Wired on Wall Street

CHAPTER TWENTY‐EIGHTSAILING HOME

The invitation to speak on a cruise ship came through Craig Stanland, a fellow speaker who had just wrapped up his own talk on board. “They loved my story,” he told me over the phone. “I think they'd really connect with yours.” He said the audience was not like the usual corporate gigs.

I looked at the cruise line's website. The ship I'd be speaking on was upscale—sleek design, great food, the kind of place you could actually relax. It was set for February 2025, over Presidents' Day week, and the kids would be off from school. When they told me they'd cover the whole family—a barter worth around $25,000—it didn't take much convincing. It felt like the perfect chance to hit pause and give everyone a real break.

“Two talks,” the organizer from the cruise company explained. “Saturday afternoon for your standard presentation, then Wednesday we'd love something different if you're up for it.”

The Explora pushed off from Miami on a Friday evening, bound for Mexico and Belize before circling back through Key West. As we stood on the deck watching the city lights fade into the distance, I felt something I hadn't experienced in years—genuine peace. No emails to answer, no next flight to catch, no hotel room to pack up in the morning.

Molly and Claire, now fifteen and thirteen, immediately claimed their independence, exploring every deck the ship offered. Molly naturally took the lead while Claire followed along. They staked out prime real estate by the ...