We are all Builders. This core value drives the work I do daily at Able as Director of Partner Development. The opportunity to contribute to (this article) gave me a moment to reflect on the relationship of all things I can say make me a builder here.
- Building Trust. My job often involves meeting strangers and eventually asking them to trust Able with their product vision (and hard-earned funding). It takes a lot for a founder to give this over to a third party when so much can go wrong. I don't take this lightly, and I thoroughly enjoy the process. When we've built trust, a partner not only believes we are good, integrity-based people that they will enjoy working with, but we've also demonstrated we are uniquely qualified to solve their problems.
- Building Experience. When we create a new partnership, we often bring new talent into the company to join the team. Every time I see a new hire introduced at the all-hands meeting, I smile because I know this is another person that will both add to our great culture and bring an entire career of experiences, knowledge, and new ideas to the table. And with every new partner, we build something we haven't built before - a new case study and capability within an industry or technology category that I can share with prospective partners.
- Building Reputation. Reputation is the culmination of Trust and Experience. When we successfully deliver for a partner, we're now known for building one more impactful product and set of outcomes, creating one more partner willing to tell other people about Able. This past week, I was overwhelmed by the number of existing partners that offered to act as references for us to new prospective partners. When we're known for great work, more great people will want to join Able too. Reputation is how Able has grown in its early chapters and how it must grow moving forward.
It takes time, but when the cycle of Trust, Experience, and Reputation completes, we see the real reward.
So I suppose you could say I'm helping build the cyclic formula for growth at Able, and I’m grateful for all the other builders here that make it possible (and so much fun). I’m already proud of where it’s poised to take us in 2023!
