This is my dad, my sister, and I. When you ask me to think of a picture of us… this is the one I think of (I’m on the left). We are waiting on the curb of Main Street, Disneyland for a parade. We always had the good seats because dad always taught us that if we want the best seats in the house, we have to sacrifice for them. In this case sacrifice meant to sit and wait on a curb while other kids were riding rides. We did plenty of fun stuff and there was no lack of riding rides during the day, but there was a lesson learned while waiting for those parades. If you want something, you put in the “hours”.  My dad put in a lot of hours, learning and working his way from a trade mechanic to a programmer in the aerospace industry working both in firms and freelance… which he still does to this day. Even in the 80’s when the aerospace industry was suffering, he survived because he developed a niche for himself as being proficient in his trade. He always told me,

“Whoever and whatever you work for, you are in the business of you. (Your Name) incorporated. Build your business, make it successful, run it honestly, and whatever it’s job is… do it well.”.

Because this idea was seared into my brain since junior high, I’ve always felt I have the chance to do something, to make something, and be successful at it… as long as I am willing to put in the hours and dedicate it to God.

This is my dad now. As always, he has found a way to be successful and proficient running “his business” both professional and personal. This one is called John Gates, Wine Enthusiast and Foodie Incorporated. True to form, he put in the hours reading book after book of techniques and pairings and even got certified and is very successful at this hobby. But, also true to form, he found a way to run his business honestly by being true to who he is (which is different than anyone else). I love the pictures below because these are characteristic of my dad. On the left he is standing over the BBQ in bare feet, watching carefully and proudly over his new scientific method of getting the coals as hot as humanly possible which is way hotter than is probably necessary… but hey, whatever the job is, do it well right? On the right he is giving me a great piece of advice, which typically has a punchline.

The last picture is my favorite because it shows a little of his rebel story. My dad is missing a finger because of an accident in the work room in his mechanic days, but it has never stopped him from being the fastest typist I know and also a very efficient guitar player. With this hand he is testing the scorching heat of his experiment (because if it doesn’t burn him, it’s not hot enough?), and the other hand is holding a blowtorch (which I think says enough). This night he was searing steaks using both the charcoal and gas grill as well as all the info he has gathered about beef, wine, chemical fire, and how they work together. These are the most amazing steaks ever, much better that any high end a-la-carte restaurant. In the end, could he go to one of those restaurants and buy one? Yes.

But there is satisfaction in the task, putting in the hours, achieving the goal, blessing people, and learning something new.

This is a consistent pattern of how my dad operates and everyday examples like this show us how we run our business. Not only professionally, but personally as well. Are we willing to be responsible for ourselves? Are we willing to put in the hours it takes to not only build but maintain integrity? Are we willing to sacrifice our hours to learn to do our job well? I want to be willing to do these things whenever I set out to work. Whether it’s keeping a house, fixing dinner, being a mom, or capturing meaningful photos for clients. I want to represent God well and bring Him glory through my business, and I am grateful and blessed to have a great business model to work from: John Gates, Awesome Dad and Teacher by Example Incorporated.

Thanks Dad <3. Happy Fathers Day!!