This summer, I became a tourist again.
Hop-on, hop-offs. Museum bingo maps. Ice cream every day. The world through the eyes of a 6-year-old.
After years of traveling for work and a career in hospitality, I had stopped being a real tourist. Estee brought me back. It was also a chance to reconnect with friends and family we hadn’t seen in far too long.
With Rosh Hashanah approaching, I’ve been thinking about rediscovery, renewal and starting again.
Three years ago, I was part of building a business from scratch. Just as things were becoming familiar and stable, I decided to start over.
Maybe I just miss the baby stage.
I named the new firm Haskil, from the Hebrew for wisdom, insight and prudence. Whether starting over was actually haskil of me, time will tell.
This time, I started with greater clarity around one question: why are we doing this in the first place?
A search is rarely just a search, and a leadership issue is rarely about one person. Start with the business strategy. Then ask what leadership, talent and structure will make it possible.
Jewish tradition has a wonderful concept for this time of year: cheshbon hanefesh, an accounting of the soul.
We spend our professional lives taking stock of businesses, investments, people and performance. The High Holidays ask us to turn that same lens on ourselves. What is working? What isn’t? What do we carry forward, and what are we ready to leave behind?
Starting Haskil has been fulfilling and an education. I’m getting clearer about the work I want to do, the value I want to create, and what I want to protect outside of work.
Perhaps renewal isn’t about reinventing ourselves. Perhaps it’s about getting clearer about what mattered all along.
I’m especially grateful to the people who have been part of this chapter. Friends. Clients who have become friends. Candidates who trusted me. And my mishpacha, who make introductions, open doors, challenge my thinking, cheer me on and give me the tough feedback I sometimes need.
When I started this journey, I wrote about fear. I said it wasn’t about finding courage. It was about knowing what I know and refusing to negotiate against it.
I would add one thing now: it is easier to know what you know when you have people around you who will catch you, push you and tell you the truth.
One of the best parts of starting again is discovering the people you want to build with. There is more of that coming for Haskil this fall.
So as one season ends and another begins, I’m entering this new year with gratitude. For the work, the learning, the chance to build again, and most of all the people.
Shanah Tovah. Here’s to a sweet new year, the courage to be the head and not the tail, and the wisdom to know what deserves to come with us into the year ahead.