Having made the difficult decision regarding our Gilbert location, I experienced a first yesterday. I was training our new Enrollment Counselor, Keely. The two of us were on the phone with a grandfather named Bruce. He sent his grandson to our Chandler location several years ago and he was calling to enroll his granddaughter in our program. His family lives very close to our Gilbert location and he was astounded that we were transitioning Gilbert to Scottsdale because of low enrollments. He kept telling me, “your program is essential, it saves lives.” I literally was at a loss for words because those are things I know and say on a pretty regular basis. We’ve received many testimonials over the years that have validated our work and fueled our passion to continue to make a difference and save lives. What was a first was to have a customer questioning me, quite adamantly, I might add, “What have you been doing to market your service because it is totally being undervalued, they don’t understand it. I am very passionate about what you do!”

Bruce was in tears as he was telling us his grandson,Tyler told him and his wife on numerous occasions that the program was the best gift he ever received. Bruce relayed two stories about his grandson, one was when Tyler found himself in an ice storm. He had the competence to handle it without losing control and getting into a crash because of what he learned with us. He also said Tyler nearly had a head-on collision and was able to handle the situation because of what he experienced at DrivingMBA. Bruce said, “I am sure your program saved my grandson’s life.”

I am always humbled by these powerful stories because the kids we work with are someone’s precious children, someone’s loved one, and knowing we have helped keep them safe and alive keeps us going.

Bruce even volunteered to come and talk to me about helping my staff get the message across to prospective customers. He said, “I know what to do.” So we left it that I would contact him after Thanksgiving. A little while later, he called back to tell me about two life experiences in his family. His grandson, Tyler, now 21, was prospering and doing well, while his 21 year old nephew who did not take our program was involved in a head on crash. He is not able to work, he is on disability and it has changed his life forever. Bruce’s words, not mine: “I think my nephew would have had a better outcome had he had that training you guys offer. I know first hand about your product.”

I was literally speechless and told Bruce that I did not know what to do with him in that moment. Bruce told me to “let God grab hold of me and work on you.” His parting words were, “the conversation you’ve had with me has really tortured your mind.” I laughed and said, “you’re right, thanks a lot!.” Needless to say, I will be talking to Bruce next week!