There is a season, turn, turn, turn.
The home of PowerSpeaking, Inc. for 23 glorious years faces the wrecking ball. They are tearing down this building to put up a multi-story office complex. Turns out, PSI is growing and also changing, now serving clients world-wide, virtually. Within the bricks there are rich memories of the trainers, and staff, and tens of thousands of students who changed their lives here. This is my remembrance to those wonderful years gone by.
To see even more, click here to read my blog post, “Saying Goodbye to 24 years of my life”
The massive wrecking balls
Hit brick walls to knock ’em down.
Trainers who came here to work and play
Will forever stay in our memories.
Substance style and staging, Robert and Jerry
Will steer our ferry to PowerSpeaking in the sky
Best we can do is hold hands, celebrate
years gone by, breathe deep and cry, cry, cry.
Former PowerSpeaking World Headquarters, December 3, 2022
I was standing by my window
On one cold and cloudy day
When I saw that hearse come rolling
For to carry my mother away
I said to that undertaker
Undertaker please drive slow
For this lady you are carrying
Lord, I hate to see her go
Oh, I followed close behind her
Tried to hold up and be brave
But I could not hide my sorrow
When they laid her in the grave
I went back home Lord, my home was lonesome
Missed my mother, she was gone
All of my brothers, sisters crying
What a home so sad and lone
Will the circle be unbroken
By and by, Lord, by and by
There’s a better home a-waiting
In the sky, Lord, in the sky
1996
From this valley they say you are going,
We will miss your bright eyes and sweet smile,
For they say you are taking the sunshine
Which has brightened our pathways a while.
His mother told him “someday you will be a manAnd you will be the leader of a big old bandMany people coming from miles aroundTo hear you play your music when the sun go downMaybe someday your name will be in lightsSaying “Johnny B. Goode tonight”
I’ll never know, what makes the rain to fallI’ll never know, what makes the grass so tallI only know, there ain’t no love at allWithout a song
Wop bop a loo bop a lop bam bom
It must be so sad to say goodbye to the PowerSpeaking home. I’ve walked through those doors more than once for training and personal visits. Hang on to the wonderful memories! I shall!
What a difference Power Speaking has made for you clients, staff, and family! Bonding and learning memories! On to the next chapters! New pivots!
What an era- those years of attending workshops and visiting you and Mary in the PowerSpeaking offices! A special place indeed…. Glad to know it still lives on virtually!
End of a glorious era, for sure. I always felt welcomed and loved when I walked through the doors. Thank you for allowing me to share in the history.
Remember when the business was in your basement and John started calling it the international headquarters? Now it IS international. Part of the many wondrous variations of PowerSpeaking. Surely of note, besides the enormous benefits to your customers, is your staff retention. Almost 35 years for John. Amazing!
Weaving the songs among the photos, very sweet.
The only thing constant is change. Sigh, the end of an era!
‘To everything there is a season…….’