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NOVEMBER 2017
An Underwood Thanksgiving
Back when I was 14 years old, I was obsessed with motocross. Whenever there was a race within range of Albany, I’d beg my dear old dad to shuttle me out so I could be there on the track. The competition was tough. I was up against these kids who had basically been racing since they were in diapers, with professional coaches and rich helicopter parents. Nonetheless, the thrill of flying across the dirt and kicking up dust as I took a sharp corner never got old. On occasion, my pleas would work.
often visit my aunt and uncle out in Aiken, South Carolina, or they’d visit us in Albany. But when my parents got divorced, and then when my father passed, Thanksgiving got a little more complicated, and many of us fell out of touch to some degree. Everybody moved away, and we were scattered across the country.
“One year, I somehow managed to drag my dad down to Gainesville, Florida, for a big race, on Thanksgiving Day of all days."
But last year, my mother and I went out to visit my aunt and uncle in South Carolina for the first time in probably 20 years, along with a lot of other folks. It was wonderful to get some family together again, and of course, the food was amazing as always. In my younger days, I was a notoriously picky eater. But these days, one of the dishes I look forward to the most is green bean casserole. There’s also obviously the turkey, which, if I had it my way, would always be smoked. I’m a big fan of almost any casserole to be honest. But if there’s one staple I could do without, it’d be the cranberry sauce. Really, I’m just thankful that Thanksgiving exists. It gives my family an opportunity to meet up once in a while and share stories of the old days. Motocross is great, but I think now I’d rather just sit down and have the best meal of the year with some of the best people I know. -William F. “Trey” Underwood, III
One year, I somehow managed to drag my dad down to Gainesville, Florida, for a big race on Thanksgiving Day of all days. It’s beyond me how I was able to convince him. When the day arrived, we had to eat two-bit turkey at some restaurant in the Sunshine State. The whole trip, he was a little on edge, aggravated to be away from the rest of the family. But me? I was in heaven. “One day, if you have kids,” my dad said to me years later, “I hope your son or daughter picks up some crazy off-the-wall sport that you’ve never heard of and drags you all over the country to do it.” He laughed and added, “Because that’s what you did to me.” These days, I make sure to be where my relatives are for Thanksgiving. It’s a great excuse to get together and catch up. The holiday used to be a huge affair, with my uncle and my dad arguing about the UGA-Georgia Tech football rivalry, and relatives from all over gathering with their children in tow at my grandfather’s widow’s place. When she passed away, we would
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3 Cleaning ‘Rip-Offs’ That Actually Work
If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But sometimes we stumble across a few hidden gems that make our lives easier. And, when it comes to cleaning house, we can all use a little “easier.” Check out these products you may have already written off and let them surprise you. Dollar Store Cleaning Products If you’ve ever ducked into the local dollar store to buy some Mylar balloons for your niece’s birthday party, you might have noticed the jugs and spray bottles plastered with the word “Awesome.” Surely, this knock-off soap can’t work as well as your brand-name products, right? You’d be surprised. Online reviewers sing Awesome’s praises, suggesting it should really be a higher price for how well it works. Just make sure you wear gloves when you use it. Detergent Pods You use too much soap in your washing machine and dishwasher. At least, that’s what the New York Times reported as the No. 1 complaint from repair people and appliance experts. Modern appliances are designed to use less water, and as soap becomes more concentrated, using too much can damage your machine.
That’s what makes detergent pods so handy. They don’t look like they can clean all your dishes or an entire load of clothes, but they actually provide the perfect amount for modern machines. You save money on detergent and machine repair! Foam Cleaning Blocks Anything with “magic” in the title sounds like a scam. For this reason, you may have avoided the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser and similar melamine foam products. But this is one case where the product lives up to its wild claims. Melamine foam is abrasive and can break down and remove material from fine cracks and textures, making it an effective cleaner. It can be used to whiten sneakers, clean tub scum, and remove permanent marker from your fridge. Since the snake oil salesmen in the days of old first tricked trusting folks out of their hard-earned cash, consumers have wised up and are quick to write off perceived scams. Still, every now then you get lucky, and the cheap white sponge really does make the stove look like new. But you should still think twice before you say yes to gas station sushi.
Testimonials
“I was involved in a lawsuit with a prominent supermarket chain. As I was in this grocery store to purchase needed items, I took a serious fall. I was injured to the point where I needed medical care. I took my case to Mr. Underwood, and he did an excellent job. In all needs of my care, he was courteous, hardworking, and determined to see that I was treated fairly. I am happy to say that with his hard work, my case was won. I would highly recommend that anyone who needs an attorney utilize Mr. Underwood for any legal needs.”
–W.T.
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WILD Workers’ Comp Claims Workplace injuries from faulty factory equipment or electrocution from exposed wires are common. But have you heard of scorching your insides by accidentally drinking an unlabeled cup of lye? Here are a few workers’ compensation claims that are more bizarre than your everyday sprained ankle. Lack of Interpreter Results in Expensive Medical Procedure When a Spanish-speaking worker strained his chest muscles lifting an 80-pound turkey onto a tray, his co-workers — who couldn’t understand what he was saying — believed he was suffering a heart attack. Medical personnel showed up on the scene and ran a number of tests and transferred him to the local hospital for even more tests. Though he was discharged and returned to work without missing any time, he was saddled with enormous medical bills. When the employer refused to pay them, the Workers’ Comp Commission ordered they be paid, as the burden of having an interpreter — and the resulting misunderstanding — fell on the employer, not the employee. Arby’s Employee Takes a Big Swig of Lye When Laura McRae reached for a drink of water from her cup in the Arby’s breakroom, she was shocked to discover she was instead gulping a cup of pure, intensely caustic lye. She suffered brutal, third-degree burns to her esophagus and was rushed to the hospital. In the end, physicians concluded that she had to live with “65 percent body impairment” for the rest of her life. The reason why a cup of lye was in the breakroom never came to light. Nonetheless, Arby’s was compelled to pay her income benefits for the rest of her life.
Food Store Manager’s Murder Found Compensable When a worker’s jealous boyfriend thought that her manager was sexually harassing her, he took it upon himself to mete out “justice,” running over and killing the manager as he was collecting shopping carts outside. Since the dispute arose out of the workplace and the manager had no idea about the boyfriend’s hostility, his death was found to be compensable.
Have a Laugh!
Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes It only takes 3 ingredients to make these crispy, flavorful potatoes. They’re the perfect side dish for any meal.
Ingredients • 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered • 2 tablespoons basil pesto
• Salt and pepper, to taste • 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. In large bowl, combine potatoes and pesto. Toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to large baking sheet or shallow roasting pan. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Roast 20 minutes and remove from oven.
3. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese evenly over potatoes and put pan back in the oven. Roast for additional 10–15 minutes or until potatoes are tender and crispy. Remove from oven and serve warm.
Recipe courtesy of TwoPeasAndTheirPod.com
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inside An Underwood Thanksgiving PAGE 1 These Products Make Housework Easier! PAGE 2 Here’s What They’re Saying PAGE 2 Wild Workers’ Comp Claims PAGE 3 Roasted Parmesan Pesto Potatoes PAGE 3 How This Entrepreneur Turned $800 Into $12 Million PAGE 4
How One Entrepreneur Turned $800 Into a $12 Million Company
What can other entrepreneurs and even successful businesses learn from Amir Harris’s story? First of all, when obstacles appear, look at them as opportunities in disguise. You’ve discovered a consumer need that other businesses are not fulfilling, so fulfill it. Secondly, believe in your ideas. People will try to tell you they aren’t going to work, but if you know you have something worthwhile, follow through with it. Finally, don’t reinvent the wheel. Instead of buying buses, Harris partnered with existing bus companies and put their underutilized buses to use. He took an existing service and made it better. At the end of the day, if you fulfill a market need and do it better than anyone else, you’re going to have the most popular lemonade stand on the block. Harris says, “We want to capture the market by providing better service.” Looks like it’s working.
When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, or so the saying goes. That’s exactly what Amir Harris did to turn a potential roadblock into a $12 million enterprise. Harris is the man behind Shofur, the bus chartering service currently favored by the likes of Facebook and the NFL. But the business didn’t start out with those clients. It was a humble family endeavor founded by his uncle. Then the Democratic National Convention came to town, and the small business had nowhere near enough buses to meet the transportation needs of the influx of visitors. However, Harris recognized a silver lining in the problem. Instead of turning down what he knew would be a huge money-making opportunity, he called neighboring towns and even states and asked to borrow their buses. Thanks to Harris’ determination, his family’s company was able to make thousands of dollars off the event. Like many entrepreneurs, Harris faced a lot of early pushback from friends and family. When he told them he wanted to take the company to the next level and create a web-based service, they didn’t hop on board. But like most successful businesspeople, Harris knew he had a good idea and stuck with it. With $800 in his bank account, Harris struck out on his own, going full weeks without leaving his apartment while he developed the business. Teaching himself web design and learning on the go, he was able to turn his idea into a multimillion-dollar company — all without taking out any loans.
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