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There were no tropical bands, smiling islanders, or readily available sun tan lotions. There were, however, three gentlemen dressed
in army fatigue sporting rifles and an unhappy disposition. Margarita island looked more like the stage for a military coup than a vacation paradise. What awaited us on the small plot of land 20 miles north of the
Venezuelan coast was a run-down hotel, Porto Fino Mare.
Arriving with seven classmates from law school and a plane full of American tourists, it felt as if the island's population had doubled with our arrival. We tried to make the best of a bad situation, after all, there was still an abundance of blue sky and crystal clear ocean. Although all seven of us attended the same law school, we were still just acquaintances. By the third night on the island we made a rotting bamboo table our source of entertainment. Sitting around that table, we were forced to occupy ourselves with something novel, conversation.
At first, dialogue sounded like group therapy. Where are you from? What brings you to this island tonight? Over time, however, our discussion shifted to deeper waters. Some of my classmates knew that I had
been running an internet company, but nobody knew exactly what or how I was doing it. I explained about the two books I had written and went into detail about how I was using the internet as a marketing tool. I talked
about the weird looks I received from peers, while printing out thousands of pages in the law school library. My friends seemed genuinely interested in how I could manage a successful company, but what
happened next surprised me. My reserved law school acquaintances became enthralled. They started offering new ideas and directions for my business. Although some of the brainstorms were out in left field, like an idea
for a dating service in former Soviet Block nations, it didn't matter. My colleagues showed genuine interest, even amazement, at what I had done and what potential opportunities lied ahead. Margarita Island was a
defining moment in my life. It helped me gain the overwhelming sense of confidence that I needed to pursue my dreams. |
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