1 hour, 35 minute listen
Portsmouth, NH
Chad and Kim are life partners and business partners who met in college. Unexpected events led them to invest over 20-years building Marco Rubber & Plastics, LLC into an industry disruptor.
Chad and Kim were introduced to Bigelow in 2016 and over the next several years, a strong relationship emerged as we worked with them to build the Enterprise Value of the business in advance of a planned capital gain transaction someday. Recently, they successfully completed a majority recapitalization with Align Capital Partners.
In this candid Sunday morning conversation, Chad and Kim speak very openly and generously sharing their experiences, including their views of working together, the unexploited industry opportunity, some company and individual strengths, and what their hopes and dreams are for the next chapter personally.
Listen to the interview here:
What I am Reading / Listening to
Contributed by R. Taylor Breed
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (1979)
By Edmund Morris
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt is the first book in Edmund Morris’ biographical trilogy on the late President. While I’m still in the first half of the tome, I am thoroughly enjoying the pace and depth of the insights into the young man that would go on to be such an influential figure in American history.
Given what I know of his character, I was surprised to read the following poem, written and delivered by class poet George Pellew during Roosevelt’s senior year at Harvard College in 1880.
“We deem it narrow-minded to excel.
We call the man fanatic who applies
His life to one grand purpose till he dies.
Enthusiasm sees one side, one fact,
We try to see all sides, but do not act.
We long to sit with newspapers unfurled,
Indifferent spectators of the world.”
Ode to Indifference by George Pellew
Clearly there is an element of satire and self-deprecation in the poem. However, there is also something to be said about the fact that such an elite, educated part of society would choose to be just “spectators of the world,” so dis-inclined to act. Later in his life, Roosevelt’s famous "Man in the Arena" speech emphatically goes against his classmates’ laissez-faire approach and inspires applause for those “daring greatly” rather than the “cold and timid souls” who follow the spectator path.
I can’t help but see that “daring greatly” characteristic in the clients and friends with which we are lucky to work. The first time I read Ode to Indifference I thought to myself: “not a Bigelow client!” Roosevelt might even say: How much more fun and inspiring life is when filled with those fanatics choosing to act and excel with enthusiasm.
It seems history has no intention of stopping its lesson plan, pandemic or not!
Entrepreneur Owner-Manager Quote
“I don't think there's an entrepreneur who cannot speak in volumes of challenges, and I think that's what makes us run."
-George Antonaidis, President & CEO, PlaneSense, Inc.
Energy Creation
Contributed by Christopher D. Fincke
How Research Informs Craft
In this time of disruption of our normal routines comes the opportunity to think critically about how and why we do certain things.
My exploration has been practical, providing excitement from learning new skills, approaches, and tools. When asking (or being asked) the question why, there is nothing worse than the response, “that is the way we have always done it” (I know I am sometimes susceptible to this)! Allocating time for research, developing new approaches, and deepening professional development has been an energy creating activity resulting in meaningfully improved outcomes.
Research can be defined as “the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions.” Frequently in our personal lives and careers, we fall into a routine set by past practice. That past practice can be a useful guide, efficiency tool to creative thinking and maximizing results. Can it also be a ceiling or limiting factor?
Allocating time to break the norm and explore is highly motivating for me. I have been energized by engaging in a project to evaluate some of the tools we are using at Bigelow, why we use them, and how to use them most effectively. This research has led me down various paths. Some were dead ends while others revealed exciting opportunities to rethink how we approach certain activities. I have overwhelmingly felt the power of being an active participant to drive change opposed to the reactive or resistant feeling of being changed.
Sometimes, an unexpected disruption can “rock us” out of mindlessly following the status quo. This project is a good reminder to seek the energy inherent in the investigative nature of research, and to apply the learnings to effect change.
