Thank You, Richard Tubb. A Tribute to a Unique Soul

I almost teased this announcement in my Monday newsletter, but I didn't know the time of the announcement. 

This morning, Richard Tubb announced that he is closing down Tubblog operations and Tubblog.co.uk. 

Richard has been a true pillar in this community for a couple of decades. He was far more than a blogger or podcaster or author. He was an honest-to-goodness community builder - on both sides of the Atlantic. 

Richard is an acknowledged thought leader in the world of managed services, and I have been honored to be on stage with him in countless cities. To me he also always been a friend and sometime travel companion.

Richard has the unique ability of being a true super-connector. He didn't just introduce people. He sincerely worked to help them get to know each other and, when appropriate, work together. 

I could always rely on Richard when I planned a trip to the UK.  I'd say I'm going to this city or that city and he would often meet me there, show me around town, organize a community pub meetup, and many times a dinner. Among the dozens of such connections, my favorites were visiting his home, touring Newcastle upon Tyne, and our week-long adventure through Scotland.

One time, I was headed to New Orleans for one of my roadshows and got WhatsApp from Richard. He and his wife Claire were coming to NOLA to see the World Wrestling Championship. They are seriously into superstar wrestling and the place to be was in New Orleans. I invited him to sit on a panel with me at the roadshow and he agreed. 

And when I decided - for no good reason whatsoever - to tour Scotland, see the Falkirk Wheel, and head to Manchester, he agreed to come along, organize the dinners, and find a sponsor to foot the bill for food and drink. Now that's a friend!

Finally, I will note that Richard is never shy about the personal side of running a business (and being a human). He has given presentations about his struggle with depression and provided sincere tips for business owners with these and other problems. 

I can tell you, it's hard to stand on a stage and tell your most personal stories.

You can catch Richard's final "goodbye" podcast at https://tubblog.co.uk/podcasts/final-goodbye-to-tubblog/.

I promise you, Richard will still be seen from time to time. Because he's just not the guy who's going to spend the next forty years cleaning his garage!

:-)