House of Cool & My Great Grandpa for a Hundred K

When I was in my early twenties my old man witnessed me struggling with my first entrepreneurial business adventure. Now having a successfully failed business of his very own, I was hoping to get some sound words of encouragement. Some advice on “how to stick with it,” or a metaphor of some tree that has to grow roots before it can grow branches… something uplifting. Instead he says to me, “Son, no one in the Lui family will ever have a successful business because your Great Grandfather is buried in the wrong cemetery.” “Who, what, where?” – Apparently for superstitious Chinese old schooler’s like my pops, we are still having to pay for a two generation mishap. “How much will it cost to bury him in the right cemetery?” “A hundred K.” He said it so nonchalantly like this information was passed down to him and now I have the privilege of knowing so I can pass it down to the next generation… unless, of course, I could pay the $100,000.00… uh, better pass on the secret instead (hope it doesn’t include inflation).

So as I suppressed my entrepreneurial vices, I went through many journeys to see if I could stumble on to anything I would enjoy for decades at a time. I floated from different fields of work from understanding the details of the beauty industry to “dialing for dollars” persuading the rich and wealthy to switch brokerage firms. I even tried my hand at venture capital and managed an area of finance that helped people get back on their feet. I meandered through it all, always thinking, “there’s gotta be more for me.” I was never particularly great at one specific thing and never had dreams of a set career like a dentist or firefighter. I just knew I wanted to play a big part in something greater then myself. I had great mentors and learned colleagues; pay raises and excellent chances of promotions with abstract titles, all the while it didn’t quite fit in the puzzle that was me. Maybe I’m too busy trying to keep up with all the high hopes and pipe dreams.

Then one day House of Cool came; a place focused on dreaming. With more guts then anything else, including knowledge or experience in the entertainment field, I dove in. Armed with only watching cartoons and knowing how to spell Disney correctly in my repertoire, I began to learn. It took a while for House of Cool to get started but eventually creative talents echoed in the exposed brick in the building. It was then I realized everything else before this was a means to an end, just a pit stop to learn and go. House of Cool is a means to a beginning. It’s an idea on a grand scale pledged to entertain the world. Whether we achieve it or not, I want to say I tried. I may not have a definitive skill or ever receive a standing ovation but I believe this is a chance to do something good, something worthwhile.

Now if I can just get my Great Grandfather buried in the right place, maybe House of Cool’s luck will turn around and I can continue to pursue a dream.
You wouldn’t have a hundred K I could borrow? It will be put to good use.