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Florida Pool Pro
sm
• February 2015
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
John Garner, Sr.
FSPA President
Paying it forward
Paying i t forward –
giving something back –
charitable contributions –
phi lanthropy. KARMA!
What does it all mean?
In the hustle and bustle
of the 21
st
century with fast food, fast driving, fast
internet, and in general a lifestyle where weeks seem
to turn into days, months reduced to weeks and “where
did the year go,” it brings to mind something someone said to me years ago.
“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.” This quote
actually hangs in my office.
Many times as we focus on our endeavors to succeed in our business, we
tend to think in the singular or develop tunnel vision. Our focus zooms in on
our success in business and that can have a ripple effect on everyone around
us. We work hard and even play hard on our vacations trying to cram as much
work or play as we can in a limited time. What can we do to have a lasting
effect on our society long after we expire?
Think about it – it might just take time, and not money, to start something
that has a domino effect, or maybe a pyramid where you help someone who
helps someone else and on and on – paying it forward.
Our industry has a large group of professionals with a knowledge base that
is infinite. How do we pass it on to the new generations who are prime for the
picking and starving for knowledge? This has to happen on a local level and
the possibilities are huge. All it takes is a commitment from those of us who
are successful and have hands-on experience in what works and what doesn’t.
Someone asked me recently when I was going to retire. My answer was
that I have been retired for many years – I get up every day, go to work and
get re-tired, go to bed and repeat the next day! Seriously though we need
to educate new generations of future pool professionals on the right way to
