Book Review
Comment: Larry gave me this book (and signed it!) late in the summer and I promised to read it after the book I was reading. I did, but then ForCarol.com happened and I was distracted from writing the review. Larry helped me as I grappled with my life and what to do moving forward….which, by the way, is still a work in progress. I thank Larry from the deepest part of my heart for being there with great advice and caring….when you read his book you will learn that that is just the kind of person he is.
Larry was laid off. He sorta knew it was coming so he prepared the best he could to be as “debt free as possible” when that day came.
It did.
What surprised Larry was that he actually felt relieved. He felt the world lift off his shoulders and spent the next few weeks learning about….hmmm, Larry Hite.
In those few weeks….he realized that life in the corporate fast lane was a burden. Sure there was money to be made, but, the price to be paid for corporate success sucks the life out of you, slow but sure. And he learned to smell the roses again….
Unemployed, Larry took his motorcycle out on long rides, he ran up hills, relaxed and discovered the Larry he left behind. Life was enjoyable again…
I have gotten to know Larry just a bit in the past few months. He loves to help people, and in his book he talks about good karma believing that helping others selflessly will be good for you…somehow, someway, sometime. He is still practicing that belief.
We find out that Larry loves baseball…interestingly, since he is a Bay Area native, the NY Yankees (the team I lived and breathed rooting for in my youth on Long Island). At the end of the baseball chapter he says: “If you treat each day of your life like a kid playing baseball, how could you possibly not be happy!”
How cooincidental that we’ve all just experienced the happiness baseball can bring.
Deciding what to do with the rest of his life, Larry started a home inspection business (he was a Risk Analysis manager at his job), but, he realized that he had some missing elements in his skill set. Marketing and sales were not exactly his forte, but, he studied and learned, he joined the Tracy Chamber of Commerce, and then joined the Tracy Chamber’s Entrepreneurs Group (which he now runs).
Although it has not been totally easy, his business thrived and he has since opened another.
Here is an email from Larry explaining what has happened in his life since finishing the book:
“Since writing the book, my home inspection business is doing very well. I have expanded it to include mold inspections, fireplace and chimney inspections, and plumbing and swimming pool leak detection. I started a second business last year: Crime Scene clean-up, which is doing good as well.
In 2004 I was Tracy Ambassador of the year, and in 2009 I was Tracy Entrepreneur of the year. I have been President of the Tracy Rotary Club and Chairman of the Tracy Entrepreneurs and am currently a candidate for Tracy City Council.
My wife and I have traveled to Greece and to the Mexican Rivera, and 6 years ago we added my little Jack Russell Terrier Abby to the family.
Life has been good to us. It’s become quite a bit busier, but we have each other and still try to live life each day like there is no tomorrow!
If you have a spare hour or two to read an inspiring story of a successful Tracy business person, I have the book in the office or I’m sure Larry can sell you one (make sure you get it signed!). If you don’t have the spare hour….clear your calendar. “It’s time to start enjoying life again!”
“Remember: Every day you don’t live, it’s a day that is lost forever….and you are simply one less day of living away from not living at all!”
From Me
Thank you Larry for supporting “ForCarol.com”. Since Carol is (I refuse to use the past tense) Buddhist, more good karma is bound to come your way. 🙂
TracyReaderDad: Book Reviews 