The Journey from Success to Significance
March 23, 2021
“We are all the unreliable narrators of each other’s stories.” I heard that quote recently and it had a profound impact on me… I'll do my best to paint a picture of the Tony I got to know, by focusing on a few key memories I have.
I was lucky to develop a friendship with Tony during the two year span we shared at Kellogg. Our class schedule was challenging. On day one, we learned of the rich diversity of industries, backgrounds, and responsibilities we all contributed to the program. One immediate commonality amongst us... smart people, deeply committed, with busy family and work life commitments that followed us onto campus each month.
It didn’t take Tony & I (and a few of our classmates) long to realize classes let out early on Sundays, and flights home didn’t happen for several hours. Looking back, I realize there’s nothing quite like staring at the ocean, and sharing a drink with good friends. We didn’t make it to “La playa” every time we were on campus, but we sure did try.
When it came time to select our global initiatives Kellogg experience, Tony and I both jumped at the chance to explore India. Almost every member of Tony's Study Group aka "The Cobras" chose to go to Hong Kong – but not Tony. It was funny to watch the friendly peer pressure being applied by The Cobras, to get Tony to switch destinations and stick with his study group. But Tony was never a follower... he was definitely a leader. I would later learn his purpose for selecting India was crystal clear. He wanted to understand what was happening within the country, that was causing the bottom rungs of society to climb into the middle class (at a sharper rate than any other country in the world). He wasn't a tourist, he was a strategist, looking to immerse himself, and understand the formula for their success. Spending those weeks in India was impactful on so many levels. We talked, a lot. I got a sense for the type of leader he was, and for the type of person he was. I don’t remember what city we were in, but I remember distinctly, when he first told me about his idea for Ashmart. A few weeks later (back in Miami) - Tony was asking me to network with anyone that could get him access to grocery store shelving. It wasn’t much of a surprise then when, shortly after graduation, he called to tell me his dream was alive, he was creating jobs in Lagos! and he needed a website for his new business. Shortly after that, we started sharing numerous conversations about his interest in politics back home and he discussed some of his ideas.
I always viewed Tony as a go-getter, he set his mind to his goals and he accomplished them. He was one of several Kellogg classmates who inspired me to launch my own business. But the memory playing in my head the most these days… is of one evening, on a rooftop in India, when Tony marveled at the possibilities he saw all around the country, and the connection to his plans for a better Lagos. He then paraphrased our favorite Kellogg leader (Dean Jain) when he said: “what I want is to go from leading a life of success, to living a life of significance.” What a profoundly powerful and selfless vision. I will miss him.
I was lucky to develop a friendship with Tony during the two year span we shared at Kellogg. Our class schedule was challenging. On day one, we learned of the rich diversity of industries, backgrounds, and responsibilities we all contributed to the program. One immediate commonality amongst us... smart people, deeply committed, with busy family and work life commitments that followed us onto campus each month.
It didn’t take Tony & I (and a few of our classmates) long to realize classes let out early on Sundays, and flights home didn’t happen for several hours. Looking back, I realize there’s nothing quite like staring at the ocean, and sharing a drink with good friends. We didn’t make it to “La playa” every time we were on campus, but we sure did try.
When it came time to select our global initiatives Kellogg experience, Tony and I both jumped at the chance to explore India. Almost every member of Tony's Study Group aka "The Cobras" chose to go to Hong Kong – but not Tony. It was funny to watch the friendly peer pressure being applied by The Cobras, to get Tony to switch destinations and stick with his study group. But Tony was never a follower... he was definitely a leader. I would later learn his purpose for selecting India was crystal clear. He wanted to understand what was happening within the country, that was causing the bottom rungs of society to climb into the middle class (at a sharper rate than any other country in the world). He wasn't a tourist, he was a strategist, looking to immerse himself, and understand the formula for their success. Spending those weeks in India was impactful on so many levels. We talked, a lot. I got a sense for the type of leader he was, and for the type of person he was. I don’t remember what city we were in, but I remember distinctly, when he first told me about his idea for Ashmart. A few weeks later (back in Miami) - Tony was asking me to network with anyone that could get him access to grocery store shelving. It wasn’t much of a surprise then when, shortly after graduation, he called to tell me his dream was alive, he was creating jobs in Lagos! and he needed a website for his new business. Shortly after that, we started sharing numerous conversations about his interest in politics back home and he discussed some of his ideas.
I always viewed Tony as a go-getter, he set his mind to his goals and he accomplished them. He was one of several Kellogg classmates who inspired me to launch my own business. But the memory playing in my head the most these days… is of one evening, on a rooftop in India, when Tony marveled at the possibilities he saw all around the country, and the connection to his plans for a better Lagos. He then paraphrased our favorite Kellogg leader (Dean Jain) when he said: “what I want is to go from leading a life of success, to living a life of significance.” What a profoundly powerful and selfless vision. I will miss him.