Don't "Just Do It." "Grow Into It"
Yesterday was my first day as the full-time CEO of AK Kerani. I still don't think it's hit me yet. I've been working on and fighting for this company so long, so the work I'm doing and the amount doesn't seem so novel. What hasn't dawned on me quite yet is the level of commitment to AK Kerani that my decision clearly highlights. I believe in the vision and where it's going. I believe in the people who are ready to take this journey with me.
I've been to a lot of conferences at which the speakers state in passionate voices, "Just Do It." As consistent as that advice seems to be from experts, that's definitely not what I've done in the past five years. I've spent five years knowing that AK Kerani is unique and that nobody out there is doing the same thing. I've known how special it is, but I wasn't ready to take the plunge until now. And that's ok.
If I ever have the honor of speaking on the big stage at a startup conference, I probably wouldn't say "Just Do It." I would say, "Grow Into It." For me, hearing "Just Do It" is like opening up a long book and only reading the last few pages. Of course there's a moment when we make a decision and decide in full confidence to "Just Do It." I'm there now. But it's taken quite some time. I never thought AK Kerani could support me full-time until I woke up one day and realized that the knitting groups we are doing are solidified, needed and could really take off. The more I weighed people's responses to our programs against my reservations, I realized that doing AK Kerani full-time isn't that much of a choice. The company was hitting the ground running and I, even as the one executing this growth, felt like I'd be left behind if I didn't commit.
My first day as a full-time CEO was just like any other day I've spent in front of my laptop, ferociously typing emails and taking a break to run at 2pm. However, this day was heightened by the underlying belief in my vision that I'd never had before.
I don't necessarily believe that people should "Just Do It." Sometimes, our reservations are there for a reason. AK Kerani's recent success is special because despite my constant marketing of the company across the years, I never felt our concept was solid until now. And my commitment to the execution of this concept and these programs is something I developed over time. Sometimes I was active. Sometimes I was passive. And throughout the transitions of my personal life, AK Kerani gradually made its way to the space in which it's supposed to be.
