I was in the middle of preparing for an upcoming convention when I checked my email.

It was an invitation from the Frisco Chamber of Commerce to sign a brick wall at the future home of the Chamber.

As the saying goes, I stopped, dropped, and rolled… right out of my driveway and headed to Frisco.

Forget priorities—they could wait.

I had a brick to sign.

I arrived at the parking garage and chose an entrance.

Wrong.

I wandered around the second floor.

Nothing.

I walked the ground floor in the bright Texas sun.

Still nothing.

I returned to where I started, hoping another human being might appear and point me in the right direction.

No one.

For a brief moment I considered giving up.

No.

I was here.

I was signing that brick.

I opened the email again.

That’s when I made an important discovery.

I had only read the first couple of lines before jumping in my car. The next paragraph—the one I had completely ignored—contained detailed instructions explaining exactly where to park and which entrance to use.

I’m sure there’s a lesson somewhere in there.  But let’s get back to the brick.

A few minutes later, I walked into a space that is still a work in progress. The Chamber team welcomed me, handed me a Sharpie, and invited me to add my signature to the brick wall alongside many others who are part of the Chamber community.

Afterward, they graciously took my photo, shared details about the future building, and celebrated the moment with me.

Now you may be wondering why someone would write an entire blog post about signing a brick.

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Because it illustrates one of my favorite Dale Carnegie principles:

Make the other person feel important—and do it sincerely.

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The Frisco Chamber didn’t simply construct a building.

They invited their members to become part of its story before the doors have even opened.

I’ll always know that somewhere on the second floor is my signature and a message of congratulations from Home Run Pest & Termite Control.

And years from now, I’ll still have the story of the day I abandoned my to-do list, drove to Frisco, got hopelessly lost, eventually followed the directions… and left a small mark on a place that will serve the business community for years to come.

That is far more memorable than simply hearing an announcement that a new Chamber building is under construction.

Thank you, Frisco Chamber of Commerce, for the invitation, the warm welcome, and for creating an experience I’ll remember for years to come.

One of the reasons I continue to write these Carnegie stories is because these principles genuinely influence the way I approach work, networking, and relationships every day.

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