A Ripple Never Dies

I was enjoying my coffee and catching up on some work when one of my former clients tapped me on the shoulder.  It was a guy I had done business with years ago when I owned my office equipment company and I'm sorry to say had not seen or spoken to since I sold my company in 2004.  I was excited to see him and I invited him to sit down.  He could only stay for a few minutes but said when he saw me sitting in my little coroner he just had to stop and thank me.  Thank me? What on Earth could he possibly need to thank me for I wondered.

Well it seems back in 2002 during one of my routine visits to insure my company was taking good care of him and his staff I asked a simple but powerful question I tended to ask all of my clients:  What else can I do to be helping you?  Keep in mind that's a powerful Ripple Connection Question but this was long before I was "officially" the Ripple Man.  Back then it was just a question I used to ask to see if there were other areas I could be helping my clients with.

Well it seems his company at the time was trying to land the business of another company in Austin.  He half-jokingly said at the time, "Can you get me into XYZ company?" apparently never expecting that I could really help (after all I was just the copier guy - who did I know?).  As luck would have it the CFO of that particular company and I were connected through a non-profit we both volunteered for.  I quickly offered to make an introduction.

I had no idea my tiny little offer to help him (ACTION) would start a Ripple that continues to this day eight years later.  As we sat there he mentioned he had only recently learned of my "career change into an author and a speaker." Apparently he had been hearing of this Ripple Man for some time but never realize that I was that guy.  In fact when he heard other people talk about Rippling he claimed it always made him think about the impact I had made on his company by opening a door that was closed to him.  That one simple little gesture had made such a difference to him and he couldn't believe it when he learned that I was person many of these people were talking about when they spoke about the power of Rippling. 

Needless to say I was blown away by what he told me.  As I sat there and sipped my coffee after he left I felt an overwhelming sense of pride in learning one little tiny action I had taken so long ago still Ripples for his company to this day.  Although I talk about the power of Rippling day in and day out I still feel an unbelievable sense of pride when I see the results of my own Rippling efforts.

Remember my friends, the little actions you take on behalf of another may seem so inconsequential but every Ripple you create has the potential to go on and on and on.  A Ripple never dies...especially in the minds of the people you Ripple for.  Keep that in mind as you go out into the world and create your own Ripples today.

Ripple On!!!