"We're all on diving boards, hundreds of times during our lives." — Steven Spielberg

The 11-Year Dive - I remember standing in a gallery in DC in 2010, staring at Norman Rockwell's Boy on a High Dive. In person, you can almost feel the heat of the sun, the height of that board, the boy's wide eyes oscillating between fear and intrigue.

Steven Spielberg shared that this painting hangs in his office. "For me, that painting represents every motion picture just before I commit to directing it," he said. "That painting spoke to me the second I saw it... I said not only is that going in my collection, but it's going in my office so I can look at it every day of my life."

He admitted he looked at that boy on the diving board every time he debated directing a new film. He stood on that board for 11 years before finally taking the plunge into Schindler's List.

I didn't fully feel the weight of Spielberg's metaphor until I launched my own consulting company.

Spielberg would reflect on that painting before committing to something he was passionate about. I feel that same passion about changing the way companies gift—about shifting a monotonous gesture into a strategy. I've personally witnessed gifts transform diplomatic engagements. Grand Unveiling was born from a desire to move away from "standard" corporate gifts and toward something with strategy, intent, and story.

Starting a business is a mix of acute fear and quiet pride. Fear of the fall, but pride in the leap. This year, I'm going to keep diving off the board, even though I'm scared, because I believe in the value of what I offer.

"We're all on diving boards, hundreds of times during our lives." — Steven Spielberg

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