Soon after I conceived the idea of UnleashWD … literally just a series of thoughts on flip charts spread across my office wall, we launched the first and only innovation summit for distributors to the world in the spring of 2012.
I was ready to set a new direction of innovation for the 250,000 distributors in the country.
We launched. Few responded. You could hear crickets.
From a financial perspective, well, let’s just say not enough saw the vision! 🙂
Everyone around me, and many in the industry “coached” me to give up. They said “nice try” it just didn’t work. And of course they said “Go back to doing what you were doing.”
Sound familiar?
Thank goodness I found a video on line where Jeff Bezos was speaking to a group of entrepreneurs. After his short presentation, during the Q & A, he was asked:
“Do you have any tips for entrepreneurs who are bringing something new to the market?”
And there it was …
The Lesson From Jeff Bezos That Has Sustained Me.
He said, that as innovators we need to keep three things in mind:
#1 – Love What You Do – he said that introducing something new to the world is hard. There will be many obstacles and challenges. And if you don’t have passion – really love what you are doing, and really believe in what you are doing – you will give up.
As I listened to Jeff on that video, and still four years later, each time I play back these first two Bezosisms in my mind, I tell myself “Check!”
- I love this topic of innovation and change to the point of betting my career and business on it. #1 – Check!
- Helping distributors and supply chain partners change and innovate as fast as the world is changing – we are delivering significant value. #2 – Check!
But What About The Third Lesson?
This third lesson is the most important and is the essential lesson that has sustained me over the last four years. And I know as an innovator who brings new ideas into your business and your world, it will be essential to you too:
Get out there he said. Do what you believe in. Be great at it. Deliver real value. And then, I think his exact words were:
“Sit back and wait for the wave to catch up to you.”
Let’s Be All In
So here we are four years later, at the outset of 2016 and my love for what we are doing and the value we are creating is stronger than ever. That wave that Jeff Bezos spoke of is turning into a community and a movement.
I have to tell you … I am all in!
What you and I … and the UnleashWD community are doing both together and on our own is inspiring. It’s energizing.
And, it’s critical.
It’s not for the feint of heart.
It’s not for those who want to remain comfortable. It’s not for those who are moved more by nostalgia than by creating a bolder future. And it’s certainly not for those consumed by the tyranny of the urgent.
We have a future to create.
And this future requires new thinking. New experiences. New visions. New cultures. New value propositions and new business models. And off course it requires transformative leadership.
It needs you!
Our future requires you and I to change the rules!
Changing The Rules
As I look at my priorities for 2016, I’m inspired and energized at the opportunities I’m going to have to be surrounded by the thousands of like minded individuals.
Individuals who are changing the rules.
Here are just some of the 2016 priorities that will allow me to interact with and learn from the amazing innovators among our movement, from within distribution and beyond:
Innovation Inspired Digital Course: The number one question I get about creating a movement of innovation within businesses, is “How do I carry the message forward, get more people within my business involved (bought-in), and turbo charge the shared vision of change and innovation?” I literally can’t sleep at night right now in anticipation of introducing this new course. It’s innovative in it’s design and will become the gold standard in igniting passion to change and innovate deep within organizations.
>>> Learn More Here
Transformative Leadership Workshop: There is no better leadership training or incubator than the U.S. Army. I’m thrilled to be partnering with two retired Major Generals, Robert W. Mixon Jr. and John Batiste to co-produce a one-of-a-kind not-to-be-missed leadership workshop. Hold May 11 – 12 in your calendar, and plan to join us in Dallas.
>>> Learn More Here
APIC Conference February 29 – March 1: This two day conference in Phoenix is produced by Randy MacLean the co-founder of Waypoint Analytics and includes a classic lineup of long-time industry consultants. I appreciate Randy asking me to co-host (for the fourth time) and I encourage you to join me in the desert for two days of distribution specific learning.
>>> Learn More Here
Rethinking Distributor – Manufacturer Partnerships In The Age of Rapid Innovation: In partnership with the National Association of Electrical Distributors, I have completed a landmark research project that will guide partnering in the foreseeable future. The report will be out in the next few weeks.
>>> Learn More Here
UnleashWD October 19-20: The summit that started the innovation movement throughout distribution. I am one-third of the way through curating the line-up of amazing speakers to take the UnleashWD stage. Be sure to hold the dates of October 19-20 in your calendar to join us in Chicago.
>>> Learn More Here
Innovate For The Future.FM: After launching this weekly podcast show May 1st last year, we have had over 10,000 downloads. I’ve doubled down on this show because it’s an amazing way of injecting new thinking into our businesses and the industry.
>>> Learn More Here
Speaking: With the 50+ speaking presentations I’ll make this year, I’m committed to crafting, delivering, and helping my client leverage The Perfect Presentation to unleash your people’s talent and creativity to generate new value, growth, and profits.
You might know that I published a manifesto last year. 34 fundamental beliefs that I have. As I say, what you read on that manifesto is a lens into my soul. The last of 34 statements reads:
We own our future. If not us, who?
I’m honored to be entering 2016 with you, because you, me, and those among the UnleashWD community are creating the future.
Here’s to an Epic year!
Dirk
PS: I always love to hear from you, so LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW right now and let me know what you’re thinking as we start 2016, and anything I can help you with.
Great thoughts, Dirk! I enjoyed these remarks by Jeff Bezos as well his thoughts on success and innovation: “The way I think about it, if you want to invent, if you want to do any innovation, anything new, you’re going to have failures because you need to experiment. I think the amount of useful innovation you do is directly proportional to the number of experiments you can run per week…per month…per year.” You’re inspiring this…keep it up!