Relationships...

Flashback to 2008. . .

I was a rookie in self storage attending my first Self Storage Association (SSA) - USA Conference.

I sat through all of the sessions relevant to acquisitions, always picking the middle so I could see, but wouldn’t be called on to answer a question I probably didn’t know the answer to.

As the session was about to end, I noticed a familiar face sitting in the front row.

It looked like Jeremy Bloom .

I thought, why would a two-time Olympic skier, World Cup gold medalist, and NFL football player at the time be attending a self-storage conference. He got up a few minutes before the session was over.

More out of curiosity as to why Jeremy (if it was him) was attending a self-storage conference than his celebrity status, I followed him out. I finally got close enough to him where I said, “Hey, are you from Colorado?”, He turned around and said “Yes, I am”.?

We introduced ourselves and I asked him why he was there. He responded saying he wanted to develop a facility in his hometown of Loveland, CO.? I got out my business card and offered to underwrite the deal if he would like. He thanked me and we parted ways.?

Closer to lunch time, I get a text, “Hey, this is Jeremy, do you have any plans for lunch?”

I had no plans, I did not know anyone in the industry.?

I still remember we had Bento Boxes (I was not a healthy eater at the time and I pretended to eat healthy like him).?

We talked about self-storage for a half an hour and then he said, “Do you have dinner plans?” We had dinner that night and talked more about self-storage.

In addition to talking self-storage, I asked Jeremy if he could introduce me to any of the Denver Bronco players that he had trained with who had non-profits that I could possibly get involved with at a Board level.? He listed several options for me and then he paused and said, “There is one more…I just submitted my 501(c)(3) application for a non-profit that grants Wishes to senior citizens who have dedicated their lives to others, but selflessly never did anything for themselves.”? I knew right then, that is the non-profit I wanted to be involved in to honor my Grandparents.

A few weeks later, I met with the new Executive Director and then I got a call from Jeremy asking me to be a Board Member.? I was so excited, I was on the Board of the Donna Wheeler Foundation which was named after Jeremy’s sweet Grandmother who I had the absolute pleasure to get to know before she passed away. We began recruiting other Board Members and before we knew it, we had a full Board with some great business leaders on it. The Board found out Jeremy had also purchased and at the recommendation, Jeremy begrudgingly agreed to change the name to Wish of a Lifetime .? We needed sponsors and the first big sponsor that Jeremy landed was Brookdale . While the partnership with Brookdale was amazing, Jeremy had a goal to be partnered with AARP someday.

On August 1, 2020, Wish of a Lifetime became a charitable affiliate of AARP, in the middle of Covid and has been affiliated with AARP ever since.

Yet another Business Relationship that has evolved even beyond a friendship with Jeremy. This relationship allowed me to be on the ground floor of building a non-profit organization that is changing the story of aging, one wish at a time!

Please consider Getting Involved , or Donate to Wish of a Lifetime. Your generosity empowers Wish of a Lifetime to grant wishes to so many deserving older adults.

Wish of a Lifetime is built on the premise that old age should be about hope, love, and joy. Through individually crafted purpose-driven experiences, we empower wish recipients to fulfill their dreams while reconnecting them with the people and passions that matter the most to them.