From baby fat to Wellput: Lessons in entrepreneurship from my parents

My parents gave me the confidence and security to take risks and not fear failure. The lessons they taught me have been invaluable in my journey as an entrepreneur.

Growing up, I was teased by classmates who called me names like "doughboy" and "egg" simply because I didn't conform to their rules, like not eating several giant cookies every day at lunch. When I complained to my mom about being made fun of for having a big butt, she reassured me with humor, saying not to worry because it was "behind" me. She also dismissed my stomach fat as "baby fat," which would eventually go away. She was right on both counts, although having "baby fat" at 13 was a bit of a stretch.

In the 1930s, my great-grandfather, Sam, and his son Leo opened Leesam on 7th Ave and 18th St in NY. They started by buying old radiators, fixing them, and reselling them for a profit. They expanded into plumbing supplies, including pipes, valves, clamps, couplings, and my favorite, silicone rings, which doubled as jelly bracelets in the 80s. My father joined Leesam as a boy and took over the business when Poppa Leo passed in 1981. Embracing technology, he taught himself computer-aided design (CAD) and transformed Leesam into the premier kitchen and bath design center in Chelsea.

My parents made plenty of mistakes along the way. They sold the air rights to a developer who built a soaring condominium building next door. They rented their building to Le Pain Quotidien, who filed for bankruptcy just before the pandemic and nearly made my parents insolvent. Were my parents upset? Sure! But they handled each of these challenges with optimism, abundant gratitude, and a belief that things would work out. Having a successful middle child (I'm the oldest) as a backstop helped as well!

Entrepreneurship demands self-confidence and comfort with risk, qualities that must be nurtured. For me, these were gifts from my parents. Instead of pushing me to join my father at Leesam, they encouraged me to venture into the dot-com bubble in downtown NY. When I feared failure, they provided a safety net. When I worried about the past, they reminded me to focus on the future. I am forever grateful to Bonnie and David Swerdloff for their unwavering support.

Now, Dahlia and I strive to pass these same lessons on to Henry and Riley. Just as my parents did for me, we encourage them to try new things and not fear failure. We remind them not to dwell on the past but to focus on the future, handling challenges with optimism and gratitude. We've got their backs, providing the same safety net my parents provided for me. After all, you only live once, and when the baby fat finally melts away, most of what we remember is the risks we took and the obstacles we overcame.

For those entrepreneurs reading this who weren't raised by supportive parents, I respect and appreciate your struggle. I'd love to hear how you learned to take risks and put mistakes behind you.

Thank you for reading.

Sincerely,

Craig Swerdloff