A 30-Year Conversation That Still Holds Up

Dialogue Miles

Nov 25

The other day, I had the chance to walk 3 miles with Yong Lacy around the Marriott Indianapolis North hotel, a result of the crazy traffic in Indy.

We hadn’t connected in a bit. Even so, the conversation felt typical of the past—how is the family and health, what’s the update on the business, a reflection on our time at Sony Chemicals Corporation of America, and of course, a view to the future.

Our paths first crossed 30 years ago when we were building a business, solving some big market problems, and laughing through the chaos. Those experiences shaped us, and the relationships we built during that time have lasted.

Key reflections from our Dialogue Miles™ walk

Mentorship’s quiet power.
You rarely know the full impact you’re having on someone until years later. Mentorship doesn’t always last forever in its original form, but influence gets applied over and over again.
Consistency through change.
Life evolves. Roles shift. New opportunities appear. But when you reconnect after years and find someone’s core unchanged, it’s deeply rewarding. It reminds you that your initial sense of who they were was true and able to withstand time and distance.
The table metaphor.
Years ago, I shared an idea with Yong: imagine your life as a table. Who’s sitting there? Fill those seats with people who bring inspiration, challenge, comfort, and perspective. The roles people play in your life matter more than the titles they carry.
Pressure-testing decisions.
Back at SONY, before launching a product, we’d turn the launch intent “90 degrees” and ask a few more questions. Are we really ready? Can we make this better with a tweak? That habit still applies. A pause at the right moment can change a trajectory.
Career decisions shape us.
We touched on how certain choices, like moving to Pittsburgh, especially the difficult ones, can alter the course of a career or a life. They’re rarely easy, but they shape who we become.
Make the call.
After the walk I had to reach out to a few of the old crew Kevin Young, MBA, John Bennett, John Yianitsas, Meyer Weiss, Marlee Fink and Mark Bjerkestrand.

Walking with Yong, the FMG, reminded me that relationships built on trust and shared experiences are timeless. A reunion in the future among those industry leaders from the TTR days would be amazing.

By the way, Signature Series™ is still on the market: Better, Faster, Cheaper. And the old guys from Sony are still planning a trip under the brand Mulligans By the Sea™—golf, second chances, and a pub by the ocean.

Grateful for the miles, Yong, and for the kind of relationship that still feels grounded after all these years. Looking forward to the next conversation and, hopefully, a reunion with the old crew somewhere down the road.