The 2002 cycle was the first time I saw a real Kate Spade New York bag in person. I thought a bag like that might cheer me up that miserable year. Then I saw the pricetag. It would be more than a decade until I’d own one.

The high point of 2002 was meeting Mark Havlicek. He had just sold his business, and I saw in him everything I wanted to be one day. He renegotiated a contract for me where the client had been taking advantage and I was too inexperienced to call him out. If Mark gives you advice … take it.

In December 2002, I answered a newspaper help wanted ad looking for “event organizers.” I figured my big-time political experience would impress them. Turns out they wanted people to do supermarket demonstrations for Listerine Pocket Packs. But it paid $100 a day … and the lights at 700 E. Pleasant don’t just keep themselves on. So I did it.

And then, when it seemed like it couldn’t get worse, it did. A new fundraising firm started picking off my current and prospective clients one by one.

So needless to say, 2002 was not a very good year. But it’s a good thing 2002 happened.

Stay tuned…