Between the time I’m writing this and when you’ll see it, I will have turned 40. It’s such a milestone birthday in our culture, but to be honest, I’m not always great at acknowledging or celebrating these things. However, milestones in general have been on my mind the last couple of months as our team has celebrated a lot of big ones: marriage, home purchase, European vacation, ran a marathon, college graduation and other big first-time purchases. I get really bogged down in the day-to-day, and all these joyful things have helped me refocus on why we do any of this.
So, as you begin to settle into the off-season pace and start your plans for 2024, I hope you’ll take some time to look at the big picture. What milestones from 2023 should you celebrate? There are probably more than you realize, both professionally and personally. What milestones do you want to reach in 2024? It’s important to have goals for your business and career, but it means a lot to plan for and celebrate the personal ones as well. We talk about leadership and what a good leader should look like. I would add that a good leader sees the value in the life their business helps provide their employees and celebrates their personal achievements and milestones. It’s what really matters, and it’s a lesson I learn every day.
Our annual “state of the industry” feature on page 42 also helps us as an industry reflect and prepare for a new year. Whether you’re getting ready to make your early buys (page 18) or looking for ways to keep cash flowing in the winter (page 22), a wider look at the pool industry helps to put those plans in context.
Best,
Megan Kendrick, publisher
megan@kendrickcontent.com
Join me on Instagram September 6 at 8 p.m. to see who has been nominated for the special 30 Under 40 Pool Nation award!
