Are We There Yet? vol. 130

December will mark my 34th year at The Wolf Group and Wolf Group Capital Advisors. We now have close to 50 employees, thousands of clients, and I have four partners whom I greatly admire. I can’t remember what my expectations were when I decided to leave Touche Ross (now Deloitte) to join Leonard Wolf at his small accounting firm. And by small, I mean really small: Leonard, an administrative assistant, and me.  However, I know that whatever expectations I had back then did not match up to the incredible reality that I have lived.

I can still vividly remember stressing over my decision. The pivotal moment came during a conversation with my father, who was also my biggest fan and cheerleader. He said, “If you like this guy and the vision that he has for the firm, take the chance.”  His advice reminds me of my recent blog about making decisions based on hope and not fear. I’m grateful for my dad’s advice back in 1988 as well as the opportunity that Leonard Wolf gave me.  

Most decisions that result in big changes (and big opportunities) are difficult because we are considering giving up the known to move to the unknown.  Change is hard. But, for me, the opportunity to join someone with a vision, who served clients the way I thought clients should be served, and who gave me the opportunity to play a major role in building the firm was worth the possibility that the reality would be less than what I expected. These opportunities don’t present themselves often so one needs to take advantage if it is the right opportunity. I got lucky, first that I met Leonard and second, that my dad and mentor was there for me with his wise advice.

Take care and stay safe.

BOOK:

Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro

Nobel Laureate Kazuo Ishiguro does not disappoint with this latest novel set in a technologically advanced society that feels not dissimilar from our own. We see and understand the world through Klara, an advanced and keenly observant Artificial Friend whose sole purpose is to help the child who owns her. Hopeful and haunting at the same time, Klara’s story leads to big questions: What qualities make a person unique? How do we value people and things?