Fast forward twenty-five years: Lou brought our eleven year old grandson to New Haven
And not only that, the kid worked on real production: he followed orders, stacked paper, programmed copiers, checked quality, and got things done! He saw what it took to be successful. He arrived on time, rolled up his sleeves, met Goodcopy’s quality standards, and earned respect from other workers. Lou was so impressed at Eli’s focus and work ethic and performance!
When Eli called his mother to find out what she and the rest of the family were doing, he dismissed their activities as trivial; he was having much more fun at Goodcopy. As for Lou, if Eli didn’t live in Baltimore
What did we do wrong before? What are we doing right this time?
Looking back, Goodcopy was no treat for our children. We were always pressured in those days, busy with our business, continuing conversations and work at home about production, scheduling, staffing and everything else that goes with meeting client needs. We struggled to make time for our children, and now we wish we had made more.
With Eli it was a different world: Goodcopy was an out-of-town windfall he didn’t have to share with his younger siblings. Our staff welcomed him and treated him the same way they treat everyone else. He got training, hands-on experience, and his success boosted his self-esteem. He got his own business card and note pads. He had time alone with his grandfather, and they went out for lunch, toured Yale and explored the New Haven
So what was the difference? We were parents then, and now we’re grandparents enjoying the dividends.
