He Who Plants Oaks
They say he who plants an oak tree does so knowing the shade provided will be for a future generation.
Though this may be true, the growing oak provides plenty of benefits for the here and now. Watching something so frail and tender as a young oak grow, knowing that one day it will be the mightiest tree in the forest, yard or roadside is rewarding in and of itself. The knowledge that what you planted and nourish is developing into a giant, a provider of mast, a giver of shade and, eventually, a highly prized hardwood is something only the long-range thinker can truly appreciate.
The same goes for starting a business. Wheelhouse first opened its doors Jan. 5, 2015. We were brand new, tender and in need of nurturing. But inside of us, inside of that little acorn was everything needed to develop into an industry leader. We had the team, the knowledge, the experience and we also had a little of the new, the fresh, the untapped talent that comes only from youth. We had it all.
Over the years we’ve grown and taken root in the community — to the point where we are known as the “go to” place for marketing, advertising and political campaigns. We are now providing mast, shade and hardwood, so to speak, for many clients.
When I first moved to my farm, I started planting oak trees. I knew then I may never get the opportunity to see the trees mature and be strong, that someone else, some future generation might be the ones to enjoy the fruit of my labor. But today as I was driving to work, the sunlight shined on the golden green leaves of the sawtooth oaks I planted in the field along the side of my road. I smiled, knowing I planted those trees. I was part of all of this. I played an important role in bringing this all about. At that moment — and in every earlier moment — it didn’t matter to me the greatest benefit these trees will provide will be enjoyed for those who will come after me. All that mattered was that golden sparkle of light shining through those leaves.
Being a part of Wheelhouse has been much the same for me as planting those oak trees. Knowing Wheelhouse will continue to shine long after I am gone is an extra bonus. Seeing the light that shines in the eyes of a happy client or fellow employee when a job is well done is reward enough. Those sawtooth oaks I planted 10 years ago are now majestic sentinels standing watch and providing shade for my heard of goats. Last year they started dropping mast (acorns) that feed the goats, donkeys, pigs and even wild deer, squirrel and chipmunks. It takes an oak about eight years of growth before they start to produce mast. I am happy to say that Wheelhouse started providing mast the very day we opened and has been doing so every day since.
