On Saturday, one of the founders in our portfolio called to let me know that one of the executives at the company was leaving. He wants to move to cross country for personal/family reasons.
Typically when a great person is thinking about leaving a portfolio company my instinct is to help the founder keep the person onboard.
But instead of hanging up the phone and calling the person, I opted to just let it go.
About 13 years ago, I moved cross country with my family 3k miles for personal/family reasons so I can totally relate.
But there was another voice in my head. The one that said, life is too short. I am supportive of doing what you need to do as long as it’s done with care and respect.
Last week a man died in our town. He was just 53 and I’m told he died in his sleep. My wife knows his wife. My daughter goes to school with his daughter. It’s unbelievably tragic. I can’t imagine what his family is going through. This was a portion of the post his wife left on Facebook:
S**** loved us; we were his life and he ours. So today I ask you to look around you, look into your partner’s eye’s; your child’s eye’s; your friend’s eye’s. Tell them how much they mean to you. On this day and always, live like S**** would live; take that run, take that sail, walk your dogs , drink that rum and coke sitting on the deck blaring your favorite music! My challenge to my family and friends is this: Give me a wave as you drive by the house, sit and have a cup of coffee or a glass of wine with me, hug me and my girls when you see us, plant a tree in my yard . And please remember what Father C**** reminded us of…"Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is love.“
This weekend I’ve been often thinking about his dear family. He was just 8 years older than me. And just 3 years older than my wife’s father when he passed of a massive heart failure at 50 years of age.
So kiss your family and take a deep breath. Decide what you are doing tomorrow and the next day. Make it count. And do what you love, because life is way too short.