The Most Optimistic Man in New York
When he walked down the street, his smile gave his whole visage a glow. He always wore a straw hat, no matter what the weather. Not just any straw hat —a jazz age skimmer. People he passed looked at him in wonder…
I’m quite sure that many of the lunch hour passersby there in lower Manhattan not only looked at Jack in wonder but also wondered when they looked. For a guy 5 ‘ 5" the way he carried himself was larger than life.
He was a man more than 20 years older than I. He was my mentor in the financial service business. He taught me how to navigate the twists and turns of the competitive investment profession. How to handle clients large — and not so.
Jack was the most optimistic man I ever met.
He believed in the Power of the Affirmative method of persuasion:
The more your client or prospect says the word “YES” the closer you are to a successful transaction.
Jack not only practiced this bit of cockeyed optimism in business but in his personal life.
Jack to Ethel (his wife): “I’m sure you’d agree with me, it’s a beautiful night for dinner and romance.”
