By Nathan Whittacre, CEO of Stimulus Technologies
There’s a saying in endurance sports that applies just as much to business and life:
Half the battle is showing up. The rest is just putting one foot in front of the other.
This past year has tested me physically, mentally, emotionally, and professionally. Between racing Ironman New Zealand under the shadow of a genetic heart condition and leading Stimulus Technologies through the highest-stakes broadband funding initiatives in our company’s history, I’ve come to realize one undeniable truth:
Resilience wins.
Not bravado. Not perfection. Just the quiet, persistent act of showing up—even when it’s hard.
Facing Fear at Ironman New Zealand
In early 2025, I traveled to compete in one of the world’s toughest endurance events: the Ironman triathlon. That’s a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride, and a full 26.2-mile marathon—completed back-to-back in one day.
But this wasn’t just another race.
Just before I left, I was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition—the kind that, in rare cases, can trigger sudden cardiac arrest during intense activity. I had never experienced symptoms, but the diagnosis changed everything. Knowing the risk was there fundamentally changed how I approached race day.
Race day was filled with anxiety. My heart rate spiked before I even left my hotel room. I battled severe GI distress from stress. At one point, I looked at my wife and said, “I don’t think I can do this.”
But then I made one small, game-changing decision:
I showed up anyway.
I walked to the starting line—not fully committed to racing, but open to what might happen. And to my surprise, things went better than expected. A solid swim. A strong bike ride. And despite another wave of GI distress during the run, I crossed the finish line—faster than the year before.
Not because I was stronger.
But because I stayed in the race.
The Roll-Down Surprise: Ironman World Championship
After the race, my wife and I attended the Ironman World Championship roll-down ceremony—where remaining slots are offered to athletes if top finishers decline them.
We had zero expectations.
To our astonishment, my wife’s age group came up and—boom—she landed the final slot to compete in Kona, Hawaii.
I stuck around for mine. I had finished 38th in my group—not a likely pick. But as the names were called, athletes ahead of me passed. The slot kept rolling...
Then: they called my name.
I earned a slot for the Ironman World Championship in Nice, France.
A wave of joy and disbelief swept over me—not just for the achievement, but because I had nearly walked away from the start line. That day, showing up made all the difference.
We celebrated like any Ironman couple would: with ice cream and tears.
From Ironman to Infrastructure: Building Broadband Access
At the same time, I was leading Stimulus Technologies through a parallel challenge—applying for the BEAD program (Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment), a $42 billion initiative to expand high-speed internet access to underserved communities.
This was a once-in-a-generation opportunity—and by far the most competitive, complex broadband funding program in U.S. history.
Our team submitted the largest, most comprehensive proposals we’ve ever attempted. Each required detailed mapping, network engineering, financial modeling, and operational planning—under an intense 30-day deadline.
The stakes? Enormous.
Fail, and we’d risk falling behind competitors. Win, and we’d need to rapidly scale operations across multiple states.
I felt fear—like on race day—but I also saw possibility.
Thanks to a smart, passionate team and a rock-solid strategy, we showed up with a serious bid.
The result?
We’ve been awarded a $142.5 million broadband project in Nevada, with additional applications pending in four more states. It’s a major vote of confidence in our vision—and a huge step toward closing the digital divide.
Resilience Over Results: The Core of Leadership
What ties these moments together—Ironman training and infrastructure expansion—is one belief:
Resilience matters more than results.
There will always be faster athletes and bigger companies. But after 30 years in business, I’ve learned I don’t need to out-sprint anyone—I need to outlast them.
- When you’re uncertain: Show up.
- When the odds are against you: Show up.
- When the challenge feels too big: Show up anyway.
Because more often than not, the breakthrough doesn’t happen at the finish line—it happens when you refuse to walk away.
To Business Leaders: Take the Next Step
If you’re facing your own “Ironman”—a high-risk product launch, ambitious growth goal, or market disruption—know this:
You don’t need to solve it all today.
Just take the next step.
Break the mission down into smaller goals. Focus on progress, not perfection. Build a team aligned with your vision. Keep moving forward.
And above all—keep showing up.
You never know what might be waiting for the one who sticks around: a world championship slot, a $142M broadband contract, a once-impossible milestone.
Looking Ahead
As I prepare to race in Nice, France, and continue scaling Stimulus Technologies into a national leader in managed IT services and fiber broadband infrastructure, I hold tightly to this lesson:
Show up.
To my wife, my team, and our community partners—thank you for believing in this mission.
And to every entrepreneur and business leader out there chasing big goals:
I’ll see you at the starting line.
