I believe in second chances. How about you? The fact that any of us can start, today, to build a new life, a new direction - a new business from the old - is a thread in the fabric of the American dream that I hold onto. Like basic faith, the principle of starting over is valid to me. And, I hope, real to you.

My second chance story isn't new. It's several years old, actually. But once upon a time I was a brand new store manager working across the hall from a guy who sold shoes. Our lives never meshed, but they did run parallel. I was fresh out of college and Jon was a tall, thin and gangly family man; simply a nice guy who made a low wage and magically knew the difference between a Farragamo and a Cole Haan. By day, Jon sold shoes and tried to keep his wife and kids afloat. But his passion was simple; he wanted to become a dentist. I watched as he and his coworkers closed down the shoe store across the hall more nights than I can count. Over time, he approached the admissions department at the local university dental school and did his level best to convince the dean that his late start would have no detrimental effect on his future career, or on what he might accomplish if he succeeded in gaining his dental degree. Finally, at 40, he was accepted. It was time to start over; his second chance arrived. He gave up the shoes, the late nights, and the income - for four years of learning. I shudder to think about how his family managed. Jon (now a father of five) applied himself with great resolve and partnered with a respected dentist upon graduation. Since then, he's gone on to become a well-known provider of care in a city of over a million people. In his spare time, Jon has dedicated himself to giving back. He oversees a dental philanthropic event each year in his office that partners with other dentists and specialists to provide for the needy. I have a feeling Jon knows what it means to struggle financially. He also knows how to put everything aside to attain a goal. And that's the message I want to bring to you, in this bright New Year.