If I had “the look” I would’ve been a movie star. If I were funnier I would’ve been a comedian. And if was gifted between the knees & hips, I would still been dating.
Unfortunately, I am none of the above. And I, unlike many, know exactly why. It’s because of the “Unbreakable” glasses I wore as a child.
They were so thick that if worn under the right conditions with a transparent head, I could have started a fire. To boot, I had several pairs. Which gave my insecurities even more fodder considering they were sold to my father under the auspices that they were “Unbreakable” glasses.
I remember the salesman demonstrating all of their “Unbreakable” qualities to my father in a very Electrolux way. He gracefully pulled on the temples bending them flat out to either side to show what would happen if I sat on them. He then carefully held them in the middle near the rubber nosepiece twisting the frame in opposite directions to show what would happen if I stepped on them. He even threw them down on the ground to show that the lenses were thick enough to survive an impact.
Never once did he put them on my face. Never!!!
I asked my father, “If they’re “Unbreakable” glasses, why do I need several pairs?” He replied in his deep, resounding voice, “For when you lose them.”
I then looked at the salesman, who in a very salesmany way, pumped his fist ever so slightly as if to say “Yes!” knowing full well he’d sold my father not one, but several pairs of “Unbreakable” glasses.
Disgusted, I then asked my father, “Why do I need “Unbreakable” glasses if I’m just going to lose them?” The Salesman gasped like a little girl who’d just seen a mouse. My father’s eyes fixed glazed on mine in a deafening and awkward moment of silence that seemed to last an hour.
Then, he bought them all.
The moral of this story? Don’t question your father or he’ll make you wear glasses that you can step on, sit on, and throw. And if you lose them, he’ll have a backup pair.

The first business I had was in my early twenties. For the record, I’m now pushing 40. Anyway, it was the first Vacation Rental business in Las Vegas. I had two partners with whom I amassed a real estate portfolio in excess of $20M within a few years. It was built on a solid idea, a genius marketing plan, and egos that were so big that it made it impossible to even consider thinking small. By thinking small, I mean having enough patience to grow within your means as opposed to taking on more debt under the assumption you’ll grow into it.
The more debt we took on, the more we were forced to make decisions for dollars as opposed to making decisions for the benefit of the business. Those decisions, being inherently wrong from the get-go, led to the collapse of this company, friendships, and a great idea.
It’s funny, because when I think back, all I ever thought about was being big. And all I ever talked about was how many houses we owned. Never once did I have a conversation with my partners about controlling the growth of this company. Or for that matter, a conversation about coming up with a “magic number” of homes we could own that would ensure the company’s profitability, manageability, and sustainability.
I started BOX just before this company folded. And at that time, I swore I would never go into debt. My mantra was that I would only do what I could afford to do. Fortunately and/or unfortunately, I had no money. In fact, I’ve had exactly enough money to do exactly what I’ve done to date:
Create a 1,000 square-foot bikini-waxing salon in Las Vegas called BOX that’s recognized all over the world. You can’t get much smaller than that.