News is news and then its gone. That’s how life is, you think things are important, they aren’t really, you turn a page, its gone.
I wanted to just create a ripple though for us to pause and consider the great achievement of Kevin Eichelberger from Blue Acorn who this week stepped down from the company.
I first remember Kevin from 2011 at Imagine, I’ve told this story before of these 2 guys standing near the bar with extremely strong accents and a way about them that just made you smile. They were cheeky without being offensive, intelligent without feeling condescending, and free thinking in a way I hadn’t seen much before with my corporate background. They looked like they were casually on a mission, but they also looked like the mates you wanted to have.
Every Imagine I can remember Kevin has been there. We have played many a night on the craps tables together, usually him going crazy (in my eyes), me playing a few rounds and then getting off before I lose all my cash. Kevin sat me down and showed me how to gamble at Black Jack. I’m not sure why he would text me honestly, he was as popular as could be, and had no shortage of friends, I was the weirdo brit with the dodgy accent and no clue what the hell was going on in america!
I’ve sat in dive bars with Kevin, and watched him interact with staff with ease. I’ve sat in fancy restaurants and seen the same. Any guy that can be as at home in a dive bar as in a fancy restaurant is a friend of mine.
Over the years Kevin has often mentored me. In any role like this there are dark moments where you just need a shove. I will say those 2 guys at the bar have provided the support in those dark moments, and also provided counsel when I didn’t ask for it or even want it at times.
People don’t realise the sacrifice you make to build a company. I have no doubts that for Kevin and his close team this was a major push to get this company to where it is today, and not without some sacrifice. I’ve been to their offices, built by the company. You wander around and there is an ease in the office reflective of Kevin himself, an ambience I’d love to re-create but probably never will truly.
I’ve learned a lot in terms of how to present myself from Kevin, I’ve actually learned to trust people. It sounds weird, but I’ve looked at Kevin from every angle and this is a genuine guy with a deep heart and a deep passion for this eCommerce space and indeed all his employees. I know that, like me, when staff leave that he has worked with it really affects him personally, much more than is shown. When something doesn’t go as planned, well he feels it. But when it works, his pride is through his team, all day and every day.
If you look at his company their list of achievements is astounding. Every year he seemed to be a speaker at Imagine, winning awards for his clients continuously. Building a business from the ground up literally in Charleston, and being in many ways responsible for the revitalization of an area. This is a community minded guy that has a conscious but also a very good eye for business.
I only have words. I was surprised the other day that I shed a tear re Kevin leaving, I didn’t think he affected me so much. And they say watch out he may pop up soon somewhere else. Although for us that would be great I would also say Kevin go enjoy those kids and that family, all the mountain climbs in the world are not worth this precious time you now have.
Thanks for being there, so much and so often. You will never truly know how much your stability helped me along this journey. I wish you every success mate.
PS And Chris, you got this!
