Award winning comedy writer Larry Gelbart — famous for such favorites as MASH and Tootsie–died this week. He helped create memorable TV comedy in the early days of television. When asked about it in an interview before his death, he said:
“There were no footprints in the snow. You never had to worry about what anybody did last night because there was no last night.”
This was true of the gift basket industry when a few of us, who frequented the early AOL and Prodigy forums and devoured any information we could find, started our businesses — but it’s not true today. You have access to all kinds of free and inexpensive resources and technologies.
A few of us, and even others who came before us, blazed the trail for you. What you achieve today is up to you and how you follow that trail. But it’s also important that you branch out, step off the trail, and create new footprints in the snow.
In the gift basket industry, there are yesterdays. Looking back and learning from those who blazed the trails can be invaluable. But there are also many tomorrows and your fresh footprints today will leave a trail for those who follow you.