Edition 5: The Art of Transitions

Welcome to the 5th edition of "Blue Collar Founders Unite". This is a weekly newsletter that reflects on the lessons, stories, and struggles from the week. It is about helping entrepreneurs and founders go faster with freedom.?

In Today's Newsletter:

• Wins/Lessons from the week
• The Art of Transitions in Life, Business, and Entrepreneurship
• Weekly Take-Away: ?? Decision Making ??

Weekly Wins:

#1 Got Really Clear and Focused

Heard this phrase for the first time this week.?

We only have ONE “A$$” ?? so pick the HORSE you want to ride.?

This is so true for entrepreneurs, creators, visionaries...?

We are creative beings with ideas and want to accomplish a lot.? We can (over a lifetime maybe), but we must FOCUS in the moment if we want to succeed…

And, as the leader - if you're clear, your employees will thank you. ??

I had a bunch of founder meetings this week (more on that below), but there were two common themes ??

FOCUS & TRANSITION

So, in between diner stops, I shot a quick video for you.

#2: I Met a Lot of Cool Founders This Week

The backstory is that I love in-person meet-ups. Virtual is cool and saves time, but something magical happens in person.

Had around ten (10) meetings this week that took place at various diners, restaurants, a Mexican bar, and even one running meet-up (and a few virtual).?

Even took this weirdo with me to the diner one day ??

And, now a real “business meeting”...

#3: Went Down Memory Lane for a Minute

So this blew my mind.?

Katie Belz has worked with me for over a decade.? She is now very active in the foster care community up in Tennessee.? She says it’s her way of giving ONE to MANY vs 1:1.? Love that.

She sent me a text message this week that said, “Look what came in as a donation?”

This hat was from my first startup in 2007! I co-founded this business alongside Hans van der Pasch.?

WOW… ? So many memories…?

We exited the business in 2012 and stayed on with the new owners till 2016.? Makes me think about the ONE BUTT, ONE HORSE thing.

Weekly Lessons:

• Transitions are both Good and Bad. Depends on your mindset.? Faith, open mindedness, and positivity play a key role in this…? Remember, rainbows come after the storm…? Lots of my tribe are going through some storms right now… Stay strong.
• Follow your own path. Don't try to be someone you are not. And, don't try to be what others want you to be.
• We need a tribe around us to be GREAT. At least I do...

The Art of Transitions in Life, Business, or Entrepreneurship

Anyone else out there going through or been through a transition? I have and its messy, but awesome at the same time.

I’ve received this feedback over the last 4 years as I’ve been forging my path.

It basically goes like this: “Hey Andy, what do you DO?”

??- “Hey, Andy, You look all over the place!"?

?? - “Hey Andy, You wear a lot of hats!”

?? - “Hey Andy, how do you get a paycheck?”

??- “Hey Andy, are you happy?”

?? - “Hey Andy, we've changed logos so many times we're confusing people.” - internal team.

I asked AI to create an image of this newsletter and here is what it pooped out: (note, I don’t use AI to write because its not me).??

If you're a BlackSmith, entrepreneur, or founder... then, you're a CREATOR.?

You Get It. You try, learn, rise, repeat...

And as a Gen X'er, I feel like I'm in the middle of two different worlds.

I love playing with all these new school tools and showing them to my Baby Boomer friends... They not only help us GO FASTER, but they help us have more time to DO WHAT WE LOVE.

So, I build in public and it looks messy sometimes...

That's ok because if we’re growing, we’ve always got to be adapting.

We must adapt to opportunities, relationships, business, and technology.

But, we must also grow with CLARITY or the wheels come off.??

AND, we must GROW at the right PACE…? One of the diners I’ve been going to hasn’t changed in 70+ years.? And, that’s OK.

I meet so many founders and business owners in blue-collar businesses. Many are asking themselves this question ??

I don't know what is next for me...

So, how do we navigate these transitions without losing our minds?

Here are a few strategies that have helped me over the last 17 years as I've started, built, and exited a few businesses:

• Embrace the Chaos: Instead of fighting against the uncertainty, lean into it. Sometimes, the best opportunities come from the most unexpected places.
• Stay Curious: Always be learning, yes, but also, always be curious. Ask questions, seek out new experiences, and don't be afraid to venture into the unknown.
• Build Your Support Network: Surround yourself with people who get, back, and push you. It's easier to weather the storms of change when you have a crew to help steer the ship.
• Reflect and Refocus: Take time to reflect on your journey. What have you learned? What would you do differently? What's your single next step? This can help bring clarity to the chaos.
• Be Kind to Yourself: Remember, it's okay to make mistakes. It's okay to feel lost. Give yourself grace and patience as you navigate your path.

Remain full of FAITH, stay open minded to the future, and just know that YOU’VE GOT THIS, but there is STILL WORK TO DO.?

Weekly Take-Away

Today's about decision-making. I've made some stupid decisions in my life... and I've made some dang good ones...

I turned 46 this month and I exercise almost every day. This question came to mind during a run:

"What am I chasing?".

Now, ask yourself that question. What are YOU chasing?

My answer was

FREEDOM.

That's why I got into entrepreneurship in 2007.? To find freedom, do things my way, take risks, get out of the box, live life to the fullest, etc, etc.

But, here is the personal lesson that I realized. If I use FREEDOM as the lens for all my decisions, then decision-making becomes VERY SIMPLE.

The guardrails are clear and visible...

Doesn't make life easier, but sure does help make it CLEARER...

Thanks for hanging with me this long.

Cheers to

NO BAD DAYS,

- Andy

To follow the journey, I'm on social media at AndySmithLife .

If you want to see what we’ve been building at our Boutique Consulting, Advising, and Coaching Business, click CanGrow Solutions .

Trying to get good at YouTube , but its hard... I'm not niching down enough yet and haven't found my clarity... But, I'm not giving up. I post every Sunday and Wednesday on here.

And of course, I'm most active on Linkedin so be sure to subscribe to this newsletter and follow if this is your jam.