What can I say about my Grandfather? Hmm…. He’s always been the story-teller. Known to supply a steady stream of jokes. You laugh, whether 0r not he’s recited the joke 20 times already. Approaching 80, yes 80 this man is whip sharp and still working. Why?Mostly because he loves to stay active. And gab.

At 80 he’s as ornery as I can remember him. Spitting off to anyone who will listen the best deals on hardware, or how to fix something in a pinch. Or why history is repeating itself, or who would know which answer to complete the Sunday crossword puzzle. My Grandmother is equally active, and I can only hope to be blessed with the energy of an 18-year-old when I reach senior citizen status.

I’m not sure how my Grandpa got his start, but he sure as hell didn’t have social media in his day. John Bennett, Handyman, would rather be caught listening to that rap music shit than using social media. I can almost hear him now – Social media? What the hell is that? I can go down to the VFW for a beer and that’s my social media.

But hey, who am I to say otherwise? My Grandpa is the busiest old-timer I know. He works almost every day: Installing someone’s carpet, measuring new counter tops, plumbing, light fixtures, repairing a snow blower, you name it. He does good work. People tell other people. And he gets more work. A lot of work.

In my world, people press the importance of networking online. Building your social network. Blah blah blah all that. But without so many distractions, my Grandpa gets more done in a day than some people in one week. How often do you just pick up your phone and call somebody for an answer? Rather than trying email or text first… I’m so guilty. While there are some good tools, doing the work is the best way to get results.

An all around good guy, my Grandpa coincidentally rocks at word-of-mouth advertising. His secret? Do consistently good work and talk to a lot of people. The referrals take care of themselves. And the networking? Definitely doesn’t need help with that one.

Love you Grandpa John 🙂