In 2008, as the Great Recession was beginning, I made a career U-turn and exited the practice of law to move back home and work with my father in a small community bank. One day in my first few weeks there, my phone rang, and it was a banker whom I had worked with while at my prior law firm, calling to scold me for not telling him I was leaving. This gentleman, who had been a friend of my grandfather, was a rather gruff executive, possibly even a curmudgeon at times. I had developed somewhat of an unexpected relationship with him, though, possibly because of the memories he had of my grandfather. After delivering a rebuke for having to find out about my change from someone else, the seasoned banker slipped into mentoring mode to give me advice on how to make the most of a career that he had been so successful in. I don't remember everything he told me, but one line in particular stood out. As we were wrapping up our conversation, my banker friend said, "Son, this business ain’t hard; you just can’t make bad loans." Continue reading >