Colleague, friend and fellow storyteller Taylor Sledge saw the way that his parents wrote the stories of their own lives — and their constant presence, love, and support gave him the foundation he needed to tell his story, too.
Taylor’s dad was an attorney. He owned his own business in a risky area of law, so his income was up and down, but Taylor loved that he set his own schedule and never missed family events. His mom was a flight attendant for Delta Airlines. She was never afraid to talk to anyone, regardless of how different they were to her, and this made a huge impact on Taylor.
Taylor founded the Big Small Business Story to tell the stories of entrepreneurs who are driven by purpose, character, and belief. Their trademarked slogan — “It’s never just business” — reflects his belief that your career or company is about the lives of other people, not just making money, and an understanding of psychology and the human condition are crucial to creating authentic business relationships.
It seems simple — your career is about the lives of other people — but a lot of businesspeople still don’t understand that. And it took Taylor a while to realize it, too.
When Taylor was 27, he had a business deal go upside down. He realized that he was experiencing the same gut feeling that he had when he was 10 bringing home a bad report card. There were areas in his life where he wasn't living as an adult, and this inspired him to work out where he needed to grow.
And it’s an ongoing journey. Taylor and his wife have recently experienced fertility challenges, and this forced Taylor to confront things he didn’t like about himself, including his self image, and work out what really matters in his life.
Something that really matters to Taylor is legacy. He doesn’t think that we spend enough time considering it, but believes that, “We have the responsibility of setting a trajectory for the future with every decision that we make.”
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