A Picture Worth a Thousand Words: The Evolution of Loyalty
They say a photo is worth a thousand words, and as I glance over our company’s Christmas parties spanning the last six years, that adage couldn’t ring truer. What strikes me the most is the exponential growth we’ve experienced in the past year alone, despite the trials our industry faced in 2023. From a casual observer’s perspective, it’s evident that two things stand out in these photos: the remarkable expansion since last year and the embodiment of the brand, culture, and, most importantly, loyalty by every member of our “family.”
A Closer Look at the Loyalty “Family”
Beyond the visible aspects, there’s a third, less apparent element in these photos—the faces missing from the 2023 picture. Those who are no longer with us. This post focuses on those who faced the challenges of being part of a startup, the hardships of “doing things differently,” and the painful decisions I had to make to ensure the survival of our venture. Mistakes, necessary for growth, that I can now accept and understand the value they brought, even though the pain lingers.
Facing Challenges Head-On
In 2021, I confronted one of the toughest challenges of my life. I had to make difficult decisions, sacrifices to keep our lights on, and attempt to “try again.” The summer of 2021 left an indelible mark on me—the pain, the conversations, the faces of those I considered family. I shared the burden with trusted confidants, enduring hardships that were not mine alone but were felt deeply by many.
Turning Pain into Growth
I believe that growth often arises from failure, but at what cost? The mistakes made were not just mine; they were shared by those who had been with me for years. The decisions made in the wake of COVID were not taken lightly but were the last resort for survival. Even as time has passed, the pain of those decisions still resonates. But everything happens for a reason—good or bad.
A Personal Journey to Sobriety
Fast forward two years from those challenging events, and it’s easier to say that everything led to where we are today. However, during that time, I questioned this saying countless times. April 2022 marked the beginning of a new chapter—a journey to sobriety. As I embraced sobriety, I began to recognize the true impact of the “Great Crash of 2021” on every aspect of my life.
From Pain to Pride
Today, as I look at these two photos, I feel immense pride and confidence. It’s a mix of joy for the faces present and a heavy heart for those absent. This blog serves as a tribute to those who once were part of the Loyalty family, acknowledging that the sacrifices made will not be forgotten.
A Message of Hope and Resilience
To those no longer with us, I hope you find your calling and a place to call home. For the future, I envision putting the past behind us, working towards a better future. Leadership is not easy, entrepreneurship is harder, but the journey is worth it. To those starting out, I wish you the best. May 2024 bring success, growth, and a smoother journey than my own.
Final thoughts as I work to end this year.
This year, we (the company) started to expose Loyalty Logistics to the world. This year, we started to shout the word loyalty, and showcase how we embody this word in every facet of the company. The loyalties we pride ourselves on is truly what makes us stand apart from the competition.
We created catchy colors, we created marketing campaigns, we have created brand awareness and as early as November 2023 we started to bring wakefulness to the realities of our world/our industry- In hindsight the necessity of loyalty as a value in harder times. The world was and is seeking for connections, emotions, real conversations. The world is seeking loyalties in many facets of the word…
Since the early days of Loyalty Logistics’ creation, I was entrusted to design the foundations of our journey, to design a path that could turn our vision into a reality. I have worked with one value in mind, with one defining word that has governed my life since always… as you guessed, it’s LOYALTY!
My partner and I called this company Loyalty with the vision in mind of creating a mindset that could influence change. We created a company that could be loyal to our future staff, our customers and carriers alike; a company that would have equal opportunities for all, and promote/recognize hard work, loyalty and a determination for greatness, however that may manifest in the individual.
For the last 7 years, I have fought hard to continuously grow, develop this company while always trying to keep the scales of loyalty balanced. For many years I had to balance out fair compensation to my business partners/co-founders, our staff, our carriers and our growth. I needed to juggle these different weights to be true to the foundation of myself and the original vision. This delicate balance would unavoidably tip to one side or another during our great story, though I always had to adjust the scale to ensure it would not topple over.
After 7 years, I think this great company has finally learnt how to keep the scale balanced. We can add weight on either side but only if it again is added to equally. I have fought hard to maintain this value of loyalty; I have been tested over and over to choose between Loyalty to the vision or a friend, loyalty to a partner or an employee, loyalty to the best interest of the company or the individual, and finally loyalty to myself or to Loyalty Logistics. These are just some of the inter battles I had to face on a daily.
Today I stand tall, today I can be proud that the distribution of weight, the distribution of loyalties on the scale of our vision is not mine to manage alone. Today I can recognise that I needed a GREAT TEAM to ensure the scale remained balanced, as we rapidly added weight. I can be proud that regardless of how much pain my loyalties may have caused in the past by staying true to the word LOYALTY regardless of how we qualify it has led to this very moment. This moment that I and every member of this company stand proud of and are eager to show loyalties in the coming year. The ultimate vision of Loyalty will always remain in the forefront of how we govern this company and the impact we can contribute. The world needs renewed loyalty to build stronger communities, and we only hope to continue to help share the message.
Happy Holidays and Cheers to 2024: The Year of Loyalty
In closing, I wish everyone a joyous holiday season. May the coming year be filled with prosperity, growth, and the opportunity to work together again with the entire Loyalty family. The engine is primed, ready to rock and roll, and 2024 will undoubtedly be the year of Loyalty. Stay tuned for greatness.
