IT TAKES A VILLAGE

It seems like yesterday, but it wasn’t. 12 years ago, Monarch was born from an experience that I wasn’t really pursuing. After college graduation, I worked at a landscape maintenance company for 9 years. It began with filing papers, later moving into sales, and eventually acting as the general manager for the company.  Truth is, I really wanted to buy that company and develop it into a regional leader. As it turns out, the company was not for sale and it led to my departure in July of 2008.

Starting a landscape consulting company in August of that same year would be the equivalent of opening up a gym in August of 2020. Times were tough, on top of that we had a 3-year-old, a 3-month-old, and a sizeable mortgage without the money to pay for it. Early on in the adventure, my wife and I shared a car because we couldn’t afford 2. We cut tv and any and all of the luxuries that had become so commonplace. The problem was that we couldn’t cut back any further and we needed things like new tires for the minivan. In this instance, both her parents and mine chipped in for a new set. That was one of the many blessings we so undeservingly received during this tenuous time.  

Like Apple, Monarch was started in a garage. I propped up a voting booth around my desk to hold back the kid’s toys on the other side. Often times, I would be in a full sweat typing emails all while hearing our guinea pigs make odd noises from the other side of the cardboard. To put it mildly, working out of the garage for the first 4 years was a character-building opportunity. Looking back, I realize that challenging times are fertile ground for the miraculous. It seems to me that only in desperation do we see things clearly. Trust me, my eyes were clear because I was highly aware of my personal and financial shortcomings. There were times that I was often unsure of how we were going to pay our bills and then out of nowhere new work would come in. It felt like farming, I was solely reliant on hard work, faith, and family.  

The road has not been easy. In fact, the things in our life that have been the most difficult tend to be the most rewarding. Fast-forward to today, we have 5 kids, Monarch has 11 team members and a beautiful office in Dana Point. As your Chief Encouragement Officer, I want to encourage you that my plan was not the right plan. It took a very painful and personal process to push me in a direction that has become a true place of purpose and enjoyment. Even though Apple continues to outperform Monarch, I’m extremely grateful for all of those that have helped me along the way. It takes a village to produce anything worthwhile and lasting.