Back in the 60s, a relatively unknown company called Honda wanted to convince a car-crazed America that everyone should be riding Honda’s. But back then, motorcycles conjured up images of leather-clad, cigarette-smoking, foul-mouthed, almost criminals, and the average Joe or Josephine cowered whenever a loud-piped cycle made its way toward them.
So Honda had its job cut out: how were they going to coax a timid public onto their product? The answer came by way of marketing: they were going to convince us all that motorcycles were for nice people, just like them!
And so, “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda” was born.
And shortly, there were Honda dealers and even Honda songs catering to normal people, like you and me, who would never have considered buying a motorcycle before they met the nicest people.
Bankruptcy is like that, too. Just the mention of it makes people frown, or look around to see if anyone is looking at them, or gives them a sick feeling in their stomach. But just like Honda, the reality is much different: you meet the nicest people in a bankruptcy.
The Faces of Bankruptcy
What kind of people? Nurses. Auto mechanics. Waitresses. Salespeople. Bus drivers. Students. Doctors and lawyers (really!). Landscapers. Secretaries. Paralegals. Professional athletes. Bank employees, including tellers and even managers. Maintenance workers. College professors. Teachers. And even those who make a living in finance.
Of course, this is just a smattering of those who file. If you didn’t see your occupation here, or even if you have no occupation, you should know that you are not alone. Some of the coolest people I have ever met have had financial issues that have caused them to have to file. And better yet, they have recovered and even thrived afterward. Many of them I still see on the street, or at concerts. Or they send a note or refer their friends to us with a “tell Kenny we said Hello.”
Filing for bankruptcy has nothing to do with the your value as a person. It is financial, and often it is not preventable.
What’s Next?
Wallowing in debt is preventable. Call Steidl and Steinberg and see if we can help. Oh, there is one more place I sometimes run into my former clients: riding a motorcycle. You meet the nicest people on those things.