I woke up very hungry yesterday and ate two slices of cold pizza when I got to the office.
It was delicious. (Roman Candle‘s signature pie, with sausage, banana peppers, and spicy tomato sauce.)
Great pizza and great coffee (read about hot, hot coffee) have something in common: even when they’re cold, they’re pretty darn good.
I think the same is true with people and ideas. Anyone can be red-hot for awhile. But when they cool, their true colors start to come through. Amy Winehouse does go to rehab, and Paris Hilton does time.
First impressions are important, but it’s critical to give people and ideas time to simmer, and cool. If they still hold up, you’re probably onto something.
Which leads me to this: NGC turns ten today. We’ve had a ton of hot-cold cycles. Here’s a short history:
- My last real boss (before I started NGC) told me, “No one will ever pay to hear you talk about the next generation.”
- In 2001, the dot-com bubble burst, meeting planners canceled their events, and I declared bankruptcy.
- In 2004, the U.S. Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship named me Entrepreneur of the Year.
- In 2007, Live First, Work Second was born, and is selling well thanks to you!
- Last month, a valued mentor emailed, “This issue about the next gen is hot now; but you need an exit strategy.”
We’ve been hot; we’ve been cold. But we’ve always had clients to work with. Why?
Because we are onto something.
We know in our bones - and our data proves - that the next generation wants to be engaged beyond a paycheck at work, and wants to live in cities that reflect their values. That is timeless. Like great pizza or coffee, you buy it when it’s hot, but it’ll still hold up, even when it’s not.
