He Chose His Family Over Hosting His Own TV Show

“It's not the notes?you play,?it's?the?notes?you don't play.”

When jazz legend Miles Davis uttered those words, he probably wasn’t thinking how it could apply to career decisions.

But just how the notes you leave out can add depth to the song, the jobs you decline can be as important as the ones you accept.

Just ask Pete Durand.

It was 2000, and Pete was a Director of E-Business at General Electric (GE), who owns NBC. As part of the hiring process at GE, they ask candidates to complete an Employee Management System (EMS) form. One question requires potential employees to state their long-term objective at the company (Jack Welsh, GE’s iconic leader, famously said that his goal was to be the company’s CEO).

“When I filled out my EMS, I was being a little cheeky and said I would like to host the Tonight Show”, Pete says. “Didn’t give it a second thought. It was a joke. Then one day I get a call to go to New York headquarters for a meeting. Two guys asked me, ‘When you wrote you'd like to host the Tonight Show, were you serious? Because we have a better idea. What about hosting a show on MSNBC? You’re sharp and funny and we think you could be a successful addition to our business cable channel. ‘ ”

Pete politely declined the offer. And not accepting the opportunity of a lifetime turned out to be one of his smartest moves.

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Many would jump at the chance to host their own show. Fame, influence, giant paychecks, invitations to dinner at the White House, potential book and movie deals, palling around with celebrities at exotic locales.

None of that appealed to Pete; he had other priorities.

“On the way home from New York I said to myself, you can't do this,” Pete says. “I had two kids, a lovely marriage. I knew that if we moved to New York my wife would be miserable. I would be working nights and weekends ?and never see my family. My life would be exciting, but my family life would never be the same.”

Saying “no” was a no-brainer.

Pete understood the consequences of that decision. At GE, if you turn down a promotion or aren’t willing to move for a position, you limit your long-term career upside.

Shortly after that decision, a recruiter called him about a role running a burgeoning software company in Michigan.

Following his heart always seems to pay off.

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Pete holds an MBA. He’s led organizations. He’s founded start-ups. He’s bought and sold companies. His resume is sprinkled with job titles like Chief Revenue Officer, CEO, Chief Marketing Officer, and Board Advisor. And he doesn’t only have deep business acumen – he was also a Research Scientist at Kimberly-Clark.

Based on his track record, you might assume that Pete took the conventional, linear career path:?Get the right education, climb the rungs of the management and executive ladder, network like crazy, and then launch your own venture when there’s a market opportunity.

Pete took many of those steps. But much of his success stems from the intangible quality of paying attention to his inner voice and following instincts.

“I wanted to be an engineer like my dad,” Pete says. “So I went to engineering school. But three quarters of the way through school I felt like I was a sales guy trapped in an engineer's body. I considered changing majors.”

But Pete’s no quitter – he always looks for solutions. His inner voice compelled him to call his dad for advice. “Finish your engineering studies,” the elder Durand said. “You'll never regret it.” Pete listened.

Two years into an engineering role at paper company James River, he moved to Kimberly- Clark. “It wasn’t for me.?It was a very linear career path; I think that’s when I started to get the entrepreneurship bug.”

Thus the second call to his dad, who delivered a second beautiful dose of wisdom. “Just focus on what you’re learning, because that’s what matters the most.”

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In today’s business world where many leaders follow mega-rich and famous founders for advice, it’s refreshing to know that Pete was inspired by how his father approached things.

“I always wanted to lead a company,” Pete says. “And I think that desire originated from observing my dad, because I gravitated towards how he treated people. He could walk out on the shop floor and shake hands with the guy sweeping the floor, and then walk into a meeting with a CEO of his company’s largest customer. He treated everyone the same.”

Treat everyone the same. Pete has lived and worked by that credo his entire career. And the spirit of that idea has special significance for Cruxible Partners , a mid to senior executive search firm he founded in 2021.

It’s not as if Pete had aspirations to be a recruiter; as usual he followed his instincts.

“In 2017, some investors and customers asked me to do consulting for them in the healthcare space,” he says. “Through that process I learned they were having a difficult time finding talent.”

Pete offered to lend a hand. He not only filled seats, he discovered this could be a new venture for him.

One can legitimately question how someone with no recruiting experience could do so well right off the bat. For Pete it’s no mystery.

“At the core recruiting is about people and relationships, so it lines up exactly with my highest values,” he says. “My intuition told me I could do well at this.”

Plus, the art of matching executives with companies (and vice versa) syncs with his DNA.

“I love getting to know people,” Pete says. “If we are successful, everyone wins.?The client is thrilled and so is the candidate. That’s gratifying and leads to long-term relationships, even friendships. My work isn’t just transactional.”

Recruiting also aligns with the key lesson he learned by observing how his father did business: If you treat people with respect and honesty, you get results.?

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Does Pete ever wonder about what-could-have-been at NBC? “When it comes to my family I have zero regrets,” he says. “Jumping into TV was simply not the right decision for us. You always have to go with your instincts – for me, there's no wiggle room there.”

Besides, Pete’s too busy to ponder the “ifs” of life. He doesn’t look in the rearview mirror. For him it’s all about forward motion and making a positive impact.

He devotes 10 pro bono hours per week helping complete strangers with their careers. He takes calls. He suggests tweaks to resumes and LinkedIn profiles. He makes connections within his network. He encourages and motivates.

There’s also Pete’s podcast, Eating Crow . Engaging and informative, Eating Crow profiles leaders who made mistakes, owned them, and as a result changed their way of thinking and behavior.

And somehow he’s able to squeeze in a monster fitness routine: Four days of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), followed by three days of triathlon training (swimming, cycling, running).

All of that and he still logs the hours to run a successful business; he still prioritizes breaking bread and sharing laughs with family and friends. Does the man ever take a break??

Pete does carve out time to relax on Sunday mornings. He’ll put on some jazz while enjoying a hot cup of coffee, which he says “is just about perfect.” Miles Davis would probably agree.

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I’m a ghostwriter for executives, leaders, and entrepreneurs. I turn complex ideas into compelling stories through articles, books, blog posts, and content programs.

You can learn more about me and read more articles at?thecomposer.com

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