Cheers to 14 Years!
Fourteen years! Whoa! Vector Collaborative, previously known as Sebern Structural and s-cube, is officially 14. I don’t necessarily have this date down on the calendar but I was recently wondering how long it has been. Turns out it has been 14 years. The longest I have been at a job. 14 years of the most extreme trials and triumphs. I think any entrepreneur would agree that business ownership is a complete roller coaster. Some days feel like you are completely in over your head and that there is no chance that this thing will survive but then there are other days when everything aligns and you feel right at home in the upper echelons with Beyonce. But I have to say that the main feeling I have is gratitude. I’m so thankful for my clients, many that have trusted me since the beginning, for allowing me to tackle the structural design of their projects. Over 1500 projects to date. Since my gray hair is definitely setting in but usually covered up, it seems fitting that I share some “sage” advice.
1. Relationships are THE most important part of business.
2. You are never done cultivating these relationships. It is an ongoing process. And I’ve found that I LOVE this human interaction and relationship curation.
3. Balancing is hard. It’s either a fire hose of work coming in or nothing at all. And it’s important to find a way to balance this and be honest with yourself and clients regarding what can be done in what time frame.
4. No is a complete sentence. Part of being a successful business owner is knowing when to say no. Saying yes to the wrong thing means that your “yeses” are not getting the attention they need. And your no’s may be someone else’s yes. Give them that opportunity.
5. Your competitors are your friends. This is the one that has taken me the longest to learn. Competition is healthy and supporting your competitors only means that you both get better. The structural engineering community is small and it is a privilege to call so many brilliant and hard working people my friends and colleagues.
6. Autonomy is the rarest and most amazing gift in this professional world. I have been able to be a stay-at-home mom, drop my kids off at school and be physically in the same space as them on many occasions. I’ve worked from home since the beginning. We have cleared the schedule on some random Wednesday and spent the day adventuring. They have both skipped school and joined me on site visits, calling it a job shadow day. I have had the best of both worlds for the last 14 years and that is by far the biggest gift this gig has given me. I truly can’t believe that my momma heart and professional type A heart (head?) are both satisfied and content.
Sometimes I don’t think we celebrate enough. Last night I was talking with a friend, a fellow entrepreneur, and we decided that we need to celebrate these things! So, next year, for year 15, you better believe that I plan to have a great celebration. I feel like an Enneagram 3, think like an Enneagram 7 and act like an Enneagram 8 so you better believe a big celebration is in order. Thank you, thank you to everyone that has been a part of this teenage dream with me.