A Little Extra

The summer after fifth grade, my friend Frank and I started a car washing business. My father printed hundreds of flyers that read, "A&F Car Wash. Wash, Wax, Vacuum $35". He crossed out the $35 and wrote, "SPECIAL OFFER $25!" Frank and I put the flyers on every car at the train station. Our first customer was an elderly lady. After we finished her car, my mother suggested that we put a flower in the visor. The woman was touched by the gesture. My parents taught us a valuable lesson (in both business and life) about giving "a little extra".

This table was made for an architectural firm to present to their boss, the owner, upon his retirement. It was designed as a bar top table (using his initials J & S) to place in his wine cellar. I quoted the price of the piece based on an initial concept that was considerably less complicated than the end result. When they asked me how the final design would affect the price, I said that because I enjoyed working with them and that it was a special gift, I'd stick with the first number.

When I shipped it, I included a bottle of Barolo with a note that said, "Congratulations and Best of Luck with this new chapter in your life; one in which I hope you enjoy many fine bottles of wine. Here's one to get you started."

It was just "a little extra".