For those who have followed the Brazen Careerist journey since the beginning—back when we were just three people yelling at each other in a coffee shop—you know that we’ve come a long way. And for those of you who don’t, there are certainly some worthwhile posts to be read in Penelope’s archives and in my own.

The past year was a lot of things for me. One hand, it was pure hell. I never imagined startup life to be so hard. But on the other hand, it’s been the most rewarding year of my life.

Maybe it’s the holidays that bring out my gratitude for being a part of something so great. Or maybe it’s just that in my mind, our community has just reached a new level of greatness. Whatever it is, I’ve been reflecting on it a lot.

Community has always been important to me. Being a member of the Brazen Community has been one of the most extreme, and definitely the most powerful learning experience of my entire life.

You have the power to bring out the best (or the worst) in people and yourself.

It’s no secret. Penelope, Ryan Healy and I fought a lot when we first started the company. There were nights when we’d sit on the couch, watch TiVo and eat cheap stir fry without uttering a word. Other nights were all-out melees. We’d take pot shots at one another ‘til we didn’t know what started the argument. The thing that bothers me the most now is that they were days where we brought out the worst in each other.

But flash forward to today: We have a stellar team of 7+ people working together. And it works well because we’re learning to see the best in each other instead of the worst.

Focusing on your strengths is not a novel idea in the business world, but a ton of communities still can’t crack the code. “Who goes where?” and “Who does what?” is still something that the most successful organizations can’t perfect.

Part of it is getting over our own egos, realizing that our most valuable asset isn’t necessarily what we desire. The other part is getting to know the people around you, forgiving their faults and embracing that they can do some things better than you can.

It’s a thorny notion to grasp. But the sooner we focus on what makes people so special (and forget about what makes them suck) the sooner we get the most out of being a part of any community.

Because it’s much more about others than it is about you.

I think one of the hardest parts about entrepreneurship is when it’s become less about what you want to do and more about the community that trusts you to make responsible decisions that are best for everyone. And I thrive in circumstances that allow me to help other people. But even I have issues with some of the limitations of a more focused startup environment.

But still, we adapt. If we don’t change, we’re not doing our job. Change is hard, and imperfect. But at least we have a community that doesn’t demand us to be perfect. They embrace our flaws, and encourage us to make things better. And we’re thankful that we have that.

One of the biggest problems I saw in corporate life was an overabundance of perfectionist organizations—afraid to make mistakes—even fooling themselves into thinking that they had all the answers. I get why all corporations want to look like sovereign remedy for all the world’s setbacks, but I’ve found through community managing at Brazen that there’s a better approach: Authenticity.

The best community members in the Brazen Community have never been afraid to put their asses on the line. They’ve openly proclaimed their biggest flaws, and shared how they’ve overcome some of life’s biggest challenges. And nobody here has all the answers. Most of us aren’t even close.

That’s what’s makes us so strong when we’re together. Our cohesive imperfections make us more perfect than we could ever possibly be on our own.

This community has literally changed my life. Thanks for being a part of something that has been so imperfect, but so perfect all at the same time.

Happy New Year.