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Phyllis Neill and I started Buzz12 four years ago.
I received a tweet from Phyllis that she was following me on Twitter. I didn’t know Phyllis, but in those early days of social media, I was thrilled to have a follower. I reviewed Phyllis’ LinkedIn profile and saw that she was an experienced marketing executive who also lived in Birmingham. Phyllis’ profile looked interesting so I invited her into my LinkedIn network.
She accepted my LinkedIn invitation and invited me for coffee at Starbucks in Vestavia Hills. And as they say, the rest is history.
It’s quite an undertaking to start a new business with a complete stranger. We didn’t know each other at all, but as you might expect, pretty soon, we each began to learn about our new partner.
It was obvious from the beginning that we were two entirely different people. We have been described as Mutt and Jeff, but the difference is far deeper and that is a good thing.
We are polar opposites, but we complement each other perfectly. Her strengths are my weaknesses and her weaknesses are my strengths.
Over time, as you would imagine, we’ve gotten to know each other really well—like an old married couple.
I’m a detail person who agonizes over every decision. She weighs her options, but quickly makes her decision and forges ahead.
We can finish each other sentences and we have no problem agreeing on big decisions —including our recent sale to Intermark.
But when I do upset Phyllis, she doesn’t have to say a word. Phyllis has a well-developed death stare. When I see that stare I know it’s time to change my ways.
Having a partner can be a challenge, but I’ve learned so much from Phyllis and I think Phyllis would say the same about me. We are both better because of our differences.
I’m a graduate of accounting so I know one plus one always equals two. However, I’ve found that when Phyllis and I work together, one plus one equals three. And that makes me feel good—death stare or not.
David Sher is a co-founder of Buzz12 Advertising. You can read more of his posts by looking for the “David Sher Posts” category in the sidebar of Buzz12’s website.
