I have been pretty quiet on LinkedIn and all social platforms this past year, as I was navigating through one of the toughest transitions in my professional career.
Over the last decade I have invested a lot of time and energy in clearly defining what makes me fulfilled - what my passion is. I have boiled it down to delivering success and “knowing the rules well and breaking them effectively” - Dali Lama XIV. I define “success” as leaving a person or business better than I found them/it. And I define breaking the rules as - not conforming to the status quo, and instead looking for you solutions outside of the box, so change can occur and create solutions that solve problems, that I believe stem from following rules, or the 'way'. This is what gives me the dopamine hits.
With the above in mind it was a massive blow when Zumbly didn’t go the way we planned. Although I subscribe to the school of thought, that failure is an opportunity to grow and learn, it doesn’t mean it’s easy. Especially when (at face value) it is the opposite of what drives me. But I took the time and faced/embraced it. Losing Zumbly and having to accept the reality that: time, money and energy was invested into a vision that didn’t reach it's full potential, was one of the hardest things I have had to go through - both professionally and personally. But I stayed the course and rather than let it define my future, I asked myself - “how will I leverage and use these learnings to continue forward and live my passion?”
Although I respect - self help leaders, coaches, authors, podcasters and ‘raw raw’ “influencers” that share their journeys from failure ➡️ success, it drives me crazy how it is only cool (or matters) when the authors end up winning big. Unfortunately nobody pays attention to those of us grinding it out in the interim. Most people only care to listen to failure stories when someone has ‘arrived’, or found success on the other side. I’m not poo pooing on these people but rather acknowledging there are a lot of us that show up everyday and are committed to continued growth, even though our failures aren’t cool yet.
.... so I stayed the course. I went deep and pulled my family, mentors and friends close. I refused to sell out and accept a J-O-B that would relieve financial pressures, breed 'comfort' and solve temporary problems. I refused to settle and instead stuck to the basics until I found an opportunity/project that aligned with my passion. And I am so glad I did!
I spent eight months searching LinkedIn, leveraging my network, reading, listening to podcasts and asking myself “what the hell am I going to work on next?”
➡️ Enter PadSplit
I found it. My next thing.
Instantly I thought - “This is it” and knew lessons learned throughout my life prepared me for this opportunity! Having spent my personal life working with those in need (around the world) and my professional career growing ideas for tech companies, finding PadSplit reactivated my passion.
At PadSplit we are solving the affordable housing crisis by making it possible for low income earners and Americans flirting with homelessness to have a place. We provide an affordable living option so they can focus on other areas of their life without the constant stress/anxiety of worrying if they will be able to afford a bed to sleep in each night.... All while making our Real Estate Investor partners tons of money.
This is what I was made for - it checked all the boxes.
But, did it have the team to go the distance? My first conversation with Atticus LeBlanc (who I call Magic Man) and team quickly answered this question. It’s one thing to have a real problem you are solving, it’s another thing to have leadership who have domain expertise and the pedigree to go the distance - you are in the bonus rounds when they align culturally and make “work” fun. Bonus rounds for me ✅
Now, the next question - “Do I have the pieces and skills needed to deliver success to the company and team?” After all, I can ‘like’ something, but if I can't deliver, I would be a fan boy rather than a value add.
The short answer is yes, I do have the things needed, and I see the steps forward to deliver. But only because I have learned from my failures (and wins) throughout my life. This doesn’t mean it is going to be easy, nor does it mean we have made it, but knowing I am in the right seat and equipped, silences uncertainty and allows me to wake up everyday and execute.
Cheers to everyone out there pressing forward and showing up to do the work while facing resistance, uncertainty and fear. As Pressfield says in the War of Art - “The amateur believes he must first overcome his fear; then he can do his work. The professional knows that fear can never be overcome. He knows there is no such thing as a fearless warrior or a dread-fee artist.”
I am happy to announce that I have found my home (pun intended) and plan on being much more active in documenting my learnings on Linkedin. I look forward to sharing more with you about my journey and how PadSplit is changing the world.
Feel free to reach out about PadSplit real estate investment opportunities and or joining the team - we are currently hiring joel@padsplit.com
Much Love,
jg