This is my first article of the year and I want to thank my editor, Janice Lombardo, managing editor, executive editor, Laura Lorber and Eric Schurenberg, CEO, for giving me, a rock musician, a platform to share my insight on business management through the prism of Rock 'n Roll!

Sometimes all it takes to remind us of our contributions, whether it's a product or service, is to receive a random compliment, as I did from Thomas J. Cummings, M.D. (see unedited note below). I have to admit, I sometimes take for granted all the work that we had put in over the course of more than 40-plus years in order to achieve our current status of world wide success. The process of being great every night, whether there were 10 people in the club or 2,000 never wavered. Our product (the live show) was the best it could be all the time, every time.

If what you do--whether it's creating, serving, or inspiring--has a noticeable and notable long-term effect on the lives of your customers (or fans), consider yourself a success!

Here's to doing more of it in 2018!

Dear Mr. Jay Jay French,

I saw the offer to email you on the TS Facebook page. Perhaps you do not get too many emails like this one. I want to thank you for your music which inspired me through medical school, medical residency, and now many years later as a physician at Duke University, a major medical center and medical school. What You Don't Know, We're Gonna Make It, Stay Hungry, Come Back, You Can't Stop Rock and Roll, these were great anthems of inspiration to me in medical school. I grew up in Bay Ridge and in the early 80's I was one of those kids at L'amour in Brooklyn at every Twisted Sister show with my buddies trying to be cool in our cutoff denim jacket with TS, Priest, and Maiden pins. I was probably one of the few there who aspired to go to medical school. Your music, never give up anthems, and energy played a part of that, and still does today (I was playing Live at Hammersmith while driving to the hospital today). My many thousands of patients and I thank you. Please share this or forward to Dee, Mark, and Eddie if you'd like to, and may the great AJ Pero rest in peace (my best friend from high school in Brooklyn Tom Peters was friendly with AJ and I think Dee has signed his TS tattoo). Again, many thanks for the positive impact you've had, and I wish you and yours and the band much happiness and success going forward,

Sincerely,

Tom

Thomas J. Cummings, M.D.,

Professor of Pathology, Professor of Ophthalmology, Fellow, College of American Pathologists, Director, Pathology Residency Training Program, Director, Post-Sophomore Pathology Fellowship, Duke University School of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center