Karen and her husband, Abe, were clients of mine, once upon a time. They were among the best people that I’ve ever met in my career. They were in their seventies by the time I met them and financially secure. They were my favorite kind of client, the type that I would actually look forward to going out to lunch with. They respected me because they knew that I was always honest with them.
I hadn’t heard from them in years but I did think of them often and apparently they did the same. Abe called me recently to let me know that Karen passed away earlier this month. She left a list of things for him to do when she passed away. First on the list was to call the lawyer and get a copy of her will. Second, was to call me to let me know how highly she thought of me. Imagine that.
I know I’ll never see Karen again. I most likely won’t ever see Abe again either. I won’t forget them though. That simple phone call reinforced the importance of your reputation. Once tarnished, it can’t be restored. Trust me.