Yes kids are officially back in school and a few HNG members were coming in late as they had ‘momma’ or ‘poppa’ duty getting kids ready and out the door. It takes a few weeks for us all to get into the swing of the new schedules.
Education Moment was done by Celeste Messer with Adkor Group with Maxavenue. She pointed out that ‘snail mail’ has really made a comeback in today’s world and people appreciate handwritten, (key is handwritten) notes and cards. This being the case she reminded the group that now was a great time to order Christmas or Thanksgiving cards at a discount to have them ready to send out to all or a portion of your client list. Keeping top of mind awareness is always a good thing for small business owners.
About twenty people were in attendance this morning to hear the “Member Spotlight”. Today Ryan Vickers, an attorney with John Hall and Associates Law Firm, gave us all a peek at his life, his family and his priorities.
Ryan shared that his Faith in Jesus was an important part of his life but that it hadn’t always been that way. Like many, myself included, Ryan was brought up in the church but based on what he saw he felt many who attended were hypocrites. And like many, that experience made him run the other way when he got old enough to do so.
He credits his wife Lindsey in helping him change his view…and it sounds like his ways too…
Ryan, a self-proclaimed sports fanatic, re-iterated the fact that he and his wife is and always will be, die-hard A & M fans.
Ryan is a real family man and has always been close to his family and extended family. His dad even served as the best man at his wedding. Ryan explained that his dad has always been a model for behavior and a man of integrity so it only seemed right for him to be the best man.
Ryan was especially close to his grandparents, which is not always the case. One of his grandmothers died before he was able to meet her, yet she too had an impact on him. She was a very proficient fisher-woman and hunter. He shared a photo of her when she was young and sitting beside her was a HUGE bass fishing trophy. This was a tournament where she competed head to head with the men. If you think about the time when this took place, about a half century ago, it’s impressive that she was able to get into the competition let alone WIN the whole thing. What a strong woman she must have been. He’s hoping he can someday get her into the Bass Hall of Fame as she truly was a trailblazer for her time.
Ryan was able to tell us that his wedding anniversary is October 23rd, 2015. This was a test and he passed with flying colors. It was especially important as his anniversary is right around the corner. it’s clear he’s head over heals in love with his wife and is proud of her work.
John also shared a story of how a woman named Crystal, guided him and served as his mentor in college. He called her his ‘angel’. It’s clear she helped him stay on track while he was getting his feet under him and figuring out who and what he wanted to be.
After we got some of Ryan’s personal story he took a few minutes to once again share some Top 10 tips regarding needing or avoiding the need to get a lawyer. It’s as simple as Follow the Golden Rule, do unto others as you want others to do unto you. And if you do get a lawyer, for heaven’s sake don’t lie to them. He said he understands how you might want to lie to your mother, but NEVER lie to your lawyer.
I’ll make a plug here for Ryan. Granted you may not feel the need to have a lawyer, BUT if you don’t have a Will drawn up then I’d recommend that you don’t keep putting that off. You don’t have to look far to see how much more difficult a death of a loved one is on a family when there is no will. If you don’t know how to begin…call Ryan. Trust me, He’s a guy you’d want helping you. It only takes a minute talking to him to feel comfortable and know that he cares about his clients and will do whatever he can to help you.
You can learn more about Ryan, the John A Hall & Associates services by calling 512-268-6425 or by going to their website John A Hall & Associates
One last note: After every meeting we put our cards in a hat, this morning it was a popcorn bag, and pull one lucky members card for a $15.00 IHOP gift card. Well this morning Jim Collins won. Now while that would normally be the end of it, Jim has managed to have his card pulled 4 times in the last 7 weeks or so. The guy has got to buy a lottery ticket. He’s been crazy lucky.
Upcoming meeting, Member Spotlight and Education Minute Speaker Schedule:
September
12th John Hardy Divided Sky and Roofing Education Moment Irene Melendez Broadway Bank
19th Guest Speaker Judge Andrew Cable Education Moment Rob Oskins Blue Crest Media
25th Terry Lawrence Reliable Automotive Education Moment Trish Wilder Edward Jones
INTERESTED IN FINDING OUT MORE HOMETOWN NETWORKING GROUP?
How about checking us out? We welcome you to join us on Wednesday morning and meet some great local business owners. What have you got to lose? Your first breakfast is on us!
The group meets every Wednesday morning at Kyle IHOP 5401 Kyle Centre Dr, Kyle, TX 78640 (I35 Southbound Access
Rd, just South of Kyle Expressway and I35 intersection). Informal networking begins at 8:15, Meeting begins at 8:30 and ends promptly at 9:30.
You can find out more about our group at: https://hometownnetworking.org