First, I would like to thank all of you who have purchased my book so far! I’m so grateful for your support! Some of you bought the Kindle version. I’ve just discovered that it was not uploaded in Kindle format, so if you received the “fixed format” version, please let me know and I will be happy to ensure you get the proper version. If you want the Kindle version and haven’t ordered it yet, please wait until Thursday to place your order so you can receive the latest version. I apologize for the inconvenience.
Now for this week’s blog post.
I called it “Flashback” because my discussion with my riders reminded me of the challenges we faced in my family business. I covered much of that story in my first book, “An Act of Congress – The Real-Life Story of Power and Politics in Family Business.”
I picked up a married couple and another lady. The gentleman was to meet with the husband of the woman in the car. They would spend the day working on a “project” boat together. I would take the ladies to one of the local tourist centers for an afternoon outing.
The gentleman sat up front with me. He shared stories of his career. They lived in the South, but he worked in Alaska. His company scheduled him to work 14 days on and 14 days off. He and his buddy were trying to repair the boat enough to transport it to their hometown.
After I dropped him off, the other wife began talking about their family business. Over the past few years, their once-successful venture began to take a toll on them. Not only had the market declined, but several of their customers had also experienced troubles and stopped making payments. They had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on attorneys without much success.
I could feel the stress in her voice as she described the difficulties. They were selling off assets as quickly as possible, but they had personally guaranteed millions of dollars of loans. She knew they still had some tough times ahead, but they already had a plan for the future.
Their new venture would grow only through cash purchases of rental homes, a process they had already begun. They want to buy some land and develop a mobile home park that is conducive to family living. Maybe a nice playground or splash pad area for the kids to play. Together, they were raising four kids, and they looked forward to giving them the best chance to succeed.
I rarely hold back on details in some of my stories from riders. I often change the names or the locations in my stories to protect their identities. I’ve left off some details in this story, but I know you may have some questions.
These two couples struck me as the kind of friends who help each other through tough times. Their short “vacation” seemed geared to give a few days of sanity in their lives. Whatever, I told her that she and her family would be in my prayers.
Before I end this blog, I wanted to thank a gentleman I picked up last Friday to take him to his job as a CNA at a nursing home. Having worked in a nursing home for more than nine years, I’ve learned how vital the Certified Nursing Assistant is to the residents’ care.
We had a short discussion about nursing homes. I told him about my book. He was quiet for the remainder of our ride.
As he exited the car, he said, “Amazon is sending your book to me on Tuesday. I’m looking forward to reading your stories!”
Then, Uber notified me that I had received a very generous tip. Thank you, Travis!
I bet the Residents he cares for appreciate him!
Thanks, and God Bless,
Tommy
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