David Rocker on What We Can Fix—One Step at a Time
An open letter from David Rocker, Managing Partner at NYSA Capital LLC, written from his home base in Atlanta, GA
ATLANTA, GA, January 17, 2026 -- To anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or uncertain right now:
I don't know your exact situation. But I know this:
You're not alone.
Whether you're a small business owner watching cash flow stall…
A team leader trying to keep people engaged…
Or someone building something meaningful with limited support…
There's a lot to carry. And too many of us are carrying it alone.
Over the years, I've worked across industries, guided growing companies, and supported founders through good times and hard ones. I've also failed—and learned what not to do.
One thing I keep coming back to is this:
"You don't lead by pretending things are predictable. You lead by preparing for change."
That lesson came during the dot-com bust. I was helping a startup that didn't survive. Since then, I've focused on structure, reflection, and supporting others—especially those who never had a head start.
But let's talk about today—and the very real challenge people are facing.
We're living through a confidence crisis.
According to a 2023 Gallup report, employee engagement has dropped for two years straight. The number of U.S. workers who feel "connected" at work is under 33%. And for new entrepreneurs, more than 40% say they don't have access to mentors, advisors, or the resources they need. The systems we depend on—financial, social, operational—often feel too rigid or too quiet. When something breaks, we're expected to fix it ourselves.
"I've seen million-dollar decisions made faster when we map them out like an engineering flowchart. It takes the fear out of the unknown."
The problem is, most people don't get the blueprint. They don't get the coaching. They get tossed into the deep end and told to swim.
That has to change.
What We Can Fix
We can't rebuild the system overnight. But we can build support around ourselves—and each other. Not with grand gestures. With real structure and small moves that add up.
Here's something I tell every founder I work with:
"You can hand someone a check. But if no one walks them through the hard calls—hiring, systems, strategy—it won't last."
We need mentorship. We need feedback loops. We need people who show up—not just with answers, but with honest questions and lived experience.
We also need to get back to basics.
In-person time. One-on-one coaching. Shared problem-solving. The kind of guidance you can't get from a PDF or a webinar.
"Some of the best lessons I ever got happened after meetings. Quick chats. Honest feedback. That stuff sticks."
If you've been waiting for someone to tell you you're allowed to slow down and get intentional, this is that moment.
What You Can Do This Week
Here are 10 actions you can take right now—wherever you are, whatever you're building:
List 3 things in your process that feel clunky or unclear. Circle one to fix this week.
Block 30 minutes to reflect. Ask: What's working? What's broken? What am I avoiding?
Ask someone more experienced for 15 minutes of advice. Make it specific.
Offer help to someone newer than you. Just listen and share what you've learned.
Review your cash flow or schedule like it's a system. Where's the bottleneck?
Write down a mistake you keep repeating. What's one small change you can try?
Schedule one meeting in person this week if you can. See what shifts.
Remove one task that adds noise but no value. Be ruthless.
Pick a moment to slow down this week—and do nothing. Let your brain reset.
Say thank you to someone who coached you—even once. You might inspire them to do it again.
One Choice, One Week
If you made it this far, here's my ask:
Pick one of the 10 actions above.
Commit to it for the next 7 days.
Then share this letter with someone who needs to hear it.
That's how we build better systems—one person at a time, one step at a time.
You don't need to fix everything. You just need to begin.
With you in the process,
David Rocker
David Rocker is the Managing Partner at NYSA Capital LLC and The Rocker Group, LLC. With a background in systems engineering from Georgia Tech, Rocker brings over 30 years of experience in corporate finance, commercial real estate, and strategic consulting. He's known for using process thinking to help businesses build sustainable growth, and for his mentorship work with minority-owned businesses and disabled veterans. Rocker is based in Atlanta, GA, and works nationwide.
# # #
I don't know your exact situation. But I know this:
You're not alone.
Whether you're a small business owner watching cash flow stall…
A team leader trying to keep people engaged…
Or someone building something meaningful with limited support…
There's a lot to carry. And too many of us are carrying it alone.
Over the years, I've worked across industries, guided growing companies, and supported founders through good times and hard ones. I've also failed—and learned what not to do.
One thing I keep coming back to is this:
"You don't lead by pretending things are predictable. You lead by preparing for change."
That lesson came during the dot-com bust. I was helping a startup that didn't survive. Since then, I've focused on structure, reflection, and supporting others—especially those who never had a head start.
But let's talk about today—and the very real challenge people are facing.
We're living through a confidence crisis.
According to a 2023 Gallup report, employee engagement has dropped for two years straight. The number of U.S. workers who feel "connected" at work is under 33%. And for new entrepreneurs, more than 40% say they don't have access to mentors, advisors, or the resources they need. The systems we depend on—financial, social, operational—often feel too rigid or too quiet. When something breaks, we're expected to fix it ourselves.
"I've seen million-dollar decisions made faster when we map them out like an engineering flowchart. It takes the fear out of the unknown."
The problem is, most people don't get the blueprint. They don't get the coaching. They get tossed into the deep end and told to swim.
That has to change.
What We Can Fix
We can't rebuild the system overnight. But we can build support around ourselves—and each other. Not with grand gestures. With real structure and small moves that add up.
Here's something I tell every founder I work with:
"You can hand someone a check. But if no one walks them through the hard calls—hiring, systems, strategy—it won't last."
We need mentorship. We need feedback loops. We need people who show up—not just with answers, but with honest questions and lived experience.
We also need to get back to basics.
In-person time. One-on-one coaching. Shared problem-solving. The kind of guidance you can't get from a PDF or a webinar.
"Some of the best lessons I ever got happened after meetings. Quick chats. Honest feedback. That stuff sticks."
If you've been waiting for someone to tell you you're allowed to slow down and get intentional, this is that moment.
What You Can Do This Week
Here are 10 actions you can take right now—wherever you are, whatever you're building:
List 3 things in your process that feel clunky or unclear. Circle one to fix this week.
Block 30 minutes to reflect. Ask: What's working? What's broken? What am I avoiding?
Ask someone more experienced for 15 minutes of advice. Make it specific.
Offer help to someone newer than you. Just listen and share what you've learned.
Review your cash flow or schedule like it's a system. Where's the bottleneck?
Write down a mistake you keep repeating. What's one small change you can try?
Schedule one meeting in person this week if you can. See what shifts.
Remove one task that adds noise but no value. Be ruthless.
Pick a moment to slow down this week—and do nothing. Let your brain reset.
Say thank you to someone who coached you—even once. You might inspire them to do it again.
One Choice, One Week
If you made it this far, here's my ask:
Pick one of the 10 actions above.
Commit to it for the next 7 days.
Then share this letter with someone who needs to hear it.
That's how we build better systems—one person at a time, one step at a time.
You don't need to fix everything. You just need to begin.
With you in the process,
David Rocker
David Rocker is the Managing Partner at NYSA Capital LLC and The Rocker Group, LLC. With a background in systems engineering from Georgia Tech, Rocker brings over 30 years of experience in corporate finance, commercial real estate, and strategic consulting. He's known for using process thinking to help businesses build sustainable growth, and for his mentorship work with minority-owned businesses and disabled veterans. Rocker is based in Atlanta, GA, and works nationwide.
# # #
Contact Information
David RockerDavid Rocker
Atlanta, GA
United States
Voice: ...
Disclaimer