Crash and Burn

It's not always rainbows and butterflies (Maroon 5)

It would seem that I have never fallen as you read this blog. That is the last thing that I wish to portray. I have completely rebuilt my life several times. The last time was the worst.
I don't share this story often and I can't honestly say how deep I will go today but I don't want anyone to think, even for a moment that I am the best thing since sliced bread. Hopefully that is enough cliches.

I have been terminated in the past. I put my loyalties in the wrong people, more than once. The first time it pushed me out of a company that I loved. I had a difficult couple years of being self-employed and working less than management positions. Sometimes working 3 jobs for a short time to keep enough in the bank account. After 2 years and the truth showing itself to my former company, they were ready to give me another chance. I had already decided that I would once again pursue a career in management. Learning from my past mistakes of giving up my integrity for what I thought was a friend, I began to keep people at a distance.
2 years of success followed and a closeness developed with my new GM. He wanted to jump ship for a growing casual dining concept. And he asked me to go too. He left, took vacation time and started a new life waiting for me to join as his right hand.
Then he came back. Unknown to anyone but me and his family that he had attempted to do something else. He had did the same as my former GM and crossed me. Sold me an idea I could believe in and then tried to take all back. I wasn't buying it anymore.
I happened to be in a New Store Opening in New Jersey for the company I worked for when I gave notice. I wasn't returning to my home store. The reason, I no longer trusted my GM.

As it turned out, not a bad move at the time. What seemed like success followed me for a fair amount of time. You read these stories and most are the during those years.

Then the "Crash and Burn". A series of small events lead to something bigger and soon no one would take me but a car dealership. It fed the family and made me hungry to return what I thought I loved as a career. Under capitalized, I branched out on my own in the restaurant business and what resulted was what some of my friends would call "a dead cat bounce". I lost everything.

Except a bag of clothes that were decent enough to interview in until I had some pocket money. 800 miles on a motorcycle, countless bottles of liquor and trying to forget, I got back on the horse, yet again.
Humans have the ability to forget how bad the pain is at the end of the day and I just needed time to heal, regroup and refocus. Since those dark days in 2008, I have been knocked down a few times, had a pity party or two and just kept going. Rose to the top, fell back down, kicked once or twice and it looks like this year will be another one of the good ones.
To anyone who wants to do well in this line of work, I will share the words I wrote to a former employee. "I believe in you, you should to."