The Last of the Firsts

A couple of years ago, I reflected on dropping my son off for his first year of college. He was moving into a residence hall that was not just new to him, but new to the entire campus. This year, my daughter is starting school. She’s my youngest, marking a new period in my life as a parent and husband.

In preparing for her next step in life, I thought about my own. I have been at Technical Glass Products (TGP) for 24 years now—nearly half of my life and the company’s as well. TGP has been part of nearly every major milestone in my life: my engagement, my wedding, raising three children and now seeing them all off to college. I’m surprised to say these personal and professional milestones do have parallels, some expected but others caught me off guard.

Milestones are not as significant as presence

As parents, we learn that change is unavoidable. Every stage of life brings new challenges, new opportunities and new routines. The same is true in business. Throughout my career, I've worked through leadership changes, reorganizations, acquisitions, market shifts and evolving customer needs. Rarely do we get the opportunity to stay comfortable for long.

What I've learned, both as a parent and as a leader, is that success doesn't come from resisting change or citing past accomplishments. It comes from continuing to move forward. You invest in people, help prepare them for success and eventually trust them to thrive on their own. Whether you're raising children or building teams, there comes a point where you have to step back and watch them grow.

Just because you’re not directly beside them doesn't mean you aren’t present when they need it. If anything, it means you have to be more attuned to others’ needs, whether that’s helping with a code requirement or a core requirement.

A good attitude is the solution

When my first child started college, everything seemed new. My wife and I just experienced a year of firsts: high school graduation, touring campuses, filling out applications and so much more. After we dropped off our oldest son, I remember walking into his empty room. The house felt different and quieter.

A year later, we went through the process again with our middle son. The logistics were familiar, but the experience was different. He was so excited about his next adventure that it was hard to be sad. A new school, a new city, a new dorm and endless possibilities were waiting for him.

Now, we are approaching our third and final send-off. Our daughter chose the same university as her middle brother, so a lot is familiar. Yet this experience feels completely different—our only daughter, our youngest child. When we return home after helping her move in, all three bedrooms will be empty.

In these experiences, attitude is everything. Navigating this changing world is fraught with situations that have no clear solutions. What it comes down to is having flexibility and adaptability. The right attitude acts as a framework for meeting the challenge of change head on. While becoming an empty-nester is certainly different from the glazing industry, this attitude is vital for leading a team that can work together to find solutions in the shifting construction landscape.

A new chapter with new challenges and opportunities

Preparing to send off our final child comes with a lot of change. It also comes with a lot of familiarity. The same can be said about TGP—though I have a feeling we’re far from experiencing our last firsts in the glazing industry. Even with all the changes that have happened over the last 50 years, one thing remains constant, familiar: centering people.

Each milestone adds a tool to your toolkit. Each new chapter, whether it’s in business or homelife, asks us to use the right tools to move forward, to do right for those around us. The process is tough, but the opportunity is great. As the day our daughter leaves approaches, my wife and I are embracing this next chapter with a mix of excitement, gratitude and a little bit of nervousness.

Wish us luck.