I don't get it right every time....in fact, I am quite often wrong. It may seem counter productive on a business blog to talk about the negative things in our past, but heck, we all make mistakes. I am passionate about Len's Cove, you (our boaters), our employees, and our
gorgeous Big Rideau Lake / Rideau Canal. (Not to mention personally my family and friends). However, I have made some blunders along the way. 99 times out of 100 I write about everything positive and am the rah-rah cheer-leader. As I fly home from another year of dealer meetings, I am writing some mistakes out as an exercise in humility for fun.
I get lost-often. On our way from Chicago to Elkhart, Fraser and I were driving along (him driving and me "navigating"), when we left interstate 80 at some point and headed our way up into Michigan. I eventually noticed the mistake....an hour later. On the way back to Chicago a day later, I must have missed a sign and ended up on the Chicago Skyway and in a downtown traffic jam....another hour, gone. Same thing happened in Miami (missed a turn). Lesson learned - when taking a trip with me - better have a GPS and an hour to burn (minimum). Val will tell you that I have been doing this kind of thing for years.
I have dinged a couple of props in my day (my boats, never yours I promise), and I even hit an island once at night. Yes, I healed (although I have the scars as reminders), as did my passenger. However the boat never made it...I loved that boat. Once I ran my dad's Mainship onto a small sand bar (no damage), although a shoe got stirred up from the bottom. I always wondered if there was once a leg attached.... Another time the anchor let loose in a rough chop on the way to Key West. I then ran over it, dinged the prop, and had to have the boat hauled out. Trip interrupted.
I have lost my temper with a couple employees when I should have walked away. Nothing horrendous or life altering, but it still bugs me that I lost my cool. In general they needed to be communicated with more effectively, and it was my fault, not theirs that they made a mistake.
I caught a forest on fire once (no joke). Val and I were clearing the land for what was to be our new home. Who would have thought that cleaning up the brush on a mild April day would cause so much excitement. It was the one and only year Val baked a pie for the local volunteer fireman's dinner...as a rule, Val doesn't really bake.
I made the mistake one year of having a large display at the Toronto Boat Show, spending a lot of money doing so, and felt pressured to sell boats a bit farther away than we should have in order to pay for the expense. The experience for the customer was not good, and I felt like I did something we loathed when other boat dealers did the reverse into our area - big mistake and it won't be repeated.
I let my relationship slide with my brother, and that makes me sad. Family and friends are everything. They are the only true measure of success in this world, and I failed at being a good brother. I vow to never forget that lesson and treat the rest of them, and all the people in my life that are important to me the way they deserve -like gold.
A few years ago I thought leasing out The Galley to someone from the outside would be a good idea. Big mistake. The first set did an ok job, but then walked out after the first season leaving us scrambling. Then I compounded the error by rushing to fill the spot with another party....even bigger mistake. I didn't repeat it a third time.
I don't tell you enough how important you are to me, my family, and Len's Cove. You are the only reason we do what we do, and we are humbly grateful for your loyalty and business. Thank-you.
I talk too much. Yes, way too much. Bruce Rice said to me once in a pearl of wisdom: "Sean, you talk beyond the sale." He was right, and I try to do that less. I get so excited about things that I just keep rolling. I think our new hire, Fraser, is already feeling that way. Funny thing....I think I may be doing that now...
Ok, enough about mistakes. I have more....don't be asking how many. Back to the general awesomeness of life in a Portland, on the Big Rideau, in the place I love to call home - Len's Cove Marina.
