The Building Blocks of Business- Referrals

There is a joke around our neighborhood that you do not hire a contractor for your house without first checking with us, the Tuckers. I have been in the advertising business in the Nashville area for over 12 years. In that time I have worked with every possible combination of small business owner from carpet cleaners to air conditioning companies, to restaurants and car dealers. I know the inside scoop on who does the best work, at the right price, on time and with a smile.

If you need an air conditioning service person you should call Craig Killebrew at 615-414-8816. He works by day for one of the big companies in town. He works nights and weekends to build his own service business. He is honest and full of integrity and always a great price. I respect the fact that he drives all the way home to drop off his day vehicle to pick up his personal vehicle to start his service calls for the evening. When I had to replace my unit last year he asked if he could have the old unit for spare parts to help some people that couldn't afford to replace their units. He could take parts from mine and put some band aids on their units to tide them over for a while. What a needed service he is providing.

I could go on and on about some of the great people I have worked with over the years. I place huge value on referrals, so I would like to take this opportunity to thank one of our clients for what is turning into a long list of referrals. Jeff and Annie Mochrie, owners of the Coffee Shop in Mt. Juliet, TN. They bought this place several months ago. It was formerly, Taylor Made Cafe. It is in a cute little house on Mt. Juliet Road. They wanted to make it stand out from the road and warm it up on the inside with some character. We think it turned out great and I am including some pictures. Since completing their project, Annie and Jeff have sent us several referrals that have turned into clients for us. We can't thank them enough. Did I mention this is a great spot for breakfast, lunch and a great cup of Joe without the attitude of some of those coffee chains. Even though we do lots of advertising and I am in the advertising business, nothing works better that a referral from a satisfied customer, period.

So, if you experience great service tell a couple of friends, twitter about it, tell a few strangers. You will be passing along blessings to both the businesses you refer and the people who call them. And by all means if you need a referral for someone in the Nashville area send me an e-mail. I have a list a mile long.

Tribute to a life changing teacher

Today is the last day of school. This would normally be a day full of angst and anxiety for me. Our son, Zane has severe autism. He is non verbal and has many behaviors that would cause the most skilled and patient teacher to run for the hills. Today I feel compelled to tell everyone what a fabulous teacher my son Zane has had this year. He attends Walnut Grove Elementary in Franklin, TN and by the grace of God has had the best school year of his life under the guidance of Mrs. Karen Wight.

I should have known this would be an extraordinary year when I was told last year that there was a second grade teacher who had actually requested to have Zane in her class. At the time last year that she requested him he had some very severe behaviors including running out of the classroom into other classrooms and disturbing classes in progress. He would also throw himself in the floor and lay there knowing that the teachers were not allowed to pick him up. Because he could not sit in his seat for more than two minutes he spent most of his day in the special ed classroom. He had no consistent method of communication. Although I was relieved that a teacher had requested him, I was hesitant because I didn't think she knew what was in store for her in the coming year.

Throughout the course of this year and the intervention of Karen Wight my son now spends most of his day in the regular classroom. He can sit in his seat for extended periods of time. He can actively participate in class through modifications put in place by Mrs. Wight. He is typing spontaneously thoughts on the computer. For the first time he is able to express some independent thoughts. She regularly takes him on walks around the school to visit other teacher's classrooms which has eliminated the running and the throwing himself in the floor. This teacher who had a classroom of 21 kids saw my son as a person not as a child with autism. She saw that he was capable of learning and she didn't stop until she found a way to make him show her what he was learning.

She was a great communicator and for the first time in Zane's academic life I actually knew what he was accomplishing on a daily basis. I cherished her e-mails and have them saved in a file. She was also journaling about her year with Zane. It is my hope that one day we can co-author a book on how to love and educate a child with autism. Here are some experts from her e-mails:

"On one last happy note, Zane and I were talking/playing on the rug today. We were goofing around with the word walls and he was spelling his name. I was lifting him up to spell Tucker and he had the sweetest smile. When we finished I told him that I knew today was a rough day for him and that tomorrow would be better. He instantly said "Yes." When I told him that I knew he was a smart little boy and that I hope tomorrow there would be better choices, he said yes again on his own. These are the moments that make it all worthwhile!"

"He had a fantastic day today! He was so focused and worked so well with me. I don’t know where to start because so many good things happened today. We worked together in math especially and he did so well. We spent a little time on money and he knows how much each coin is. He isn’t to the point of being able to add the coins up in his head that I can tell, but it’s a matter of time. He did do some two digit addition and got it right every time. Amazing. We read together for fun and he answered questions."

"As I’ve said all year, I feel that Zane has made me a better teacher by pushing me and I’m so grateful for that. It’s been an honor to have him in my class this year! "
Karen

So, usually around this time of year as I said I would be very anxious about the summer and also about getting a new teacher for next year who would have to take several months to get up to speed on Zane and his learning style. This year I received the most unexpected blessing. Mrs. Wight has made arrangements to move up to third grade and she is taking the whole class with her. She has also offered to work with Zane on her own time this summer to make sure he doesn't lose any of his skills he has acquired this year. She says that this is the most caring and compassionate class that she has ever had. I say it is due to her leadership and example and I am unbelievably moved by her decision to move to third grade and give these children another year of herself. The lives of these children and their families will be forever changed.

Raising a child with severe autism along with his sister who has mild autism is the hardest thing we have ever been tasked with. Our faith and God's divine intervention are the only things that are seeing us through this journey full of bumps, struggles and disappointments. My mom reminded me this morning that God has given us a chance through Zane to be extraordinary. If we didn't have life with autism we would just be ordinary. The Lord knows how often I get on my knees and pray for "ordinary". I am sent reminders on a daily basis that God has his hand in this and he will see us through. He is also working through us to change the lives of people who come into contact with us along the way and we are humbled.

Bringing the Ocean Home

My family should relocate to the ocean. To be more specific, Seagrove Beach, on Highway 30A in Florida is our happy place. We discovered this little gem of an escape about 7 years ago before the twins' second birthday. It is a little piece of heaven that is unspoiled by high rises and tourists. It is a place where my slightly dysfunctional family can blend into the environment and enjoy the outdoors without the skeptical eye of the commercial vacationer. Zane tends to make a lot of noise, run away from us and eat a little sand. We can achieve a semblance of privacy and security on this stretch of beach that has been unattainable to us on any other type of vacation. It was this beach where we ventured out to our first dinner in a restaurant as a family. This beach where we allowed him to roam further than 5 feet away from us without worrying whether or not he would come back. And this beach where he willingly wore his first Halloween costume and attended his first Halloween party.


There are a lot of firsts for my family at this beach. It always feels like we belong there every year when we venture back. I always want to bring a piece of the beach home with me when we go. I have collected shells and local art that I have incorporated into the decor of our home to remind me of our happy place. Now, I want to share with you my new favorite room in my house. Brooks has created a "beach room" in our house to extend that happy feeling year round. I hope you will be inspired and get some ideas you can incorporate into your own "happy place". Better yet, come for a visit and we will put you up in ours.

Scripture Decor for your home

It started simply enough. As parents of two children with autism, we have relied heavily on several scripture passages to see us through the rough patches. Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite, "For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future." I wanted to display that scripture in my home so that it would be a daily reminder of God's divine plan for our lives. I found a website http://www.wisedecor.com/ that sold the vinyl letters that you apply to your walls. I loved the look so much that I ordered a second set to go above our front door. "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". Phil 4:13

We get lots of comments from people who visit our home. Everyone from friends, pizza delivery folks, home repair people to the occasional Jehovah's Witness visitor knows we are Christ Followers as soon as they enter our home. It has been a great conversation starter with total strangers. Along the way we have broadened our scripture decor, as I call it to include ceilings and furniture. Brooks now hand letters all of his work and each scripture is carefully selected to remind us to keep the faith.

People are always asking us if they can bring their wife, husband, brother, sister, friend, etc... to see our house. We have gotten such positive reactions from everyone that we would like to open our doors and invite people to come in to be inspired. We are hosting an open house on April 25th & 26th from 3p-7p. We are only 2 miles from downtown Franklin, so if you are planning on going to the Main Street Festival, stop by on your way home. Send us an e-mail to bdtucker@comcast.net and we will send you directions.