Have you heard it said about someone “He or She’s got game”? Typically that means – “They are really good at something!” But when someone says that about me, it means “She’s NOT simply a fan watching the game from the sidelines or the stands -– she’s in the game, playing on the field, and not only hitting the ball – but knocking it out of the ballpark (well, at least in my imagination).” This Mama’s got game!In October, 2011, my son, Ryan, and his amazing wife, Shawntel, were talking strategies about what their next business enterprise would be. After all, Ryan had, just a few months prior, exited from the company he founded and built to a $1.2 billion valuation. After 10 years of diligence and hard work, it should have been time to relax back and enjoy the fruit of their labors, but that was not to be.
It was in that same month that Ryan had an epiphany – to create a company, uncharacteristic of typical “big enterprise mentality”. This company would be one that placed its values on relationships and core values and providing a tangible means of helping people make a better living for themselves and their family. So, of course, I wanted to be a part of something that had those kinds of ambitions. When I first heard the vision and plans for this company, I said, “Game on!” But, then Ryan said, “Mom, I told Dad I was going to take care of you. You just be the grandmother of Solavei (the new company). Initially, I thought, “Beautiful – Mama can be a cheerleader and support the “Sol Train” (aka Solavei Team)! But after hearing my daughter, Staci, sharing with an individual about Solavei, and hearing her passion for seeing our country’s economy revived and many people’s lives transformed, I could just hear my Honey speaking to me from heaven and saying “Donna, what are you thinking? Really, you’re going to sit back and watch what we believed, prayed and planted the seeds for – for over 40 years? Do you really want to be the grandmother of anything besides our six grandchildren?” And to that, I answered with a resounding, “NO!”
So, then, I had to put a plan together, a case for Mama being in the game. No handouts expected. No rules of engagement any different from any other player on the field. I had to not just “talk the talk”. I had to “walk the walk” and put my plan to action. I set out to be the “Poster Mama” – showing others what can happen when we stop whining about being “too little or too big; too old or too young; too female or too male; too black or too white; it’s too difficult or too easy”……and to JUST DO IT!! And, so I am!!
Yes, here I am today….playing in this game. I’m loving it. And, my team is loving it too! I’m a Founding Member of Solavei. Last week, my son said to me, “Mom, you’re a machine!” Some of my friends are probably thinking, “What happened to Donna? Where is she?” Would you please tell them for me? “Donna’s in the batting cage – she’s practicing her swing, throwing the ball – practicing her pitches, she’s on the field doing her warm-ups, getting the plays down and working hard to be her best -- from sun-up to sun-down.” Oh, yes, Donna’s got game! And, it’s not a competition with anyone other than ME! And at the end of this game season, I will have fulfilled my game assignment!! And you won’t hear me saying “I wish I had!” Oh, no! I’ll be saying “I’m so glad I did….and look, now I’m going to Disney World….oh, actually, it will be Hawaii – Solavei rewards its players for their “WINS”!
