7 Things We Learned in 2020
Whew! 2020… That one is going to be one for the books.
The year started with Australian bushfires and a deadly global pandemic. When we thought (or maybe, hoped) it might get better, countries went into lockdowns and Black Lives Matter protests sprayed out across the United States. To top it all off, we had West Coast wildfires and a historic election that kept the nation, and the world, on its toes – and the effects of these events are here to stay with us in 2021 and beyond.
From city staples going out of business, small businesses struggling to get by, families longing to see each other again, and celebrations cut short, the events of 2020 shifted the way our world worked, but it also taught us a lot of lessons.
At Cannondale Generators, our perspective of business and of community has been altered in unforgettable ways, and we’d like to share them with you. Here are seven things we learned in 2020:
1. We all have something to contribute to the world.
From bread-making tutorials to serving the community’s home energy needs, we all have something important to contribute to the world. In a time when the world was isolated from one another, we saw creativity flourish on ideas ranging from homeschooling children to being prepared for a winter in lockdown– all from people who continue to share their gifts digitally.
2. Protect your peace of mind – now and always.
From taking care of yourself and your loved ones to taking care of your home, 2020 taught us that nothing is worth risking your peace of mind. Some days, your best accomplishment is getting out of bed – and that’s OK.
This year reaffirmed our commitment to all of you, our community, to continue to protect your families and your homes from the stress of a power outage or a storm.
3. People are more important than opinions.
From climate change to politics to the pandemic, we were certainly not short on opinions this year. At Cannondale, we found that people are more important than a point.
As we suffered from isolation, mental health setbacks, facing the unknown, and lockdowns, it was our relationships with others that kept us going – not our opinions.
4. We all need each other, now, more than ever.
Show up for your people. Check-in on an elderly neighbor, call your mom, lend a helping hand to someone who needs it. Change starts with you.
Amidst a pandemic, we’ve seen the best in humanity as people risk their lives to test vaccines, care for those infected, and support those at-risk.
5. Medical personnel make the world go ‘round.
While the rest of us were saying “Can you see my screen?” on a Zoom meeting in our pajamas, doctors, nurses, EMTs, and firemen were standing at the frontlines of the battle against the coronavirus.
They’re the real MVPs of 2020 – and we won’t soon forget it.
6. You are only as strong as your community.
Never forget to give back to your community. As a business, we learned that our strength comes from our customers.
As a local family business, we’ve always valued community service. It’s why we work with organizations like the Bridgeport United Football Club to help reach down and pull others up with us. The resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement this year affirmed our stance to fight for every member of our community.
7. Sometimes, you’re going to mess up.
As hard as we may try, we cannot be prepared for everything that comes our way, like a global pandemic or even a storm. In August, a severe storm hit our community of Connecticut that ultimately overwhelmed our phone lines and limited our ability to do what we do best: serve our community in a time of need.
Many of our customers were dissatisfied with our service; they felt we had let them down. It would have been easy to take this to heart and be discouraged with the mishap – but we’re choosing to learn from our mistakes, because the truth is, sometimes you do mess up.
Your voice matters – and here at Cannondale, it is heard. We take all our customer feedback seriously and do our best to improve our business with every step – or misstep – along the way.
We’ve learned from our mistakes, we’ve learned from the unknown, and we continue to learn from all of you. With these lessons of the past year, Cannondale Generators is excited to go into 2021 with a refreshed view of our business, and our community – and we’re so glad you’re along for the ride.
Stay in the loop on all that we’re up to this upcoming year by following us on social media! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
