paper - are the fastest payers on Earth. And clients like Aprimo and OneSource are invaluable.  Thank God. But most importantly, my wife, Kathy, and our three boys, Matt, Kevin and Tim, have stood by me continuously.

These folks have stuck with me through some very lean months. Oftentimes, its hard to pay the bills.

If there is one lesson I have learned it is this

Never give up and never surrender

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. –Thomas Edison

Even when it seems nothing is going right, stay the course. One day an investment you made months ago will pay off. (You never know when.)

That just happened to me. I became a Focus marketing expert. Lots of comments added, sharing great content and even hosted an event. Did not see one dime. Invest, invest, invest with no return.

Then one day I see an interesting job in Linkedin from Gerson Lehrman Group in New York City. I reach out. Almost instantly I get a reply. Turns out the hiring manager, Alex, came from Focus. He knows me by reputation.

Okay, what happens next? I meet with Alex and we’re like old friends. He explains what their needs are. Alex says he could go down the job route, but he cannot afford to pay me what I’m worth.  But he’d be happy to use my consulting services.

I send Alex a link to the How We Help page on our website - another massive investment in time. (This page has been updated and refined hundreds of times.) I talked to him. Alex says he got my email, checked out the web page and is working to get funding approved.

Can it really be that simple? Look at a web page, go to your boss, ask for money, then buy the services?

Gulp! It’s working!

What do you think?

Happy New Year!

P.S. We also lost a dear friend over the holidays. John was my best friend in my years at the University of Notre Dame. Only 49, he succumbed to cancer, leaving behind a wife and two boys, aged 17 and 21. God bless that family. And God bless you.