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Growing in the Same Direction

Last month, Jorjanne and I went to the Catalyst Conference. Attending this event with our closest friends has become an annual tradition. If you aren’t familiar with the Catalyst Conference, check out their content and the people who speak. They are extremely genuine, wise, and inspiring.
Getting away a couple of times per year is a strategic part of our marriage. And, getting away together is a strategic focus of my closest friendships. I’ve learned that getting away together with Jorjanne and my closest friends regularly for a conference or special event provides at least 5 benefits:
  1. Taking a regular trip provides cherished memories that last a lifetime.
  2. These trips also allow us to grow in the same direction through the content we each experience at a conference. This common growth also provides new conversations and vocabulary that we use to continually benefit each other within our group.
  3. We can later share this information with our other friends, family, and team members to help them also grow in this same direction.
  4. By leaving home for the getaway, we are able view our everyday lives with a new perspective that we wouldn’t have recognized by staying home.
  5. Our friends, spouse, and other family can help us solve problems we may not have been able to solve while in the forest of daily life at home.
So, the next time you are invited to a conference GO! Or, if you’ve passed up the opportunity to attend a conference, take the lead next time and invite a few close friends to join you.
Your future healthier family will be glad you did.
Question…What conference has had the greatest impact on your personal, relational, or professional growth?
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Freedom to Fail

This morning I actually got up early to work out…okay, my dog was barking (I think he’s scared of the dark) and woke me up 10 minutes before my alarm, so I got up. In any case, I just read the most refreshing and reassuring passage of scripture.

“…but I will not take my love from him, nor will I ever betray my faithfulness.” Psalm 89:33

This passage of scripture was included in a short devotion by Bob Goff. If you don’t know Bob, read his book, Love Does. Bob must be one of the most joyful, passionate, and whimsical people on the planet. In his devotion, he talks about how God loves us even through our failures. Fortunately, God doesn’t want us to keep score of our screw ups versus successes. He calls us to think differently. Bob closes the devotion with a powerful thought… “I’ve realized that I used to be afraid of failing at the things that really mattered to me, but now I’m more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

As you think about your various projects, responsibilities, and relationships, are you striving to succeed at things that don’t really matter?

If I want a healthy family, I must strive to succeed at things that matter. Engaging conversations with Jorjanne and the boys matter. Staying current on my Facebook feed…not so much. Consistently encouraging my boys matters. Eating dinner at home matters. Staying busy at work or another meeting late into another evening…not so much. Get the idea?

If you’d like to read the entire devotion, check it out here.

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Dinner Time

Next Tuesday MPC hosts Life Lessons Over Lunch. We host lunch on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month and invite the entire farm family. Usually, anywhere from 10-30 people eat together, and we watch a video message by North Point Community Church. The messages are very helpful. In fact, we just completed my favorite North Point Series of all time, Destinations: Direction, not intentions determines destination. But, just as helpful as the messages, is the opportunity for me to pour the drinks and our entire farm family eat together. We don’t all work in the same physical locations, so everyone doesn’t always spend time together throughout the work week. While it is only an hour, Life Lessons Over Lunch allows us to grow  together as a group of people who all have hopes and dreams and fears; and what better place to grow than around a table together with food!
Eating together as a family is very important. Many times during the year, Jorjanne, the boys, and I end up eating at a ballgame or between practices. But, I cherish the evenings when we eat at home. The boys finish their homework, we play a little, and then we eat dinner together,  with no agenda other than enjoying each others’ company.
Every family needs to eat together. If possible, eat at home. And, eat together regularly. Dinner provides such a wonderful opportunity to serve each other, listen to each other distraction free, and grow together.
Bottom line…dinner as a family makes for a healthy family.
Question: What is your favorite dinner?
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Value Adding

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about my company and our purpose. I have a mission statement. But, frankly, I’m not crazy about it. I don’t consider myself a wordsmith. In fact, I’ve never written anything and thought, “That’s it! Chris, you nailed it!” Jorjanne writes things regularly that amaze me. But, I don’t consider myself that person. If it wouldn’t defeat the purpose of this being my blog, I wish she could write my blog posts…I would definitely write more often, and you would enjoy reading more. Anyway…

My company is in the business of adding value to the crops we grow and are grown around us. We make all kinds of juices and powders from the muscadines that are grown on our vineyard that add value to our customers’ lives. I love this idea of adding value.
I define adding value as “the act of improving or adding worth.”
This definition extends beyond just the products we make. In fact, my leadership style is born from this definition. One of my goals as the leader of my company is that each person considers himself or herself better for having worked with me.
As Jorjanne’s husband and my boys’ dad, I also aim to add value to their lives.
So, as you interact with your family and friends this week, ask yourself, “How can I add value to his or her life?”
I think everyone will enjoy the resulting product.
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How to Know What the Next Move Should Be

I just realized that my last blog post was almost 8 months ago! Oh my goodness…where has the time gone?!?! Since I last posted anything here, life has been a blur. For starters, I was elected as Irwin County’s newest County Commissioner. My business has continued to grow, and we recently brought on four new team members. As time continues to fly by faster, my business becomes more complex, and I am asked to make decisions that impact many people, I made a serious investment late last year in my leadership. I hired a coach.

What kind of coach, you ask, did I hire? I hired an executive coach. This person has so many experiences from the business teams she’s led. And, today she works with a large leadership and small business consulting company. Needless to say, she is highly qualified. I’ve worked with tennis coaches before, but I’ve never worked with such a personal type of coach. Much like a tennis coach, my executive coach starts with the fundamentals of my game. The only difference being that my executive coach’s first assignment was reading about and then writing my values and vision instead of hitting ground strokes. My executive coach’s goal is to help me lead my business towards the vision and preferred future she has helped me craft. In the midst of uncertain times, she has helped me chart a course and clearly communicate it with my team. But, the beautiful part of working with my coach is that she has helped me gain perspective and ideas for bringing clarity to my situations.

In his book, Boundaries for Leaders: Results, Relationships, and Being Ridiculously in Charge, Dr. Henry Cloud makes the argument that leaders, much like any other closed system in the universe, are doomed for disorder without an external input of energy. In fact, leaders need energy and guidance in order to maintain order within themselves. Energy keeps us going, and guidance points us in the right direction. You can find this energy and direction from trusted friends, mentors, and books. I have a couple of close friends who help me navigate personal and business decisions. And, my executive coach is now also providing energy and guidance as I navigate complex business decisions.

My coach is a serious investment. But, the energy and guidance I gain in leading my team far outweigh the costs. If you’ve ever wondered what the next move should be, I highly recommend you work with a coach. You’ll be glad you did.

And, here is a great resource and another super helpful resource.

Question: What is the best quality of your favorite sports coach?

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Get To Know Your Neighbors

Now that our muscadine harvest is over, I am busy campaigning in my race for Irwin County’s 4th District Commission Seat. This past weekend, I walked around in Ocilla making introductions and visiting with voters. Earlier in the week, I also drove around one community visiting with constituents. I will be honest, I originally wasn’t looking forward to this part of campaigning. I am not a politician, and I find myself becoming an introvert as I get older. But, I have really enjoyed meeting my neighbors for several reasons:

  1. Many people have amazing stories to share, and my neighbors are truly the salt of the earth. They are what make #ABetterIrwinCounty.
  2. Some of my neighbors have made incredible sacrifices for their family and friends. I met one lady Saturday who raised her 5 nephews after her sister (their mother) suddenly died. She is in her eighties and still occasionally works, too!
  3. Lastly, people take great pride in what they create, raise, and earn. One lady had the most beautiful pepper garden growing right along the walkway to her front door. Another couple raised two children who have started successful businesses and farming operations in Irwin County. As people of #ABetterIrwinCounty, we have many accomplishments to be proud of. I am grateful for this opportunity to see and hear what brings people pride and joy.

As I visit around the eastern side of Irwin County over the next month, I look forward to meeting many more of my neighbors. If you live in Irwin County, I encourage you to get to know your neighbors, too. They have great stories to tell.

They, like I, also believe in #ABetterIrwinCounty.

So, what is something amazing your neighbor has done? Go find out & share it here.

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What is #ABetterIrwinCounty

Over the past few weeks and months, I have been posting and sharing pictures and thoughts online with the hashtag #ABetterIrwinCounty. For an explanation of hashtags, click here. For an explanation of #ABetterIrwinCounty, keep reading.

I believe in Irwin County. I was born and raised here. I was educated here. I was also taught to dream here. I believe in our natural resources. I believe in our fields, orchards, and vineyards. I believe in the people of Irwin County. I also believe in what Irwin County could and should be.

A better Irwin County is built on the realization that we are all here for only a short time and should leave things in better shape than when we found them. A better Irwin County is home to healthy farms, healthy industries, and healthy small businesses. A better Irwin County also makes it safe and a pleasure traveling to these places. Lastly, if you live here, a better Irwin County includes you having great relationships with your family, friends, and coworkers.

This belief in a better Irwin County prompted me to run for the 4th District’s County Commissioner’s seat. When I see examples of what makes Irwin County a great place to live and lead my business, I am sharing them online. I’d love to see what you believe makes #ABetterIrwinCounty, too. Please use the hashtag #ABetterIrwinCounty when you share your pictures and thoughts. Also, follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to see what I believe makes #ABetterIrwinCounty.

One question: What do you believe makes #ABetterIrwinCounty?

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Managing by the Numbers

I recently discovered a new way to help lead my company. I wish I had discovered this technique 10 years ago when we started my company, but I thought everything was just intuitive back then. In fact, I probably would have dismissed it as too simple since it involves only basic math I learned in middle school. But, this new technique is helping me see and solve very complex opportunities. It is simply, Managing by the Numbers.

I dismissed accounting (sorry Mr. Pat!) for a long time because I didn’t understand it. How can something based on basic math provide powerful insights? Money comes in, money goes out. What I failed to realize, though, is that while I am on the ground floor spending and receiving money, there is a forest’s worth of activity going on around me. And, I can’t see any trends by spending my time in the forest. By understanding how to use Balance Sheets, Profit and Loss Statements, and Cash Flow Statements, I can zoom out and see the entire forest for the trees in my company. I can use this basic math to understand my company’s trends and opportunities.

In his book, Managing By The Numbers: Understanding and Using Your Company’s Financials, Chuck Kremer, Ron Rizzuto, John Case tell the story of a fictitious office supply company and demonstrate the power of these three statements. The owners purchase the company from previous owners, operate through a couple of years and then start reading their financials. As they learn to use these reports, they recognize trends. They also recognize their greatest opportunities and their greatest weaknesses.

Now that I have a better appreciation for accounting, I am putting this knowledge to work as I lead my company. I have already spotted a few of our largest opportunities and risks. I have also started recognizing how to better motivate my team. I can’t help but wonder what the small business community would look like if each owner had a better understanding of his or her financials. What would our local governments look like if they knew how to use their financial statements? Heck, what would our state and federal governments look like if they also used them? I can’t help but imagine that we would all understand what is profitable and what needs improvement; we would all have money in the bank; we would really plan for the future. Managing By the Numbers is a great way to learn and start using our own financial information. If you own a small business or farm, or if you lead any organization that spends money, pick up a copy of this book now. You, your employees, owners, and constituents will be glad you did. I know I am.

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Lessons from Walt Disney

My family and I went on a five day vacation to Disney World last week. We had a blast on a truly magical trip! We went to every park and rode every single ride that the boys were old enough to ride, and we were thoroughly exhausted when we got back. My favorite attraction of the trip is called Walt Disney: One Man’s Dream. This multimedia gallery exhibit showcases artifacts from Walt Disney’s life like his 2nd grade desk, various cartoon sketches, and early Disney toys and memorabilia. The attraction ends with a 15-minute video of Walt Disney recounting his lifelong story. Today, the Walt Disney Company is a fascinating company, and I (along with others in my family) am truly inspired by the movies they produce and the experiences they provide within their theme parks.

While walking through the attraction, I learned several lessons from Walt Disney’s life:
1. Disney combined curiosity and courage to fuel his career. I especially love this quote: “When you’re curious, you find lots of interesting things to do. And one thing it takes to accomplish something is courage.”
2. Disney aimed to accomplish one goal – “entertain people, in bringing pleasure, particularly through laughter.” When people truly enjoy the experience you offer, they will become fans, become customers for life, and bring their friends.
3. Disney viewed his full-length animated movies as nothing really unique, even though Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first movie of its kind. He viewed them as a unique business opportunity to combine movies and cartoons to entertain people. Other people made movies. Other people made cartoons. But, no one had ever put the two together. And, he applied the same thought process to his attractions. After visiting a carnival with his daughter, he saw the opportuntiy to launch an amusement park like none other – one that adults enjoyed visiting with their children.

I am grateful for the opportunity to spend 5 magical days with my family. I am also grateful for Walt Disney’s influence on our culture and my life. His curiosity, attention to detail, sense of humor, and ability to combine profitable business opportunities offer many lessons. Maybe these 3 lessons will inspire you keep moving forward (which is a line from my favorite Disney movie, Meet the Robinsons)!

Question: What is your favorite Disney movie? Leave a comment below.

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Gratitude on Memorial Day

On this Memorial Day, I am grateful. Jorjanne and I celebrate 13 years of marriage today. She is the most amazing woman… more beautiful, smarter, loving, and fun than I ever deserved to marry. Most every guy I’ve ever met marries up. I am definitely no exception!

I am also very grateful for the influence of four verterans. These men have made great impacts in my life and I am eternally grateful.

My grandfather, Jacob W. Paulk, Sr., served in the Air Force during the Korean War. The picture above depicts his character. I’ve had the privelege of growing up with him and now working with him for 11 years. He loves his family and is willing to make sacrifices to help make this a better world.

My father-in-law, William D. Zorn, Sr., served in the Navy. He has taught me to be proud of my heritage and learn from those who helped make my hometown the unique place it is today.

My best friend, Matt. He serves in the Navy and has taught me how to lead. No matter the type of organization, the same principles apply. And, he has taught me to relentlessly pursue excellence.

My mom’s first cousin, Joe Dexter Flynn, served during Vietnam. He recently battled the same type of brain tumor that my maternal grandmother battled 19 years ago, and his funeral is today. Some of my fondest childhood memories are of visiting his family in Alabama and playing with our cousins, Brock and Ashley. He, like my grandmother, has received his eternal reward in Heaven, and my prayers are with his family during this time.

I have many other friends and family who have served in the military. I am grateful for your service to our country and your influences in my life. You are to be honored.

Question: Who would you like to thank? Please leave a comment below.