Happy New Year!  It’s the time of the year to reflect on the past, but more importantly, to look towards the future and all the possibilies and opportunities that lie ahead.  This past year was nothing short of incredible!  While many of my competitors continued sitting on the porch, I spent my time continuing my business strategy of going out there, meeting customers face-to-face, and making great things happen for my businesses.  I’m very fortunate to have an incredible staff who performed with precision each and every time which made my job a whole lot easier.  I’ve followed a very simple business plan:  Always do what’s right and best for my customers, do it very quickly without errors, and continue to always let my customers know how much they are appreciated and never taken for granted.  There you have it, the secret to my success in 2011, and undoubtedly my plan for an even stronger 2012 as I look towards the future.

As I reflect back on this past year, I think of all the great places I’ve visited, the things I’ve seen, the events I’ve experienced, but most importantly, the special people I’ve gotten to spend time with over the past twelve months.  Both personally and professionally, it’s been a year of growth, change, and raising the bar to yet another level.  Did I accomplish everything I wanted to this past year?  Of course not, I’m only human just like everyone else… but I know without a doubt I’ve given 110% effort every hour of every day and never once felt like I was sitting on the sidelines as the world passed me by.  My ‘to-do’ list is jam packed with items leading into the new year, but that’s a very good thing.  It means I won’t be resting on my laurels, that I’ll be as focused and dedicated as ever to embrace 2012 and all the opportunities it has to offer.

In addition to working hard in 2011, I’ve also had a whole lot of fun along the way.  I’ve had the very unique opportunity to fly and land my Cirrus SR22 Aircraft in all 48 states in the continental United States.  My journey covered more than 55,000 miles and I can honestly say that I loved every minute flying such a fantastic aircraft and seeing so many magnificent sights.  You can read more about my journey in my previous blog post, Brad’s Flying Adventure Across America.  I also traveled to more than six countries internationally, including multiple trips to the Middle East as recently as a week ago with another visit to Dubai.  It’s been such a fulfilling experience to meet people from so many different regions of the world and to learn about their cultures as I’ve gotten to know them as individuals.

As I look towards 2012, I see a truly great future ahead!  I’ve never been more excited or more optimistic about all the great things that life has in store for me.  There will undoubtedly be challenges, but I welcome them with open arms and know they will only make me even stronger.  I’m planning on continuing to follow my dreams, the live every day like it’s my last, to work hard, to play hard, and enjoy every second of the ride!

Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2012!