Our Story
The inspiration for the founding of our firm grew from a traumatic experience that reminded us what’s most important in life. This is the story of how our lives and careers came together.
From Chris’ Perspective
It all began on a sunny Friday afternoon in July 2004. My wife Beth and I had moved to the Philadelphia area with our three sons less than two years earlier so I could join ARAMARK Corporation as its chief marketing executive.
I was in a meeting on the top floor of the ARAMARK Tower, when my boss’ assistant stepped in to let me know that my wife was on the phone and that she sounded upset. I stepped out to take the call and found my wife sobbing on the other end of the line.
That afternoon my 8 year old son had a relatively new friend named Grant come over for a play date, while his mother went out shopping for a few hours. They had been riding skateboards in our driveway, and it being a hot summer day, they eventually decided to take their helmets off. Before long, Grant’s skateboard hit a pebble on the pavement, stopping short and launching him six feet across the driveway for a hard landing directly on his head. Within moments, Grant’s tiny frame began to shudder while he cried out that he couldn’t see anything – he had lost his sight!
The rescue squad arrived quickly and judged that Grant may have suffered a serious head injury. Without delay, the paramedics radioed for a medical evacuation helicopter to fly Grant to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Beth was now faced with the gut wrenching task of tracking down Grant’s mother to tell her that the precious child she’d left in our care had been seriously injured and that she should proceed directly to the local community college, the closest place to our home that a helicopter could land.
Thus far, attempts to reach Grant’s mother on her cell phone had gone unanswered and Beth had no idea where his father worked. She was flooded with emotion and pleaded for my help with the situation. Just then, the call waiting signal sounded. It was Grant’s mother Laurie. She would head straight for the helipad and notify her husband Ed. Since only one parent could accompany Grant in the helicopter, Ed was left to watch his wife and son lift off for Children’s Hospital. He and his other son Brett, a 15 year old special needs child would need to make the journey by car.
Beth and I were grief stricken that this had happened at our home and both headed straight for the hospital to provide whatever support we could to Grant’s family. Shortly after arriving at the hospital we received the good news that while Grant had a severe concussion, there did not appear to be any more serious damage. Nonetheless, Grant would need to stay for a few days of tests and observation.
While relieved, Beth and I still wanted to do anything we could to help. We offered to have Brett stay with us for a few days so that Ed and Laurie could remain with Grant. Initially, they protested that Brett could be quite a handful, but after heartfelt appeals from us, they reluctantly agreed to entrust us with the care of their remaining son. Fortunately, Brett’s stay with us was uneventful and Grant’s parents appreciated having one less thing to worry about.
This traumatic experience could have destroyed whatever relationship we might have had with Wallace family, but it also had the potential to bring us closer together. Largely because they are wonderful, generous and forgiving people, the latter was the case. In the years afterward, our families became extremely close sharing summer vacations and holiday celebrations together. In fact, a few years ago Ed and Laurie designated Beth and I as legal guardians for Brett in their wills should anything ever happen to them.
Despite this happy ending, Grant’s injury had a profound impact on Ed. Eventually, he decided to leave the company he had worked at for over 20 years to pursue his dream of starting a new company that helped others build meaningful and lasting business relationships. It would be called The Relational Capital Group.
ARAMARK became the first client of this new company and a few years later, after spending nearly 100 work weeks in a row away from my family as CMO for Choice Hotels in the DC area, I reached a similar realization that my relationships with my family were being hurt by my job. So instead, I would become business partners with Ed and together we would help people and companies everywhere prosper from outstanding business relationships.
From Ed’s Perspective
Most people who’ve met me know that my life was changed by a taxi driver named Max. The wisdom he taught me about business relationships is highlighted in each of my books. I’m embarrassed to admit this, but the full value of what I learned from Max didn’t really sink in while he was still alive and I was spending time with him. Maybe I’m a bit of a slow study, but the fact is that during those years, I was so engrossed in my day-to-day work that I wasn’t stepping back to see the big picture or notice the little extras, the subtleties of family life and business relationships, how important and connected they were. I was out of town at least half the time, away from my family, and always pushing for the next sale, the next new client, uh sorry, friend. When business is going well and things are basically calm on the home front, it’s just too easy to be in denial about what you’re missing or putting off.
All that changed for me one day when I got a phone call from my wife Laurie.
She was not her usual self and I could sense something had happened. Our younger son Grant, who was 8 years old at the time, had fallen off a skateboard, hitting his head on the pavement, and the paramedics were on the scene. She was directed to go to our local community college where the trauma helipad was located. The next ten minutes seemed like forever as I felt as though I had absolutely no control over what was occurring. I thought about what Grant must be going through with all of those strangers around him. Was he afraid? Was he even awake? Could he move his legs?
Ironically, my mind raced back to how peaceful I had felt in the hours after each of our children were born and I knew that everyone was okay. This moment was the complete opposite. At the community college, I saw the helicopter and ambulance and all the surrounding commotion. I have to tell you, nothing could prepare me for something like this, no matter how many books I read on parenting, leadership or personal development. The next thing that I remember is Laurie looking down at me from the helicopter as she and Grant take off for the children’s hospital.
When our older son Brett, now 15, and I arrived at the hospital, we found out that Grant had a severe concussion and some other complications that needed close monitoring. After a few months, Grant was fully recovered, but I still just couldn’t shake the memory of the whole scene. As I was traveling on a flight one evening, I was thinking about Max’s journey from being an oil company executive and surviving Middle East turmoil to deciding to make a new life driving a taxi and serving his friends.
I started to reflect on my own sense of service and how I might find ways to contribute to helping my friends develop outstanding business relationships based on my experiences. I had long wanted to write a book on the importance of business relationships. But, it wasn’t until my son lifted off that helipad that I developed more of a sense of urgency to “seize the day” as they say. As Grant was recuperating, I was suddenly compelled to share the experiences I’d had with Max and my re-appreciation of the essential qualities he championed. How these ideas applied universally to business and to life. With all my procrastinating, I guess you could say my first book and The Relational Capital Group were fifteen years in the making.
Jim Mullen joins the firm…
During that time, Jim Mullen, one my most respected advisors during my career, and I conceptualized this business approach. Jim joined me in the early stages of starting The Relational Capital Group and now we are getting the opportunity to see our vision become reality. Jim truly embodies the principles we espouse and our long-friendship has now become a shared cause.
More recently, my good friend Chris Malone became my business partner in The Relational Capital Group, bringing new expertise and experience to our firm. Chris and I became especially close friends shortly after Grant’s skateboard injury. I’ll let Chris tell you the story of how our friendship became a partnership in the next column.