Thoughts, and a House in Contract (most likely)
Oh yeah, in 2023 when I was dating this fine young woman, she was working in the Fintech space on a startup with had a lot of investor interest and right before a sale, the purchaser started asking about AI integration and how that was going to work with this product, to the surprise of the company developing the product - I’m only mentioning it because, yes, once again, Like Forest Gump, I was at or near the epicenter of every tech milestone since 1998 and literally, unlike Forest Gump, purposely or by accident participated financially in none of them. And even by some grace of god that I actually did read the tea leaves, the chances that I would put $1000 in and let it ride for 20 years and now have it be worth $10,000,000 like you see in all the ‘what if, FOMA’ scenarios, is again, literally zero.
Buttttt, I did see and pounce on the Upstate Opportunity. Actually, that’s too modest. I saw and then created the Upstate Opportunity. Literally created a market for new homes out of thin air, and then nurtured and nursed that idea for decades, with a day to day effort that couldn’t be exaggerated if you tried. It’s still true today - the day to day effort of leading from the front, problem-solving, shirking no duty - remains. It’s why our profit margins allow me to pay pensions, retirements, holidays, some healthcare, and vacations. It’s why several of my employees and past employees have a million dollars in 401ks. While I milk the company to my own benefit as is my right and earned honor, the amount that gets shared is real, earned, and can’t be diminished. It’s mostly unheard of for a mid-sized construction company to generate enough profits and be administratively adept to fund and manage these programs.
And it returns me something that is second-nature to me, but would be a temptation for others, and that is the trust and other people’s money that flows through my hands weekly - bank debt, employee tax withholdings, retirement and pension payments, client deposits, construction payments. It’s how people get in big trouble - hit some rough waters, borrow from Peter to pay Paul, divert this, commingle that, defer those. And you never get straight, and you have to keep doing it, and eventually you reach the end of the shenanigans - that’s why bankruptcies can seem so sudden - because there are so many ways to string out the decline - credit cards, not paying bills, diverting funds - so many ways until they are all used up, and bam, ‘overnight’ collapse that was years in the making.
I took some big swings last fall, buying 7 or 8 pieces of land that we are building on and selling now. We sold the Dymond Barn, that was huge. We put Wynkoop Ranch into contract, that was huge. And now, wait for it, our Modern Masterpiece in Fremont NY the very week we finished it, is going into contract in an all-cash close in 30 days deal That solidly turns the financial corner for the big swings of last fall. 25 years and I still got it!
What’s true about the McColly Ranch, is the team I have in place allowed me more creative flexibility than I’ve had in a long time, and I took that freedom and flexed what has always made the difference in Catskill Farms - I have a good eye, rumored so good I must be gay. But unfortunately for all those fair-haired boys with lusty thoughts, I’m just a unicorn - Straight guy with a sharp eye. Used to actually really burn my sister up, who considered herself the artist of the family, that she’s stuck in an operations role and I’m out here designing shit every day.
Who said life was fair?
Me and the Bride on date night Sunday, with Opera in the Park in Milford PA.
Moving the opera piano around post-event.
And my Son Lucas Petersheim, after two long years as a QB understudy for his HS football program, is primed and prepped and ready to go as the starter, with a game under his belt last weekend that proved he deserved the role, and that his patience and hard-work and commitment to the dream paid off. No one really knew how he was going to perform, and he played with confidence and skill. Toughness, like taking a good hit is like a boxer getting his lip bloodied - it focuses and engages you, takes you into the game. It's a running program, but he was 7-9 passes, for 100 yards, and two TD's. Many if not all of the throws were with defenders in his face and on the move. Good job Son. Happy for you.
Friday Night Lights.