When he was younger, my father ran a vending machine business. He had handful of smaller machines that he purchased, stocked and maintained. Sadly, the business only lasted a few months. The reasons it failed were pretty obvious (especially in hindsight), but I admire the fact that he took the risk. Way to go dad!

I found out about my dad’s ill-fated business from my mom. It was interesting hearing it from her point-of-view. She described it as a total and utter failure. While I totally understand her point-of-view, it also reinforced my opinion of how important it is to have a supportive relationship with your spouse. I wonder how things would have turned out had she been more optimistic?

Nah, it still would have bombed However, I bet he would have been much more apt to try another idea later on, and who knows, he even might have found success.