The “In Their Own Words” series is a collection of short columns from some of Chicago’s most influential tech leaders. After a tumultuous 2020—with a pandemic, civil unrest and a turbulent economy—Inno wanted to give Chicago's tech community an opportunity to reflect on the highs and lows of the last 12 months and share how they're working smarter and better in the next 12.
Each columnist was asked to answer the question: How are you and your company preparing for 2021?
For more columns like this, scroll to the end of the story.
286 days ago, I sent my team home, the same day my then-first-grader, Charlie, was sent home from school. What I anticipated being a mild four-week hiccup in the routine has turned into a nine-plus-month total disruption to both my personal and professional lives, and the blurring of the two.
I’ve been interrupted on Zoom calls with the team, during speeches to large audiences, board meetings, and beyond by my dogs’ bark, and my son declaring he conquered a new skill like learning to snap with both hands. I love that we all just smile and move forward. Expectations have adapted.
Our organization and team have been tested, as have I, as a leader and as a parent. I try every day to balance being realistic while being optimistic—planning for the future while dealing with the hard stuff happening today.
The shifts in how we now view the world and how work gets done has been shaped by the Covid experience, as well as the humanitarian experience and acknowledgement of the Black American experience, continue to serve as a massive platform as we continue to adapt and grow.
As we prepare for 2021, here’s what I know for sure:
- 1871 exists to inspire, equip and support founders, growth scalers and innovators building extraordinary businesses. Our purpose — our “why” — has not changed. This clarity of purpose gives us power, hope and momentum.
- We are no longer in crisis mode. This tension we feel is the new normal. We all, as leaders and people, have adjusted the way we operate our organizations, the way we manage our days, and the way we connect with our teams, our communities and our customers.
- My team is tremendous. They have been warriors these past months. We are learning how to better balance asynchronous and synchronous work. We have to move faster, with more intention, and with more partners.
- 1871 the “experience” supersedes 1871 “the place," a journey we’ve been on since July 2019. We have clear inclusive growth lanes that leverage our existing assets, and capabilities that celebrate our physical environment but are not dependent on it.
My mantra each day is “people like us, do things like this,” which I’ve borrowed from Seth Godin.
I am lucky to be surrounded by a community of problem solvers, abundant thinkers and believers that when we pair people and technology, any problem can be solved. From small to big, the members of our community share the belief that they will get what they give, and they give to one another day in and day out.
As a result, I’m hopeful and energized about the future, and I wish you all the best in 2021!
