My Epiphany

February 14, 1995, 6 PM: I'm spreading carpet glue on the floor of our new retail space.

I had recently sold my business to an acquaintance who had been very successful with a number of local businesses. I was retained as General Manager. The problem was, the new owners moved the business to a new location (where they could "keep an eye on it"), but they wouldn't spend any money on improving the new location.

The new location was horrid. Seriously, if I was a drug addict, I wouldn't go there to score crack - I would be too afraid. I tried to tell them that the new space was unacceptable as a retail showroom/consulting space. They didn't listen. So, being the goal-oriented person I was, I rebelled and bought new carpet for the new location with my own money. And I planned on installing it myself.

My wife helped with the carpet installation. She was so faithful. She had endured the years of me working nearly 24 hours per day sitting at the computer trying to build our new business. She dutifully drove hundreds of miles picking up parts and delivering computers. Together, we transformed a single PC clone and my rudimentary programming talents into a $400,000 per year business with five employees.

But here we were - slopping carpet glue on a concrete floor on Valentine's Day.

That's when I had my epiphany. It was the evening of Valentines Day. I should have been having a romantic dinner with my wife. Yet, there we were laying carpet. Right then and there, a light clicked on. What had been my personal determination to make the business succeed suddenly seemed absurd and inconsiderate.

With a firm resolve, I decided that we will never have a Valentines Day evening like that again. From that day on, Valentines Day would be all about my wife!

I made the commitment. My wife was more important than my business.