March 17, 2026
An early mentor of mine recently passed away. Bob Grossfeld was a political consultant in Arizona who helped shape the campaigns of countless Democratic candidates. His son, Josh, followed his dad into political consulting and founded the DC-based firm AGENCY. During his eulogy, Josh offered 10 lessons his father taught him.
A few jumped out that I want to share here (all are worth learning):
LISTEN FIRST
When you ask those hard questions, make sure you're actually listening — not just to what's being said, but sometimes to what's not being said. Too often, we're so focused on the answer we want that we don't hear the answer that's given.
YOU'RE ONLY RENTING A DESK.
Ultimately, you work for yourself. Wherever you are, you're renting a desk there for a while. [Over spring break I was in a meeting with a senior executive of a large company who said the same thing].
RESPECT MONEY, BUT DON'T CHASE IT.
Money is a tool. It can help you build things and create opportunities — but it should never be the goal itself. The goal is the life you're building and the impact you're making along the way.
That’s only three of the ten, I edited two of them and added commentary to a third. Read the full list, print out the ones that speak to you and tape them where you can see them.
We’re heading into the last sprint of the semester. It will be easy to get caught in the craziness of papers, exams, and for some of you graduation. It’s important to keep an eye on the bigger picture as you manage the moments over the next six weeks or so. These lessons are a good way to do that.