Finding the Unexpected Connections

Recently, I had the chance to sit down and chat with Jesse Itzler. For those of you who don’t know him, Jesse is an entrepreneur, author, and rapper. That’s right, a rapper.

On paper, I didn’t think we’d have much in common. I’ve made a career in the collision repair industry, while he’s worked across many different fields. He co-founded Marquis Jet, one of the largest private jet card companies in the world. He’s also an owner of the Atlanta Hawks, the founder of The 100 Mile Group, and a partner in Zico Coconut Water.

But the beauty of the world we live in is that you can always find a connection with someone, and that connection can lead to a great relationship.

For Jesse and me, we bonded over being entrepreneurs. One thing Jesse told me that really stuck was this: entrepreneurs are doing one of two things. You are either building something great or you are making something better. Turns out, Jesse and I do both. We’ve built really great things, and we’re always striving to make them better.

As our conversation went on, we realized we share the same mindset on several things, like our mutual belief that distractions ruin momentum and that you need to capitalize on it when you have it. We also agree that one of the most powerful, game-changing things a leader can do is genuinely care about their people. That moment of connection wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t taken the time to make that unexpected effort.

I’m looking forward to all the other connections I’ll make, and I urge you to start making them too, because you never know what might grow from it.

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