Mates

This is Peter and Carl and Eduardo.

Peter and Carl are new clients in Surrey, England. Eduardo’s a bartender in central London that made it easier for me to write this post.

Peter and Carl have known each other for twenty years. They started their own business eight years back.

They finish each other’s sentences.

They give each other endless amounts of grief.

They call b-s on each other relentlessly.

And they are brilliant partners.

Carl’s never met a stranger and sells with grace and ease. Peter’s a brilliant engineer who holds patents on several top-secret devices that would make both Steve Jobs and Willie Wonka say, “Wow. Cool.”

I’ve noticed this time and again – successful partnerships flourish when two complementary people work together.

• Lennon and McCartney
• Jagger and Richards
• Olbermann and Patrick
• Wilbon and Kornheiser
• Fred and Barney
• Penn and Teller
• Thelma and Louise
• Woz and Jobs
• Laurel and Hardy
• Moose and Zee

It ain’t always easy, but the results more often than not are magical.

Mates are subject to one another – always remembering the first and utmost loyalty is to each other and to be of service to one another.

Today, my path takes a new turn. I welcome an old friend into partnership with me.

It shouldn’t be that odd because we worked together from 1996 to 2003, and we’ve known each other since 1993.

But it is odd.

We have kids now.

We have mortgages now.

We have minivans now. (Shuddering)

Hopefully, we’ll go right back to finishing other’s sentences.

Hopefully, we’ll make Wonka himself say, “Wow. Cool.”

Hopefully, Ryan Patrick and I will add our names to our clients’ lists of magical partnerships.

Welcome back to the big show.