Many of you who know me are aware of an orphanage in India that I have been helping for years. I have kind of become its U.S. fundraising arm, which carries significant responsibility with it. The woman who is charge of the orphanage is one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met: I call her my mother Theresa here in central Ohio.
This July, we had a fundraiser with the hopes of raising $12,000 and, unfortunately, only reached half our goal. I was disappointed, however, hopeful that she could pay $6,000 now for the rental fee for the children’s home and then pay the rest later. I found out yesterday that the landlord wanted the full $12,000 or nothing. What to do?
I sent out a desperation email to all the wonderful supporters of this cause. And what happened in the past several hours was nothing short of a miracle. Several friends committed the remaining amounts. The most interesting part to this story? How significantly these particular friends have impacted my career over the years and continue to do so.
The first person I affectionately call Superman, though, he probably doesn’t know that. He has that Clark Kent look, being an ex Military Academy grad, and just seemed to always say and do the right things. He gave me my first break with a huge account when I worked in Cincinnati and has remained a good friend even today. The second person I was actually scared of the first time we met. He was at the time President of a huge company here in Columbus and he somehow intimidated me. He started a business in which we assisted with the marketing launch, though more importantly, he joined our PRISM advisory board and has been an indispensable member. We became good friends through all of this and have stayed close since. The third is a fellow entrepreneur that I’ve know for years who is a model for building an amazing business while keeping his feet on the ground, focusing on his growing family, and finding time to give back to the wonderful community he calls home. The final person is a woman who not only continues to support our business through referrals, advice, and general counsel, but has also become my sounding board when faced with difficult life decisions.
I think all of us struggle with the balance between life and work. Is our work actually making a difference? Today, the universe aligned for me and four dear friends, who have been significant influences on the business and my life. Together, we helped fulfill something that is really bigger than all of us. My life has been enriched from knowing these people, and now 30 beautiful girls in India have a safe and secure home for the next two years.
