Collaboration

A couple of months ago, I heard Sharon Myers, the CEO of Visit Hershey & Harrisburg, speak about the power of collaboration. After the meeting, we had some down time and a few moments to chat. I mentioned a few things I liked about her comments and she said,

“Collaboration is what gets me up in the morning,”

I laughed out loud.

Because, same.

That’s exactly what Yokl is about. It’s not just a website or a food tour; it’s a collaboration and a local movement. We’re not trying to out-hustle or outshine anyone. We’re trying to raise the tide for

everyone’s

boat.

You’ve probably heard the old quote, “A rising tide lifts all ships.” But I love what Ayn Rand said: “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not by the desire to beat others.”

I believe we are all here on earth to do something great, to create and build a beautiful, wonderful 100,000-piece “thing.” Nature expects and wants this from us. But I used to think life was about building the Eileen thing—my corner, my progress, my timeline. But it turns out we’re all working on one giant masterpiece together. It’s the human thing. When you snap a piece into place, the picture becomes clearer for everyone and you make our whole thing better. That’s why your growth matters to me; we’re working on the same thing. Together.

In

Who Not How

, authors Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy say that when you find the right “who,” your vision expands. Your goals accelerate. You stop procrastinating. You stop pretending you have to do it all yourself. Collaboration becomes the secret sauce that makes everything not only possible, but joyful.