For those of you expecting the usual message about finance, cash flow or business performance, this month brings a bit of a different twist. Hopefully, it is even more valuable.
This past weekend I had the opportunity to talk with a friend with whom I haven’t spoken in years. While I’m not a huge Facebook user, I owe a debt of gratitude to FB for this particular reunion. He and I crossed paths with the help of social media and he invited me to give him a call.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve reconnected with someone from my distant past and I’m always amazed at how naturally the discussion flows. Conversations seem to pick up as if the time gap of years is merely months, weeks or even days. No matter how much time has passed, true friendships remain.
The person I talked with had little idea of how much his help had impacted me. For him, he was just going about doing what he was doing without fully appreciating how much he was helping others in the process. As we talked, he admitted that I wasn’t the first one that had told him about his impact. That didn’t surprise me in the least.
Frankly, I’ve had the same experience. I’ve had people from my past reach out to tell me how much I had helped them along the way. I’m also usually taken aback by these stories as well. My perception is that I didn’t do anything special or remarkable; I just did what I thought was right at the time.
Sometimes we don’t realize how the things we do in our daily lives can have a tremendous impact on others. Maybe it’s part of your job to be helpful or teach others. Or perhaps it’s your nature is to go out of your way to lend others a helping hand. Or maybe it’s a small kindness that you perform for someone with no expectation of anything in return that changes their day (or perhaps changes their outlook and their life). You just never know.
When networking, for example, one never really knows to whom the greater benefit will befall from any meeting. It’s rarely the case that there is true mutual benefit. But as they say, “what goes around comes around” so I believe that if you help enough people someone will help you somewhere down the line.
So, for those of you with whom I’ve crossed paths over the years and have helped me (and there have been many) . . . thanks . . . I was tempted to try to develop a list but was certain I’d offend someone by unintentionally omitting them. Others would find themselves on the list and probably be surprised to be there! Whatever the case, I hope that I either recognized your help individually or have sufficiently thrown enough good back into the world to have repaid my debt.
For those I have helped, take a moment to think about how you can help someone else who needs a hand, encouragement, or maybe even some tough love. You just never know.
Next month, back to finance, cash flow, and business performance.
If your business could benefit from fractional CFO services, I would welcome the chance to speak with you. Please give me a call at (314) 863-6637 or send an email to [email protected]
The archive of these monthly newsletters is posted at the Resources section of homza.com
your cash is flowing. know where.®
Ken Homza
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