Follow your dreams

Yogi Berra once said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.“ For those that don’t know Berra, he was an all-star catcher for the Yankees but may be remembered more for his Yogi-isms, colloquial expressions that lack logic, than for being one of the greatest catchers of all time.

I recently came to a fork in the road and it was clear to me that I had to take it. For those that don’t know, I left Nokia at the start of the summer to begin a new adventure. It was not a decision I made lightly but one that had been brewing for years and despite some nervousness, I knew it was one I had to make. I’m not sure if it’s 2+ years of COVID restrictions or the fact I turned 50, but it also became clear that now is the time.

I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business for as long as I can remember. Deep down I’m an entrepreneur and despite the risks associated with being your own boss, I believe the highs will outweigh the lows. I want to be in control of my destiny and for my hard work to benefit my family not some corporation that may or may not reward you for it. It’s about controlling our future.

I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business for as long as I can remember.

It’s also about having time to do many of the things I’ve always had on my to do list. That includes spending time with my family (which I managed to do this summer :)), blogging more here (which is starting now ;)), finally writing a book, starting a podcast, building an online course to help others become better marketers, and so much more. Stay tuned for news on all of these as I plan to be more active on social too.

But first, I’m off to start my own company that will help B2B technology start-ups, scale-ups and even established enterprises focus their marketing efforts for better ROI. I’ve been on the other side and know the challenges that marketing teams face to constantly build content and create demand. But, they never seem to get it all done. That’s because more is not the answer. There is a better way to deliver marketing results and I’m going to offer that. It’s about focus and I’ll share more about this in another post.

I’m off to start my own company that will help B2B technology start-ups, scale-ups and even established enterprises focus their marketing efforts for better ROI.

I’ve been lucky enough to find some clients early-on to get my adventure started on solid ground. That’s why, I’ll keep this post short so I can go and help them think about marketing strategically and execute a plan that will deliver results. If you need help focusing your marketing, please do not hesitate to reach out at brendan@brendanziolo.com.

And if you are wondering if I have doubts about this decision, I’ll leave you with one last quote. After my last day at Nokia, I picked up my son at school and as we walked to our vehicle he said, “I’m so proud of you Daddy for following your dream.” That for me makes this the fork I should take each and every time.

I’m so proud of you Daddy for following your dream.