Matt became consumed with fleshing out the concept that he and Cory had begun to discuss. He was channeling the wisdom of the Third Shift Entrepreneurs: create multiple options, put it on paper, ask for what you want, add value, remove barriers to de-risk the yes, create value before you charge money, start small, think in terms of micro-movements…
The concept emerged for a networking group called “The Climbers,” which was for CFOs who were in their 30s and 40s who would get together once or twice a month to climb and network, and once a year to go on a more adventurous camping trip into a national park for a week in which they would bring a bigger-name finance professional to join them, such as a CFO for a Fortune 100 company who also had an interest in being physically active and camping.
He and Cory emailed back and forth ideas. Cory seemed to have equal enthusiasm for this concept as it was coming together. Maybe it was his boredom at work, or maybe it was his ambition to do something bigger or change up his career, which is something he acknowledged at their first meeting at the climbing gym. For whatever reason, something had sparked in him and the two of them were suddenly partners in this journey of creating something, brainstorming ideas and potential solutions for themselves and for other finance professionals.
Matt, as it turns out, had reached out to a few other CFOs, including the one from Adventures Accessed, which he found during his customer research, and had received an enthusiastic response from him. Matt found that as his roster grew from two names to four names and then to six names, the asks became easier, and the yeses came faster. People were interested in being a part of this group, however it was shaping up.
Matt and Cory had created a logo and a private LinkedIn group for The Climbers and were using PowerPoint to get to increasingly specific detail by sharing it with new members, getting their questions and suggestions, and then filling in gaps where they existed. Matt and Cory found that by including other new members in some of these strategic questions about the direction the group should head, far from it making them seem disorganized or underdeveloped, it actually solidified their participation and ownership over the whole idea. Allowing others to feel some sense of co-authorship was part of how this group came together in the first place.
Amidst this flurry of activity with Cory, life seemed to come into focus in other ways as well. Even though the group had not fully launched yet and it wasn't anything close to being a business yet, something had shifted in Matt. He no longer felt this lingering discontent and uneasiness that life was somehow passing him by. He knew he was taking action, and in that feeling, Sabina saw, too, that his self-esteem and self-efficacy were restored. Ironically, even at his day job at the firm, new opportunities seemed to be emerging. Saul noticed a newfound enthusiasm that Matt seemed to carry with him now and commented on it.
Matt had decided that he was overdue to fully recognize Sabina, who had been a faithful supporter of this process over the following week or so. He planned a full four-course meal to be served over a candlelight scene that night. Matt had left work a little early, and fortunately did not have any Third Shift appointments for the moment, and so could take the time to go shop and prepare. Matt planned the dinner for Thursday, the one night of the week that she worked later and wasn't home until 7:00 p.m.
When she walked in the door, threw her coat down, and was about to just go through the mail, she did a double take for the scene unfolding around her: candlelight, the scent of dinner being prepared, music playing. Matt brought her a glass of wine, gave her a soft kiss and a long hug, and whispered to her, “Welcome home.”
Sabina, not one for surprises, wasn't sure if this was meant to be sincere or a setup for something. “What has gotten into you? This looks nice…”
“Well, I wanted to do something special for you. You've been tolerating me since I started this journey two and a half weeks ago, spinning out of my mind, taking meetings at all hours, bringing you to meet strangers for dinner, hardly available…”
Sabina turned to him and pulled back to look him in the eyes. “Actually, Matt, this version of you I've seen the last few weeks reminds me of the man I married. I'd rather have you be happy and enthusiastic about doing something in the world even if it means a little less time together.”
He hugged her for a long time. This was what it was like to be supported and to grow together. This journey he was now on, whatever the destination, was already making him a different and better person.
Over dinner he shared more about The Climbers, the growing interest, other ideas that might ensue once that group is successful, and other things he had learned from the homework assignments. Matt also began to ask more pointed questions about Sabina's career, her clients, what makes her distinctive, what she loves about her work, and other things that gave him a fresh appreciation for her talents as a professional – something he has always been proud of her for but perhaps not fully appreciated.
There was another topic that Matt was ready to discuss as well. As they moved into the third course, he looked at Sabina, “There's something else that seems to be coming into focus for me as well. It just seems to be a season of possibilities.”
“Oh, really? What's that?” Sabina asked. She was enjoying this whimsical side of her husband and, even if unsure how long it was going to last, was committed to enjoying it for the moment.
“About that baby…,” he said, smiling, as he held her hand.