The 40-Year-Old Virgin.
In one week I will be 40. Wow. And a lot has changed in the last year alone. A lot. The latest change for me is that I’ve decided to start my own business. That’s right, I’m becoming an entrepreneur. After 11+ years of working at a great company it was time to move on. Because as great as it was, I had lost faith in its future and more importantly the leadership’s ability to adapt and grow. Perhaps I’m wrong about that. Sadly, I don’t think I am. And well, I’m someone who likes to control his own destiny and not go down with a sinking ship. Even if that ship is sinking really, really slowly, it’s still sinking.
Still, I suppose the real reason I left is that I wanted to test myself. To not take the safe choice. Sure, it would have been easy for me to sit there and collect a nice paycheck for the next 10 years. But, I would not have been happy. And quite frankly, that’s not fair to the company that was paying me.
Plus, I had an idea. A passion. And I wanted to pursue that. So I am. My new company will be called Gesto. It will help small, independent restaurants in New York and Philadelphia craft strong, personal, marketing and branding materials. I want to work with young passionate restauranteurs. People who really care about their product. I also want to get in on the ground floor with them. Help them grow. That’s the part I enjoy. That’s the part that gets me jacked up. To be able to develop a complete package for folks who never thought they could get such professional and top-notch work. That’s a hell of a feeling to make that kind of difference in someone’s business. Now, granted I’m not getting rich doing it. Not yet. Right now I have just five test clients. And in January Gesto will hit the ground running. I’m thinking of Gesto as a more long-term investment. I believe in the companies I’m partnering with and I’m confident my time, effort, and commitment to them will pay off in the end. I wouldn’t be doing it otherwise. One way you can think of it is that I’m a VC or Angel Investor and these young folks are my portfolio companies. And instead of giving them capital, I’m giving them solid advice, marketing plans, designs, and well, my experience. I think that’s worth a hell of a lot. They do, too.
I love my days now, where as before I used to dread going in to the office and sitting at that cubicle. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy now. And it’s certainly not the safe choice, but fuck safe. I want to live. I want to reach out and beyond what I’m capable of. I didn’t have that chance where I was any more. Now it’s all up to me. I like my chances.
Who knows? Maybe I’m crazy and this will all blow up in my face. Maybe starting at forty is too late. But, then again I sit back and picture someone like David Noël with all his energy and passion reading this as saying, “Fuck yeah! Go for it” and well that makes me smile because I know deep in my heart I’m doing the right thing. And when you are doing what you love you can’t help but succeed.
Fuck Yeah, Kirk! That is so cool. I’m happy for you and Imma let you finish because you’ll have the best time of your life.
Next time I’m in NYC, I’d like you to make me visit all these young restauranteurs and show me what they’ve achieved with your help.
So psyched!
