Lifetime Choices, Consequence, and Fortune

Growing up in Knoxville, my Dad worked for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. So did most of my friends' dads. When global tensions ran high, our family and city benefited. During times of peace, the economy suffered.

In the late 1970s and early 80s, the pain of the Vietnam War was still fresh for my Dad, who had lost many friends during the conflict. As a result, I was not allowed to draw tanks, talk about fighter jets, or anything related to violence.

However, his attitude changed sometime in the mid-1980s after he was promoted to financial department head. At the time, he was employed by Lockheed Martin, and the security of that job was heavily reliant on war.

While I was in High School, the Cold War ended, and my Dad said, "We need another war." He was not talking about violence or death. Instead, he was hoping for continued employment at a time when many at the lab were looking for work.

He did not get another war. Instead, Dad was transferred to a new department focused on peacetime technology. He stayed in this position until retirement in the early 2000s.

Choices

My parent's model for success involved going to college, finding a good job, and getting promoted over years of hard work. That is what most of my family did. However, it never satisfied me or my favorite uncle, Bill. We went to college out of expectation, determined to make a mark on the world through something other than a degree.

Uncle Bill became an attorney but wanted to be a writer and standup comedian. As a result, he represented and went against celebrities at trial. His network involved many well-known people of the 1970s. Bill started his firm, became wealthy, and bought an estate in Atlanta. He even invested in local companies.

I left college shortly before graduation to co-found a company. We had a successful exit after my 25th birthday. However, my family thought I had gotten it out of my system and could now work for a large corporation. Agreeing to try it, I became a Software Engineer for YKK, a global metals conglomerate famous for zippers. Shortly after, I finished my degree with a 4.0 GPA.

Consequences

Despite significant financial success, Bill was never satisfied with being a lawyer. As I web-enabled AS400 mainframes out of a cubicle, my focus shifted to living for the weekend. However, after three years, I had enough and began looking for a new company to start. The problem was that my network of investors and entrepreneurs now saw me as a corporate employee.

Bill eventually closed his law practice and started standup at local bars. He worked up a good routine from a class one of his celebrity friends taught. However, he died before it became anything more than a VHS recording that the family plays around Thanksgiving.

Fortune

My parents found financial success and the life they wanted by working for others. Their dream was to raise children with more opportunities than they had. Their goal was to retire surrounded by grandchildren. By that criteria, they accomplished their goal and are happy with their choices.

Working at a corporation was never satisfying for me. My favorite day is Monday due to all the possibilities that are still available for the week. As a result, I founded four companies, had two exits, and am now helping other founders as an investor and advisor.

Conclusion

My Dad did what was expected and, as a result, provided for his family. I greatly respect the sacrifices my parents made for me and my sister. However, the longer he worked for a company, the more his values became those of the corporation.

As we get close to Thanksgiving, we should reflect on the things we have with an understanding of what we hold dear. Then, we will use that as our mission moving forward.