We’re Really Working to be a Fine Wine

How many greeting cards and slogans say – “you’re not getting older, you’re getting better”? I know all of us would like to think that is true, but as Terry and I approach our 37^th Wedding Anniversary and our company's 30^th Anniversary, I pause to consider if this is true.

As we launch our 30^th Anniversary and re-branding of The Meeting Manager - now TMM - we spent a lot of time reminiscing. Looking back at pictures I wonder – why didn’t we realize how young we were – how thin we were – how brunette we were? How do we not notice the “days of our lives” as they unfold?

We have surrendered to the constant marketing efforts of AARP and joined the club. It is a strange feeling to be “Baby Boomers” – to be included in the target marketing for active adults – WE HATE IT! I celebrate our milestones while finding it hard to believe that we are actually looking back on our careers and launching the strategic transition of TMM to our son, Trevor and the next generation of our staff.

We are getting older – and yes, in many ways we are getting better because we realize we can’t take anything for granted. Not our health, not our clients and not our historical success. We realize that we have to reinvent ourselves and our company on a continual basis so that we don’t age, but mature like a fine wine.

During the last 30 years, we have had moments and milestones that measure our progress. For Trevor and Jason, the simple addition of an electric stapler when they were kids made their child labor work so much faster. Five years into the business, we bought our first computer – a Xerox typewriter with a ten page capacity. Fed Ex, followed by the fax, and then our first portable phone changed the complexion of our business forever. How far and how fast we have come in just the past 20 years! Now, as I watch our staff respond to communication demands 24/7 on a PDA no larger than a deck of cards, I wonder what the next ten years will hold.

We have always been proud of our family and they have brought us the greatest joys in our lives. We have always been proud of our business because it has provided a platform for us to create a business culture we believe in and a means to support people and families so that they can live the life they want. As we come together to celebrate this significant milestone in the company, we are so very grateful – for every person who has touched our business and supported our success. To our family, our friends, our staff, our clients and our wonderful business partners throughout Southern California, we THANK YOU and celebrate with you this 30^th Anniversary.