It’s The People: Check In Via CloudApp

As I met with the York IE team over Zoom for our weekly sync this past week, I paused for a second, looked at everyone, and then said to myself “Wow, I really like/love and respect these people and the team we’ve assembled.”

What we value

I was also reminded of the descriptive words on our website describing our team: Honest, Hands on, Hungry. These descriptors often go unspoken, but in times like these it is so important to stick with the basics and rely on your values when nothing else seems to be working right in the world around us. Control what you can control and don’t worry about what you can’t. That’s easier said than done, yet made easier with a great team of quality human beings who truly care about each other and the mission of your company. Using visual communication and collaboration platform, CloudApp, a startup I serve on the board of who is crushing it right now, I recorded a check in from York IE’s end during these trying times. Please watch below. Thinking back to what my father always used to say (still does) when I was growing up, “It’s the people,” it resonates with me now more than ever given our current situation. People are impacted tremendously throughout this crisis and if we don’t invest in each other and bring each other along then we will be worse off in the long run. That’s my biggest fear. People left behind, when all they need is a little boost. Thankfully, I’m accompanied by a group of like minded folks, “all in”, who I have invested in, who have invested in me, and who invest in each other… and they go to battle for York IE and our portfolio companies every day. They support our community like no other. I wish that everyone, in every business, was so fortunate. People are what makes it all work.

Staying the course

York IE continues to be a startup helping startups. Our business is hybrid and diverse and is a collection of companies. In good times, it’s invigorating. In tough times, it’s like juggling flaming knives. We act as an extension of a startup’s operating team, filling the gaps, to help companies strengthen and take it to the next level.  Fighting through this work from home period, we continue to play the long game and think about the reasons we believe in the first place. In everything we’re doing. That conviction and resolve is paramount. We drill our brand story, we put out educational content, we conspire with founders, and talk to executives every hour of the day to stay the course. We focus on the day to day execution that lays down our foundations and inevitably sets us up for the long haul. That’s all we at York IE can do. That’s all our startups can do. That’s all anyone in the world can do right now — adapt to the situation and continuously do our jobs to the best of our abilities, so that when things pick right back up, we’ll be stronger than ever. We’re in this together.  It’s The People.