Just Stand, You Keep Standing.

If you think you can, or if you think you can’t–you’re right.
– Henry Ford

Hello,

A year after my father passed away, my sister and I had to deal with the reality that the company he had spent his lifetime building was on the brink of shutting down. There was no question what we needed to do.

While the devastation of COVID-19 is global and catastrophic and impacts so many more in our industry specifically, the reality is that what we were going through as a family and company from 2016 through 2019 felt just as large to us. Little did we know that was the training ground for what was to come today.

Back then, the driving force behind my taking charge was to ensure that our father would be remembered for his 40 years of dedication to the industry, to his employees, and to his partners. I wanted to preserve his legacy and protect his name and the company he built and loved. I did not want his memory tarnished by the last three years of his life when he was ill and had no say or control. During this time, I was motivated and inspired by a speech that I randomly came across, that was about what a father taught his children. I too had the blessing of catching my father in the act of excellence, and it was this video/speech that reminded me of the strength we all have been given. It made such a difference for me, and I think it will for you too.

As I was assessing the company’s financial status, partners, operations, and budget, I found a disaster. It was this inspirational graduation speech by Dr. Rick Rigsby that became the bedrock of my resolve and our 3-year plan. Many of the quotes and messages of hope in this video appear in my writing and still guide me today. There were three that stood out for me the most; one that is quoted above by Henry Ford, the second from Michelangelo, “The greatest danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it;” and the third from Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”

I promise you, these 10 minutes today will bring you 10 years of focus and joy tomorrow. They will remind you that what you know and have been doing all along are what you should be doing now. You should be taking the same steps today that you took yesterday. How you do anything is how you do everything. Please remember that we are here to provide the support you need to continue doing what you have been doing in the past, so that The Day After, you are prepared and ready to do it again.