A New Season

Written By Zachary Monroe

The Northeast is about to hit peak color. Maples are strutting their fiery reds and oranges like they just discovered filters on Instagram, and the air smells like woodsmoke and change. I love this time of year, the season that proves transformation can be beautiful and a little dramatic (and no I'm not referring to the overabundance of pumpkin spice everything).

It fits, because I’m in my own season of change. My son’s hockey schedule is about to launch into its annual blur of 5 a.m. alarms, cold bleachers, and the mysterious smell of hockey gear that could probably qualify as a biohazard. I’m reminding myself to give grace where I can, both to him and to myself as we dive into the rink life again.

Meanwhile, I’ve been flipping through a decade’s worth of my old business ideas. Sixteen of them, to be exact. Each one came with a tidy business plan, financial forecasts, and even logos. (Apparently, I’m a logo enthusiast.) And yet…not one of those ideas ever made it out of the notebook aka "buried folder on my pc".

Then came Forge & Freedom. Idea to LLC in 48 hours. No hesitation. No overthinking. Just action. What changed?

Maybe it’s because this venture still gives me what I loved most about nonprofit work, the reward of helping people. Maybe it’s the lure of forging my own path, calling the shots, and knowing that every win (and every face-plant) is entirely mine.

I don’t have all the answers, but here’s what I know, seasons change to teach us things. This fall, as the leaves put on their chlorophyll dance, I’m learning that sometimes the only difference between a dream and reality is one decisive swing of the hammer. How well I hone the craft of using that hammer is entirely up to me, will I swing and nail my thumb a few times (probably) but that doesn't stop the carpenter from finishing the job.

Here’s to forging ahead, on our own terms.

Your turn:

  • What’s your favorite season and why?

  • If you’ve ever launched a big idea, what finally pushed you from “someday” to “let’s do this”?

From the Forge,

Zachary

Zachary Monroe
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