At lunch recently, a friend and former colleague said ‘You really need to write about your wife.’

And although they’d never actually met my wife, like lots of people who engage me in otherwise innocent conversation, they’d heard stories…

Mostly garden-variety stuff about marrying young, being polar opposites in lots of meaningless ways and how I could never cheat because, as my best friend, she’d be the first person I’d call to tell about the indiscretion.

Then there are the jucier bits I’ve shared with unsuspecting people in casual discussions. Like the fact that my wife’s a former teenage delinquent who surprised everyone—especially and hilariously her mother—by becoming super wife/Mom/volunteer/professional. And, of course, the one about our third child being conceived post-vasectomy. (Always a crowd-pleaser or hair raiser, depending on your point of view.)

I could never cheat because, as my best friend, she’d be the first person I’d call to tell about the indiscretion

But what usually goes unstated is the effect my wife (her name’s Randi, BTW) has had on my professional career. It’s been and continues to be, in a word, profound.

It’s not just the unwavering support and encouragement…the patience of Job when it comes to travel, late nights and weekend assignments…the amazingly engaging small talk with clients and colleagues. That stuff’s par for the marketing-spouse course.

What really makes Randi special is her ability to see me in ways that I can’t even see myself, and then gently, subtly guide me in the right direction. (So gentle and subtle, in fact, that at the time I invariably think that heading in said direction was entirely my idea.)

That’s pretty much what happened with Gabardine. She’d seen enough of what I do to know that it was time to start the agency at which I always wanted to work. And to create something more than ads, sites and brochureware.

She saw Gabardine as my destiny long before it even had a name and, gradually but deliberately, led me straight to it.

So on this, our 16th wedding anniversary, I want to thank her for all that she’s given me: An amazing family, a loving home and a business to call my own.