The 9 Dollar CEO

Through the lens of the Ring camera, I saw him hustle up our sidewalk and mash the doorbell.

“I saw you had six pizzas, so I figured you were having a company. I grabbed you a stack of paper plates, napkins, and extra dipping sauce just in case. Nobody likes dirty dishes!”

The 18-year-old, 9-dollar-an-hour pizza boy wasn’t driving a fancy car. He wasn’t wearing a pressed shirt. But he had the optimism of a million-dollar CEO exuding from his smile.

No idea what was going on in his life.

No clue what dream he was chasing, or what he was doing with his pizza money.

But one thing was clear; he was excited to be serving our family at our doorstep.

I felt uplifted in those 30 seconds. He was a full depiction of the hard-working, humble, helpful spirit that makes stuff happen. He was everything we need in America right now.

It was an easy choice to tip him half of the bill.

Despite what the world is trying to tell us all, positivity is alive and well for those who choose to tap into it.

And you know what? I’m going to celebrate that more often.

Who’s with me?

At some point this weekend, you’ll see someone exuding that kind of energy. Give them a word of acknowledgment. Compliment them for their enthusiasm. Tell them how good they are at their job. And if appropriate, tack on an extra buck or two to the tip to thank them for being part of the solution.

We need more of that.

BW