Boy, Do I Like Texas...

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After a sales and marketing trip to Texas, I am happy to report that Texas is really the great place it claims to be.

Now, I have to admit that I was a little suspicious about all the talk about BIG this and Big that in Texas. But you know, that's what I found. Big. Not in the classic sense of Texas Longhorns or oil wells spurting gushers high into the sky.

But I found a big that only comes from an internal confidence, and this deep confidence I found in every Texan I met.

I was there to learn the Texas market and help our company to become more competitive. I felt it made sense to start with the roots of Texas, so off to the beginning, The Alamo. This was a real eye opener. I came away feeling that every state needs an Alamo (not the tragedy), but an event that solidifies connections to the state or community we live in. I was most impressed by a group of 3rd or 4th graders that were listening to a lecture on the history of the Alamo. It caught me totally off guard to hear how much each one knew and understood about this historical event. I was taken in by the pride already instilled in these young people, the message “There are some things in life that are worth fighting for, don't fear it”.

The San Antonio area is a vast community that is rural in its appeal but designed to handle development. The over one million people in this community are a mix of many different races with a heavy Mexican influence.

This is the way it was during the time of the Alamo as well.
As the history goes, it was the settlers that were encouraged by the Mexican government to settle the area called Texas. Not until Santa Ana was there a problem. (Santa Ana abolished democracy and then felt the populations of settlers were getting too high).

If I understand the history correctly, had it not been for Santa Ana's poor judgment, Texas may well have been another state in Mexico today. The people of Texas still take pride in their Mexican roots. Today people still come from all over the world to be a part of Texas.

I got the impression that most people in Texas are warm and friendly folk, just don't mess with 'em. The confidence comes through loud and clear. Along with this aura of security is a feeling that everyone should feel comfortable with the Texans' desires to nurture new friends and friendships.

I look forward to my next visit to this Big state and the Big people in it. I learned more than how to sell trees to the people of Texas. I learned that any tree would feel proud to be planted in Texas.