Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/850474
July/August 2017 17 Never Give Up Flash back 15 years ago when I was sit- ting in a very nice Bourbon Street restau- rant with Nestor Ibrahim. At that point, we had done very little business with one another but realized that there was great potential for both companies. Back then, Nestor was actually having dinner with "Win-At-All-Costs Keith." I wasn't the most receptive and open-minded guy, but over the course of our meal, we began to fi nd out that we had quite a bit in common. The topic switched from today's business to learning more about each other. The long and the short of it is that we did not initially fi nd common ground— but we continued trying. Since that time, we have had a few good runs togeth- er, thanks to faith and persistence on Nestor's part. I learned that you get to pick your partners, and if you really want to make something happen, you will do it. If you don't, you won't. I'm so thankful that Nestor chose me to partner with. Each FEDA meeting, we spend one evening discussing the indus- try and our careers. What I've learned from him is far beyond a business trans- action. Do What You Say You Will Do I sat down beside Teresa Asbury of the Legacy Companies at a FEDA Convention about fi ve years ago. We struck up a con- versation regarding a specifi c category of products and some recent strategies we were developing around those prod- ucts. I went to play a round of golf that afternoon or maybe I hung out at the bar (good chance of either), and I'd be darned if I didn't have an email that day from Teresa fulfi lling everything she said she was going to do during our talk that morning. That was the fi rst of several correspondences over a handful of months and she made good on every commitment. Needless to say, she earned our business. I took what I learned from Teresa and applied that to our business. It's easy to ask for something and tell someone I'll do my best to hold up my end of the bar- gain. Maybe that will get you through the door but it's the commitments, prom- continued on page 18 Starting with a strong opener and an equally inspiring close, there were plenty of high notes at the 2017 FEDA Convention in San Antonio.