Well, I have a thousand bucks worth of plane tickets on my desk that will go unused this year. I was leaving for Laguna Phuket on Saturday but it is 2:04 AM on Friday and we about six bike builds behind right now with more piling up. If I left right now my employees and customers would (rightfully so) have my head.
So, good luck to you guys going to Laguna Phuket, wish I could join you but we have been super busy- too busy to leave.
As a plan “B” Marcie the Mermaid and I are going to Arizona at the end of this month for some training, lounging, hiking and general goofing off for about four days around Thanksgiving.
This is a great job but sometime the down side is plans change at a moment’s notice. This is one of those times. See you guys in Thailand next year.
I know where you are coming from -it is the “joy” of being a small business owner/ operator. Everybody wants to talk/ interface with YOU directly, you are the go to guy for your clients/ customers. Yes, sometimes you can take off and do a 2 hour run on a nice crisp November morning but this is usually outweighed by the times that you are working until 10/11/12 at night having started at 6. (4.14 is impressive, I have only ever done four all-nighters in 12 years). But we do what we love and that is it’s own reward.
Mind you it would have been hard to persuade me of this a couple of years ago when I was in my best SC shape and had to miss our National Championships, due to work committments. There is maybe the odd time when I yearn to able to leave it behind, but 98% of the time I am glad to be my own boss, doing a job I love and racing ironman, nearly in spite of this rather than because of it!
Too bad Tom, I know you really enjoyed that race. speaking of travel can you give me the contact info of your travel guy? I am toying with the idea of IM germany next year if I can still register.
You know what your problem is, Tom? You’re just too damn nice. You actually care about your customers! How naive is that? Get with it man…this is the age of mass wholesale on the other end of a phone…the age of huge compensations for the heads of huge companies. You’re plying a dying model of business!
Congratulations. In the bike business, that’s a good problem to be having - particularly at this time of year. I know that there are many retailers sitting around not doing much of anything at this time wondering if they will be able to pay their bills at the end of the month.
slowtwitch was the best thing to ever happen to tom’s business. i suspect his massive postings here are as much a part of his marketing plan/success as anything else he does.
that said, if i needed a new bike i would conside the 12hr drive to see him.
