Dear Younger Fred… the good ones always go first...
One day, someone you never wanted to lose will leave.
And surprisingly…
you'll be happy for them.
Not immediately.
At first, it'll feel strange.
A little sad.
Because after working together for eight years, you almost forget there was ever a time they weren't there.
You'll remember the very first phone call in 2018.
Two people who had never met.
Neither of you knowing that one conversation would turn into one of the longest professional relationships of your career.
And it was never just work...
Over the years, you'll become good long distant friends.
You'll talk about life.
About goals.
About struggles.
About family.
You'll watch each other get married.
Celebrate the birth of your children.
Navigate difficult seasons.
Laugh through stressful ones.
And every year you'll quietly joke,
"How are we still working together?"
Because in this industry…
that almost never happens.
Then one day, you'll both realize something.
Not because anyone is unhappy.
Not because something is broken.
But because growth has a funny way of asking us to leave places we're grateful for.
You'll look at Kevin…
and you'll realize he has more in him.
More leadership!
More impact!
More potential!!!
And deep down…
you'll know it's time.
The emotions will be mixed.
Of course you'll be sad.
You'll miss the conversations.
The routines.
The trust that can only be built over years.
But you'll be infinitely happier knowing he's stepping into the next chapter of his life.
Because that's what people who genuinely care about each other do.
They don't hold each other back.
They push each other forward.
Even when it means saying goodbye.
Younger Fred…
one day you'll realize that one of the greatest
compliments you can give someone is believing they're capable of more than their current situation.
And when they finally take that leap…
cheer louder than anyone else.
Kevin, I don't know if you'll ever read this...
But I hope you know the impact you've had.
Some people pass through our lives.
Others quietly shape who we become.
You were one of those people.
Thank you for eight incredible years.
I couldn't be more excited to watch what you do next.
Baaaaam — that's it for today.
See you next Thursday.
Stay curious,
Fred
