Blog


← Back to BLOG

14
Dec
2020
The Four Things I Learned in College and How it Applies to 2020 and Covid

The Four Things I Learned in College and How it Applies to 2020 and Covid

College is billed as a great time of learning -- some of those lessons actually last a lifetime, and hopefully the lessons last at least longer than the loan payments!

Some say college is the best 5 (plus) of your life. For me, it was 4.5 years and filled with challenge and adversity including the death of my dad to a long, hard-fought battle with cancer. Yes, cancer sucks.

All these years later, a few things stick with me today.

First, through my involvement with Athletes in Action and some fatihful friends, I learned to put my own interests aside and put my faith in Jesus. It has been anything but an easy journey and one with many stumbles along the way, but I would not exchange it for the world.

Second, I met my wife and mother of my children, and well, that is priceless as well. Anyone who has met the two of us would also say that I must be pretty good at sales as I have a face for radio.

Third, the one, real lesson I learned from any class was that the primary objective of business is to "stay in business". While there may be larger ambitions we have with our business, we need to first "stay in business" in order to carry out any further ambitions. In my C12 circles, we call it, no margin, no ministry. As anyone who has run a business for any period of time can attest, it is fashionable at a dinner party, but otherwise, it's just plain work, mentally, physically and emotionally.

Probably more than any other year on my entreprenuerial journey, those lessons have been needed for 2020 (and likely 2021). From lock-downs, to elections, to PPP loan calculators and every day temperature checks with social distancing, 2020 is a year to both forget and to remember.

As the year comes in for a (bumpy) landing let's be thankful for the lessons learned, for the people who matter most in our lives and for hope in the future.

Oh, and for anyone hoping to add some yummy calories to our team with an appreciated holiday gift basket, please consider a donation to a local food bank instead.  One particular option that we are donating to this year is the United Way Foodstock program.

Frank

PS, the fourth thing I learned in college was that the LA Lakers were not going to draft me. Big disappointment, but all these years later, I am (mostly) over it.

Contact us at 973.448.0070

Testimonials

  • “Navitend’s expertise helped our firm over the past year to effectively elevate our I.T. game, powering our website into a highly interactive tool. Well done to Frank and his team!”  

    Chuck Steege, CFP®, CEP, President, SFG Wealth Planning Services, Inc.
  • "Our company is more efficient and has grown as a result of navitend’s work. navitend helped us get to the next level."

    Greg Niccolai / Madison Insurance
  • navitend’s approach to customer service is greatly appreciated here.  Ensuring that we are well protected from a technology standpoint provides us with peace of mind to continue our day to day operations and that they are looking out for our company's best interest. 

    Debbie
  • "Thanks so much!  You are a class act!  
    You and your team have really done an excellent job on this!"

    Steve Van Ooteghem, The C12 Group in Houston, Texas
  • "I look forward to working with you again in the future. Once again, thanks to your organization for your prompt response."

    Luke Wolters / Luke Wolters Tax Consultants
  • "We've dedicated our lives to growing our retail and ecommerce business and it's a relief to have found a company like navitend who treats our business likes it's their own. navitend's personal approach to project management and problem solving are top-notch."

    Stamatis, Co-owner Twisted Lily, Fragrance Boutique and Apothecary
  • "I appreciate that they didn’t just build the application. They made it better by bringing ideas to the table that not only made for a better user experience, but also kept the development costs down."

    Andy Lynch / North Star Marketing
  • "navitend has been a great IT partner for our company.  Their helpdesk response time is the best I have experienced in my 30 year career.  navitend has helped me to have great IT services without the need to have a full time, in house, technician at significant savings to our company."

    Bob Bradley, President, Bradley Graphics
  • "Thanks so much again for taking care of everything in such an expedient manner. It's a pleasure to work with navitend and its staff as always!"

    Lawrence Wolfin / Textol Systems, Inc.