Failing Forward

Embracing the stumble on the path to something greater.

I started my animal health business in 1989, fresh out of my undergraduate years. On paper, as the President of Richdel, Inc., it might look like a straight line of success. But if you look closer, my life, like anyone else’s, is a map covered in detours and dead ends. I have faced the heartbreak of failed relationships, the crushing weight of losing loved ones, and business outcomes that simply didn’t go the way I planned.

It is easy to let those moments define you. However, I have learned that failure does not translate into who I am. Instead, failure offers the sharpest insight for improvement and often signals a necessary pivot to better opportunities.

This mindset is exactly what brought me back to the University of Nevada, Reno, to complete my MBA decades after leaving. Returning to the classroom after 30 years of running an Animal Health Enterprise was a humbling admission that I don’t have it all figured out. In fact, in my third semester, I am just beginning to realize the depth of what I don’t know. Admitting that ignorance isn’t a weakness; it’s a strategy for my growth and success.

My resilience is deeply rooted in my faith. As a born-again Christian, my hope in Jesus Christ provides a foundation that doesn’t crumble when life falls apart. It reminds me that grace covers my stumbles. You don’t have to share my belief system to understand the principle: our value isn’t determined by our batting average, but by how we treat others in our orbit, whether two- or four-legged.

I have come to believe that it is far better to fail and move forward than to sit in secure mediocrity. Whether I’m analyzing business dynamics, skiing and biking at Lake Tahoe, or visiting Disneyland with my family, I am choosing to embrace the “fail.” These opportunities would not be in my universe if not for falling short of the mark and recovery. Because failing forward means I’m still moving. I’m still learning, and I have hope on the road ahead with my copilot “Jackie” the dog!