Vizionary Client Update Pt. 1

If you're reading this, you're either a client or a really close personal friend, somebody whose relationship I really value personally. 

I want to take just a couple of minutes to talk about a season that my wife and I are concluding together. No, there's no divorce happening. She may kill me one of these days, but there's no divorce happening. 

Twelve years ago, Mae and I were integral in setting up a nonprofit entity, Salem County Christian Academy. For the last 12 years, we've really poured a huge chunk of ourselves into that.

Investing in Salem County Christian School

Our estimates are that Mae was putting in 2,000 to 2,500 hours a year into that organization. I was spending 600 to 800 hours a year. Mark Powers on staff with me here at Vizionary was putting in 800 to 1,000 hours a year. It's been a massive investment of time. 

As much or more important than the time has been the resources. Because of the great work we do here at Vizionary, we've been financially successful, but we've put the lion's share of that into charity, into ministries like Salem County Christian Academy. Over the course of the last 12 years, that has totaled in excess of $6,500,000. 

So if you think about that, the amount of time and resources over this last 12 years, it's been substantial. If you want to look at it this way, I've effectively been running Vizionary with one arm tied behind my back, giving almost a third of my time to the school. Mark has been giving almost half of a person's time to the school.

Then there's the mountain of resources financially over the last 12 years. I don't say this looking for sympathy. I'm not looking for honor. 

What Enables Us to Invest in Our Community

The first thing I really would want to communicate is thank you because the work that you have allowed us to do for you and for your families over the last 12 years is what's made us financially successful and allowed us to do that. 

It's come at a cost. My net worth and my family's net worth is substantially lower than it otherwise would be, but this is part of the legacy that we want to build. We want to be charitably inclined. I'm not interested really in building as big a net worth as possible just to have to dodge taxes at the end and figure out how to enrich my spoiled brat grandkids.

My goal has always been to be a hose for charities and for organizations. I would do what I do best which is generate revenue.

Getting Back to What Works Best

The reality is I think I got off track over the course of these last 12 years. We got so involved in one organization that we really were being as profitable and as growth-oriented as we could be at Vizionary. Growing the business the way we could. I haven't been able to spend the time and resources developing some of the corporate relationships that we really should have. 

We really haven't been in a position to be able to diversify the organizations that we were supporting. There was so much going into just this one organization.

We're at a season now where the school is now closing. Mae and I announced that we were going to be stepping away the summer of 2020. The school board, without Mae and I, made decisions to close the school permanently at this stage. So this season of our life is really ending, and I just wanted to draw attention to it. 

A New Season and New Opportunities

First of all, again, to say thank you to you as our clients for enabling us to do this. It's our desire to continue to be very charitably oriented, outwardly focused. To be invested in finding organizations that are doing good in our community. You're going to see and hear more about that in the days ahead. 

The second thing I would say is that we have never been more invigorated or energized. There are things on the horizon that I'm really energized about for the future of Vizionary. 

Mae is going to be joining us at Vizionary, at least on a part time basis, to help us with some of the marketing. We added Dan Keever from Advantage Marketing to the team to help us build out the website and do a lot of the marketing. 

Mark is going to be ending his season with the school completely. I'm going to be stepping away. I'll be helping the school wind down their assets and operations, but that'll be really an insignificant investment of time and not an investment of resources in any significant matter.

Re-energized and Ready to Grow

I wanted you to hear from me that we're kind of in this season of change. We really were in a position a number of years ago where I was spinning my wheels. I really didn't know how to get out of where I was. We were so far in with the school that I really couldn't see the end of the tunnel. 

I'm grateful for you, some of my clients, who actually counseled me and brought some accountability to me. Again, this is not a despondent season or a mournful season for us. It's a season of change. It's a season of excitement, of energy, the turning of pages and new chapters.

I can tell you beyond a reasonable doubt, if you thought we were innovating, creating, and building a model for the future here at Vizionary when I was spending 800 hours and a half a million dollars a year elsewhere, "you ain't see nothing yet". Wait until you see what we do next. 

Thanks for Your Support

Thanks for your time. Thanks again for your partnership, for allowing us to serve you. We are so looking forward to the changes. You'll hear from me in about a week or two with a sneak peek on what comes next. 

Have a great day, have a great week. I hope you're enjoying the Summer 2020 and getting out. And I hope you're in a state that allows you to eat in a restaurant, take care.