Hey gang,
Today I was listening to a new podcast called Truthache that included the ever-excellent Daniel Herndon that had the extra benefit of including my friend, the amazing Jennifer Denney, and the topic was whether or not college was worth the cost. It brought to mind fond memories of my halcyon financial days where I was able to, as an 18 year old with a menial high school GPA and the love of college basketball (watching, not playing), sign on with a credit score that didn’t exist to begin compiling enormous amounts of debt that I could not afford nor consider paying off for many years hence.
Thankfully, I had seriously fantastic school counselors providing great advice for what I should major in at college. They said things like, it is a great idea to sign up for college and major in ‘To Be Decided’ – just like it would be fine for someone to take on a loan (they can’t afford) for a house they don’t have, but may have (but won’t know what the house looks like if and when they get it). My degree in TBD trended towards computer science and ended where most of us are forgotten – history. But I liked history and was able to find my way out of college with a degree in 2005.
With those loans in tow and a highly developed (or at least B average developed) knowledge of history, I was all set for the following scenario just a couple of months later.
I dressed in my only ill-fitting suit (ill-fitting being the domain I exclusively attired myself in at that time and admittedly still all too often explore) and drove an hour south towards Indianapolis with my newly minted college degree. My plan was to interview/beg for a job that paid $12.15 an hour after quitting a summer job working on houses at IU that I had held for two years making $20/hr. During that conversation, I was asked, mandated even, to have a college degree; any would apparently do. As soon as I heard that, I knew the person I was speaking to was as judicious as my school counselors and though I asked for the job right then and there, she said the status of the offer was TBD.
Since I was wise, obviously money-savvy, and keen to continue my good decision- making, I was able to secure this lucrative job and eke out 15 months only to quit…just a couple of days before I got married (as I wasn’t sure yet but I thought it would be fun to have awkward in-law conversations at the wedding reception).
Following a splendidly successful honeymoon, I had an interview where I actually captured a new job making slightly more. During that interview, I was again asked about my venerated college degree and henceforth (I wanted to work ‘hence’ in again), in multitudes of interviews I endured afterward, I was never professionally asked of it again.
So was college worth it? It took my wife and me 14 years to pay off our college loans and I regretted those loans and my counselors sage wisdom for years to come but have never once regretted going to college where I met my beautiful wife 24 years ago – without her by my side, it would have taken even longer to pay off those loans. :)
The Work
One organization I want to highlight in particular is the Hamilton County Community Tennis Association (HCCTA). They’ve been a long-time maintenance client, but more importantly, they hold a special place in my heart.
As someone who loves playing tennis and as a dad to tennis-playing kids who are destined to be far better at it than I ever was – I deeply appreciate how HCCTA helps young players take their very first steps into the sport.
That’s exactly how it started for my daughter Addie. She joined HCCTA when she was just 7 or 8 years old, and this week, she and her awesome doubles partner just wrapped up a 12-5 season playing #2 doubles for Fishers High School. I know, that’s definitely a proud dad moment but I can’t help it, she’s tremendous. And I truly believe those beginner lessons at HCCTA helped spark her love for the game.
We recently launched a new website for HCCTA that’s faster, easier to navigate, and makes it simpler than ever to sign your own kiddo up for lessons. Check it out!
Other Good Stuff
I recently designed a software from the ground up called GameTime Lineups intended for rec baseball and softball coaches that want to make their lineup creation both fair for kids and a breeze. Coaches in more than 20 states and multiple countries are now using it. If you’re a coach or coach-adjacent, check it out today.
Middling Stuff
I’d prefer to stay hidden behind my words but recently did a few short form LinkedIn videos. Take a look if you are inclined and don’t mind seeing my face a bit.
- How do you know your in a tech’s Golden Age? It’s tough but history can help. We are in one right now and it has the potential to help small and medium sized businesses in an epic way.
- Sometimes a poorly wrapped hamburger tells you everything you need to know about what you’ll be eating.
- Today I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and putting on a new hat.
As always, thanks for reading, and if you have time, reach out and let me know how things are going in your life.
Cody
