A Desk and a Phone

I was ambitious, but I didn’t have a compass.

A friend introduced me to an industry I knew nothing about. It sounded interesting to me. He set up an interview. When I asked what the job paid, the interviewer replied:

“Nothing.”

He pointed toward a bullpen and said, “You’ll get that desk and a phone. Call owners and go meet them.” That was the offer.

I took it.

It didn’t take long to realize I didn’t have the knowledge yet, but I could get an appointment. And when I did, I found myself sitting across from bright, accomplished people. Entrepreneurs. Executives. Business owners. Investors.

They all spoke the same language. One I hadn’t learned yet.

That realization didn’t discourage me. It fascinated me.

So I took a step back. I knew I needed to learn the language. I moved into management and then advisory to understand the business beyond getting the meeting.

Once I spoke the language, back to the desk and phone. It took work, but people began to trust me with more. I used to say, the bigger problems you can solve, the more money you can make.

I was building a business within a business, earning the respect of clients, colleagues, and peers. Leadership opportunities followed.

By then, I was at a crossroads. I had built a book of business, but often thought about becoming the client.

Before I could decide.

A call came from corporate America. “Come oversee our growth.” A downtown high-rise, doorman, corporate travel, national team.

The shiny object won.

Looking back, I’m glad it did. It exposed me to a different level of leadership, and to pieces of the business I hadn’t touched. Sometimes, the business card opened doors that would have been much harder to open on my own. It also showed me what I wanted—and what I didn’t.

On a client trip to Deer Valley, I find myself sitting at a high-top at the No Name with a new friend. It’s a good conversation, but family is what’s on my mind. My wife is at home with our toddler, pregnant and due soon with our second son.

I realize putting the puzzle together is what actually energizes me, and I’ve spent years building other people’s businesses that way.

I hadn’t become entrepreneurial. I’d been entrepreneurial all along.

Was it finally time to become the client?

Departing corporate, deciding not to go back, starting my own company…

I think it surprised a lot of folks. For me, it was the natural continuation of everything that came before it.

A call came to me from someone I’d done business with before.

“Hey, would you consider…”

Gray Park was no longer just an idea. It was born.

I never set out to chase titles or exits. I set out to become someone capable. Sure, the journey features titles and successful exits, but those were outcomes—not objectives.

I’m still the person who said yes to an opportunity with nothing more than a desk and a phone.

What’s my next call?