Edition 11: Building Bridges

This was an interesting week of discover. Met some amazing people who each contributed to this being a great week.

In Today's Newsletter:

• Wins/Lessons from the week
• Building Bridges
• Weekly Take-Away: ?? Be Careful with Advice ??

Weekly Wins:

• Had a TikTok video go absolutely viral (38.5k views, 541 likes) months after being posted. Not sure yet what this means, but we're doubling down on the data to be able to use for one of our ventures. You just never know.
• High School Graduation stuff has started... ??
• Formed a new partnership with a LATAM firm and solidified several key relationships with really cool and complimentary people to me. This is getting fun.

Weekly Lessons:

• Spend time measuring your energy. As you feel dips, change up the scene, people, or something. Low energy = unproductive ??
• Sad news... Your boy Andy has to have a preventive colonoscopy this upcoming week and we picked up the stuff to drink yesterday. This is my first and ain't going to be pretty...??
• Always be trimming and grooming... We've had some highs and we've had some lows in entrepreneur land around Casa de la Smith. When we've been in that season, my one constant to my wife is that we have to always be grooming (you choose what that means for you). This week it meant a honey-do talks...

Building Bridges

I realized that in the last four (4) years of building BlackSmith Ventures our "purpose" has never changed...

Our "why" has never changed.

We just had to be in the game long enough to discover how to best align our purpose with a focus...

This is a good take away for you fellow Founder b/c it was a central discussion point in all my calls this week.

As you're building your business, you'll learn what works and doesn't work. Just keep learning, iterating, and trying new things. Nobody has it all figured out...

The champions are not the influencers with millions of dollars. The champions are those that work hard every day so one day they can get closer to the best versions of themselves...

That's the goal in my opinion...

To find and work toward being the best version of ourselves...

Why?

So we can use our superpower to positively impact the most people.

No trophies handed out at the end of this journey...

Just memories...

So, forget the limits... forget the "NO's"... forget the negative people...

Be limitless...

Weekly Take-Away: ?? Be Careful with Advice ??

Spending a lot of time talking with founders who are using "accelerators".

Some founders are using multiple accelerators. Some are using multiple mentors or coaches.

I've got some experience in this category cause mentors and coaches have transformed my life. I've used many and they were amazing.

But, word of caution...

Remember that we each were raised a certain way, with certain norms. We each are a unique and individual blend of skills and talents. We each have unique experiences.

We also each have a superpower.

My way is not necessarily YOUR way.

My experience and what worked for me may or may not work for you.

However...

Sharing is caring...

I do think there are nuggets that we can pull from others that would help us.

That's why I 'share' on social media...

So others can see what I'm doing and maybe it works for them... or not and they just throw it away. Both are ok.

Just Be True to Yourself

Appreciate you being here today...

I'm on all social media at AndySmithLife (like here).

If you're building and need any help, reach out... Love helping other founders find and be the best versions of themselves...

See ya next week... I'll be a new man after this colonoscopy thing...