By Ben Maskus, SBA Analyst, Core Bank.
The fourth quarter is here! It’s natural to be feeling tired, but now is not the time to rest. From the football field to the workplace we spend the year making adjustments, tweaking the process, rehearsing plays and strategy, and now, it’s time to execute.
THE 1995 ORANGE BOWL
There is one specific football game that came to mind when writing this post. It was the 1995 Orange Bowl when #1 ranked Nebraska took on #3 ranked Miami. The Huskers had suffered three Orange Bowl defeats to Miami in the previous ten years. It was time for The Cornhuskers to execute.
Nebraska fell to a quick 10-0 deficit in the first quarter, and the offense seemed to be struggling. Nebraska finally scored on a pass from Brook Berringner with seven minutes left in the first half. Miami quickly answered, extending their lead to 17-7 at halftime. The momentum was on Miami’s side for the majority of the game until the Nebraska defense stepped up and recorded a safety to give the Husker’s some drive.
The Husker defense held Miami to zero points in the fourth quarter, while Nebraska’s offense executed their game plan. They scored two more times to win their first National Championship under Tom Osborne with a final score of 24-17.
The preparation and adjustments throughout the first three quarters of the game, as well as their entire season leading up to this point, had paid off. The work they had done all season set Nebraska up for success. Not only did their momentum pay dividends in the 4th quarter, but it carried over into the following season, and in the years to come.
MAINTAINING A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
Surround yourself with experts. Accountability is key in having a successful fourth quarter, as well as planning for the upcoming year. Don’t hire people that say yes when they should be saying no. Work with a bank made of real people with knowledge and resources. Hire an accountant that understands the best tax benefits for your business. Hire an attorney that holds your best interests above all. And find a financial advisor that pushes you towards your financial goals while operating as a fiduciary.
Once you’ve surrounded yourself with the right people, it will be hard to fail.
At Core Bank our goal is to help you reach your year-end goals. We also want to give you a head start for 2020. It’s easy to coast across the finish line, taking full advantage of the holidays, looking back on accomplishments thus far, but let’s keep our foot on the accelerator. Let’s keep executing and building momentum for the future.