August 3, 2017 Cathy Sedacca

The road to greatness may be paved with LEGOS (So watch your step)

by Cathy Sedacca

At a time when it’s increasingly difficult to find common ground on even the most innocuous topics, here’s something we can all agree on:

Stepping on a LEGO brick while barefoot is simply the worst.

The worst.

As the mother of two daughters, it’s an experience with which I’m much too familiar. And while it’s caused me to exclaim some not-so-motherly things in the past, I’m taking a new approach to future encounters: I’m using it as a reminder about an important life lesson.

The courage to take risks

And it’s related to the fact that none of us ever builds failures or setbacks into our life plans.

 We envision an ideal life with a steady climb to success and happiness.

Go to a good school and graduate to a good job. Fall in love and buy a starter home. Get promoted at work, have children and move to your dream home.

And on it goes.

No one ever includes things like illnesses, divorces or failed businesses. These are the kinds of things that happen to the other person—not me.

In reality, anyone courageous enough to take the risks that often lead to reward also exposes themselves to the possibility of failure.

As someone who is lucky enough to work with entrepreneurs, I see brave risk takers every day. And I know that even the smartest and most prepared entrepreneurs lose big customers and hire the wrong people. They suffer from economic adversity, unfortunate weather and unexpected buying patterns.

Sometimes, having a bad year is just unavoidable.

 The world’s most powerful brand

So what does all this have to do with stepping on a LEGO?

In 1932, after losing his job and later his wife during the Great Depression, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a single father of four boys, founded the LEGO Group.

During the 85-year history of the LEGO Group, there have been multiple name changes, three devastating fires, an expansion and a retraction, recalls and restructuring.

And in February 2015, after almost a century of trials, tribulations and triumphs, Brand Finance named LEGO the “World’s most powerful brand.”

A painful reminder

Ole and LEGO are a great example that, whether it’s in life or business, it’s not about whether we hit obstacles and pitfalls—because we will.

Rather, it’s how we weather and respond to them that matters.

In fact, the longer a business exists, the more likely its had to navigate some difficult challenges. And with each hurdle that’s overcome, emerges a business that’s smarter, more resilient and better prepared for the future.

And so, the next time I step on one of those beautifully simple—and sharp—LEGO blocks, I’m going to remember Ole Kirk Christianson and remind myself that the road to greatness is rarely easy—and oftentimes painful.

Very painful.

Cathy Sedacca is director of sales and marketing for Sage Business Credit. She partnered with Karen Turnquist to found Sage because she believed they could do what had been done by others, but better. Working closely with clients who share the same vision for their own business is the best part of her job.