Advice & Whiskey with Dr. Sam E. Coryell

“I majored in music. But believe it or not, music and math have a lot of similarities. So, if you are good at music, you are probably good with numbers. I’ve always been a numbers guy. But I’m not a bean counter.”

“I loved taking someone who’s really not a singer, and turning them into a very good singer. Like building a beautiful building. On the lot, it’s just nothing. But, when you see a gorgeous edifice coming out of the ground, there’s something about that that’s almost indescribably satisfying. Taking something out of nothing.”

“About seven years ago, I decided I wanted to study the piano seriously. Now, the first mistake I made was I was my own teacher. Have you heard about the attorney who was his own attorney? He decided he had a fool for a client.”

“I have an almost fatal flaw, that I think everyone has the same ethics that I do, but they don’t. I’ve gotten burned a few times because I trust people. I’ve had to learn.”

“Think big. Don’t limit yourself. Because if you think big, and you don’t quite get there, you’ve still done alright. And dream big and give back. Giving back is very important.”

“To be successful in business, you have to be a people person, who reaches out to people. It’s like a winsome personality. You have to draw people to you. I think you almost have to have that to have a successful business.”

“I love the creative side of work—building and planning. I love solving problems. If you want to be successful in whatever you are doing, learn to be a problem solver. In any activity, if you can solve problems, you will always have a job.”