Thank You Madame President

Today is the birthday of the third most important lady in my life. Without my mom, I wouldn’t be here, and without my wife, I wouldn’t be where I’m at. But if it weren’t for Birthday girl Colleen Heitzler, Aquascape’s President, I don’t know if my dream would still be alive.

Today I will be in the field building a pond and filming for our upcoming Reality TV series. Colleen will be in the office dealing with lawyers, bankers, and employees. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Every entrepreneur needs someone that cannot only stand beside them, but also stand up to them. Colleen fits that bill and so much more. I’m a bull in a china shop; she has tact and diplomacy. When grenades get thrown behind my back, she jumps on them. In other words, her being her, allows me to be me. Can you see why I love and respect her so much?!

Most entrepreneurs are good at doing what they want, which is often different than doing what they should. I’ve done what I’ve had to, in no small part because of what Colleen’s made me do. Money is not my motivator, even if it’s a barometer I’m constantly measuring. As my former Chief Financial Officer, it was Colleen’s job to share the numbers with me regularly so I could gauge our success. “Hope for the best; plan for the worst” was her motto I begrudgingly adapted as my own. And it’s because I took that approach, her approach, that Aquascape weathered the storm.

Colleen’s guidance through trying times earned her the position of President of Aquascape. She does her thing, I do mine, and we talk every day about what that looks like for us both. I’d say my job’s a lot more glamorous and she would be the first to agree! But by her doing her job, it allows the rest of us to do ours. And for that I say she’s the third most valuable lady in my life.

Happy Birthday Madame President!

With love and the utmost respect,
The Pond Guy