Dave Ciambella

Influencing Generations of Offspring
December 24, 2007

A few years ago, while attending a convention, I had the privilege of hearing a speaker who shared his remarkable life story which was eventually converted into a movie titled Pursuit of Happyness. For those of you who have seen the movie, I am sure you were moved as I was when I first heard Chris Gardner’s story.

The short version is this: Chris always had a dream of becoming a successful Wall Street professional and to provide for his family. He pursued his dream vigorously and was disappointed on many occasions along his journey and, at one point in his life, found himself divorced, homeless and away from his son whom he loved dearly. Chris wanted to make a difference in the life of his child, especially as an African American who had witnessed too many men who were absent in their children’s lives. One of his goals was to be an involved, active father to his son. He believed that if he led by example as an active father, he could serve as a positive role model for his son. As a result, he could “influence generations of offspring” through others who experienced the love, commitment, behavior and dedication Chris exemplified.

This story touched me in many ways as you can probably imagine. However, one of the connections I made with regard to Chris’ story is that, as a business owner, you have an opportunity to influence generations of offspring (as well as many others) as you develop your succession plan. The question is, how? There are three ways that come to mind: through exhibiting morals/values, giving to charity, and providing financially for family members. I will break these down in my next two posts. But think about it, what an incredible opportunity!

Next Posting: A Priceless Opportunity

Posted by Dave Ciambella on December 24, 2007 | Comments (0)