I'm 63-1/2. I started my consulting firm just over 25 years ago. I still have my first customer, and several others in the 15 to 20 year old relationship range.

I find that my age is a benefit. I know WHY things work, having been around as the industry laid layer after layer of complexity over relatively simple processes. Knowing the history of how a process got to be so complex can be a HUGE benefit in trying to determine why failed now.

Perhaps its my ancient Mechanical Engineering background, but I think that calling something a Complicated Solution to a Simple Problem is about the worst insult you can utter, but thats our world today.

By the way, I thought I invented the acronym RTFM, but I probably heard it along the way somewhere. On the other hand, I guess SOMEBODY must have invented it, and Ive been using it for years. Love the shirt!

Last By The Way: Your beard looked great, but your clean-shaven face looks much younger. Honest. I really should shave off my 43 year old mustache like Alex Trebeck did (he looks younger without it), but I think Id shoot myself first.

Keep up the great insight articles!