Dear Max,

So many of us worry about what hasn’t happened in life and disappointment on what they think they deserve. My question to that is – what have you done to make your own opportunities?

Making your own opportunities takes skill and focused thought but it can be done. To do so you need a high amount of self-motivation and an inquisitive mind. 

To get my dream job I had to jump through many hoops to get to that point. I blogged, had coffee meetings, went on a number of interviews, researched or applied for jobs nightly for over a year, networked like a mad man, built up my social networks, wrote articles, gave presentations, built and led new programs at work to prepare myself for a career change, brought in an intern to build my management experience and so much more. I did everything I could to make as many opportunities as possible to make a strategic move. It worked. Airfoil Group saw my drive and found the right position for me. I haven’t looked back.

Make your own opportunities because anything is possible.

Love,

Daddy

Dear Max,

As you grow up you will soon realize that for every single person in this world there are just as many differing opinions. There are some folks who think everyone has to think like them. That’s how wars are started – literally. 

You don’t have to agree with everyone, all the time. What fun would that be? Agree to disagree. Share your thoughts when the time is right. You don’t have to “win” as long as you know what’s right in your mind.

Opinions are just that. People insert them here, there and everywhere. In fact, every letter I write you is based on my opinion.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

Ethics are such an important part of every day life and culture. Not everyone has the same ethics, although you may wish them too. 

When I was in my masters program at Madonna University I took a few very interesting ethics courses from Dr. Leon Levitt. He knew ethics inside and out. 

To give you a sense of who he was, Dr. Levitt graduated college in the 1940s and grew up in New York. He fondly told stories of remembering going to the dock as a young boy with his father to watch the bootleggers bring in booze to sell illegally. He was well-seasoned and had an unmistakeable charm to him. 

He had such a knowledge around ethics in business that he wrote a book he constantly referred to as his monograph. It cost a whopping $4 at the book store, unheard of when all the other books were in the $180 range. He thought the costs of new books were unethical when new versions are constantly written to sell more books, so he wrote his own. He wrote it so well that his students couldn’t cheat. They had to simply know the material. Many students were so upset by how the book was written that he was reported to the Dean multiple times per semester. Those students would drop the class and those that stayed learned lessons of a lifetime. 

Dr. Levitt was passionate about being ethical in every way. He wrote the book on it. In the end, you just need to do whats right, just as he did for his students. Be ethical with even the smallest things and make no exceptions.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

Before you go into any situation try to make time to learn as much as you can beforehand. 

Do your homework.

Learn and gather.

Do this and you’ll be miles ahead of your peers.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

The sky is every color but blue. 

Sometimes the way things appear aren’t as they truly are. You must look deeper. In truth, always look deeper.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

I’m proud of you. 

Love, Dad

Dear Max,

No matter what you’re doing or saying always double check first.

You can never be sure enough.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

Beauty is everywhere, but we take so much of it for granted.

Tonight after a long, fun day at your first visit to the water park, your mom and I enjoyed a beautiful dinner at sunset. 

Sunsets are so beautiful and so is your mother, but since we see them every day we sometimes forget how truly beautiful they are. We take for granted the beauty that surrounds us. 

Take a moment to step back, find what’s beautiful and acknowledge it. You may be surprised at what you find.

Love,

Dad

Dear Max,

A few years ago Uncle Mike bought me a blue and white Timex beach watch I wanted for my birthday. I haven’t worn it too much until this trip but today I could hear it ticking. 

I thought nothing of it at first. No one else could hear it. Only me. Then I started focusing on it. I love the watch but the ticking bothered me. Knowing that time was passing that fast bothered me.

Time is always passing by that fast, it just matters what you do with it. Spending the whole day with you and our family was well worth it. The clock is ticking – what are you doing with your time?

Love,

Dad

Monday, May 18, 2015 – handwritten

Dear Max,

If I need car advice, Craig Karavas at Mastertech can help. When I need jewelry, Steve Geftos at Brothers in my man. When I need a mortgage, Uncle Larry is a call away. When you need advice, call Dad. For all the important things in life you need you “go-to” guys.

Saturday at the airport we ran into my shoe guy – Michael Lockwood with Johnston & Murphy. I was surprised to hear he transferred from 12 Oaks to McNamera terminal at Detroit Metro Airport. Michael knows customer service. 

These “go-guys” operate on loyalty. They make you feel welcome and part of the family. And, every time you need them you call. You save money. You get a good product, good service. You can trust you won’t have issues. And, if you do, they’ll take care of you. 

Create your network early. You can’t lose.

Love,

Dad