Meaning of a Handshake

A Handshake Still Means Something

A handshake is more than just a gesture.

When I was younger, my grandfather taught me something that has stayed with me throughout my career. He said, “When you take a man’s hand and shake it, you better mean what’s behind it.”

At the time, it sounded simple.

But over the years, I’ve realized how powerful that lesson really is.

Integrity Isn’t Complicated

A handshake wasn’t just about sealing an agreement.

It was about integrity.
It was about trust.
It was about looking someone in the eye and knowing you would stand by your word.

If you couldn’t do that, you weren’t ready to do business. And you certainly weren’t ready to build a relationship meant to last.

That mindset shaped how I approach everything — from client conversations to team leadership to partnerships.

The Principle Still Applies

Today, we operate in a world of contracts, digital signatures, emails, and virtual meetings. The literal handshake may be less common.

But the principle behind it hasn’t changed.

Every agreement.
Every commitment.

Every promise made in business should carry the same weight as that handshake my grandfather described.

A contract might outline the terms. But trust determines the relationship.

Relationships That Last

For me, this isn’t about closing deals.

It’s about showing clients, partners, and team members that I value their trust. That my word is as solid as any contract. That if I say we’ll handle something, we will.

That’s how you build relationships that last decades instead of days.

Technology will continue to evolve. Business practices will change. But integrity doesn’t go out of style.

A handshake still means something — even if it’s symbolic.

And I believe it always will.

Show Up Early, Stay Late

Getting Ahead Takes More Than Showing Up

Getting ahead in business takes more than just showing up on time.

I’ve always believed that if you’re serious about building a career, running a business, or stepping into leadership, you need to be intentional about how you show up.

If you think rolling in right on time every day is going to separate you from the pack, it probably won’t.

That doesn’t mean everyone needs to be a 5:00 a.m. person.

But it does mean you need to find your edge.

If you’re not the first one in, then be the one who stays late. Not occasionally. Consistently.

Discipline Over Drama

This isn’t about theatrics. It’s not about burning yourself out. And it’s definitely not about chasing praise.

It’s about discipline.

When you show up early, you create space to think before the day starts reacting to you. When you stay late, you finish what others postpone.

For younger professionals, here’s what I’d say if we were sitting across from each other:

Be the first one in at least one day a week.
Or be the last one to leave at least one day a week.

And let people notice — not for credit, but because consistency builds reputation.

People begin to associate you with reliability. With ownership. With effort.

That matters more than you think.

The Compounding Effect

Being early or staying late doesn’t automatically make you successful.

But over time, it builds something important:

• Work ethic

• Credibility

• Trust

• Presence

I’ve seen many professionals move ahead not because they were the loudest or the flashiest, but because they were steady. They did just a little more. A little earlier. A little later.

And that extra effort compounds.

In business, small advantages repeated consistently turn into meaningful results.

It’s not complicated.

Show up.
Do the work.
Be consistent.

That’s how momentum is built.

In Person Work

Some Things Can’t Be Done Behind a Screen

Technology has made business faster and more convenient.

But some things still require a conversation.

Insurance is one of them.

It’s not always simple. It’s not always intuitive. And it shouldn’t be treated as a purely transactional purchase.

When you’re talking about professional liability, contracts, risk exposure, and long-term protection, there’s too much nuance to reduce it to a drop-down menu or a pre-filled form.

Context Matters

The best insurance relationships are built on three things:

Trust.
Context.
Clarity.

You need to understand what’s actually being protected.

What’s the real risk?
What exposures are evolving?
What’s at stake if something goes wrong?

Those conversations don’t always happen effectively through a quick online submission.

They happen when you sit down — face-to-face, or at least live on a call — and ask questions.

They happen when you map things out on a whiteboard.
When you walk through a contract line by line.
When you talk through real scenarios.

That’s where insight lives.

A Seat at the Table

At PCIA, we’ve always approached our work with that mindset.

Not with assumptions.
Not with shortcuts.
Not with a one-size-fits-all model.

We prefer a seat at the table.

When you take the time to fully understand a client’s business — their structure, their growth plans, their risks, even their personal goals — the solutions you deliver are stronger and more relevant.

It might take a little more time upfront.

But when something does go wrong, that foundation makes all the difference.

Some things can be automated.

Trust, clarity, and strategic protection aren’t among them.

Fall 7 Times, Get Up 8

Fall Down Seven Times, Get Up Eight

There’s a Japanese proverb I’ve always appreciated: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”

It’s simple. But it captures something I believe is essential — in both life and business.

Setbacks are inevitable. The question isn’t whether you’ll face them. The question is how you respond when you do.

Do you stay down?

Or do you get back up and move forward?

Setbacks Are Part of the Process

Over the course of my career, I’ve seen projects that didn’t go as planned. Deals that hit unexpected roadblocks.  Opportunities that didn’t materialize. Moments when the answer was simply “no.”

Early on, those moments can feel defining.

But over time, you start to realize they’re not the end of the story.

They’re part of it.

Each challenge becomes a reminder to adjust, to learn, and to refine your approach. They force you to evaluate what’s working — and what isn’t.

They build perspective.

Resilience Is a Choice

Resilience isn’t about pretending obstacles don’t exist.

It’s about facing them directly.

It’s choosing not to let a setback dictate your trajectory. It’s deciding that one difficult season, one lost opportunity, or one mistake doesn’t define the outcome.

In leadership, resilience sets the tone. Your team takes cues from how you handle pressure, disappointment, and uncertainty.

If you stay steady, they do too.

The Bigger Picture

When I look back, the most valuable lessons didn’t come from the easy wins.

They came from the moments that required persistence.

The setbacks.
The pivots.
The course corrections.

That mindset — get back up one more time than you fall — is something I try to bring into my work, my leadership, and my personal life every day.

Because progress isn’t about avoiding the fall.

It’s about getting up again.