Crash Test

Today, the phone on Randy's desk has an amplifier so his clients can hear him better. And, Singer says, "We use e-mail a lot in this office."

Randy figures it's only been during the past two years that he's been able to speak louder than a whisper. And while his leg has more than healed, he admits he still gets tired.

But maybe he's tired because he works 60 hours a week, doesn't sleep a lot, and fills in the rest of his time with a schedule that makes you weary just hearing about it. Randy routinely collects food for the hungry and is active in the Rotary Club. He's finishing up a three-year construction project: a house that he's been building himself, with the help of his wife and daughter. He frequently rock climbs and skis--and still flies airplanes. And a few years ago, when there was no Internet service in Mentor, he helped found Lakenet Inc., a company that provides just that.

"I think you need to focus on the positive," suggests Randy, when asked if he has any words of wisdom for entrepreneurs who feel as though they are plagued with ill fortune. "And you need to focus on your long-term objective. If you can't do that, you probably should be doing something else. But you shouldn't give up easily. It's like sailing to some place: If you focus on the waves, you can't focus on your destination."

And reaching destinations is what seems to drive Randy. Even when he's going down--even when it's in an airplane--he always manages to come back up.

Contact Source

Carver Financial, 7473 Center St., Mentor, OH 44060, (440) 974-0808

This article was originally published in the October 1999 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Crash Test.