Thanks Friends I Had a Blast

Recently I changed companies which is no big deal in today's business world. Most people change jobs on an averge of every three years. I was with the same company for ten years! That's 3 jobs and on to the fourth for the average person working today. Wow, that's a long time.
You can guess that after working with the same company for such a long time it was difficult to make a move. I had so many new experiences there and opportunities that I never even dreamed of. I can't find all the words to express my gratitude towards the owners who believed in my abilities even when I wasn't always so sure of them myself.

What happened after I left surprised me more than anything. I can honestly say that after ten years someplace you make a lot of friends. But I never dreamed of the flood of phone calls and emails that came from my change of companies. Starting early Monday, the day my leaving was announced, the phone began to ring. Colleagues from within my previous company, even people from related industries like title and inspection companies, and friends from out of state called to wish me well and offer their support in my new endeavors. I soon became overwhelmed by the kind, heartfelt words. I made a comment to my wife at the end of the week, "It was like being eulogized."

I never realized what I had accomplished and how I had impacted others in my nearly ten years at this company. Most importantly, I made friends and lasting relationships that will go beyond the walls of a company.
How can I put a learning "spin" on this? Easy! Isn't this what we want from our customers? Ken Blanchard and Sheldon Bowles calls them Raving Fans. They wrote the book by the same title.
I'll just call them friends.

Thanks friends. I had a blast.