It is probably appropriate at this point to share a very important message from our company.
My partner Dave and I are two very different people –
- I am black. Dave is white.
- I am a Democrat and Dave is a Republican.
- I pursued a formal education path that included a BA, MBA and Juris Doctorate. Dave pursued a Tool & Die apprenticeship under a German Master.
- I love basketball. Dave can take or leave basketball.
- Dave loves hockey. I can take or leave hockey.
- The next move for my wife and I shall be to a rancher close to the city. The next move for Dave and his wife will be a rancher as far from the city as possible.
Despite all of our differences, it was the pursuit of business that brought Dave and I together. I read an article a couple of years ago that stated that business is the only remaining institution that people [Americans] trust. I think that I agree with those sentiments. I think that the “great game of business” provides an incredible bridge for people with all kinds of “differences” to come together for the common noble purpose of the pursuit of profits.
In actuality, the more time that Dave and I spend together it becomes more and more apparent that we are more alike than different. We obviously are both human beings, so from the standpoint of DNA we are 99.9% the same! We are both Americans that love this country and we are both Christians that love the Lord. We are both husbands and fathers, and the list goes on and on.
We need to celebrate our differences. I know that this is an overused phrase, but that doesn’t make it any less true. At our company, EBITDA Growth Systems, Dave and I share a vision to substantially increase wealth creation amongst small to medium-sized business owners. We also share a mission to double the profits of our client companies within three years. We have been incredibly successful because we have been able to leverage one another’s uniqueness (differences) to deliver a particularly potent professional services offering.
Obviously, celebrating differences applies to more than just business success. Celebrating differences applies to every walk of life. We are infinitely more alike than different, but the areas where we differ should provide a source of tremendous strength for our businesses and for our communities.