So, I navigated back to the blog, pleased to see the redirected domain name still working, and found what I was looking for: “Commonplace.” That’s the name Jefferson gave to his collection of wise quotes.

Then I wondered if anyone still came across these old articles. I logged in to check.

This blog has had 55,000 views so far this year, with over 9,000 visitors. Maybe it’s time to dust off the keyboard and start writing again. What do you think?

The writing world now is so very different then when I was a regular blogger a decade ago. Today artificial intelligence domaints the discussions around writing and creativity. Perhaps a little old fashioned, and potentially typo filled, prose is what the world needs now?

Prior to the publishing of that last article, I had been working with a team of talented individuals in my company on a new idea. An idea so revolutionary, that it could change consumer banking as we know it. An idea that would reset the balance between credit unions and community based financial institutions and their larger, profit driven, national cousins.

You see we developed a new way of delivering Online and Mobile Banking so that instead of being dependent on any one vendor, the institution could determine what services the solution delivered. A radical concept that would replace the legacy provider’s endless roadmap with a unique digital strategy for the institution itself. And five years ago, we made the decision to bring it to market.

With the support of that team, we started a new company, Constellation Digital Partners. I stepped out and did something I had never done before and that was raise start-up capital. We had an idea, we had a business model, but we needed money to make it a reality. We ended up raising more capital than had ever been raised in credit unions before and it was because the idea we had resonated with everyone, but I believe it was also heavily influenced by our approach …

We really did, and still do, feel like we are fighting for the future of community based banking.

What followed as was a whirlwind of travel, presentations, pitches, victories, defeats, and work. So much work. First we had to build a team that could deliver on our vision, which is an Open Development platform that replaces online and mobile banking as we know it.

What makes our service different from any other online or mobile banking service isn’t just the technology, it’s the business model. That’s what makes us truly a platform company. We don’t resist integration or put roadblocks between a credit unions and their goals, we built a system AND a business model that allows them to use as much or as little of our services as their strategy calls for, while still providing them with the most complete Fintech integration marketplace in the business.

We even went to the legacy providers in our business to encourage them to adopt our new model and create content that could be shared across our platform and you know what they said to us ….

“You expect us to walk away from $400M a year in professional services fees we collect to do the integration, you are going to give away?”

“Your business model is too much of a threat to our business!”

“How much business should I tell Wall Street you are going to take away from us.”

They just didn’t get it. And most of them still don’t. But do you know who did understand it? The Fintech community did. It turns out we were specifically addressing the issues that had prevented them from being able to access and sell their services to community institutions for the last decade. Today, more than 140 financial technology companies are actively working in our multi-million dollar development portal creating innovative new services for our clients. In fact, we even have a conference each year to celebrate and encourage their use of the expanding platform.

Our first customers will go live to 400,000 users in the next four months. Additional institutions will follow shortly thereafter. The journey has been amazing, in fact it’s been an MBA, the hard way. Certainly not everything has gone perfectly, there have been plenty of lessons we’ve learned along the way. Some that I promise to share in future posts here.

I would be a horrible CEO if I didn’t close with recognizing the incredible work of our team at Constellation. We have built an incredibly inspiring team. A team that can solve any challenge you place before them including navigating the awful difficulties of living and working through the COVID pandemic. Here is what I like to call the “family portrait” from Dec 2019.

I am humbled that I get to work for these folks every day and watch them realize our vision to change banking. We will take a new “family portrait” once we can all get back together again, which can’t come fast enough.

Welcome Back to ManagementBytes … don’t be a stranger.

This weekend I again had a chance to accompany my sons to Patriot’s Point Naval and Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC.  The centerpiece of the museum is the USS Yorktown “The Fighting Lady” CV-10, an Essex Class Aircraft Carrier which I knew was built near the beginning of World War II and with her brave crew beat back the Japanese in the Pacific Theater.  As scouts we spend the entire weekend at the museum where we get to actually sleep in the berths of the Yorktown each night, just like sailors did 70+ years ago.  There are times in the evening when the ship is only open to scouts who are staying the night .  It was during one of the evening strolls that I found this:

The crew that built the Yorktown completed the task in just 16 1/2 months.  That is unbelievable, but it got me thinking  … Exactly what can I and my team get done in 16 1/2 months?  It’s time to set some stretch goals.

Imagine just how much Capt.  Joseph Clark could get done in the long-term … I call that inspirational!

To that end I wanted to share this awesome video of a commencement address to the University of Texas in 2014 by the Admiral in charge of the Navy Seals.

Enjoy …  now I’ve got to go make my bed!

10 Lessons to Change the World

Here’s hoping this is the last snow covered morning we see until 2015 … Come on Spring!

My oldest son Aiden has been in scouting since he was in second grade.  He started in Cub Scouts and continued up through Webelos and ultimately earned his Arrow of Light (the highest award in Cub Scouting).  Today he is completing his 1st year as a Boy Scout and last month was elected as the leader for his patrol by the boys (most of which are older) of his patrol.

Aiden’s first task was to organize a bowling night for the boys in the patrol, which he is doing a good job of with my Dad’s help.  On an email Aiden just sent to his patrol about the event, I noticed an unusual note he placed at the bottom … here is what it said …

Narwhal Patrol Leader,
Aiden Kovacs

P.S If I’m doing anything wrong let me know. Thank You!

How many of us who call ourselves leaders would benefit from the same openness?  “If I’m doing anything wrong let me know.  Thank You”  Instead, we may find ourselves believing that we were selected to be leaders because we know the right way to do things … but something as simple and innocent as an email from your son can remind you … boy do I have a lot to learn.

Life Lesson #4:  You Can Learn Something From Everyone

OK get your laughs out now ….

Can we continue?  Thanks … I thought it would be an adventure and boy was it.

The package we had included a lesson so we eagerly got our gear and reported to class.  Our “new” snowboarding group included Aiden, two other Scouts and two teenage boys and myself.  We had a wonderful instructor Mark, who demonstrated great patience with the boys and me.

I must have fallen 800 times during that lesson, but each an every time (with Aiden watching me) I got up and tried again.  And eventually, I was consistent enough to go down Green (easy) hills.

I loved the feeling of negotiating my way down the mountain (ok hill), and despite being incredibly tired and sore the next day, I suited up and went out to do it again.

It’s pretty simple to see there are two “Life Lessons” that were clearly illustrated …

Life Lesson #2:  You should never, ever give up.  No matter how many times you fall you get up dust yourself off and try it again.  Tenacity pays-off.  Sure tenacity hurts sometime, but if it was worth starting it is worth finishing.

And

Life Lesson #3:  Don’t let yourself believe that it’s too late, or you’re too old to learn something new.  It’s not and you are not.

I had a blast learning something new with my son despite the fact that later on the second day I fell and probably cracked a rib.  But even then, I forced myself up one more time and tried again.  Once it heals, I will definitely be back to try it again.  But this time I’ll focus more on following instructor Mark’s “How to Fall” instructions.

I’ll take some and expand on the ideas as time allows, some will be things I learn as I attempt to close out my 101 Things to Complete in 1000 days leading up to my 40th birthday this year.

2014 is going to be an incredibly busy year but my resolution is to keep my eye on the long term stuff and not let the minutiae of the day to day bog down what we’re trying to do.

So here is Life Lesson #1: Bad bacon is better than no bacon.

There are things in our lives that by their very existence are good and Bacon is one of them. You never look at bacon and say that Bacon is Not Good Enough so I’m gonna wait for a better version of it, no you eat the imperfect bacon AND the perfect bacon if it does show up.  There are other of things in our lives that are even more important and they too may not be perfect but like bacon we should’t wait for the ideal version of them to dig in and enjoy. As a busy working parent I often find that I don’t have as much quality time as I would like with the kids but we keep trying to do our best, take what we can get and enjoy it instead of stressing that it isn’t enough. Time spent worrying or complaining about something doesn’t ever make it better it just takes away from what we could be doing.

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people will not feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

This quote is from Marianne Williamson’s  A Return to Love.  This has frequently been misidentified as being from Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural Address.  While Mandela may not have been the first to say it … it most certainly can apply to him.

All to often today sharing is defined by my last update on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram, not as being present.

Last week I read a blog by Randi Zuckerberg the former CMO of Facebook titled Stop Sharing on Thanksgiving .  Her suggestion of unplugging on Thanksgiving is very appealing and the more I thought about it the more it made sense.

I don’t want to be a father that speaks to his son through Instagram … although I have done it before when I busted him for having his iPod when he was grounded but that is a different story.  (You’re grounded why would you post updates on Instragram where I’m following you?)

This is Thanksgiving and spending time together is important … in fact spending time with those we love if probably the most important thing we do.  It shows we are thankful for the opportunity to do so.  If my time and attention is taken away by thumbing through several hundred “Happy Thanksgiving” messages from friends what am I saying to my family … It says that someone who I’m linked to on Facebook just because we happened to go the same high school 20 years ago is more deserving of my time and attention than you are.  That is something I’m not willing to say.

So I’m unplugging for Thanksgiving.  No Facebook updates, no Twitter Posts, and perhaps the most difficult … no Fantasy Football Score Updates.  I will have my phone but will be careful to only used it for pictures … pictures of the time spend being with my family.

Happy Thanksgiving to You, I hope you’ll consider sharing your time with your loved ones too.