Living the exciting life

I was approached by an old business associate about partnering in a business startup. We kicked around some concepts and the juices started to flow. I enjoyed the excitement.

But, in the end, I passed. I’m at the stage of life where you rake the chips off the table, not up the ante. One aspect about this phase that doesn’t make the favorite list.

That doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy it vicariously. I met two young men this weekend who provided the vehicle for this. They were on the cusps of life adventure. Ironically, I met them at a funeral.

The one sung during the church mass. Later, at the reception, I complimented him on his performance. As it turns out, the funeral delayed his venture to New York by a few days. He was going there to pursue a role in a musical. Any musical. He had no prospects and few contacts. He was making a leap of faith by moving and staying there as long as it would take or until his resources ran out. And, he was excited. I felt it, too.

I made my run on the buffet and settled down at a table with a young couple. After raising my blood sugar (it had been a marathon event, spanning four locations and six hours; I had even entertained partaking of the wine and wafers at the church), I initiated conversation. The young man told me where he worked. I had heard of it since they had been recognized for their fast rising success.

Given his age and soft spoken manner, I guessed him as maybe an entry level designer or engineer. Wrong. He was a partner and one of the founders.

He said that it started at a bar where deejays hung out when they didn’t have a gig. A few of them started batting around the concept of a high tech company.

Wait a minute, back up the bus. Was “deejay” some computer or robotic term or was it what I thought it was. He said they played CDs at parties, weddings, etc. That’s what I thought.

So, the table of them went out to drum up some business. Before long, they were employing 300 and were in a dozen countries. That’s exciting.

You only get one life to live. Starting out with the pedal to the floor isn’t a bad way to begin.