The Value of Relationships
This blog post is written by Roslyn Rozbruch, my business partner and wife. She shares with us the importance of valuing friendships and relationships because you never know how they may play a part in your life at some point in the future.
"That's the funny thing about life - you never know what's around the bend. You never know when someone you enjoyed as a friend or an acquaintance might pop back in your life and reconnect in a wonderful way."
Becky is our Manager of Client Happiness. Becky was Michael's right arm and assistant from his previous tax resolution company. When we launched our new company, the door was always open for Becky to join us and four months later she was able to make the move to our Tax & Business Solutions Academy. One interesting fact is that I’ve actually known Becky longer than I’ve known Michael! I've mentioned my career as a hairdresser (read about it in my previous blog post) and Becky was a friend that I met in beauty school. And that’s the interesting thing about relationships — you never know how meeting someone in one moment of your life might lead to another moment later down the road.
I would have never imagined, when I met Becky at 18 years old, that we would someday be working together in a field completely different than the one we were pursuing at the time. As a matter of fact, after she married and had her son, she moved up north to Mendocino, which is close to San Francisco. By that time, more than 10 years had passed since we met, and our friendship was solid. I was sad to see her move so far away, but I also wanted to be a supportive friend.
In Mendocino, Becky and her then-husband bought a small restaurant that served breakfast and lunch. Michael’s father had owned a hotel at one time, as well as restaurants, and Michael was familiar with all the hardships that go with owning and operating one — so while I said, “Go for it! Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” Michael said to Becky, “The food business will eat you up.” At the time, I wasn’t too happy he said that — even if it was true. Anyone who knows Becky knows she didn’t take it to heart. Instead, she tucked his words in the back of her mind, and years later, when she moved back to Los Angeles, she said she was glad he’d said that to her.
I was thrilled when Becky returned, because I’d honestly thought our friendship would always be a distant one. Soon after Becky arrived in Los Angeles, she started applying for jobs in a field of work she was interested in, but asked if Michael needed some help in his office while she went on interviews. Michael’s tax resolution business was off and running and growing, and he had positions to fill. So he offered her a part-time position, and less than two weeks later said, “Can you start to work full time?” The rest is history. That’s why two years ago, she even followed us over here when Michael parted from his company.
That’s the funny thing about life — you never know what’s around the bend. You never know when someone you enjoyed as a friend or an acquaintance might pop back in your life and reconnect with you in a wonderful way. Think about it — do you have special relationships today with people you didn’t imagine connecting with before? I have met so many people in the most unexpected ways, and they have played a big part in my life when I least expected it.
So as you work hard during tax season, be sure to call a friend or acquaintance you haven’t seen in a while but enjoy spending time with. Who knows where that road will lead you!
- Roslyn Rozbruch
