Ideas are easy. It's the execution that merits celebration.We had a proud parenting moment this past Friday that I have to share with you Friends: our son (the one who may be the world's worst driver) and his band released their first single.If you are interested in checking it out, click >>HERE<< for links to it on various platforms (Spotify, YouTube, iTunes, etc).It's got a retro, alt-punk kind of vibe to it -- good song to start the summer.I've probably listened to it at least 30 times since it dropped Friday at midnight ET. Each time I hear something new in it. Each time I smile and like it more.I know, I know it might seem like I am just being THAT Dad who loves whatever their kid does, but as with most things in these preambles, there is a story behind it -- and a lesson.My son came up with the idea for the song a little over two years ago when he was just teaching himself to play guitar and forming his first band. He wrote the lyrics and the music himself (along with a number of other original songs) and then would go down to our basement and just practice over and over whenever he had time.His band's lineup has changed a few times in the years since, but every time they would play this song at a "gig" (which range from simple backyard "shows" with friends and friends of friends to playing at legit, small local venues with cover charges), he has noticed this song gets people (kids and adults alike) up and moving.So after the Summer of 2019, he convinced his bandmates that they should record it. The great thing about technology these days is that producing high quality tracks can be done anywhere, anytime and without a lot of sophisticated equipment or expensive studio time. Seemed simple.But kids are kids. Priorities change on a daily basis. The project took some time to get off the ground. Then COVID hit -- 2020 put the band and their plans on hiatus.As things began to open up a bit earlier this year, they started practicing together again more regularly between school, work and other activities -- and that's when the collaborating, recording, producing and mixing resumed. Finally, they came up with a "finished" single they really liked. My son had done some research on the nuances of releasing self-published music across various platforms -- getting his band "verified," songs "accepted and approved," and basic promotion to get it played and included in "playlists" to hopefully get the song noticed. Again, it is not technologically hard -- it just requires some tenacity and execution to get it done and completed.So at 12:01am on June 11, 2021, over 3 years since my teenage son first picked up a guitar to teach himself how to play, after coming up with the lyrics and music, after a number of band member departures and arrivals, after many gigs, COVID, and a lot of teenage angst in between, a 3 min 14 second song was released to the world for people other than my son and his bandmates, family and friends to listen to, judge and hopefully enjoy.Here's the thing: ideas are easy to come by. The world is full of people with a lot of great ideas swimming around in their heads. But putting pen to paper and converting those ideas into execution is hard. And I have found that there is a worldwide shortage of people who are willing to do the work to actually get things done.Who knows what will happen with this song. Although my son is pretty proud of the finished product, it may only get 20 people listening to it. It could get on the radio at some point in the future or it could even win a Grammy. To me, the real success is that my son collaborated with his friends to take his idea and make it happen. It is something he will never forget. And it is something I celebrate and admire every time I listen to the track.I also happen to think it is a total banger of a song.....but maybe that's just me...Not to be sold short, I also think this is another banger edition of the newsletter as well so definitely check out the links below. Have a good one!XOXODave