It's Not What You Think....

Individuals within our society have become more and more self-involved as the days go by. As a whole, we tend to look out for our own best interest. There is some good and bad to this; we all have goals, and we should all have the ability to pursue those goals. There will be need for selfishness, but there will come a time for selflessness. As founder, I created this company for success. Not success of a bank account, but success on a personal level. I created unfortunate circumstances for myself around age 17- I was dual diagnosed, which means more today than it did then. Remember though, I created that scenario myself by making poor choices. I don't regret the phases I went through, but I do regret every day the people I've managed to hurt along the way. Something I've gotten used to; something that makes me a better person for tomorrow. Make no mistake, I still have my flaws like the rest, but I think twice before walking that line. I bring this to attention only because I was recently reminded that I didn't have it hard at all. Sure, it sucked. Sure, it wasn't pleasant and there was a lot of emotional damage. But I made that and now I must ascend from that. Some individuals never had a fighting chance.

The pictures you see are of a man named Michael. He has given me permission to use both his pictures and story. You see, Michael didn't have it like your run of the mill success story. At age 13, on his birthday, Mikey was walking home to go to a dance. Out of nowhere, he was hit by a drunk driver. This also means a lot more now than it did then. Michael suffered severe injury and is currently paralyzed from below one knee down. Imagine an individual who was doing nothing but being a kid in the 70's, to having his life taken away within a fraction of a second- through no fault of his own. Michael is the newest addition to the team. I served him as a contractor and he kept insisting that he could do it all. Let me rephrase; he was willing to do it all. If he didn't know it- he would learn it. This humbled me more than some may say I already am; who am I to pity when this man wants to put his life back on track without request for help. Let me rephrase; his life is on track- he just wants to make a success out of it. Not for the money... no... for himself. As an employer; I'd rather an employee who would tell me he broke a customers fence because he wasn't sure how to mow around it, rather than someone who could do it with their eyes close, but won't take the time of day to admit when they're wrong. That's Michael.... and that's what insurance is for. If your not going to take the time to teach, pass on your wisdom and help associate them with the "real world," then why do we keep complaining about it? Better yet, why do we keep complaining about not being able to find good employees when we're unwilling to sacrifice our time and money to make something of them. Look at any job board; even for the most entry level jobs, you see "preferred," or "must of experience." Don't you train them anyway? I've never received new employment without a formal training. We should start looking more at the quality of the person, rather than the quantity they can put in our pockets.