Storytelling

My grandfather was a storyteller in the classic manner of a man raised in the Allegheny mountains. As a child I sat eagerly at his feet as he told incredible tales of coming face to face with bears in the woods, bad men being stopped by good townfolk, big snows, ghosts in the graveyard, and being bossed around by cows. Our visits with him included waking up to the warm smell of an early morning fire in the stove, the feel of dirt between our fingers as we dug up potatoes together, learning the difference between deer tracks and those of a bear, mountain cat, or wolf, and the sound of his laughter at the smallest joys.

When he died, suddenly and far too soon for my family, we sat around talking about the silence where his stories used to be. It inspired the song I wrote and sang at his funeral – “The Storyteller”. I realized we didn’t just miss the man, we missed his art. We missed his ability to connect the past, the present, and the future with his stories. He inspired in us a sense of adventure, of possibility, of bravery, and of creativity in everyday life.

Technology exists for one reason, and one reason only – to help humans be better at the mission of humaning. Through it we can take better care of each other, further explore our universe, revive our planet, live longer and healthier lives, and create what was once unimaginable. Technology isn’t the story but it is a character in our stories.

Today, when I think about Excel Technologies – where we have been, where we are, and where we are going, I realize that it isn’t just in the work we do – it’s in understanding the why. Those are our stories. Those are the stories of our clients, our partners, and our employees. Each story is a piece of who we are. But beyond that, each story is a link to who we will become. Together.