Scale vs. Connection

What's up friend,

I'm a little brain dead but it has been way too damn long since I wrote one of these so here I am. There has been a lot going on.

Just finished my last semester of school in Boston for good, currently in Hawai`i and preparing for my next and final semester of school in Kyoto, Japan.

I know close to zero Japanese. Let's go.

When I'm back in Hawai`i, I feel connected. Not just to myself and the environment I'm in, but to others. I see my clients for my digital marketing work and go visit lil' ol' ladies to help them with their technology (for some reason it's always ladies??).

Regardless, it feels really great to be appreciated, in person, for the work that I do, and it has gotten me thinking about entrepreneurship and what kind of business I want.

I had an (unsuccessful) ecommerce business going for a while, and the only people I'd interact with were customer support reps. Even if that business had been successful, I don't know how fulfilling it'd actually be.

When I started, instead, cold-calling businesses here in Hawai`i to sell digital marketing services and working with people in person, it was so much more fulfilling.

I get to see the real impact of my expertise and effort. I get to look in the other person's eyes and see them light up when they realize what I helped them with.

That's got to be worth some $$$$.

Are we after scale, or connection?

Sure, I could scale an ecommerce biz to millions per year, travel the world lavishly and ball out. But would I be happy?

Or would I be happier making 10% but interacting with people who care about and appreciate me on a daily basis?

I think I know my answer.

I don't know what this feeling looks like for me in the future, but I do know that I'm placing a lot more value on personal connection in business than just money these days.

That's something that growing up in Hawai`i taught me: Community/family (ohana) is the most important thing.

Success can be isolating. Doesn't mean we shouldn't be successful, but the billionaire lifestyle might not be what we're after (I just watched this video on How the World's Wealthiest People Travel and tbh it seems exhausting).

Maybe having a business that gives me enough freedom while still connecting me with others is the real success.

Whatcha think?

Lemme know.

Maybe it won't be another month before I write one of these. Maybe it will. No promises. So much for Mr. Discipline.

Much love, Ryan

P.S. I've posted some stuff semi-recently on Finding Purpose as a Man, 3 Actions to Take Upon Waking, and.....not really anything else. :( Someone's gotta get their shit together!