Before hitting the sack last night, there was just enough time to meet some more of my old friends. Got a chance to meet Willie Weng and Greg Yut from my old code development days in i2.

Greg drove for over half an hour very late at night and Willie came straight from the airport after his business trip on his way home to meet up. Can you imagine what our important topic of discussion was? It was not about life, learnings or much about our old friends (well, a little). We spent most of the time discussing the frustrations of having to deal with teenager kids!! Between the three of us, we have six of them (Greg takes the lion’s share with four :-)).

Heaven knows, we have become like our dads!!! 🙂

Again, it was great seeing two of my most memorable friends from early days of my career with whom I got a chance to work on a daily basis and learn a lot!!!

Met Sara Emily Bowling Ovacik Waller tonight. And that is just one person!! Also met her recently acquired husband Richard. Met Sara after almost a dozen years. We worked together in i2 where her job was to keep my the then boss honest! Which was a feat unto itself!! Apart from some catching up of old friends, there were some great recollections of hilarious incidents. Not all is worthy of the august company here. But certainly, we can talk about the time when she wrecked our common boss’s new red BMW 🙂
Seriously though, I was really glad Sara could make some time for me. Nothing like catching up with a true human being like her.
Like I said, met her new husband Richard too. Not only did he impress me with his handlebars, he actually understands his cocktails!! Here is a guy I need to know a little more and learn a lot about mixology!!
Great evening!!! Hope to run into them once again…

In Dallas for a day of meetings. Got a great start to the day with a breakfast meeting with Sandy Seibert and Tracy Fitzpatrick. Two of the best recruiters I have had a chance to work with in the past. We recollected the days when they had helped us build one of the best companies in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Got a great glimpse of why they have been so successful in their careers. They could breakdown the strategy of their companies (that they have worked in) in a startling level of detail and great understanding that can often put business managers to shame.
We caught up with a lot of our old friends. I had not seen either for about ten years.
I tried to understand the key drivers behind their success – often fighting back very devastating situations. (Sandy wrested the upper hand in her fight against cancer). Both credited their parents and upbringing for their work ethics and values.
So I asked each what is the one advise they had for me. Tracy’s insight: “Never be afraid of getting out of comfort zone”. Sandy offered “Retain a sense of humor”. All three agreed that what Sandy meant for me was “First get yourself a sense of humor. Then retain it.” 🙂
Loved the meeting. Energized me so much to see my old friends being so successful in life – not just professionally but personally too. Inspired me to set my own bar higher.
Hope that someday they will get together and start a world-changing HR business!!