Welcome. 👋

Every two weeks, I share thoughts and curated links on investing, career transitions, meaningful work, parenting, living intentionally, and other topics that interest me.

Was this newsletter forwarded to you? See past issues and subscribe here.

One Call

There’s nothing like the moment someone walks in expecting a quiet lunch and gets hit with a surprise party instead.

Last weekend, I went to a surprise retirement party for a friend and neighbor. He owned a local Allstate agency for forty years. Same company. Same community.

Rick built the kind of career that feels less common now. Slow. Steady. Local.

During the party, Rick’s daughter, Melissa, gave a toast. She told a story I can’t stop thinking about.

Years ago, a woman was stranded hundreds of miles from home when her car broke down. Her phone was almost dead. She had one shot to call someone who could help.

She still had Rick’s business card in her wallet. And even though she was no longer his client, she still decided to call Rick.

Melissa said her dad didn’t say, “I’m sorry, I can’t help.”

He asked a few questions and told her he’d figure it out.

Within minutes, a tow truck was on the way. A mechanic was lined up. The woman was safe.

Not AAA. Not a family member. Not roadside assistance.

She called her old insurance guy.

Melissa’s voice caught when she said what mattered most. Rick worked hard. He cared about people. And somehow he did it while staying present as a dad to TWO sets of twins.

Rick sold policies. Premiums. Claims.

But what he really earned was trust. The kind that outlasts a business relationship. The kind where you’re the person someone calls when things go sideways.

I'm in a different place in my own career right now. Somewhere in the later-middle phase and still trying to figure stuff out.

And I keep coming back to a question, "What am I building?"

Not what I want to build. Not what would look impressive. What am I actually building with the choices I’m making this month? With the work I’m doing. With how I’m showing up.

Rick's story reminds me that what we build reveals itself in unexpected moments. Not in the annual reviews or quarterly metrics. It's in the desperate phone call from someone who isn't even your customer anymore. Or in the way your daughter's voice sounds when she talks about you at your retirement party.

There's something about the one-call scenario that cuts through everything else. Who would you call if your phone were dying? And, are you someone's one-call?

I don’t know if I’m that person for many people yet. But I know I want to become that person. Someone people trust when it matters. Someone who helps. Someone my own daughter can be proud of.

As the party wound down, Rick kept talking with neighbors, friends, colleagues, and family. Forty years in one place. A life built carefully, one relationship at a time.

There are faster ways to build a career. Flashier ways.

But I keep coming back to that one call.

Stuff To Share

• 5 Questions to Ask Evergreen Private Equity Managers A basic checklist that still matters. Evergreen funds vary widely. Ask about performance, deal flow, liquidity, operations, and alignment. Look for a real track record, repeatable deal access, a clear liquidity plan, strong ops, and aligned incentives. LINK​
  ​
• Joy and Presence I enjoyed this episode of Barrett Brooks’ Good Work podcast with Ultraspeaking co-founder Michael Gendler. One line stayed with me. Barrett’s definition of happiness: “moments of joy and the presence to notice when it’s happening.” He also drew a clean line between goals and purpose. Game night with friends. The goal is to win. The purpose is to have fun. We confuse those two more than we think, often at our peril. LINK​

​

• Fewer Stops => Faster Buses A good piece from Works in Progress on why buses in the U.S. can feel so slow. One simple reason is that they stop too often. Fewer stops can make buses faster and more reliable, and cheaper to run. Riders get time back, and transit systems can put those savings into better service. I love that people think about this stuff. LINK​

• Is Home Equity Real Wealth? This was an interesting take on home equity from Of Dollars and Data. It can feel like wealth, but it’s hard to tap if home prices rise everywhere you’d want to live next. You sell, then roll most of that equity into the next house. If you want to stay in the same area and still unlock gains, you usually need to either buy a cheaper home or sell and rent. From a purely financial angle, renting looks especially compelling vs. buying in many markets today. Of course, we're talking about our homes, so it's never quite that simple. LINK​

And a Farewell Photo...