The Unexpected CEO #10: Patience and Payoff

From the River to the Mountains: Finding Payoff in Patience

I just returned from ScribeConcepts’s Fall 2025 Leadership Summit, and it was by far our best one yet. We leaned fully into our “people first” mantra, setting aside spreadsheets, screens, and Slack messages to be together in the beauty of Idaho and Wyoming. We explored winding backroads, stood in awe of what both states had to offer, and sought out birds and animals we’d never seen before. Eventually, we made our way to Jackson Hole, where a tram carried us 10,450 feet to new heights, a fitting bit of foreshadowing.

ScribeConcepts group at the Fall 2025 Leadership Summit.

One of the unexpected gifts of the week happened before the team even arrived: I picked up a fly rod for the very first time. I watched our COO Jared step into a well-known world for him, and then he handed me a rod, giving me just enough instruction to feel brave. What I found was not just a sport, but a state of mind.

In business, we often want quick results, but payoff rarely comes without patience. It comes from showing up, casting again and again, trusting the process, and letting time do its work.

Fly fishing requires patience: standing still, waiting for the right moment, learning to read the current, and sometimes knowing the day may end without a catch at all. It is quiet, meditative, and humbling. I caught a tiny trout that day, admired it for a moment, and then released it back into the water. The joy wasn’t what I caught; it was in the experience, the rhythm of the cast, and the reminder that not every reward needs to be held to have value.

A tiny trout rests gently in the palm of a hand, showcasing the simplicity and charm of the rhythm of the cast.

In business, as in fly fishing, we often want quick results, but payoff rarely comes without patience. It comes from showing up, casting again and again, trusting the process, and letting time do its work. Sometimes the “win” isn’t in the size of the trout (or the contract), but in the perspective gained along the way.

This summit reminded me that leadership, like fishing, isn’t always about speed or scale. It’s about paying attention to people, to the environment around us, to the signals that tell us where to cast next. It’s about being present enough to notice the beauty, even while we wait.

That spirit connected us directly to our 2025 theme: Work Smarter, Not Harder. This year has been about finding more effective ways to use our energy, emphasizing patience, focus, and adaptability. Watching our team come together last week gave Jared and me a profound sense of confidence for ScribeConcepts's future. The resilience of this group, their willingness to engage in crucial conversations and practice radical candor, and their commitment to one another and to our mission demonstrate that the payoff is already in motion.

If fly fishing taught me anything, it’s that the cast matters as much as the catch. And this summit proved once again that when we are patient, purposeful, and united, the future we’re building together will be worth every cast.