Lessons of Life from Peter Eldridge

Article by Marlene Zeug

Peter Eldridge, vice president and general manager of Servco Raynor Overhead Doors, Inc., touched upon the events in his life as a ‘serial entrepreneur’ that influenced the businessman he has become. Eldridge was the Hogan guest speaker of the week on Nov. 1. He spoke of his ups and downs, weaving a story that captivated and enlightened us all: his days working with his father, moving on to peddling produce, and then antiques; being served with lawsuits and facing near bankruptcy. It wasn’t always rosy-colored, backed with venture capital or filled with promise of making millions. His mark upon the world, his giving back to society started with humble beginnings, a boot-strap budget and a strong sense of self and work ethics. He demonstrated most significantly the value – and the bane – of becoming an entrepreneur.

Strong values and a belief in servant leadership; humility, a commitment to organization and balance; as well as a great work ethic and the ability to think and be creative – these qualities describe his character as much as they describe the kind of business he runs, and the kind of businessperson all entrepreneurs should strive to be. Eldridge demonstrated to us all that as long as you are proud of what you do and who you are, it doesn’t matter if you are peddling produce or garage doors, values should always be more important than money, business deals can withstand the strength of one’s word, and you always have the opportunity to exemplify leadership.

Indeed, woven into the threads of Eldridge’s very real life story was the most important lesson: life and your journey through it – whether you are a serial entrepreneur, a college student, or a young professional – should always be about becoming more of who you are.