Recently, I received an urgent, handwritten note, pleading for my assistance.  The message was penciled by my eight-year-old brother, Luke. 

As it turns out, my parents and he were on their summer vacation, in Billings, Montana.  After a day of engaging in tourist activities, Dad turned the van in the direction of their hotel—or so he had thought.

Unfamiliar with the city, and of course unwilling to ask for directions, my family engaged in an extended scenic tour of Billings.  They had a dashboard GPS unit, but it had failed them.  As they felt confident in the technology, my parents never bothered to bring a street map with them.

Exasperated after what no doubt seemed like hours to the internal clock of a nine-year-old boy, Luke penned a note to the first person he felt could assist—his big brother Frank "Now we just need to find a Post Office," he concluded.

Here is the note he delivered to me (after the family returned home from vacation, of course!):

Luke's Note

Aside from the obvious comedic relief, I see a few lessons here we can apply to business:

    • Establish yourself as the expert, the “go-to guy” now, so when your clients have a need, the first choice that comes to mind is you.
    • Don’t rely on technology as your only solution.  Malfunctions (and user errors) happen, and you will need a backup plan!