It is said when the student is ready, the teacher will appear. For Jerrid Burdick, through successes, failures, lessons and finding his way to life/work balance, there have always been people who have entered into his life just at the right time. It's all in the timing, and the humility to be open to the next lesson. Growing up on a farm on Florida Mountain, it would have been hard to imagine that Jerrid would have made his mark selling tuxedos for celebrations throughout the Berkshires. But, then again, throughout his childhood he never knew himself that his mother and grandmother were master seamstresses - and his natural ability with the measuring tape was no coincidence. "It's in your blood, pay attention, " he later heard when he began working in a tuxedo shop in North Adams. In business, Jerrid showed innovation right from the start when he was a teen-ager creating a service that delivered tuxes (no brick and mortar required) and found a niche in various high schools during prom season. He also felt the sting of stepping into a hyper-competitive market with heavy hitters who would try to take him out of the game - landing infamously on the front page of the local newspaper. He also felt the devastation of bankruptcy, which he says was the result of not keeping his own ego in check. Another lesson learned. Still, even when he went back to work in a more traditional job to get back on his feet financially, he knew where his passion was and he would not be denied. In this episode we cover his full professional journey, landing in the Berkshire Mall with Tux Express, and quickly realizing he needed more room to grow. The gutsy move to North Street raised eyebrows, as he was suddenly situated just a few doors down the street from his top competitor. We also cover: a surprise phone call that led to a lasting mentorship and enduring friendship, the development of a web presence for what ultimately became the Berkshire Wedding Expo, family life, fatherhood, self-care, the economics of weddings, capturing the business of those traveling in to get married in the Berkshires, the evolution of wedding and prom menswear, spirituality, the massive impact of COVID on his business and the industry, and not dwelling on mistakes, but instead, learning quickly and moving forward.

I hope you'll enjoy my conversation with Jerrid Burdick.