Page 135 - The Magic of Tiny Business

Part IV  Breathe—and Thrive

A Brownie Girl Scout troop came to visit my office
recently. They were doing an eco-project and one of the
moms is married to Joe, our UPS delivery guy. Into our
quiet office came eighteen boisterous Brownies more inter-
ested in talking than listening. I talked about business and
the environment. It was a forty-five-minute whirlwind
and I had no idea what they got out of it or didn’t.

The next day, I received an excited call from the troop
leader letting me know that on the way home, they
stopped to get snacks and said, “No plastic bags, thanks,”
to the shop owner. A few days after that, I got word they
created and signed a pledge to stop using plastic bags. A
few days after that, I got an envelope filled with effusive
thank-you notes from every child. Amazing. These girls
are our future.

One time, Yale University invited me to speak to their
School of Management. Thirty-five years ago I tried to go
to Yale. I auditioned there to be part of their acting pro-
gram. I didn’t get in. Now, Yale was inviting me to speak to
their graduate class of environmental entrepreneurs. Me.

Even students at one of the world’s most prestigious
universities connected to my stories. What resonated was
my humble beginning, starting from scratch as an actor,
and making it past a million dollars with a business that
impacted culture. They were nervous and excited, about to
step out to make their mark, just like I was over three
decades ago. Those who came up to me expressed their
thanks for sharing my story. They had a sense that if I did
it, so could they.

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