Grow Your Network: Greg Larkin Is A Second Mountain Pioneer

For years, I've been connecting with interesting people and documenting insights that might help my clients and myself. What was once private is now (mostly) public.

People often ask: "How do you know all these people?" and "How do you connect these (re: random) ideas?" The answer is simple: consistent relationship cultivation and thoughtful note taking. My north star is trusting my instincts, my maps are the constellations in these reflections.

Find my Personal Archive on CultishCreative.com, watch me build a better Personal Network on the Cultish Creative YouTube channel, and follow me on social media (LinkedIn and X).

This approach has helped tons of clients strengthen their networks and unlock new opportunities. You can:

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I can't promise you'll learn from me, but you'll definitely learn something with me. Let's go. Count it off: 1-2-3-4…

Do you know Greg Larkin? Financial crisis predictor, "punk in pinstripes," and creator of an executive community for those climbing their second mountain (called Punks and Pinstripes)? Author of "This Might Get Me Fired" - a guide for executives who find that "all the trophies feel like atrophy"?

If not, allow me to introduce you. Greg has built a remarkable career navigating the intersection of corporate finance and authentic self-expression. I wanted to connect with him because he embodies something I value deeply: the courage to evolve beyond conventional success when it no longer serves your deeper purpose.

Our conversation is LIVE now on the Cultish Creative YouTube channel (and this Cultish Creative JUST PRESS RECORD Playlist). Listen and you'll hear how he went from predicting the 2008 financial crisis to building a community for executives seeking meaning beyond traditional achievement.

In the meantime, I wanted to pull 3 key lessons from my time with Greg to share with you (and drop into my Personal Archive).

Read on and you'll find a quote with a lesson and a reflection you can Take to work with you, bring home with you, and leave behind with your legacy.

WORK: Embrace Your Business Punk Identity

Key Concept: The most valuable people in any organization are those who understand the system but operate by their own set of rules - the "business punks" who can navigate through politics and obstructionism to solve important problems when conventional approaches fail.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: When the bands we had in high school, meaning my friends and I, started to play shows in and out of our area, we had to learn the various sets of rules to keep leveling up. First you had to figure out how to get a gig at the local spot. Then you had to figure out how to promote it (make fliers, talk it up, etc.). Then, once you had some fans, you had to figure out how to make merch (stickers, buttons, shirts, etc.). Since you were doing it all yourself, you couldn’t just copy what the other bands were doing.

While it was true that we were all functionally doing the same things, the reality was - one band might have a graphic designer kid who made way cooler fliers, and another had a cousin two towns over who helped them get a gig over there, and another kid’s dad had a small recording rig in their garage, and on and on. The punk lesson of that small town punk scene was - you succeed if and only if you figure out how to do it, how to maximize your abilities in each domain, and, most importantly, your ability to stand out.

It’s true at every job, in every business, in every industry. if you don’t want to be a commodity, if you don’t want to be choked by the system (or trapped in the already burning dumpster fire), all you have to do is rebel a little. It’s so fun and so liberating once you know it.

Work question for you: Where in your organization are the "dumpster fires" that could benefit from a business punk approach rather than more of the same thinking that created them?

LIFE: Open The Miracle Window

Key Concept: Success isn't always about controlling outcomes but creating the conditions for unexpected miracles to emerge. This requires letting go of specific expectations while remaining committed to excellence.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: At my former employer, almost nobody could understand why I would publish a daily note (snipping part of my Cultish Creative post for that day, and combining it with market commentary highlighted from around the research department). Most of the people on my immediate team thought it was a complete waste of time. But then, we’d be trying to figure out how to do something, or get something accomplished with another department, and I’d say, “I know a guy/gal/person there.”

The daily notes steadily grew a distribution list, which spanned across the firm, across departments, and I’m telling you - the reach I had, half-based on saying nice things about research people all while making operations folks in various areas laugh, it was amazing. We got more done because we had that network, and it was all based on saying nice things and being personable. Best career hack ever (and best life hack too, because it started to validate how personal reflections - with my name attached, since Cultish Creative was anonymous then - was valuable to people).

The downside was a little bit of my time. The upside was all the connections I started to make. That’s a small miracle by most measurements, but it changed my life and is a daily reminder to me today of why I’ve kept going. The miracle window stays OPEN baby.

Life Question For You: What "miracle windows" are you trying to open in your life right now, and are you too attached to what comes through them?

LEGACY: Climb The Second Mountain

Key Concept: After achieving conventional success, many high-achievers reach a point where external accolades feel hollow. The "second mountain" involves pursuing meaningful work that aligns with your authentic self, beyond the validation-seeking of earlier career stages.

Personal Archive Note-To-Self: I already wrote a whole post about “second mountain miracle windows” in my life, but the broader “legacy” point is this - if you want to help the people around you, if you want to make the world a better place, you don’t climb the second mountain for yourself, you do it in service of the others. And, you do it with what you alone can see from the new mountain, through your miracle window.

The second mountain is as personal and internal as it gets, with all the outward intentions and love you can muster for your fellow travelers. I think of my life, my wife, my family, my friends, my work colleagues, my network, and - wherever this is all going, and - I shout “Reeee-co-laaaaaaa” and to make everybody laugh while I figure out how to build more encampments for more people of goodwill around this peak I’m on.

Legacy question for you: Are you climbing your first mountain or your second? If you're still on the first, how will you recognize when it's time to begin the journey to the second? What do you want to do on your second mountain?

BEFORE YOU GO: Be sure to…

Connect with Greg Larkin on LinkedIn

Check out his book "This Might Get Me Fired"

Consider if you should join his community "Punks and Pinstripes"

Take a moment to reflect on all these ideas!

You have a Personal Network and a Personal Archive just waiting for you to build them up stronger. Look at your work, look at your life, and look at your legacy - and then, start small in each category. Today it's one person and one reflection. Tomorrow? Who knows what connections you'll create.

Last thing: Don't forget to click reply/click here and tell me who you're adding to your network and why! Plus, if you already have your own Personal Archive too, let me know, I'm creating a database.