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We have been blessed with the opportunity to serve hundreds of CEOs since we started our leadership advisory business.
Our clients lead Fortune 1000 enterprises, mid-market companies, and smaller, growth businesses.
We continue to grow with them and learn from them. So, in this new series, we will share the best leadership advice that one of our CEO clients has received.
Today we will feature Josh Sepkowitz, CEO, Free Range Concepts.
One of the best pieces of life and leadership advice I ever received was from the father of my best friend in high school. I was staying at his house the night our high school football team lost the State Championship by three points.
My friend and I were devastated, and in the morning, we were very depressed. We got out of bed and went into the kitchen. His father had made breakfast and said, “Did you notice that the sun rose today?” He made it quite clear that life wasn’t over, and while reflection is important, so is moving on.
As an individual and business owner, I have had countless ups and downs. For my team, the way I present myself when times are hard is far more important than celebrating the wins, although that is important, too.
I founded a restaurant and entertainment company a decade ago, and when I was forced to shutter all my businesses due to COVID, I didn’t know how or if the company would survive. I would sit with my wife once my daughter went to bed and cry at night due to the severe uncertainty that my company and my family faced. But I remained upbeat around my team because they needed me to be strong.
A few days after the COVID shutdown, I remembered those words from my friend’s father in high school, and my internal emotions changed. However, I needed to communicate the message from my friend’s father to a team that was living through hell because in March 2020, the sun had not risen yet, but I knew it would.
That week, I wrote a letter to all my team members and used one of my favorite sayings as the climax of my message, “This too shall pass.” Obviously, the COVID shutdown did end, and just like my friend’s father suggested, the sun did rise. Leading during good times is easy, but the message I received in high school has been crucial to my success in leading through hard times.