So this chain-mail is going around the web and I’ve been tagged (and pestered) several times to add to it. So here it goes…
Five things you didn’t (or maybe did) know about me…
1. Software wasn’t my first choice. My first computer was a Commodore 128 and I remember loading programs off of a tape drive which dates me almost as bad as having said “punch cards’, which is truly old school. So while I definitely had an aptitude for computers at a young age my passion was to become a pilot. My dad was a fighter pilot in WWII (yes he is old) and later flew commercially for a now defunct airline. I had every intention of trying to go to the Air Force and getting my wings. Thankfully my dad talked me out of becoming a pilot. In his opinion, a commercial airline pilot was a glorified bus driver (ouch! …not my words) and that he thought this software thing was a good idea (thanks Dad!). Keep in mind this was late 80s.
2. I’m an avid ice hockey player. I’ve played since I was about 11 and still play here in Dallas. Ice Hockey is HUGE in Dallas incidentally. Maybe someday I can share the ice with Guy Kawasaki who I have read and followed for a long time. I played roller hockey in college and we went to the finals in college. I used to wind surf (I still have 3 boards in my garage) as well as rock climb (~5.12 level) and someday hope to get some time for those sports again.
3. My first business. The first business I started (with my college roommate) was called Campus Consulting. It was essentially “Geek Squad” but for the college students at Baylor University. We did exceptionally well, and had I known then what I know now I would have franchised it! The business did well enough to put me through college, with some support from my parents. I hated debt even back then!
4. Getting a job at Microsoft was a big gamble. I didn’t get hired by Microsoft. Instead I moved to Redmond and took the first job that was offered (an 8 week contract job). 5 months later I was a full time employee. However, I knew that working at Microsoft was the key to my longer term plans for starting a business (again) after learning from the best.
5. I love to read. I read a lot, both magazines and books. While Scott and I share a lot of the same interests in books, I really enjoy science fiction and biographies; usually I let Scott vet the good business books since it seems that is all he reads. Currently I’m reading Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, not exactly my usual style but it came highly recommended from a friend.
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