Reasons to be thankful. RIP Ian Meadowcroft

I put this picture on Facebook earlier today with a happy comment about being thankful - a reference to what a great job I now have that lets me sit, relax & enjoy.
Those of you who know me will know that this didn't just happen by chance - for a lot of years I ran a business and did little else - and those eleven long years put us in the position to make the changes we have. The slow process of coming to realise we no longer loved, or even enjoyed, what we did - the immediate shock & impact of how we lost mum - these were the catalyst - but I think we needed to be certain types of people to be able to give up what looked to be so much & just change our lives to be the way we wanted them to be.
But there were other just as important elements that contributed - the love and support of friends & family is something that can never be underestimated - the new friends we've made along the way - the realisation (based on my former career some might say revelation) that most people are good - these have all made the process a happy one - and I'd like to think we've spread some of that happiness around too.

But there was one other person who has especially been in my thoughts this
week. When we first realised we wanted out of our business we tried to put it into the hands of our managers - we consulted experts, put them on big wages and profit shares - and three months later they'd taken the firm to the edge of bankruptcy -  we worked ridiculous hours to get it back on line - thinking it would take a few years to build our exit strategy - when along came Ian Meadowcroft - just as we wanted out of the industry he wanted back in. I know some who think Ian got 1stFrame for too little - I also remember sitting with the accountant six months earlier working out if we were insolvent, when we agreed a final price we were all happy - and that's how good business should be.
I can't say that we were friends - its never easy watching someone take on the thing you've built from scratch - and for us (& Ian I think) it was easier for us to walk away and let Ian stamp his own identity on the business - but I'd pop in from time to time for a coffee & a chat - and I'd like to think Ian always knew he could call us.

It's been three years since Ian bought the company - and I was shocked to my core to hear this week that he's died - he was only a few years older than us and always seemed so full of life. From diagnosis to grave was just seven weeks - I can't work out if that's a blessing or a curse. It's left me a little melancholic - I remember I was sat at my desk when I heard about Mum - was Ian sat there too when he found out - lots of there but for the grace type thoughts.
Sat in my new office today things fell into place  - our lives wouldn't be the same had we not met Ian, & for that we'll always be thankful & have happy memories of him - and that's not a bad way to be remembered.