As I was checking my email today, the daily update from Crain’s Philadelphia caught my eye.
The top story was about Philly’s Top 20 Startups, and then the second story was about a local Philly company that had filed for bankruptcy.
I’m not sure if Crain’s planned it this way, but having these two articles right next to each other in the list of stories for the day immediately brought to my mind The Circle of Life.
One story was about a group of companies that are just starting out, full of excitement and full of possibilities. The other story is about a company that is perhaps is nearing its final stages.
New companies are born, while old companies fade away.
It’s no different than the human circle of life, and it’s helpful to remember that companies are just a collection of people with hopes and dreams and difficulties.
There are moments of joy when a new baby is born, and moments of sadness when someone dies.
I’m sure it is the same at these companies mentioned in Crain’s.
People working for the startups are likely feeling joy and excitement, while the people at the bankrupt firm are likely feeling sad and wondering how to move on.
I wish the employees at both the startups and the bankrupt firm the best. While your fortunes may be moving in opposite directions, it may be helpful for both the startups and the bankrupt firm to learn from each other how best to function in such situations.
There is a good chance that the startups will one day become a firm filing for bankruptcy, and that the bankrupt firm will learn from its failures, and use that knowledge to create a new business.
And the Circle of Life marches on…
Borden's Blather 