Sometimes it takes an ocean to give you the space you need

I’m writing this blog at Philadelphia Airport, waiting for my connection to Ithaca with a glass of wine within reach as I think about the trip ahead. I know I’ve done the right thing by travelling to the States, not least because I’m going to have a fantastic weekend chilling out with my great pals Bill & Jude Thomas (I’ve promised our Brand Guardian aka BG that I won’t pick up a guitar!). I’m also collaborating with some of the most creative minds in the world on celebrating older age – The Eden Alternative, Green House Project, and AARP – with me representing the fledgling Evermore. What disruption we can cause internationally? It makes the hair on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it.

And it’s this shared desire to continually innovate, break the mould, be daring, challenge everything and create something really great that makes me so delighted to be part of this transatlantic community. What I’m passionate about with the Evermore gang is that we all live and breathe the same values every day. When you’re starting up any company from scratch it takes huge effort, commitment and long hours. Some days it seems too hard, as if we’ll never get across the line and simply start. It’s essential the team doesn’t just gel or have ‘cabinet responsibility’ as I’ve so often heard in a corporate environment. We really have to love each other because we’ll need to behave like a true family every time the going gets tough. That may sound cheesy but I believe that it’s the love and shared goals that will make Evermore happen, creating something really special. To steal a quote from Alexandre Dumas:

“All for one and one for all.”

Making space and putting the distance between me and the intensity of day to day Evermore building, has confirmed this for me even more. This has never been about one person. It’s the whole team of highly skilled and experienced ‘olderpreneurs’ (they’ll forgive me for that) that will make Evermore the place to choose for work, life and living. And as if I needed any proof, those guys are continuing to drive everything forward while I take time out in the U.S. to do a bit of visioning.

This just won’t end because we’ll be at it for Evermore. Watch out on Twitter for a few updates as the inspiration flows. And thanks for helping us get there.

Sara

Sara Mckee, Founder & Director of Market Innovation
Follow Sara on Twitter @SaraMcKeeFRSA