25 YEARS, 25 INSIGHTS – Reflections on Growth, Leadership and Resilience

Today marks 25 years of Smart Dolphins. Wow. A quarter century. Crazy talk.

So first, I obviously have some enormous thank yous. So much gratitude. Truly. It takes a village as they say. To my family, who have supported me through every high and low. To the Dolphins (past and present) who have made Smart Dolphins what it is – especially the “lifers” (and the “lifers in the making”). To our awesome clients and the broader business community that’s been part of this journey. I’m incredibly grateful for the support, belief, and partnership over the years.

25 is… a big number. And, honestly, a bit hard to wrap my head around. It feels like both a lifetime and the blink of an eye. It also seems like an important milestone to pause, look back, and ground myself in some of the key experiences, lessons and ideas that seem most meaningful to me.

So that’s what I’m doing, with a bit of structure. Starting next week, I’ll be sharing “25 years, 25 Insights”… and maybe even a couple Finsights in the mix! One per week. Expect a mix. Some will be philosophical. Some practical. Some personal. Some likely a little messy. All of them reflect what’s shaped the way I’ve built and led Smart Dolphins for 25 years.

To be sure, this isn’t meant to be some kind of “definitive guide to business.” It’s not even really primarily for “the reader” (though I hope you’ll find value in it). This project is, first and foremost, for me; a chance to get clear, to reflect, and to capture the shape of the complex, rewarding, occasionally chaotic journey of a business (and a person) evolving over time.

I am not a fan of being the center of attention (part of why I didn’t call it “Dave’s IT Solutions”). However, whether you’re a fellow entrepreneur, a client, a curious peer, or one of my kids wondering what I actually do at work, this is a piece of me and a window into this amazing Pod of Dolphins. For those Dolphins, I hope you’ll recognize some of the philosophies, quirks, and patterns that have shaped our Dolphin Lives. For those who don’t know us well, maybe this helps you get to know me and the Pod a little better.

There are a lot of ideas I could write about. I’ve got 28 insights at the moment—so this is still a work in progress. If I started again tomorrow, I’d probably land on a different list. And a few new insights might still get swapped in along the way. In the end, I’ll be sharing the ones that rose to the top at this time. Some of these will be about leadership. Some about trust. A few about love, strategy, clarity, and renewal. All are part of what’s shaped me and us.

If you’re curious, follow along. And thank you if you do. If something resonates (or rubs you the wrong way), I’d love for you to add to the project here. I hope the conversations that might come from this are part of my own learning and value.

Let’s see where this goes.

P.S. What would be on your list at a milestone like this? I’d love to hear what others have learned from building, leading, and growing over time.