Last Wednesday morning, I attended the end-of-year awards assembly at my daughters' school. All three of them earned awards of one kind or another, but I'm not telling you this simply because I'm an extremely proud father.
OK, I am. But there's more!
As various children heard their names called and bounded to the front of the school gym to receive certificates honoring their achievements in citizenship, integrity and academics, it occurred to me that I was watching people who will be the future leaders of our nation's businesses and institutions.
As I have aged, my patience for younger generations has diminished. I am in danger of becoming the stereotypical curmudgeon — you know, the guy sitting on his porch, telling neighbor kids to "GET OFF MY LAWN!" But looking at the children at school that day, I felt a great deal of hope for the future.
I've had the opportunity to meet many of my daughters' friends and watch them interact with one another. They are mostly happy, positive, bright children. Usually — but not always, of course — they bring out the best in each other.
I see, in them, limitless potential. And as I watched my daughter fold origami cranes to sell at her school business fair a few weeks ago, I also caught glimpse of a budding entrepreneur — one who made more than 50 bucks making and selling a product she loved.
These thoughts were still on my mind Wednesday evening when I walked over to the Salt Palace to attend the annual Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year awards banquet.
I have attended this banquet many times thanks to my job as business editor at this publication, which is a longtime sponsor of the event. On Wednesday, as I watched, various adults heard their names called and bounded to the front of the ballroom to receive awards honoring their achievements in business, integrity and public service.
This time, it occurred to me that I was watching people who are forging ahead with new ideas to build better products, create new services, invent company cultures and employ thousands of our friends and neighbors.
In the time I have spent covering business news in Utah, I have had the good fortune to meet many small-business owners and managers. They are mostly happy, positive, bright people. Usually — though not always — they bring out the best in each other, often as the result of a little healthy competition.
I see limitless potential in the award recipients, in the finalists who did not receive awards and in the other nominees — and only some of that potential already has been realized.
I know this sounds like cheerleading for business, and it is. I'm not saying businessmen and businesswomen are going to save the world. What I am saying is that I have seen at least a few of them do a pretty good job of helping to save their neighborhoods and their communities.
The entrepreneurial spirit, whether shown in a schoolgirl's enthusiastic smile or a businessman's dash to the stage at an awards ceremony, is infectious, fun and inspiring.
In two very different events on the same day, and in the midst of national economic upheaval, that spirit filled me with hope for the future.
If you have personal finance comments or questions, send them to gkratz@desnews.com or to the Deseret News, P.O. Box 1257, Salt Lake City, UT 84110.