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John Rowley

The Resiliency Playbook: Learning From Losses in Business – John Rowley

John Rowley is the Founder of CounterPoint Messaging, a message, media, and digital firm focused on political and advocacy campaigns at the local, state, and national levels. Since starting out in radio and television, he has worked on over 500 political advocacy campaigns for Democrats in 47 states, winning 91% of the time. John has worked with candidates, including presidents, governors, city councils, and members of Congress. He has also worked with over 100 nonprofits and has provided political analysis on media outlets, including MSNBC, CNBC, CNN, Fox News, and NPR.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

  • [1:15] John Rowley’s path to entrepreneurship and his introduction to EO
  • [3:39] The life lessons John learned while dissolving a long-term business partnership
  • [7:34] Strategies for rebuilding a business following a failed partnership
  • [12:19] How EO elevated John’s leadership skills
  • [16:22] Building a culture and encouraging genuine participation in your EO forum
  • [19:37] John shares his business comeback story — and how it helped him develop resilience
  • [27:49] Advice on maximizing the benefits of EO forum participation
  • [33:00] How to navigate conflict between forum members

In This Episode

Entrepreneurs are known for their resilience, but even the strongest business owners can get knocked down by setbacks in their journeys. In these situations, deciding to start fresh can catalyze unprecedented personal growth. Learn how an adaptable entrepreneur and leader transformed his business and mindset.

Political advising expert and long-time EO Nashville member John Rowley joined EO to kickstart growth for his business, but he never imagined he would end his 20-year partnership in just 30 days. Although he talked extensively about the partnership dynamics with his forum, ending the relationship so suddenly cost John his business and employees’ livelihoods. However, this experience taught him the value of self-reflection and consistent learning. John rebuilt his business on political passion and resilience and became an advocate for transparent and vulnerable EO forum cultures to build leadership and overcome challenges.

In this episode of The Decision, Eric Jackson and Robert Hartline meet with John Rowley, the Founder of CounterPoint Messaging, to discuss difficult decisions, resilience, and the power of intimate participation in EO forums. John also shares how to navigate conflicts between forum mates, how he rebuilt his business following a failed partnership, and his valuable life lessons in business.

Quotable Moments:

  • “But the real thing it did is it gave me confidence that if I could be in a business as hard as mine… and have a successful business… I must be doing some damn things right.”
  • “There’s certain creative work I want to do that I need a company to do it in.”
  • “You’re only successful in the moment; you’re a success. So whatever you did in the past is fine.”
  • “Being great is always something I’ve been very focused on.”
  • “There’s no losing; there’s only learning.”

Action Steps:

  1. Pursue ongoing learning and critical self-evaluation: Engaging in constant learning and self-reflection helps you adapt to changes and overcome business plateaus.
  2. Carefully select business opportunities and partnerships: Strategic decision-making about which opportunities to take and who to partner with ensures alignment with personal and business values, leading to long-term success.
  3. Embrace adversities as learning experiences: Viewing challenges as opportunities to learn rather than setbacks cultivates resilience and the ability to make a comeback.
  4. Foster a culture of openness within EO forums and other peer groups: Creating a safe space for vulnerability and direct feedback among peers leads to mutual growth and support.
  5. Continuously drive the elements that make you and your business truly great: Staying true to your core principles and striving for greatness in the present moment leads to real and lasting success.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode

Sponsored by:

This episode is brought to you by EO Nashville.

The Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO) is a high-quality support network of nearly 15,000 like-minded leaders from over 60 countries.

EO helps transform entrepreneurs’ lives through life-enhancing connections, shared experiences, and collaborative learning.

EO Nashville is the largest EO chapter in the US, third in the world, and has the most female members of any US chapter.

To learn more about how EO Nashville can benefit you, visit eonashville.com.

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