Our Why: Start With The Vision

Mary, Trisha, and I are very, very different people. We think differently, and approach issues differently. Despite our differences, however, we have always had a very natural time working together. We've always been able to reach consensus - even in discussions that start as heated debates. We always end up on the same page - because we are aligned on what matters most.

Running a company with someone will test the limits of your relationship with them. Starting a business comes with constant uncertainty. Relentless adversity. Unpredictable income. No matter how much time you spend trying to plan proactively, you're going to get hit with challenges you never could have foreseen. Not only that - true leadership demands vulnerability. It requires knowing who you are, and being willing to show up every day to represent the views and values of that person. Diversity of thought is an excellent catalyst for innovation - but it is most effective when the group is marching towards a shared vision that they all believe in. It requires a common purpose.

Finding a common purpose amongst three very different business partners isn't that easy. But we got there. After asking, "But, why?" 1,000 times - we found the common denominator. We all just want to help people. We also came to the conclusion that we all genuinely believe that most other people just want to help people too. That the decision to be a good person is a daily one. That happiness is a choice that we were going to try to remember to choose.

BGP's vision is to, "Improve the lives of those around us, together". We like it, because it is something we can accomplish along the way. If life is about the journey - we should be able to live out our vision every single day. It is something we aspire to both long term and moment-to-moment. It's something we can strive for with employees, clients, and each other. We can work towards our vision in every single meeting we join. In every interaction we have. As time goes on - BGP will get involved in different industries, business models, and investments. But the core of what we do will always be improving the lives of those around us, together.

Your vision has to inspire you to persevere through the inevitable adversity. It has to inspire your employees through their inevitable adversity. It has to be worth fighting for in the absolute hardest of times. It has to resonate with you on a fundamental level - and align with your personal sense of purpose. And if you are lucky enough to find colleagues who believe in investing their time and energy into the same vision / purpose - give unconditionally to them. Be intentional about the people you keep close to you. Align yourself with people who have similar visions, and care about you enough to challenge you to be your best self. Align yourself with people who are working to learn and grow every single day. Align yourself with people who care about you, who are always there for you when you need them. And then give unconditionally.