Zoom's Special Forces

Yesterday, the seven partners and their families that own ZoomAutos.com came together to celebrate. The enemy that had declared war on this team had told our customers that we would all be dead within ninety days of start-up. Five years later, the other side has withdrawn from the battlefield of print, declaring that it is dead. Seven families never stopped believing. At the five year celebration party, this group was photographed together for the first time. We are the only team still standing after fighting a war with an enemy that appeared to have unlimited supplies and manpower. Our side...seven slingshots, a few pebbles and a dream.

In one way or another, each sacrificed so that the group could survive. If this group were in the military, they would all volunteer for the toughest of assignments. They know how to operate in total secrecy, how to study the enemy and find weaknesses, how to win when the odds are nearly impossible.

I charged my friend Rae, a local artist in my hometown, with the task of designing something special that could be given to each of my partners to commemorate our five year anniversary. These custom mugs will be lifted up to make toasts as we reach higher milestones in the next five years.

To my partners, Carmen, Jeff, David, Zelanne, Steve and Kip, I salute you. You are the elite team that has won battle after battle in a war like no other. To our families that never gave up on the dream, I thank you for encouraging all of us to stick together and never, ever give up, even when the world said that what we were attempting was impossible. Happy Anniversary, you represent what our country is all about, standing up for what is right and defending our freedom at all costs...

Five years ago, we watched the video below over and over as we fought the enemy. George Wallace's words became our mantra. I will raise my Zoom mug any time to toast to his speech that inspired all of us to fight rather than run.