I’ve heard it said that things come in threes, and death is no exception.

First there was Pilot, one of the friendliest, handsomest golden retrievers I’ve ever met. Pilot followed his dad each morning to their woodworking studio in Carlsbad, holding court with the neighborhood and keeping the community running smoothly.

Next came Aron Thall; a brilliant scientist doing oncological research with Pfizer who was, ironically, struck down by cancer.

Finally came my mother; an amazingly talented sculptor and once one of the foremost authorities on the Art Deco era. To the very end Corrine Weinberg was one of the nicest people I’ve ever known, teaching me laughter, leadership, self-respect, forgiveness, civic involvement, and generosity by example. She died this week at age 91 from Alzheimer’s.

Mom was a trendsetter, working outside the home at a time society said she should be baking cookies. She pursued her own life, successfully balancing her needs for career and creativity with my needs for support and independence. Because of her I learned life lessons like loyalty, love, personal style, and appreciation for those with differing perspectives.

In short, this great lady showed me how to be a good person.

The passing of Pilot, Aron, and my mother each reminded me of the importance of fully considering those around us and learning lessons from everyone we meet. Mom taught me to be a contributing member of the community, while from Aron I learned the value of accepting everyone for who they are. Pilot taught me the benefits of patience and a good head scratching.

Regardless of what you sell, you too can learn on a daily basis from everyone around you. The key to success is recognizing that every member of your team, from CEO to cleaning staffers, have both professional and life lessons you can take something from. The trick is having the wisdom to listen and taking time to learn from each opportunity life presents you.

Because, as I told my daughter when she was a child; If you’re about to go to sleep and you haven’t learned something new today, you should get out of bed.

Bottom Line: don’t miss opportunities to grow and improve yourself. Profits come in many forms.

With that said, I wish you a week of profitable marketing.

Thank you, Mom. I would never have become the man I am today without you.