Sometimes you don’t realize how much you’ll miss something until it’s gone.
NORCROSS, GEORGIA
Chad never doubted that his father loved him. Although Dad was in a horrible wreck when Chad was just a baby, and couldn’t work much, the validation he provided still had a massive impact on Chad’s life.
“My dad’s just a loving guy. That’s what I remember most about him,” said Chad. “That verbal, heartfelt affirmation. He didn’t go very far in school; so, everything I did, in his eyes, was remarkably amazing.
“What that did for me growing up was to know that somebody had my back. It’s a reminder too of how God looks at me. My dad really exampled that. Having that reminder growing up was probably the most remarkable thing my dad did.”
With that solid foundation, Chad went off to college, graduated, and soon entered the world of digital marketing. He started with a steady job at a company called AutomationDirect, where he grew company revenue, often receiving a return on investment of 3-4 times the industry standard at the time.
Then, one day, a chance encounter with an old college friend, Jack, put Chad on a path toward business ownership.
“Jack and I became partners,” said Chad. “The skillsets I had were complementary, and extremely different, from the skillsets he had. Jack can drive and get things done at a level I’ve never seen. I’m a nurturer and a grower. Not having Jack’s skillset, I’ve tried to start things and it wouldn’t work. Jack allowed me to use my talents and skills where I flourished.”
After several years of partnership, Jack took a smaller role at the company and moved out of state for family reasons. Chad knew that in transitioning to CEO of their company, Techwood Digital, that he’d need more support.
“In that transition I found that lonely seat for the CEO,” said Chad. “I was searching for something, but I didn’t know what.”
“In that transition I found that lonely seat for the CEO.”
Chad even found himself sharing this desire with his church elders. During a meeting, he told them, “I wish I could have a team of professional Christians: an organization where I feel supported.”
One of the elders spoke up: “Funny you should say that. I wasn’t supposed to be in this meeting today. The other guy got stuck out of town.” That elder was Tom Lutz, a Convene team leader, who explained to Chad that Convene exists to connect, equip, and inspire Christian CEOs to grow exceptional businesses and become higher-impact leaders to honor God.
“I joined pretty much right after that,” said Chad.
While he knows the many benefits of a Convene membership, Chad says the most important to him is the ongoing love, support, and encouragement he receives from fellow members.
“I remember my company 360 review, where my Convene team interviewed my employees, was a really good moment for me and the company,” said Chad. “At the end of it, my Convene team confirmed how proud they were of me, which was a big moment for me personally because my dad had passed away.
“Reliving the moment, I remember specifically getting a big bear hug from another Convene member, and him saying, ‘We are really proud of you.’ That was something my dad would always say to me. I didn’t realize how much I missed that specific support piece until that moment.”
"I didn’t realize how much I missed that specific support piece until that moment."
Chad continued: “When you go every single day of your life, and you get that hug from your dad: ‘Man, I’m proud of you,’ and then you go three years without it, you miss it. It develops those things where you stall out and you’re not sure what to do sometimes, and you don’t know where to go. That moment was the aha moment: there are these father figures, this gift from God, that say, ‘Hey, we’re still proud of you.’
“My dad never saw what Techwood turned into. I guess that’s why it was so heartfelt. Here are these big guys, burly like my dad, and they went through and looked at everything I was doing at the company, and in the culmination of it, they said, ‘Great job. You’ve done something that honors Christ, that you should be proud of.’
“That support is the most impactful thing. It’s probably the most underrated thing. I think people undervalue how much they can do when they feel supported.”
"I think people undervalue how much they can do when they feel supported.”
Chad continues to grow in his leadership as CEO. “I feel like I give more grace to others,” he said. Beyond that, he’s most proud of the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), which he and Jack set up for Techwood employees.
“Today we are 100% employee owned,” said Chad. “ESOPs provide community wealth. If you look at the research for ESOP companies, they retire better than other companies. They have more benefits because of the way they’re governed and make revenue. It’s a huge tax advantage too. So, it provides for us to be able to do a lot more internally for employees.
“We felt that fit our core values and what we wanted for the company.”
What would Chad say to someone considering Convene membership?
“I would tell them to join. If somebody’s worried about the financial aspect, I would say the cost has been returned to me, tenfold.
“If they’re worried about the time commitment, I would say, ‘What else would you spend your time on, other than focusing on what God wants for your business? If they’re a believer, what could be a higher use of a minute than to spend it searching for God’s direction for their life and company?’
“For me it’s about support. You’re coming in with a team of CEOs who’ve been there, seen it all before, and have a heart to help you discern the right path. I find a lot of comfort in that.”
Well done, Chad. I don’t think there’s any doubt that your father would have been proud.
Chad Crowe is the CEO of Techwood Digital in Atlanta, Georgia. His podcast, Execubalance, helps leaders balance their work and relationships.
Disclaimer: Some quotations have been edited for length and clarity.