09/07/2026
Today, I had a 20-minute phone call with one of my partners in Canada. It wasnāt a business callāit was a conversation about resilience.
Heās 70 years old and runs a small business selling Hawaiian shirts at local markets. Every weekend, despite chronic back pain and his doctorās advice to take it easy, he spends long hours on his feet because he genuinely loves what he does.
The last few months have been incredibly difficult. Unusually cold and rainy weather in Canada has kept customers away, and sales have dropped significantly. He told me he felt defeated.
I reminded him of something simple:
Some challenges are beyond our control.
You canāt compete with the weather. You canāt blame yourself for circumstances that no amount of hard work could change. Tough seasons donāt last foreverāthey pass.
By the end of our conversation, his outlook had changed. He even joked that talking to me felt like taking medicine.
That conversation reminded me why I enjoy working with passionate entrepreneurs. Age doesnāt define ambition. At 70, heās still building, still showing up, and still believing in his business. Thatās inspiring.
Success isnāt just about winning during good times. Itās about continuing to show up when things arenāt going your way.
Hereās to everyone whoās going through a difficult season: keep going. Better days are ahead.
