Peter Danis is the successful owner of Figlio Restaurants and Vino Vino Wine Bar here in Columbus. I was fortunate to hear him address some of the best and brightest seniors at Upper Arlington high School a couple of weeks ago. What he said certainly resonated with those kids, who are starting their adult lives just now, and with their parents.
Here’s what Peter shared:
Peter is living his OPUS as a “foodie,” along with his “foodie” bride, Laurie. They love food, pure and simple. They also love serving people who become friends. Check out their website or, better yet, make reservations for this weekend. You’ll likely see both of them with true Duchene smiles on their faces.
You’ll be wearing one, too, when you dine there. Take it from me.
Life wasn’t always OPUS, according to Peter. When he was back in high school, he was a fairly typical kid with no real idea of what he wanted to do with his life. “Fairly” typical, not completely, because Peter had a passion for tomatoes, of all things. He tended a garden with many different varieties of tomatoes. He was passionate about them all; he even liked the way they smelled as they were growing. Hmm…
Yet, because he was mildly interested in a business career and an uncle suggested that accounting was the “language of business,” Peter went to college and majored in accounting. Even though he didn’t really like it, he did well and became–drum roll, please–an accountant.
It took him about five minutes in his new career to conclude accounting wasn’t for him.
So, another relative suggested that lawyers make a lot of money, and a law degree on top of an accounting degree was “a winning combination.”
So, Peter became a lawyer. Then he got married. Then Laurie and he started a family. It was a good life.
But not a GREAT one. Not until, in his mid-thirties, he made the decision to go back to his tomatoes and start a new restaurant in Grandview named Figlio. That was 15 years ago and the rest, as they say, is a passion-inspired, hero’s journey history that just gets better and better.
Peter offered the UA kids three lessons he had learned along the winding way of his life.
“FIND YOUR PASSION and live it,” he urged. “It is not as difficult as it seems. I had a coach for many years who guided me with this idea: ‘Place an imaginary target on your heart, with the center being what you feel may be your ultimate passion. Over time, just take aim and try to get closer and closer to the bulls-eye. You’ll know when you’ve hit it.'”
He then continued, “Next, remember this: squirrels don’t swim and ducks don’t climb. Every one of you has unique talents and strengths. BUILD YOUR STRENGTHS and don’t waste time trying to fix your weaknesses. You were designed a certain way. Accept that design and make the best life you can with it. No matter how hard I tried, I was never going to be a good accountant.”
Finally, Peter shared a story about his family. One night at dinner someone asked, “How would you spend your time if it were to be your last week on earth?” That question prompted a deep and lasting discussion of what was really important in life, and the need to live with a sense of urgency. Peter’s family concluded that they would try to set their sights on living fully every day as if they only had five years to live. That seemed to be the optimal timeframe for them to be able to set and hit their goals while maintaining that sense of urgency. Peter’s final remark really hit home: “When old people are interviewed at the end of their lives, almost all of them say that it’s not the things they did that they regret, but the things they didn’t do. Life is short so don’t put things off. LIVE YOUR DREAMS.”
Are you “living your dreams?”
Or “putting things off?”
What will you say when they interview you?
Why?
Let’s meet at Figlio and talk about it!
BUILT TO LEAD 