The Power of Perspective: What an 80-Mile DNF Taught Me About Small Business Growth

The Ride That Didn’t End the Way I Expected

I recently rode more than 80 miles on my bike… and still finished with a big, bold DNF — Did Not Finish.

And I’ll be honest: it stung.  I was frustrated.  Humbled.  Even a little embarrassed.

I had set out from South Whitley, Indiana, pedaled all the way to Goshen, and started heading back feeling like maybe—just maybe—this would be the day I finally pushed into new territory.

But by the return trip, everything started to fall apart.

I ran out of hydration.  I ran out of nutrition.  The wind picked up and slapped me right in the face.  My legs were toast.  My speed dropped from a smooth 21–24 mph down to 13–17 mph… and eventually down to 10–11 mph once the headwinds arrived.

And somewhere in the middle of all that?  I wrecked my bike.  Scuffed up my entire left leg.  Slammed my hand so hard into the pavement that I unknowingly finished the last half of the ride with a hairline fracture. (That took almost five weeks to heal. Five!)

When I finally stopped, I wasn’t proud.  I wasn’t impressed.  I wasn’t celebrating.

I thought I'd failed.

The Reality Check I Didn’t See Coming

My previous personal best? 60 miles.  And here I was, disappointed that I didn’t magically turn into Jonas Vingegaard or Wout van Aert and crank out 100+ miles like the pros do every day of the Tour de France.

Let’s pause for a moment.

They’re half my age.  With full pro support.  World-class nutritionists, mechanics, coaches, team cars, radios, wind tunnels, and a peloton to block the wind.

Me?  I had… a bike. Two water bottles. And a stubborn sense of optimism.

I didn’t even realize I had crushed my personal best by more than 20 miles until my wife very lovingly pointed out:

“Nate… you just rode over 80 miles. That’s incredible. Who cares if it wasn’t the full loop? You did something you’ve never done before.”

And she was right.

While I had been mourning the DNF, I’d missed the victory that was right in front of me.

How Many Small Businesses Make This Exact Same Mistake

This is where the story turns.

Small business owners—creatives, entrepreneurs, makers, doers—we are notorious for moving the goalpost so fast we forget how far we’ve come.

We compare ourselves to companies:

• twice our size

• 10× our budget

• teams of 20 when we’re a team of 1

• with marketing departments… when we’re just trying to manage emails between client calls
  

We look at their 100-mile-a-day performance and think, “Why can’t I do that?”

We ignore our own wins because we’re too busy staring at someone else’s race.

And we forget the most important truth:

Success looks very different depending on which bike you’re riding, which road you’re on, and how long you’ve been pedaling.

The Power of Drafting: Why Nobody Should Ride Alone

Here’s something cyclists know well:

Riding alone is exhausting.

Riding with a team? Game-changing.

When cyclists form a drafting line, the riders behind the leader conserve 30–40% more energy.  That’s not a small number.  That’s the difference between finishing strong… or not finishing at all.

On my ride, I didn’t have a team around me like Jonas or Wout.  No wind block.  No peloton to tuck behind.  Just me, the road, the wind, and an increasingly cranky left hand.

And that’s when it clicked:

Small businesses shouldn’t ride alone, either.

When you’re trying to:

• build your brand

• redesign your website

• maintain SEO

• create consistent content

• stay compliant

• stay relevant

• stay human

• and still run the actual business…

…you’re burning every ounce of energy you have just to keep the wheels turning.

But with a partner like Haywood Creative Design?

You draft.

We take the wind for a bit so you can breathe.

You ride smarter, not harder.

You conserve the energy you need to finish the race.

And sometimes… we help you see that you’re already doing better than you think.

The Unexpected Joy Along the Journey

I also need to mention this:

Along that 80-mile ride, I met wonderful people.

Strangers who:

• encouraged me

• complimented my bike

• cheered on my progress

• supported my ambition

That matters.

It reminded me that the journey isn’t just about the finish line — it’s about the people who help you keep pedaling when you want to quit.

In business, it’s the same.  Encouragement matters.  Support matters.  Partnership matters.

Nobody builds something meaningful alone.

What This Means for You (Yes, You)

If you feel like you’re not far enough along…

If you feel like you’re falling behind…

If you feel like you’re giving everything you have but the headwinds won’t let up…

Take a breath.

Zoom out.

Look back.

You’re probably miles beyond where you started — and you’ve forgotten to celebrate the personal bests along the way.

And if you’re tired of riding solo, hear this:

You don’t have to.

Haywood Creative Design can be your drafting partner:

• helping you conserve energy

• helping you stay on course

• helping you communicate more clearly

• helping your brand grow

• helping you see your victories

• helping you finish the race you’re meant to finish
  

Your DNF doesn’t define you. Your progress does.

A Final Thought

I may not have finished my 88-mile loop. But I finished something bigger:

I learned that perspective is everything.  I learned that growth isn’t linear.  I learned that success doesn’t always look like the picture in your head.  And I learned that riding alone is impressive — but riding with support is transformational.

If you’re ready for a partner to help carry the wind, keep you moving forward, and celebrate the journey with you…

Let’s ride together. 

Reach out.  Let’s talk.  Let’s break your next personal best — without burning you out in the process.