A LETTER FROM CHRIS SUAREZ
I ALREADY WON
This weekend finds me in beautiful Park City, Utah. It wasn’t exactly a planned trip. In fact, you might almost say I lost a game of rock paper scissors to my business partner. It’s no secret that neither of us are much for awards. We try to avoid them, slip out early, or send our partners, friends, or random strangers in our place. We negotiate with each other anytime there is no way out of showing up. Who will go this time?
We were nominated this year as EY’s Entrepreneur of the Year for our work at PLACE. There was a series of interviews, events, and meetings that led to this point. The awards dinner and ceremony happens to be this weekend in Park City where they will announce the winning business and entrepreneur. I don’t have plans to win. There are some incredible businesses and brilliant entrepreneurs here this weekend. I didn’t come expecting an award. I came out of respect for those that nominated PLACE and for the couple thousand entrepreneurs that make up the PLACE community. I came out of respect for the rest of the nominees and the winning company and entrepreneur. And I came because I lost the negotiation with my partner. There was that.
So this week I booked a quick flight out to Park City for just under 48 hours. But here is what I’ve already learned:
I have already won.
Earlier this week I decided if I was going to have to fly out of town for a couple days, that I would take my older daughter with me. There are only a few more summers that I’ll probably get to have her at home. Any time I can invest with her is critical and enjoyed. Time is our only non-renewable resource, and it is fleeting. I always remind myself that it is my most valuable asset, and the value compounds when that asset is spent with and on loved ones.
So we hopped on a plane together. We had lunch, went for a hike, and walked through Park City’s Historic District. She came as my plus one to both the networking brunch and we both got all dressed up and attended the black tie dinner. Aside from having an incredible date together, she met so many entrepreneurs that wake up each day thinking and working incredibly hard to build mission based companies across all industries. It was an amazing room to have her experience with me. But perhaps my favorite room was just sharing our hotel room, just her and I. We got to talk, laugh, watch her favorite show, stay up late, make tea and hot chocolate, and just be together undistracted.
So was this a work trip? Yes. Did I wake up at the beginning of the week wanting to take the flight out to Utah. No.
But did I win by having the opportunity to have some one on one time with my daughter? Absolutely. I’ve always believed in building an integrated life - one in which you blend family and friends and work and career. In the end I want to earn the award for living experientially - building a life with multiple pillars that contribute to a meaningful and happy life. The real awards in life are not when other people acknowledge you. The real awards in life are not given out on stage in front of an audience. The real awards in life are when you get to spend time with your loved ones, acknowledging how much they mean to you, and feeling that returned. The real awards are earned on random hikes through Park City or late night hotel room conversations or unexpected flights where you end up at random dinners.
I head back on the early flight from Salt Lake City this morning direct to Portland. My younger daughter has been working on a short movie that she wrote and directed with a group of her little friends. She recently finished editing the film and she is hosting a premiere at our house this afternoon for everyone that contributed. I booked a flight that will get me home in time to help her set up and then welcome every kid that had a part in the making of the movie over to the house - about 15 or 16 kids from age twelve and under. She is so excited. Will this be a lot of work? Yes.
But anytime I see my daughters happy is a win.
Chris