Rockport Launch: Reflections on Our First Year

Friends:

First of all, thank you for all of the messages over the past week on LinkedIn. It is such a great platform to stay in touch! Many of you have asked me about my future plans. In short, I’m excited to continue to grow Rockport’s consulting practice – currently with an array of clients in CT, NY and TX – and also take on roles such as CFO of Texas Saké Company in Austin!

As I enter year 2 of Rockport’s launch, I wanted to reflect and share the inspiration of the name of my firm and what I hope to accomplish through it. Rockport is the place where my late father, Fred Klatt, taught me to fish in Texas: Rockport is a quiet fishing town near Corpus Christi. I enjoyed many weekends there as a kid with him and my grandfather: fond memories of childhood there are seared in my imagination. Soon after my father’s death, I grew a deep sense of calling to impact private business owners like him. I wanted to take my beliefs, expertise, and experience and utilize them in a new and fresh way that would count and have meaning to me. I knew in my heart that I would need to leave a terrific and safe job to take risks and start the process to build my own consulting business.

With my love of the ocean and the beauty of the Connecticut coast near my home now, “Rockport” reminds me of my history, my place in the world, and my beliefs. So, Rockport is deeply personal: it represents where I have been, where I live, and where I hope to go. Earlier this year, I enjoyed the process of writing out Rockport’s mission, core values, and “Why Rockport?”: brief points on why a company, family or business owner should trust Rockport and engage us to support their needs. It continues to be a document that I reflect on, seek to live out every day, and share with potential business partners and clients.

I’m grateful for you: our clients, business partners, and friends in the marketplace. Rockport’s first year was built on relationships: friends and partners who gave us a chance to work with them and their clients. I’m excited to grow our reach, to team with great people and organizations, and to continue impacting families, business owners and private companies through our hard work! Please reach out if there are ways that we can work together, helping each other and our clients!

All the best,

Nathan