Friday, August 22, 1997 was the day that I became an agent of change in my own life.  I was a successful retailer, running my family’s chain of liquor and convenience stores since my father retired. Back then, my title was the Booze Guy of Borger, Texas. I was CEO of 3 corporations and a member of the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary and Country Club.

The first thing that happened on that day was that I was notified that I lost the bid to purchase two mini-truck stops. These stores were critical to my plan to establish a regional rather than local footprint. This was yet another body blow to my initiative to change our business model from “Keeping you in the best of spirits since 1936” to “Powering you into the 21^st Century”.

That evening, I attended Borger High School’s 20^th class reunion. The bartender and I were buddies, so my Weller and waters were very strong.[i] I reconnected with a friend from the past that moved had away. His girlfriend started asking me very pointed questions while the alcohol was acting as a truth serum. She guided me to the realization that I wasn’t happy with my life. I was living my father’s dream, not my own. The solution was to change everything.

First, I put the stores up for sale – a process that took four years. Second, I chose to go back into Information Technology. My knowledge was hopelessly out of date, so I enrolled in classes at the local Junior College. Third, I looked for a change of venue.

After selling the stores, I took an entry level position with Dell Computers in Round Rock, Texas. It was 2001 and the Internet bubble had just burst, so the road was tough. I was competing with 20 year olds that barely remembered life before the Internet and veterans that had to come out of retirement after their portfolios evaporated. It took 10 years to work myself to a position where I consider myself a success at my second career.

Last Christmas, I started pondering the big question of, “Now what?” This blog, the speaches I present and the book I am writing are the beginning steps toward answering that question. We are in a period of tumultuous change and I need to share my experiences to help others survive and grow.

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[i] In a typical small town twist, the bartender’s late son was a member of that High School class.