The picturesque Lake Burton from Chantilly

Startups aren’t sprints, they are marathons. Success requires keeping a high level of intensity over a long period of time. To keep motivated, you have to break up the journey into smaller intervals. Rivalry has pulled into the first water station strong. We’ve hit 200k ARR, almost 6 months to the day of hitting 100k ARR. We just pushed out major improvements to our product. We are still focused every day on our customers and building a better product for them.

Which is why it was important to take a few days for us. One of the perks of being in Atlanta Ventures is David let’s our companies use his amazing lake house for a few days. We recharged our minds and turned the focus of our intensity on having fun.

Jon and I were a little outnumbered

Sonali and Mira were able to join us for the trip, which meant the boys were heavily outnumbered. Amongst other demographic oddities for an early stage Atlanta startup, there were more engineers than sales people, more female engineers than male, and two politicians (the audience can guess to whom that applies). Also of note, the biggest deal in progress was by an engineer.

Jon firing up the grill

We tried to make fire. The damp conditions and clogged grill did not help our efforts.

While our dinner game was a little soft, breakfast was strong thanks to Emilie, who treated us to some amazing cinnamon roles.

Emilie's amazing homemade cinnamon roles

Emilie at work making breakfast

Our goal of relaxation was helped along by the spotty internet. Thankfully we were still able to get our handful of demos done.

Jon and Amanda fix the internet while the CTO helpfully takes a photo

The weather could have been better, but we didn’t let that stop us from having fun. We were going to get wet anyway.

Emilie and Amanda were paddle board pros

Well, pros on the water, but docking might need a little work

One of the personal highlights from our trip last year was a few days at the lake finally made Mira comfortable in the water. She had another massive progression this time around.

It started pretty simply with letting Emilie paddle board her over to the beach while Sonali swam behind.

Mira enjoying the ride

Before long, she was inspired and started swimming on her own without the need to clutch Mommy or Daddy.

Mira's moving around the water in just a lifejacket

Another unfinished goal from last time was swimming out to Billy Goat island. Since it was too wet for basketball, Jon and I made it our goal. The swim was actually very doable, but I was glad that our paddle-boarders made sure we didn’t drown.

Jon preparing for the return leg from Billy Goat Island

The final piece of unfinished business was getting the boat out. Mira loved the boat, but was very concerned by her friends fall into the water off the wakeboards and tubes. On the last day she overcame her fear long enough to allow Sonali an opportunity on the tube.

Mira would prefer that mommy stay on the boat

Sonali having a blast on the tube

By the time we had to leave we were exhausted, waterlogged, and sore. It was three days well spent.

Mira with 'Amenemie Friend'

Mira with 'AmanDA'

Mira with Mommy and Daddy