Preparing for Growth

When was the last time you took on a period of major growth in your life?  

Looking back on my own life, there are so many times this has been planned. Other times, I have been pushed or pulled into major transitions.  This could mean moving from one’s hometown to the college experience or perhaps out of your parents’ house into your first apartment.  Perhaps your mind goes to that first international trip and the opportunity to have the first stamp in your newly acquired passport.  

Recently my wife and I had the realization that we were in need of a larger home with our new addition Hudson on the way.  The studio apartment that had served us so well during our first few years in Los Angeles was not substantial enough for the increased demands of a third person added to our family, let alone the additional grandparents and other close friends and family we would be hosting.  The move was well thought out, calculated, and timely – just one week before my wife’s due date.  Even though it seemed overwhelming at the time, the transition went very smoothly. On the other side of it, we are thankful for the change.

If I had to put a label on the years Nick and I have been building Lux Virtual, the first year would be Start up – Exciting and terrifying.  The second year I would call Early Stage Growth – Becoming profitable and building capacities.  Now in our third year the plan is growing our Team – Expanding operations.  

As this year unfolds we will move out of our home offices, coffee shops and co-working spaces.  Our new base of operations will be a shared office with room to expand as our projects increase.  After much discussion with many mentors we will take the route of building up our team with a few key permanent members, as well as increasing our freelancers and local artists.  We’ll continue to pursue joint ventures with strategic partners and go after larger more complex projects in our industry.  In addition, we will increase our scope of project locations and seek out projects out of state in order to capitalize on the prestige of the creative community here in Los Angeles.

Growth and change come with their own anxieties and fears along the way.  I recently heard someone say that living with anxiety and worry is basically pre-mourning a loss that likely will not ever happen.  As we prepare and enter into continued growth this year, my focus is on having a healthy level of anxiety or stress and allowing it to continue to propel me into action.  It is such a blessing to go into transition periods and growth phases with people that you trust and have history with.  

As Lux Virtual prepares for growing its team and operational capacities this year, I am excited to see both Nick and I grow in our abilities to lead as servant leaders and model the spirit of the entrepreneur leader or “Entreleader” as described by Dave Ramsey.  Nick has been a steadfast creative with the ability to meet deadlines and consistently punch above our weight on projects.  We had the blessing last year of having over a dozen extremely competent local artists work on projects and in the upcoming year will increase their participation and roles as we transform. 

For those of you reading this, I hope that you reflect on your own upcoming growth this year.  Will you meet transitions with anxiety and worry or with hope and vision?  

It takes a focus and determination to make positive change.  I am optimistic that you, like us, will aim well, find your mark and have a year of growth in all facets of life.  As Zig Ziglar said it best, “You hit what you aim at, and if you aim at nothing you will hit it every time.”  Swing well.