Behind The X's & O's of Business — behind the x's and o's

Most of us have chapters in our lives that we don't talk about until they're over. We wait until the struggle has passed, the business is stable, the relationship is healed, or the answers have finally come. But the more conversations I have, the more I wonder if some of the stories that could encourage people the most are the ones we're still living.

It's amazing how quickly our opinions change once we hear someone's story. The person we were ready to judge becomes someone we begin to understand. The more conversations I have, the more I realize that grace isn't about ignoring people's mistakes. It's about remembering there's usually a story we haven't heard yet.

Every business has a logo. Every business has products and services. But behind all of those things is a person whose experiences shaped what the business became. The more I think about it, the more I realize that no one can tell that story with the same honesty, passion, and perspective as the person who lived it.

Sometimes we think our story won't matter until we've "made it." Until the business is bigger, the debt is gone, the goals are reached, or the success is obvious. But some of the most encouraging stories aren't about arriving. They're about continuing to move forward one day at a time.

Last night, as we welcomed another guest to the Behind the X's & O's livestream, I looked up at the backdrop behind us. Across the top were the words, "Every Business Has a Story Worth Hearing." The more I thought about it, the more I realized those weren't just words on a banner. They're becoming the reason we're building this platform.