The Open Road

For work, I've been reading a book that was the book when I first started working at Sambazon -- it was the one that 'raised the bar' among many of the natural products companies that were rising stars. I never read it at the time, but am very glad its fallen into my hands now.

It begins with the founder walking away from selling his company for $100 million dollars, then dissolving a 50/50 partnership, and essentially getting his company (and his own) mojo back. This all happens in the first chapter! I was reading it on the subway, and was so engrossed I kept missing my stop, and kept thinking "What in the world is going to happen in the whole next part of the book?"

Well of course it is the journey, not the destination; the side adventures not the expected path. What doors closed and didn't happen so you're able to see what ultimately might be more fruitful and fulfilling. It doesn't read like a business book (not that I've read a lot of them) but more like a personal tale of a very interesting man, whose leadership style and philosophy has created a wonderful life and culture for his company. It was about that intention, first, not the traditional 'end game.'

Part of the book is about an epic cycling adventure in the Alps he took where they deviated from the Michelin guide of 'red roads':

"...Our trip kept getting better and better now that we knew the types of roads we wanted to travel....Michelin maps defined roads as red, yellow or white. Main roads, busy with buses, trucks, and cars, were marked boldly in red. Yellow roads were minor arteries, not as big as red roads but well traveled. The hundreds of roads branching off from the red and yellow roads were marked in white....I learned a lot on this trip. White road and red road journeys are qualitatively different. You need the right map. On the red road it is about the destination. On the white road it is about the road. On the white road you must travel light. The white road is quiet. It’s about simplicity. It’s often adventurous. You need to dig deep. Sometimes there is no road. You have to trust your gut.”

He's a more extreme guy, so his white road adventure involves carrying one backpack! (Some of us are still working on our packing light strategies). However, ultimately, the white road begins on the inside.