Small habits applied over time can help compound success
To share LaunchLetter, copy this url:
Happy Friday letter getters,
One of my goals for the newsletter is to expose readers to different vantage points of starting and growing a business. On one level, I'm helping people who are in the throes of solving real world problems share something they've learned. On another level, I'm introducing you to people who may help your business grow along the way. We've covered funding through venture capital, banking, self-funded business growth, CEOs of large corporations, tech startups, design companies, government resources, etc., and we've discovered together some insight about professionals in each of those different worlds. If you are new to LaunchLetter, feel free to read through the archives to get a full picture. The connective tissue to this story lies in understanding all the roles that people in our community play, and learning something new about their perspective. Today we cover something every business needs: a lawyer.
Kevin Thompson,
Co-Founder, Thompson Burton
Have you said those three magic words lately? "Call my lawyer." Whether you are just starting your business or filing a big giant IPO, they can certainly be helpful. They are also good at keeping you legal through every other milestone along the way. Kevin Thompson is an attorney who has extensive experience in helping entrepreneurs launch their businesses on secure legal footing. He's been featured in CNBC and Bloomberg News on various business law topics. He cofounded Thompson Burton, a full service law firm based in the Cool Springs area of Nashville, Tennessee. Meet your five minute mentor, Kevin Thompson.
Scalability of Ethereum. They have a roadmap for improvements over the next year or two. If they can pull it off, I anticipate a lot of unforeseen opportunities will spring up out of the ether. (pun intended).
The importance of challenging my own bias. It's only human to hold your own opinions in high regard. It's important to challenge those opinions regularly, consuming content that might seem disagreeable in order to gain a broader perspective.
BONUS: The willingness to be terrible at something is a pre-requisite before a person can be any good. It's hard to find people that are willing to appear foolish when they start a journey, which forces them to stay in their "safe" lanes.
Coffee in the morning with my wife. It's where we connect, express our gratitude for whatever blessing or challenge we're facing, and get in sync. It's a great habit that seems to have a positive domino affect throughout the day. Strength training is also high on the list, though it's not a "daily" habit.
The majority of founders are ill-equipped both mentally and financially to successfully launch a company. As an attorney, I tend to hold that opinion to myself as I'm just paid to provide a specific service on their journey. "Our capabilities seldom match our aspirations, and we are often woefully unprepared." - Lloyd Alexander. The entrepreneurs that have the humility to admit their shortcomings and work around those shortcomings.....they're diamonds in the rough.
Intelligent risk-taking is crucial for long-term development in ANY sector. Without risk, there's no growth. Running from risk is a sure-way to increase the size of our problems. I'm not suggesting people should "go for broke" and throw caution to the wind. The downside should always be managed, especially if there's risk of ruin. But without a steady strain, people tend to lose sight of what matters: progress. A steady strain can lead to good compounding. During my days as an athlete, I learned the value of compounding. Small habits consistently applied over time can lead to significant results over a longer time horizon. The majority of people just lack the patience it takes to achieve anything meaningful.
Kevin Thompson is an MLM attorney, proud husband, father of four and a founding member of Thompson Burton PLLC.
Recent Achievements:
Thompson Burton PLLC is opening up an additional office near downtown Nashville. We now have a total of 25 attorneys.
We partnered with Otterbase to bring you high demand/quality jobs in Nashville. This job is for $80,000-$95,000.
Think you are great for this role? Send Hunter from Otterbase an email at hmitchem@otterbase.com.
iOS Developer for a Nashville startup
Responsibilities and Duties
Design and build applications for the iOS platform
Ensure the performance, quality, and responsiveness of applications
Collaborate with a team to define, design, and ship new features
Identify and correct bottlenecks and fix bugs
Help maintain code quality
Successfully perform any coding tests or challenges as required
Suggest new features and expansions of existing apps to improve performance and usability
Deliver on time as discussed and clearly communicate any changes in deadlines as soon as possible.
For more information, see the full post here: https://southernalpha.com/may-ios-developer-for-nashville-startup/
'No slowdown in sight' -- The Tennessean interviewed community leaders on job growth in the Nashville area over the past year. According to the paper, the city of Nashville has had a 3 percent job-growth rate through February of 2019, ranking third among large U.S. cities. It's also experienced some of the lowest unemployment in the nation early in the year. The promise of jobs from Amazon, Alliance Bernstein, EY, Smile Direct Club, among others, have fueled discussion around the positive outlook on jobs.
NEW on Southern/alpha: How HavenLock made it on to Shark Tank -- Clay Banks shares some insight into how they got themselves on the show, and results from the follow up.
Watch out scooters, here comes dockless bikes! Wheels plans east-coast rollout in Atlanta.
No peanuts! A Louisville-based healthcare startup wins competition for allergy testing software.
Know someone who will bring perspective and insight to LaunchLetter?
Nominate a founder or CEO who inspires you and we will do our best to invite them to a LaunchLetter interview.
Steadfast Media: Empowering Innovators to Achieve their Goals
Steadfast Media’s team has spent the past ten years as growth partners to both tech-enabled businesses and startups. We love helping all kinds of digital pioneers accelerate the pace at which they are reaching customers and audiences. Our unique experience has led us to offer supporting services for all types of businesses looking to grow their technology offerings, as well as leverage our unique experience as startup founders to accelerate your business in general.
LaunchLetter is a weekday newsletter from Southern/alpha, a website that features collections of stories and resources for underestimated startup communities.
LaunchLetter is for founders getting started on an idea or business. Our goal is to share the perspective, habits and positive messages of more experienced founders and CEOs. We hope you find it relatable and delightful as you get focused for the day on your own goals. Enjoy the ride.
🚀✉️