Philosophy
The hills and mountains of
Vermont provide nourishment for the creative spirit. Over the years,
I've been drawn especially to the headwaters, as they gather power,
first in small pools high on the mountains, gradually combining,
finding their way around rocks and twigs, eventually flowing in
sure, confident streams. Hence the name, Headwaters Strategy, reflecting
this metaphor for the complexity, multiple paths, and diverse resources
needed in the entrepreneurial adventure.
Deep in the forests, I find
witness trees. These are trees that were too big for the two-person
saws used by pioneering men and women. Standing in the presence
of a witness tree is as if one were able to consult with an ancestor
who has lived for two hundred years and seen all of it - the hard
labor of building rock walls, the houses of stone and timber, the
homes that burned, the sugar maples tapped, the innovators who harnessed
water power to mill their logs. Every witness tree has its scars,
just like every enterprise will have its challenges. Every tree
draws water from an intricate root system, and returns nourishment
to the earth in the fall...just as every company needs a spectrum
of partnerships for mutual benefit.
I could go on. But, my
point is not to wax excessively poetic. It is to emphasize that
successful entrepreneurs are multi-dimensional. Whether you gain
your inspiration from nature, or from music, or from working with
your hands, your enterprise will benefit from a founder's spectrum
of pursuits, as long as your mind is open to the metaphors you will
find. My clients race high performance sailboats, hike in the Andes,
dance, and nurture small children. We learn more from each other
than business and technology, and I want to take this opportunity
to thank the people who have welcomed me to participate in their
entrepreneurial adventures.
