15 March 2021

Exactly a year later…

Last year, my travels came to a screeching halt when I canceled my Mar 16 flight to Chicago the previous day. Pandemic took over the world and I did not get on to a flight for almost eleven months.

Exactly a year later – on Mar 15th – I am back to my work travel. Car in the same spot at the airport on a Monday morning, finished my banana and threw the peel in the same trash can before getting into the airport, same routine of picking up a paper boarding pass, Clear Pre check thru …

Felt almost like the good old Monday mornings with a few differences… the call to India on the drive to the airport was to my brother and then sister instead of my mom, the airport was fairly empty (but not like what I saw in Feb) and of course, everybody was wearing masks.

By the way, in that whole one year, I completely forgot to fix the wheel of my suitcase that got broken in one of the last trips last year!!!

Good to be back in the air for work again!!

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12 March 2021

Back to the lake…

… the first day that Pig Tales opened. Met up our old friend Ashley after what seems like ages… Lots of boats were out in the water taking advantage of the mid-70s temperature. Loved the dog earnestly keeping a watch for rough waters sitting in the front of the canoe.

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1 March 2021

Meeting a great leader

Two and a half years back, I entered a whole new industry. As one of my first things to do in the first month, I had called up my peer CEOs to introduce myself. While studying up on Kristin – who is the CEO of PAR Inc – I noticed that she had spent some time with Johnson and Johnson and then became a CEO (first of inVista and then PAR).

One of my first questions to her was – “How does one go from J&J to being a CEO of PAR?”. Her memorable response was “It helps if your dad had started the company!”. I remember laughing out loud. Her humility and humor struck me that day. And has struck me in every conversation I have had with her ever since.

Over the years, I have learnt quite some from her about the industry as well as learnt the depth of her leadership skills.

Was able to fulfill an old promise of looking her up if I was ever in the Tampa area this evening. Kristin and her husband Dan joined Avi and myself for a nice dinner tonight. The place was great, the food was awesome and the company was perfect. Found out later that the place I had chosen was the exact place Kristin and Dan had gotten married in!! What is the chance of that?

Great conversations!! Memorable evening!!

Category: Intersection Points, Vacations | 1 Comment on Meeting a great leader