Feedback From The Readers

OK, it's the Friday before Memorial Day and let's face it, you're probably not planning on getting a whole lot done today anyway. So I thought I'd share with you some of YOUR feedback on these newsletters over the past several months. Nothing scientific here; just based on the emails, phone calls, and in-person comments I get from all of you.

First, let me say that I truly enjoy writing these newsletters and I enjoy hearing back from all of you. A huge benefit to me is that I can be in touch with people I don't get to speak to or see as often as I'd like. For example, just this morning I got a note from a friend and former colleague who lives in Singapore. I haven't seen her in probably 20 years (L, can it be that long?) but she reads these newsletters so we're "in touch" every 2 weeks. Just fantastic!

So I went into the mailbag and pulled out some of the "greatest hits" from the readers [please understand that these are taken out of context so just enjoy them for what they are]. If you see on of yours below, thanks for the comments.

12/18/17: Networking is like having a pile of "get out of jail free" cards

• "So True- Networking gets a bad rap. It's not being used car salesman. It's shutting up and listening to someone so maybe you can help them."

1/19/18: Subject - Focusing on what's important and "killing all your darlings"

• "I agree. We don't need to kill all our darlings, just interrogate them"
• "My basement is full of darlings, some will surely survive...[my wife] has a way of letting go of things no matter how darling and I do admire that, for the record"
• "I'm a big fan of the banjo, you should think about taking it up"

2/5/18: Tax Cuts and Job Act; nobody has the definitive answer

• "As usual, something to ponder. I don't have enough hands either...but as I watch Squawk Box, it makes us all hope for the DeLorean ride 'Back to The Future'."

3/12/18: Value and the seven deadly sins/What is the value of spite?

• "Love it...so true. Next time you're in Austin, beers are on me"
• I especially like that there are 100+ words for rain in Scotland. I think I've experienced 99 of them"
• "Your newsletter seems to show up just when I need 5 minutes of funny and informative reading material. Keep ' em coming - love the quotes"
• "I like getting these on Fridays [expletive]" (fyi - 3/12/18 was a Monday)

4/6/18: Walt Disney's pursuit of his vision, even though he was a pain in the neck and a colossal SOB.

• "Informative and funny, thought-provoking and engaging - Sunday night watching Disney was a big part of growing up. It was the only time my sister and I didn't fight"
• "You got it out on Friday. How hard was that, [expletive]?"

4/27/18: A baseball allegory about Cobb and Koufax - Two guys who started a business.

• "I love the quote about church. Soooo true" (Quote was: "Baseball is like church. Many attend. Few understand")
• "Great newsletter...so much easier to follow than the Mets game"
• "You reminded me of a story about Yogi Berra: In giving driving directions to his house, Yogi said 'when you reach an intersection, take it' Yogi's was the center house on a cul-de-sac so either road at the intersection would lead to his house"
• I can hear your voice relaying the story when I read this.

5/11/18: I'm not as cool as George Clooney but I'm a fixer who solves peoples' problems.

Note: Based on the sheer amount of emails and comments, this was hands-down your favorite.

• "You're way cooler than George Clooney" (of course I hadto include this and I got the same message 7 times.)
• "I wish I could say you're cooler than George Clooney but he hung out with Julia Roberts so he wins."
• "You're the only one I know who can talk about George Clooney, Albert Einstein, business valuations, and duct tape and somehow it all makes sense."

These were your favorite quotes (in no particular order):

• "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns or we can rejoice because thorn bushes have roses"

- Abraham Lincoln

• "In writing you must kill all your darlings" - William Faulkner

 

• "If a dog will not come to you after having looked you in the face, you should go home and examine your conscience" - Woodrow Wilson

 

• "Always forgive your enemies - nothing annoys them so much" - Oscar Wilde

 

• "If you don't know where you're going you'll end up someplace else" - Yogi Berra

 

• "It's the little details that matter. Little things make big things happen" - John Wooden

 

• If you do something nice for somebody, and more than just the two of you know about it, maybe you're doing it for the wrong reason" - George Steinbrenner

 

I hope you enjoyed reading this newsletter because basically, you WROTE it.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

Be good and be well.

 

PS- I wrote an article in 2 parts published on LinkedIn. It's more for people who deal with venture capital, startup companies, early-stage company valuations, taxes, and stuff like that [but hopefully still entertaining].

It's called "The Founding Fathers Didn't Have to Worry About 409A Valuations": Here are the links if you're interested:

"The Founding Fathers Didn't Have to Worry About 409A Valuations": Part 1

 

"The Founding Fathers Didn't Have To Worry About 409A Valuations. Part 2"