Nine years ago, Joel and I shared something in common. We each needed someone to take a chance on us. Joel’s young company had just lost a major client. As he worked through the details of reorganizing his company, he knew he needed a loan. With few hard assets, he needed a bank to take a chance on him.

As a relatively new company with few clients, Roundpeg needed him to take a chance on my skills as a business plan writer. If successful, the project would solve his problem and mine.

Today, eImagine Technology is one of the top computer consulting companies and one of the fastest growing private companies in the state. Joel was also named to the Forty Under 40 Class of 2010. As you review the lengthy list of the company’s achievements, it is obvious the bankers who took a chance on him, made the right choice. And it is cool we were a part of the early stages of that company.

Joel has often said that meeting me at that time set him on the path which took his business to the next level. But I don’t know if I have ever told him how much it meant when he took a chance on me. Working through that project gave me the confidence to sell those services to a host of other companies.

Although business plan writing is no longer a cornerstone of what we do at Roundpeg, Joel’s willingness to take a chance on me set Roundpeg on the path to where it is today.

As you look at your business, who are the people who took a risk, or supported you when you needed it most?  Have you said thank you lately?