I stood on the free-throw line as a 14-year-old. There was no time left on the clock. The score was tied. We were playing against a conference rival in a hostile environment in the big city of Tampa. I was all alone on the court. It was just me, the free throw line, and my two favorite things in life at the time: a basket and a basketball.
I was so young to be on the varsity squad as a freshman.
But, the team had lost some older players, and having no other options, they had to bring up the “Skinny, scrawny Freshman.” That term, it would be shouted at me in practice hundreds of times that season as they sought to toughen me up. We finished 6-19 for the season. I learned a lot. If I made the first free throw, it meant the game was over, and we hicks from Lakeland had slain the Goliath of our conference. If I missed, it meant overtime. Oddly enough I was too young, or unaware of the gravity, or quite possibly way too filled with youthful arrogance that I wasn’t nervous.
I made it! Our fans went wild and waved to the elites from Tampa as they shuffled out, shaking their heads.
Basketball has been an anchor in my life ever since.
Pretty much any lesson in life or business I can relate back to the game that has been a centerpiece of who I am. No one practiced more free throws than me. No one spent more time in the gym. I loved being in the gym by myself. It was my happy place. So, while no one was watching, I was practicing. Secretly scheming to beat Santa Fe or Lakeland Christian. I knew that if I worked harder than any of their players in the offseason that, soon enough, I’d have the opportunity to help my teammates win against our archrivals.
This lesson I learned was easily translatable to my experience at Allen & Company. The quiet hours of working on the weekend, reading financial information at night, or staying late are just like being in the gym by myself and all the while scheming to be the best. It would take years of studying to get an MBA, CFP®, and securities license. But I knew the hard work while no one was watching would eventually pay off.
The game has also brought me extreme pain.
As a senior, I let fly a long jump shot, similar to many I had made over the years, in a packed gym against Lakeland Christian. As the buzzer sounded it bounced, and bounced and rolled out. I was dejected that I had let my teammates down. My parents were in the stands. My coach, he deserved that win. Many times in this business, I’ve faced great disappointment. The financial crisis culminating in March of 2009 was just that. However, I’d faced difficulty before, many times. And now we sit near record highs once again in the markets.
The values basketball has taught me were important life lessons that I was able to share with my children. The game can be absolutely gorgeous when played selflessly. A player passes up a shot and passes the ball to his teammate for an easy shot. Bringing me to one of the most powerful values I learned from the game: teamwork. Teamwork is the only way to win at home or in the office. It’s exciting to collaborate with a client’s CPA, attorney, or next generation for the betterment of a family. It can be gorgeous to watch, just like that extra pass for the winning jump shot at the buzzer.
January 2025
