Scale or Fail

2Your Strategic Vision

Throw your heart over the bars and your body will follow.

—Anonymous trapeze artist

My Final Lesson from My Father

My father built and ran several innovative women’s clothing chains for many years. Stewarts and Extension One were based in the midwestern states; Irma Dumas was in Arkansas; Mademoiselle was in Memphis; and Worth’s was in West Virginia. At one time his enterprise was the largest privately owned women’s ready-to-wear chain in the United States, with over 50 locations. He was incredibly passionate about this business, which consumed his life.

Over time, he had big successes – and suffered major losses, too. He learned to maneuver his way through all of the ups and the downs. During my last visit with him, just before he left this Earth a few years ago, he was still talking business. That had always been his language of choice and where we, as father and daughter, intersected the most.

I held his hand as he lay in bed staring at the ceiling. He proceeded to tell me that his business had been rewarding to him.

When I asked him what was the most rewarding part about his work, his reply took me by surprise: “Helping people.”

His answer perplexed me. As I mentioned, my dad sold women’s fashions. He wasn’t a doctor, health-care worker, social worker, firefighter, or police officer. How was he “helping people”? Did he believe he had enabled women to look better and feel better about themselves through the clothing in his stories? Did he believe ...