I’m sitting here at the airport (SFO), after what has been a whirlwind few weeks. Coming off the heels of the Facebook incubator program, it has been non stop, and even before that I can’t really remember a time where I have paused. Pausing now. Just for a moment, as I am waiting for my flight to board. Back to Boston? Nope, change of plans and taking the red-eye to Orlando to celebrate 95 years of a long life my grandfather lived. Picture a fiesty, puerto rican man, my mother calls the old "burrito" — priceless!
In any case, I’m sitting here thinking about a few key episodes over the last few months and wondering if I just might be insane, or simply a scrappy entrepreneur. Probably a little bit of both! It was the last week of the Facebook program, and I was on my way to meet a potential advisor/investor. It was 2:30pm when I left the hotel, and my meeting was 2 miles away at 3pm. I had plenty of time – 15 minute walk to get the Zipcar, a few minute drive to the meeting. The Zipcar was located on Standford’s campus – a gorgeous place. As I made my way down the main drag, towering palm trees welcomed each step toward the large green oval on campus. It is now 2:45 and I am standing in the spot my Zipcar is suppose to be. The spot is empty. The last Zipster did not return it on time, and I began to slightly panic. I called Zipcar’s customer service line, and they couldn’t get a hold of the other driver either, and still no one was showing up. Panic – I have 10 minutes and I’m a 15 minute walk away from a main road without any hope of getting a cab. I called a cab company, it would be 15 minutes to get to me, let alone to my meeting. I start to feel the weight of this meeting – what if I am late, how would that look to an investor? So what did I do … what any normal person would…. A car approached, and looked to be picking up someone on the oval. I frantically ran over, waived them down, and asked if they were going up to the main road. They barely answered when I piled in, and realized an entire family was piling in behind me. It was a cozy 4 person back seat, with the mom and the older sister up front (driving), Dad, and two boys (one college age looking at Standford) in the back. Nice family from Chicago. As they started the drive up to the main road, I explained my predicament and important meeting. They offered to drive me the entire way. As I told them about RunMyErrand – "connecting people to help each other out", it became clear we were living the dream together in that moment. With their act of kindness mixed with my frantic insanity, I was able to get to my meeting on time.
Actually, while we were driving, I get a phone call from the investor’s admin, saying he is running 30 minutes late!