Malcolm Gladwell’s “Outliers” laid bare, once and for all, the myth of the self-made man. To be sure, individual initiative is a critical ingredient of achievement but, without the addition of opportunity, usually made available by direct assistance, the bread will not rise.
I realize that whatever success I’ve achieved can be traced to clearing a few specific hurdles and, each time, I received critical assistance to overcome them. On Monday, I moved into a new office, after operating healthsystemCIO.com for two years out of, first, my home, then the office where my father works as a realtor. He’s been there for more than 15 years, always working for the same broker, Joan, who’s become far more than an employer. I reprint my thank you letter to her below.
5/4/12
Dear Joan,
After more than two years running my business out of your office, today will be my last day here. Yesterday, I leased an office closer to my home, and will start hanging my hat there on Monday.
I wanted to thank you for your generosity, but I don’t think a simple thank you will suffice, and I know you’d just be annoyed if I bought you a gift certificate to Bloomingdales or something like that. In thanking you, I want to tell you why what you’ve done for me is so significant and meaningful.
In our lives, what makes the biggest of differences is not just receiving assistance in general, but getting it at critical times. While we’ve all come to expect this from family, and my family has stepped up to the plate every time, it’s an unexpected blessing when it comes from a family friend. In performing such an act, that family friend becomes family in every significant way the relationship can be defined.
Starting a business is hard — you know; you did it many years ago. At the beginning, when revenue is just ramping up, expenses need to be kept down. I needed a place to work, somewhere I’d be able to have 24-hour access, someplace I’d have a desk and be welcomed — you provided all that and more. You never asked for a dime, and you never once made me feel as if it was time for me to pack up and move on. The decision came to me naturally, without pressure, when it was affordable, and when I found the perfect location.
From working at home, to your office, to a beautiful office of my own; from doing it solo to having the perfect managing editor join me, the journey has, thus far, been the great adventure of my life. Your kindness has been, and will forever be, a critical part of that journey.
It’s interesting — when I tell people I’ve leased an office, their eyes widen and they say something like, “Well, look who’s the big shot now!” Only those, like you, who’ve worked without the promise of a steady paycheck know how uncomfortable this makes one feel, because we know nothing is guaranteed. What I always say is, “So far, so good.”
I know you don’t want anything in return for what you’ve done, but don’t forget that I’m just a phone call away if you should need anything.
With the warmest regards and thanks,
Anthony
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