I just wrapped up a surprising three-week trip to Berlin, Venice, and Verona.
What a milestone! We finally got all three kids together — to celebrate my wife’s 60th birthday.
The trip was even better than we hoped for.
As I fly home, I am reflecting on the important, timely lessons from this trip. Here are my top three:
Lesson 1. It’s Not a Business If You Can’t Travel
This first lesson hit me as we left for our trip, from JFK airport.
If your business can’t run without you for a few weeks—it’s not a true business, at least not one that will give you the freedom you deserve.
Building an independent business takes intentional effort. It doesn’t just happen.
You need a vision for how the business should function without your constant involvement, and how your role can shift to supporting its success without being a bottleneck.
In that context, I want to give a huge shout-out to my team at Jeffrey Scott Consulting for keeping everything humming while we were away.
Reflection: What’s the longest you can leave your business and still feel at peace? What needs to be in place for you to stretch that number?
Lesson 2. Venice Taught Me to Slow Down
Venice is a bustling city—but if you try to rush through it in a day, you’ll miss the magic.
We stayed for five days and dove deep:
- Italian lessons
- Boat trip around the islands
- Touring the famous Doge’s Palace and the historic Jewish Ghetto
- Cooking class
- Relaxing beach time
And, of course, amazing pizza, pasta and wine.
The best part was the quality time and deep conversations with our kids.
We shared laughs, and gained insights into who they are as adults. That kind of connection only happens when you slow down.
Reflection: When was the last time you slowed down to truly connect with your team?
A prime example is Marcus Kerske, co-owner of Gardens of Babylon in Nashville, and a long-time peer group member. Recently, he shared that he’s intentionally spending more time building relationships with his team. It’s a major shift from the numbers-and-systems focus that helped him scale to one of the largest in Nashville.
He knows that he has to change and evolve in order for his business to continue to grow.
Lesson 3. Flexibility Unlocks Opportunity
For this trip we made plenty of plans—but we also left space for spontaneity.
Our children (ages 23, 26, and 36) filled that white space with their own ideas, and that made the trip more memorable:
The boat trip, bike rides, pizza experiences, and family-made meals in our roof-top apartment.
The leadership lesson here is about curiosity and empowerment:
- Give your team room to explore their own ideas, not just execute yours.
- Keep your own thinking flexible enough to stay open to new ideas and input.
Curiosity is a growth accelerant. The true innovators nurture it—in themselves and their teams.
Reflection: What are you doing to model and encourage curiosity in your organization?
Your Challenge: Build Your Business with Shared Experiences
Whether at home or at work, growth is catalyzed through shared experiences.
It’s those bonding moments that deepen trust and understanding. They expand everyone’s vision of what’s possible.
And sometimes you have to push yourself to create these moments.
My wife and I don’t usually stay up late, but in Verona, we rallied for a late night open-air opera in the ancient Verona Arena. The kids totally loved the experience (!) even though they don’t like opera.
The world is your oyster. Go get it!
Regards, Jeffrey Scott
P.S. Here are some fun photos from our trip—with captions to bring you along for the ride.
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