The Little Horse

Blog #10

8-11-23023

The Little Horse

There are many open spaces and pastures near our home.  But there is one pasture that I drive by often.  In that pasture are a few tiny horses, and a few large horses.  The tiny horses always make me smile. 

I often think, those tiny horses probably have it all figured out.  Sure, sometimes I look at them and think- that is a tiny horse, they are fun to watch running about next to the big horse.  But one day I thought- does that tiny horse know it is a tiny horse?  Does the tiny horse look around at the other horses in the pasture and dream of being a bigger horse?  Does the tiny horse even see that there is a difference between itself and the larger horse?

Maybe the tiny horse looks at the bigger horse and thinks, gosh, what a bummer to be a big horse.  They are tall and gangly.  It is difficult for people to saddle up upon their backs.  Those large horses really must crane their necks to get down there to where the good grass grows.  What if the tiny horse has never been out of that pasture, and all it knows is that there are a few horses that look like it, and a few that are much larger.  From that perspective it is plausible that the tiny horse may think it is normal, and that the larger horse is not.  Then I guess who are we to determine which one is normal, and which is not?     

Stella's new red boots

Blog #9

12-29-22

Stella’s new red boots

Truth be told, her boots are a year old. When I put them on her last year, she promptly went for a protested romp through the snow…and came back with one boot. Lesson learned- sinch up the top strap just a little more. I did not find the other three boots until spring thaw.

So, this year when it became cold and snowy enough for boots; I was better prepared to have them fit properly. But Stella wasn’t. She protested again, not wanting to take a single step. Then she would take a step and freeze with a booted foot in the air. I laughed, she did not. Finally, I was able to get her to walk a bit outside. After about one hundred yards she really started to hit stride…then like ‘Tom Hanks’ character in Forrest Gump- she was running!

Stella has never been one to pull on leash. But with her new red boots, and the knowledge that they made walking on freezing snowy grounds more comfortable, she pulled to move faster and faster. I have shared before; Stella is a genius. If she could talk- I think she would refer to Spencer Johnsons book- ‘Who Moved My Cheese’…at first, she was skeptical of the new red boots, but then she realized they added value and comfort to her life. I suppose it is natural to be suspicious of new things at first. It takes time and measured vigilance before we can see some changes can be beneficial for us. Like the mice that found new types of cheese after theirs was moved, Stella too found out that not all change is bad. And now she is off running in her new red boots.

My Dad on the John Deere

Blog #8

12-8-22

 My Dad on the John Deere   

 There are moments in life that I try to commit to memory.  A major sporting event, birth of children, anniversaries…

One moment happened recently that is a new favorite of mine.  At this season of my life, I know time with my parents is fleeting.  Each time my parents visit, my father asks to mow our lawn.  And I always get him set up on our old John Deere L111 as soon as the grass needs to be cut.  I usually spend time out there with him, empty the bag and make sure he doesn’t mow over my sprinklers…that has never happened before.  I also like to just watch and appreciate how much this simple pleasure entertains him.  For me, there is a wave of emotions as I watch him:

·       Proud that I can share this old tractor with him

·       Grateful that we are able to spend this time together

·       Happy that such a simple activity can bring him so much joy

At a time in his life where physical tasks are becoming increasingly difficult, the ride on lawnmower provides him some freedom from time.  He can contribute and feel the joy of accomplishment.  I too enjoy the ride on lawnmower…but not half as much as I enjoy watching him smile and cut half-moon circle after half-moon circle.

Dad, thanks for all you have done for us, and your service to this great country. 

Taking a chance

Blog #7

11-9-22

Taking a chance

Someone once took a chance on me. Well, truly, many people have, but one such encounter has been profoundly impactful on my life. I was young, freshly out of college, wide eyed, engaged to be married and completely void of any corporate experience. A chance was taken, perhaps more calculated than it seemed from my perspective, but taken none the less. And now nearly 25 years later I still hold that person in the highest regard. He is my mentor, trusted advisor, and friend. A lifetime bond started from a single chance.

Later in my career, I found myself in a position to take a chance on a new hire. This person’s life circumstances put them in a stereotype box that made them easy to be ignored. At that time, and for that employer, my operation was growing. I needed to add more people to my team to keep up with our path of trajectory. A young person that I had gotten to know asked for some advice on moving their career forward. So, I shared my thoughts on the matter. This person had already left a mark with me. My intuitive voice told me that this was someone special. Over the next few years, we continued conversations as they executed on the plan we created. A wonderful relationship was built, and their career continues to grow. This experience has been one of my life’s highlights because it allowed me to give back and reinforced how interconnected our lives are. All from a single chance.

And now as an entrepreneur, with a young family business, I often find myself in a position where all clients are new and must decide whether to take a chance on us or not. Some do not. I suppose they prefer to stick with what they know and are comfortable with, and I respect that. But some clients do take a chance on us, and that makes all the difference for us both. A relationship is built, exposing the client to new services and products, perhaps offering a fresh perspective or competitive edge in a tough industry. All from a single chance.

Taking a chance can sound and feel risky. As a risk adverse person myself, I get it. Maybe the calculated risk is not actually risky?  My final thought on the matter is one of reflection- the chances extended to me have made for significant and positive impacts in my life. But really it is those chances I took on others that resonate and bring me enduring fulfillment.

Gratitude at year 2

Blog #6

10-17-22

Gratitude at year 2       

I am guilty of a common Founder ‘Flounder’…I do not often take time to sit and reflect on progress made. I am guilty of being too focused on tasks at hand. We have been humming along at a feverish pace, and I had completely forgotten about blogging let alone the major milestone of our second business anniversary. Thank you, friends, for the nudge get back to sharing!

Here we are jumping right into the start of our third year and feeling the optimistic promise that comes from hard work, great relationships and trusting partners.  Are we blessed? In more ways than I can possibly describe. Are we grateful? Most certainly, we would not exist if it were not for the opportunity’s others have helped create for us. It has been a very humbling and positive experience all the way.

So how is it going? How did we do it? What does the future look like?

·       How is it going- It is going well, humble beginnings, but going very well. We are able to achieve work life balance. We are able to continue to be as active in our son’s lives as they want us to be 😊. We are able to take breaks when needed and close the ‘office’ door at the end of the day. We have built some incredible partnerships and continue to build new relationships daily.

·       How did we do it- no surprise here…hard work, and lots of it.  Sticking to our Core Values of Integrity, Respect and Partnership. Generosity of friends, business colleagues, family and Partners who have trusted us to do what we said we could do. Chance, Opportunities, and tons of Faith.

·       What does the future look like- we are extremely optimistic that our growth chart shows a continual rise on the X/Y axis.  Despite global pandemic, inflation, supply chain issues- the world will always continue to move forward, and we are going to do our darndest to stay out in front of it.

Thank you to all who have given us a chance, believed in us, nudged us, supported us, trusted us, encouraged us. The success of any business is never alone with one person…like raising a child, it takes a village.   

Stella has a case of the 'Mondays'

Blog #5

9/30/21

Stella has a case of the ‘Mondays’

It has been a while since I wrote, and initially I planned to write about the milestone of making it through our first year in business.  Something we have achieved with the support of our amazing Manufacturing Partners, Family and Friends.  But, as I reflected on the year, a theme continued to repeat itself…trust the intuition, trust the instinct, make time for self and work life balance, make time for priorities other than developing the business.    

And I decided to be honest with myself, people would rather read about Stella, and why she had a case of the Mondays…so here we go:

In her defense, it was one of those crispy early fall mornings, big puffy clouds moving through the blue morning sky, and the tips of our local trees just starting to turn their fall colors.  And yes, it happened to be a Monday.  Stella, our nearly 4-year-old rescue Labra/Golden/Doodle something has been my faithful walking partner since she joined us.  But this cool Monday morning she just wagged her bushy tail and stayed right where she was snuggled in her bed.  Despite my repeated efforts to call her, she just stayed there staring at me- her bushy eyebrows shifting with each movement of her big brown eyes. 

This actually happened two weeks ago, and then again last Monday, and again this Monday!  Fortunately, she decided to join me on a Wednesday walk.  On that walk, we went unplugged.  No music, just the sounds of the morning- rooster calls, wind in the trees, rumble of the school bus coming down our street…then it struct me- Stella is a genius!  She is a Leader!

Here I thought she was being lazy, and what she was really telling me is it is ok to take time and just enjoy where you are.  She wanted me to think about my own journey.  My own challenge to accept not every day has to be a Masterpiece in ‘to-do list’ box checking, production, and progress.  Some days you can just take extra time and enjoy the warmth and comfort of the place you are in. 

Starting a family business is a milestone on its own, doing so during a global pandemic is a next level gut check.  I am so proud of the progress we have made this year.  But generally I will follow those grateful thoughts with ‘but, we must do X Y and Z!’.  But as Stella pointed out to me, it is ok to slow down and think about things a bit.   

TTG Growth

Blog #4

3/31/2021

TTG Growth, in so many ways!

It started as a spark, an idea, well, maybe more of a musing.  Morphed into spitballs on the wall, then pros and cons lists…many of them.  Then shared with trusted advisors, my lord, my wife, our sons, our dogs, trees, anything that would listen to me.  The Entrepreneurial bug has always been inside of me, but unfortunately it resided right next to an inner voice of doubt.  My family and I were comfortable and grateful for the lovely life afforded by my previous employment.  It was a safety net.  It was good, and it was comfortable. 

So, it makes perfect logical sense to leave my stable employ and open my own business…just rip the band aid off, get off the safety net…yep, right in the middle of a Global Pandemic.  In retrospect, I am so glad I finally learned how to operate without the safety net.  I guess I finally believed what all my trusted advisors already knew- I would not let myself or my family fail. 

Today I am so delighted to share that The Thaxton Group is growing.  We have been blessed with wonderful partners trusting us to execute on our belief that relationships are at the bases of positive interactions…so we endeavor to build relationships and then develop business. 

·       We have grown with new Top Notch Manufacturing Partners joining us- Welcome Advanced Architectural Grilleworks, Benetti Home, CUTOFFS Wood Walls and J2 Systems

·       We have grown with our Social Media footprint- please follow us on Instagram @thethaxtongroup - this is where we share product info, new product release and some original music by our oldest son

·       We have grown as a family business with our sons taking on more regular roles to support the daily tasks   

·       We have certainly grown in our faith, self-confidence, personal hardiness, and gratitude

Thank you all for your ongoing support and encouragement, it means the world to us. 

Life Lessons from The Road Trip

Blog #3

12/2/2020

Life Lessons from The Road Trip

It was a time when gas was less than $.20 cents a gallon.  Well before cell phones were ever available for the masses.  And…as I recall, men’s hair style was simple.  For a youngster like me who desired a little bit of classiness, but a tinge of west coast surfer- the Mullet was a solution that has entertained for decades since.  It was summer 1987. 

Our parents sacrificed and saved for years so that they could take their young family on a cross country road trip.  As it turned out, the trip overflowed with life lessons.  Some of those lessons are still being learned today.  The trip lasted for 6 weeks and covered just under 9k miles.  We visited 25 states in our great country.

Recently our family had a chance to be together.  Conversation drifted to reminiscence about the trip.  And although it was more than 33 years ago, we all shared that seldom does a week go by where a story or thought about that journey is not shared.  To say it was a once in a lifetime trip is an understatement…which made a comment shared by my mother even more apropos- she said ‘we had no idea that the trip would have been so impactful, we never expected that you would talk about it for years to come’. 

These ideas stand out after all these years: 

Ø  Sacrifice and Save- Now with a family of my own, I marvel how my parents were able to afford and execute such a trip, let alone with three teenage kids.   

Ø  Experiences- In traveling that distance, in a two-toned Dodge Van (no AC) sleeping a family of 5 in a StarCraft Tent Trailer- you get to learn a few things.  Amazingly, many of those experiences still ring true today.    

Ø  Perspective- how large the US is, and then how small it can be too.  Imagine having driven almost 6,000 miles and connecting with a neighbor from back home…all coordinated without the luxury of modern technology (no cell phone, no GPS)…nothing but a simple note written on a paper plate left at the ranger station- “we are at the pool”. 

Ø  Life Lessons-

o   Communication and Emotional Intelligence- 5 people together nearly nonstop for 6 weeks in a van and a trailer = a crash course in the arts of Emotional Intelligence.  We learned how to read ourselves, the room, and carefully say what needed to be said.  

o   Determination and Perseverance- mechanical issues, weather, days and days of driving all be dammed.  We learned how to knuckle down one mile at a time.  They taught us the value of goal setting and helped us to develop the grit to execute on those goals.

o   Geography- A person can get to feel quite small when you drive literally all day and see nothing but rolling hills and grassland.  Our country is massive and filled with wonderful people.  We learned about diversity, culture, scale and of course perspective, again.   

o   History- we learned all about NASA, Disney, US History, the Colonies, regional culinary delights, and got an important taste of reality from some of our country’s darker moments.   

o   Gratitude- we continue to learn to be thankful for the sacrifices our parents made, so that we could have a richer and fuller life. 

Mom, Dad- you nailed it!

Self Employed 1 Month- here is what I learned

Blog #2

10/24/20

Self employed 1 month- here is what I learned

The morning sunshine is so bright reflecting off our first snowstorm of the year, although it was the -4 wind-chill that provided me an opportunity for some reflection time, indoors.  It has now been a month since we officially opened our business, and throughout the month I found myself feeling tremendous gratitude.  There is so much to be thankful for, but these 6 items stand out on my list:

1.       ‘Be Still and Know” …- Psalm 46:10- this verse from the book of Psalms has spoken to me louder than anything.  Stepping off into the unknown; it is the unfamiliar that brings plenty of opportunity for self-doubt and fear.  My unknown, my unfamiliar, have given me the opportunity to grow my faith into a much deeper level.  I am learning to be still, trust, and then accept.  And when I do, the reward is magnificent. 

2.       Small world- That old saying; ‘never burn a bridge, you never know when you will need to cross it again’…it has proven to hold true time and again for me.  I am reminded almost daily that the world is not as big as it may seem.  Calling a perfect stranger, only to find out through conversation that we have traveled many of the same paths.  I am reminded that we are all in this together, and that there are far more good people than bad.  So very humbling.     

3.       Timing of an encouraging word- Perhaps is it because of item #1- but I have noticed impeccable timing for those thoughtful and supportive memes that pop up reminding us to be true to ourselves, to be positive, kind, optimistic, to believe.  Same holds true for family and friends giving a reassuring nudge.  Simon Sinek, I would like to buy you a beer.          

4.       The little things- personal interactions have changed in today’s world.  I have appreciated those kind folks that have taken a few seconds to respond to our outreach.  It reminds me to do the same because it matters to someone, and it is so simple.  Even if it is a ‘no thank you’.

5.       Surround yourself by the greatest people- our buddy Chris Prewitt often stated this, knowing that those people will help us to grow into our best self.  And be it luck or fate, I have been so privileged to have been surrounded by some of the best.  This new life adventure would not have happened were it not for the support and encouragement of my amazing circle of family and friends.  And at the top of that circle are my Shelly, my God, and my amazing Partners that have taken a chance on me.

6.       True Leadership Character is shown by how you treat people when you hold all the cards.  I admire people with the courage to make something happen for another person when they themselves stand to gain nothing in return.   

Thank you all.  Go take a chance on someone or something!    

Make it a great Day

Blog #1

9-28-20

“Make it a great day”- Christopher Alan Prewitt

Who was Christopher Alan Prewitt?  In short, he was the greatest.  Loving Father and Husband, Brother, Uncle, Friend, Coach, Olympian, Mentor, Accountability Partner, Outdoorsman Galore, Foodie, World Traveler, Adventurer, Humanitarian, Optimist, Educator, Leader, Inspiration.  He was all these things, but to those blessed to have made his acquaintance, he was everything.  He was the person we all want to be, and the person we all wanted to be with.  He was the brightest light in any room.  He beheld all the greatest attributes a person could possibly behold.  He was the person you just could never get enough time with.   

As Shelly and I launch our first website, we left a little breadcrumb on each page in his honor.  He has inspired so many, and his catch phrase continues to live on in the lives of all those that he touched.  Prewitt’s phrase, ‘Make it a great day’ is simple.  It is perfect.  It captures his spirit and inspires us with its timelessness.  But the thing that stands out most to me, is the mindfulness of the statement- it is a choice.  It shows intention because, one must choose to ‘Make it a great day’. 

Because of you Chris, we know how to make it a great day.  Christopher Alan Prewitt 12/3/75- 4/6/14