I was a entreprenuer for a few years in the early 1990s -- and was miserable the entire time.
When receivables were slow I would pace all night. When things were good I'd pace in the other direction trying to forecast and prevent the next inevitable downturn.
I paid my employees and vendors first and what was left was sometimes less than I would have made slinging burgers. After two years I took my first vacation - by being hospitalized with pneumonia.
After a few days, I was healthy enough to realize I liked being just semi-conscious enough to stop worrying about work. It finally dawned on me that I am, by nature, a worker bee and not a queen bee.
I don't like the throne, I like sitting next to it. I've sat in some pretty posh courts. I enjoy finding solutions and possibilities without the extreme weight of the crown. It's worked out well for me and, I sincerely hope, the people for whom I've worked.
But I've never worked for anyone who wears his crown as well as the man who built the company I work for today.
I've worked in and around real estate and development for many years, but here I learn something every day. Watching him ask questions on a project is like a lightening round of Jeopardy. Don't be lulled if the first couple questions in the category are easy, he's just establishing the parameters before the discourse kicks into high gear. He's brilliant, but not arrogant.
He's grounded in genuine values, a passionate family commitment and an intense intellectual curiosity. He takes in every detail, but never gets bogged down in minutiae.
He gives back more to his community and employees than any individual I've known, but always wants to play his contributions down.
His eyes sparkle the same when he talks about a substantial donation giving him the right to name a college campus building for a dear family friend as they do on a deal done right.
He accepts the honors that come with his accomplishments with grace and humility.
I'm one of 100 employees. The number of tenants and subcontractors associated with the company go into the thousands. The number of people touched by his civic, charitable and community commitments likely include the majority of Western New York.
I worked for companies which have made more money, but none more successful. It's the perfect place for a worker bee to be.
Copyright 2007 Judi Griggs