An email from SM:

Thank you for everything Mark.  For telling me that I had potential. For encouraging me to try something I would not have tried otherwise. For the many hours, you spent mentoring me and teaching me the basics… for the opportunity to better my life…

 You taught me many things about writing advertising copy and about business, but in retrospect, I can see that the most important lesson you taught me was a personal one. Do you remember when, after talking about a problem I was having with my old job, you told me, “Stop complaining, no one wants to hear it!”?

 That was hard to take initially, but it forced me to examine that aspect of my personality. It gave me the opportunity to change it. And that has made me a more effective businessperson and a happier soul. So thank you most of all for that!

 PS: I know I’m not the only one that has a story about “when Mark was tough on me.” You’ve told me there are legions. I hope they realize, as I do, how easy it would have been for you to NOT give out that tough love when it was called for.