When I was a boy, Evel Knievel lived to see if he would crash and burn. And we watched him closely, a conflicted mixture of hope that he would make the jump or, perhaps even better, crash his motorcycle onto the last bus. There are moments in business when a business owner feels like Evel Knievel — if plans don’t work, the business could crash and burn.

And it’s really cool.

We just came through a crash and burn moment. Our largest contract just ended. If we didn’t win the new competition, Rosenberg Communications wasn’t continuing in its current form. Our entire strategy and bidding plan was very well conceptualized but, hanging over my head throughout the process, was the specter of business tragedy. And it was exhilarating. There’s something about knowing we are facing a crash and burn moment that makes me feel like Evel Knievel.

We won the big contract. In fact, we won two others as well.

I just hope clients don’t mind me coming to meetings dressed in a Stars and Stripes jumpsuit, like the one Evel used to wear.