If you’ve read a newspaper, scrolled through a blog, or watched the television over the past 48 hours, you should know about the miracle story of Ted Williams.  Dubbed "the homeless man with a velvety voice," Williams was discovered on the streets of Ohio looking for work.  Already he has received some lucrative offers.

As of this morning, Williams recorded his first commercial voice-over with Kraft Foods and he has been offered a job by the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.  His golden voice is being pursued by NFL Films and others for possible work.

What can you learn from this streets-to-stardom story?  First, I will admit it … I am a sap.  As I watched the interview on the Today Show with Williams and his 90-year-old mother, my eyes welled up.  What a reunion!  Then my wife walked into the room, saw my red eyes, and I told her the truth:  "Man, my allergies are really acting up this morning!"

All kidding aside, one of the greatest lessons for executives is to embrace a sense of urgency in your business development efforts.  As reported by the Tennessean, the Cavaliers did not know much about Williams, but they were moved by his ordeal.  "When you know something’s right, you just have to launch,"  Cavalier’s marketing executive Tracy Marek said. "One of the big things that we talk about here, with our organization, is how important urgency is — when you see something that feels good and seems right."

Times are difficult in this economy.  The construction industry continues to see very slow growth.  It’s important to trust your instincts, try new approaches, and use the tools available to you to increase business.  Perhaps your next project is right around the corner if you are willing to embrace urgency and explore new opportunities.