Seeds of Revival
Written by the immortal Neil Peart Rush sang in Time Stand Still “I’m not looking back but I want to look around me now.”
Shy of 20 years ago now (right around 9/11) I formed a company called Spatial Analytics with some buddies. We gathered up to propose on a project for the Village of Hatch, NM. These guys were classmates of mine from New Mexico State University (David Gorman, Brian Harper, and Matt Rich).
We were selected over some “real” “professional” firms. We were disrupters. Who knew?
We also turned out to be one hit wonders. We never won anything else and disbanded around 2004? More or less same time I completed grad school in Denver. I suspect the fact that I went to CU and Dave went to Gonzaga for law school, leaving half the company in Las Cruces, and the other half scattered (this was before the proliferation of cell phones and the access to video conference for the masses) contributed to dispansion.
The work though was very formative. We did it. We delivered the project. We SHIPPED as Seth Godin would say.
My amigos bestowed upon me the honor to the project manager. I also adopted a strong business development role; we did propose and pitch on stuff, just no wins.
SO for me. Even more formative. I flailed about trying to land stuff for Spatial as well as for myself as a solo act between 2001 and 2005. I did deliver several studies for others on non-Hatch stuff, and published articles , spoke at conferences, and pursued unsolicited funds from HUD based on Hatch.
Seeds.
Beyond 2005, until I decided it was time to stop, I was just working for others. Save a few land deals and a concept called Four Corners Development; neither of which materialized into anything.
Seeds.
In 2019 these seeds were planted finally. For Revival Development Services. And now here we are.
I have moments where I wish somethings had gone differently between 2001 and around now. But I am also forever grateful. Without those experiences I did have, I would not have had the courage to try it again. And would not have learned the way I am structured now, is the way it should be for me.
And. Cheers to my friends Brian, Dave and Matt. To this day, as much as bunch of middle age guys who live in four different states (and 3 regions of the country), with four different lives can be, are still bonded and friends [at least I still think so :)].
Revival is still an infant. Much to learn and do. We will look different in year 5 than now (just reaching the first official year as a full time gig for me). But we are here.
