Survival & Thrival: Let’s Take a Break – Memorial Day 2020

Let’s take a break.

Let’s take a break from PPP forgiveness and PPE acquisition and M&A opportunities. Let’s take a break from managing payroll and managing stress and managing virtual teams. Let’s take a break to chill by the pool or take a walk in the woods or relax with our family and friends. Most importantly, let’s take a break to honor the millions of men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to give us the very freedom to do these things.

We need the break. We need to remember our fallen heroes and pay our respects.

As I mentioned last week, the general tone of our Survival and Thrival CEO Forums has continued to shift. At first, it was all-out chaos, but we’ve gradually transitioned into basic “survival” mode and our plans for “thrival.” We continue to serve each other as a de facto advisory board for one another, helping tackle challenges and opportunities. One of the topics that continually comes up is the need for a respite—an opportunity to recharge the batteries and reconnect with family and friends to get our minds right.

This weekend, that’s what I’m doing—right after I get this column written! I encourage you to do the same.

Memorial Day has always been one of my favorite holidays. It marks the beginning of summer in most locales. Many of us will be busting out the grill, spending quality time with family and friends, and catching some much-needed sun (socially distant, of course!). If that’s not enough, it’s a three-day weekend, which seems to come at the right time—this year especially!

But the main reason Memorial Day is my favorite holiday is that it offers an opportunity to pay tribute and say thank you for our freedom and liberties. I appreciate this article from the History Channel on the history of Memorial Day. The article traces the roots of Memorial Day and gives interesting facts and tidbits, along with photos from historical celebrations of the holiday. Reading it helps me reflect on those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.

That’s all I’ve got for you this week. I’ll leave you with this challenge for Memorial Day weekend: thank a veteran! Most of us will never know what they have been through and the visible and invisible scars they have to remind them. So, say thank you to all those who have served. This year let’s take it a step further and thank first responders and those who have served on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic. You have all put your life on the line for us, and for that, and many other reasons, we say thank you.

Moving Forward
This week, my LinkedIn Live guest will be Rod Kurtz. In addition to his work at UCLA as Entrepreneur-in-Residence and as editor-at-large for American Express, Rod has been a beacon of light for many small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, through his work as an expert resource for Intuit and other companies. Please join us for our Survival and Thrival Q&A Session this Wednesday, May 27 at 3:30 p.m. Central! We will discuss pivots and playing offense, while answering any questions you may have.

Our goal at HireBetter is to help you navigate the unknown and assist in any way we can, especially when it comes to questions about your team and the health of your business. We’re offering free sessions to help founders and CEOs leverage talent to play offense. And we will continue to host CEO Forums and keep you updated.

This has been a challenging time. It can feel like you’re sprinting a marathon. Let’s take a break this weekend and remember those who not only sprinted a marathon, but did it while dodging enemy fire, carrying a comrade on their back, and carrying the future of a nation on their shoulders.

Click here to sign up for Survive & Thrive Live Q&A Session #5 on LinkedIn!