Fifty Five

I am fifty five years old today.

I have always loved having a birthday in late august.

It’s a time of year when things slow down.

It’s a time of year to be surrounded by friends and family.

It’s a time of year that begs for reading a good novel on the beach.

And I am doing all of those things.

What I am not doing is letting the aging process get me down.

I am enjoying getting older.

I particularly enjoy watching things I helped create grow into amazing things.

I am mostly talking about our three children.

But I am also talking about the companies we helped get started over the past twenty years.

And I am also talking about philanthropic and civic efforts we have helped get off the ground.

Time has a way of revealing who you are and what matters to you.

And, at age fifty five, I have put in enough time on planet earth to have those revelations.

And that feels great.

#life lessons

Comments (Archived):

  1. Tom Labus

    Congrats, Fred. Enjoy this beautiful day.

  2. Alex Murphy

    “Time has a way of revealing who you are and what matters to you.”This is a particularly good line Fred. It is funny how in time we come to understand things that have been driving us and we didn’t even realize it. An underlying kernel of truth that we are unaware of. This revelation is truly the grace of growing older.

  3. Steve Poland

    Happy Birthday, Fred. Enjoy another great year! Thought this card was relevant for your investing career…

    1. Twain Twain

      We need to make a card like this for Fred.

      1. Donna Brewington White

        A few years ago some of us (led by @rrohan189) created and sent a card around the globe to be signed by AVCers for Fred and Joanne’s 25th wedding anniversary. Plus a video but don’t have the link handy.

        1. Kirsten Lambertsen

          Respect!

        2. ShanaC

          That was fun, we should do that again

      2. ShanaC

        yassssssss

    2. ShanaC

      oy…….

  4. Humberto

    Happy birthday!!I’m 29th august. i remember as a kid being traumatised because friends were always away. but as i grew older, it becomes easier and better every time.ENJOY!

    1. Rob Underwood

      I’m a late August baby too. Late August to mid-September is the peak of births. Not only is it a product of when people get it on (i.e., during the first chill of late November or early December) but also, the theory goes, that historically this time of the team was a time of bounty food wise. http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/

  5. BillMcNeely

    Enjoy the day Fred. I hope you do get to enjoy with your children as theater gets harder to do as they get busier

  6. William Mougayar

    Pablo Picasso said it well- “One starts to get young at the age of sixty.”

  7. James Ferguson @kWIQly

    Congrats FredAlso 55 and probably with more to prove (but no hard luck story)I hope you have a great day, week, decade etcRe the aging process – last week I broke my lake swim record, looking forward to getting fitter again for this winters skiing – and generally happy and optimistic.Reflection and Anticipation need to be held in balance -Re the Physical – I know as bones, muscles etc get less capable, physical achievements get more satisfyiing – its all about the metric you choose.Re what matters – As putting bread on the table gets easier – buying stuff should get less rewarding – but Philanthropy never tires !

  8. Gary Chou

    Happy Birthday, Fred!

  9. awaldstein

    Mazel Tov.Take care of your body and give yourself a long time to enjoy this feeling!

    1. Richard

      Wow! Negative Gross Margins on a food startup. And buying your own product off the shelves of retailers!!

      1. awaldstein

        Not at all surprised.

      2. awaldstein

        Not surprising to me.

  10. Eric Satz

    Happy birthday.

  11. Vendita Auto

    “I particularly enjoy watching things I helped create grow into amazing things.” So did your Parents, Health & Wisdom to all.

  12. WA

    Happy Birthday

  13. Mike Zamansky

    Happy birthday Fred.

  14. JimHirshfield

    “I was older then. I’m much younger than that now”. Happy Fred-day. Keep on truckin’ til 120… And then some.

  15. Dale Allyn

    Happy Birthday, Fred! Fifty-five is the new 40 (but with way more wisdom). Cheers!

  16. Val Tsanev

    Happy birthday Fred wish you health, happiness and unforgettable memories.

  17. petec

    Happy birthday Fred.

  18. Adam Bogard

    Awesome Fred! My brother Mark is also celebrating his (30th) birthday, today! Best.

  19. Mariah Lichtenstern

    Happy Birthday! Enjoy your special day!

  20. pointsnfigures

    Happy Double Nickels. Agree with you.

  21. Girish Mehta

    Happy Birthday Fred.

  22. jason wright

    Blogcast signal strength 5 by 5.

  23. kidmercury

    Happy birthday!

  24. Ken Greenwood

    Well said…and Happy Birthday!

  25. gsilberman

    Happy happy birthday !! Enjoy this gorgeous day !! Gail & Illan

  26. Steve Robinson

    Beautiful.Happy birthday!

  27. Todd Savage

    Well put, and happy birthday!

  28. Rob Underwood

    So as someone who knows you almost entirely through only the context of “philanthropic and civic efforts”, I want to say, first, happy birthday, and second, the work you’ve done in the philanthropic and civic area is a big f*cking deal.I see the CS stuff mostly, and I know it’s more than that, but there are a whole bunch of kids – hundreds of thousands already, soon to be millions – who would not have gotten a chance to learn computer science if not for you. We share a belief that it’s not just about computer science, but also about equity and giving kids a chance. Reflect on that with the family in Amagansett — it’s a big deal.I wanted to find a song about turning 55, and the best I could find was “555” by Phish (who are better than Sammy Hagar on a world of reason and logic). I know you don’t like Phish, but Andy does, and I hear he’s helping run the shop now. I turn 44 in a week — you can return the favor then with a soundcloud link to the next hot hipster hiphop band in Bushwick that plays their music exclusively with 44 tin cans of truffles or something. So here you go… turn it on loud at the pool and HAPPY BIRTHDAY:https://www.youtube.com/wat

  29. Jim Borden

    Happy Birthday.

  30. LD Eakman

    Happy birthday Fred – I tend to like other August birthday peeps. 2 thoughts come to mind here – 1)Then you must have been 42-43 when we met. A great time to make big career moves. 2) You’re 55 and still listen to great music. In fact, you’ve stayed way more hip than this 42-year old. I’m just hoping my kids bring me back when they are past Disney and the current Chipmunks infatuation.Enjoy your birthday!

  31. Stefano Vettorazzi

    Happy birthday!

  32. Semil Shah

    The style and cadence of this post sort of reminds me of how @HowardLindzon writes. You have invested in all aspects of life, and now the returns are compounding. Happy birthday!

    1. Gordon Bowman

      I was thinking the same thing. Well said!

  33. Sada Kshirsagar

    Happy Birthday Fred.

  34. RameshJain

    Life is a journey.Some people keep repeating the same things over and over and spend their time with the same people, and some explore and some build things and see them make impact and then explore what next to build. We all decide what to do with the time and resources we have. Have a great birthday and keep doing all things that you do because you enjoy them, and those things create enjoyment for lot more people. By the way you, you share your birthday with the most important person in my life — my son.So every year while enjoying his birthday, I will remember your birthday and wish you next year of enjoyment even better than the last.

  35. Gregg Freishtat

    Love the Geocities card! I remember those days. Have a great Birthday and enjoy the last of summer.

  36. mikenolan99

    Happy Birthday Fred!

  37. Nawal Roy

    Happy Birthday Fred!

  38. Jim Kessler

    Happy Birthday!

  39. Erin

    Happy Birthday, Fred!

  40. Robert Heiblim

    Happy happy Birthday Fred!

  41. bfeld

    Happy birthday. You are awesome and a great inspiration for me. Love you.

  42. Al Mazzone

    Happy birthday and all the best wishes.If I knew nothing else about you except for your birthday poem, I would be proud to know you.

  43. george

    “The Giver-Fred”Happy Birthday!

  44. Bob Bouthillier

    To be content with your ‘lot in life’ is one of the greatest gifts of all. I believe that one only achieves this when one has focused on tthings greater that yourself and beyond your own needs – your family, charities, sharing your wisdom and resorces with startups and the like. So, Happy Birthday and may you grow ever more content!

  45. johnmccarthy

    Happy Birthday.

  46. Lee Blaylock

    I hope you have a great birthday. While not 100% accurate, I do find this to be directionally correct and funny for many things!

  47. Rohan

    Happy birthday Fred! Thank you for all you do!

  48. Supratim Dasgupta

    Happy Birthday Fred. The reading book on the beach sounds tempting and i immediately wanted to go. but its raining in NYC ;-(On another note, why are the most successful people Leos?

  49. Marcos Ortiz

    Congratulations, Fred. Keep amaze us with your hard work looking for the next generation of life-changing companies. BTW, you must see what Arianna Huffington is building at Thrive Global: https://twitter.com/marcosl

  50. Nick Terzo

    Happy Birthday, Fred! Many thanks for all you do to support community. Wishing you many more trips around our sun

  51. JLM

    .Happy birthday, Fred.Keep writing; keep rocking.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

    1. LE

      I get the feeling that Fred is the type of person that would enjoy (unlike me) being a rock and roll star.(The Byrds and Tom Petty)https://www.youtube.com/wat…https://www.youtube.com/wat

      1. Donna Brewington White

        I’d peg him as an indie artist.

        1. LE

          You could be right. But to use a phrase that I heard recently and adapt it I say “you dance with the one that brung you”. [1] What I mean by that is that Fred grew up in the day before indie artists. As such I say he would be more likely to hanker to be a true rock and roll star with wide appeal.[1] For example I can’t wrap my head around lusting for a Tesla, simply because it wasn’t a car that I wanted when I was growing up.

          1. Donna Brewington White

            “Dance with the one that brung you” is good advice in many contexts but sometimes it is smart to “ditch that dude.”

      2. JLM

        .Too bad, LE, cause you ARE a rock star.Keep on rocking.JLMwww.themusingsofthebigredca…

  52. Boris Wertz

    Happy b-day x 55, Fred!

  53. Donna Brewington White

    Love this post. Thank you for living your life out in the open to some extent. You continue to be an inspiration for living life well. Happy Birthday, Fred! You are appreciated.You did lose me at “It’s a time of year when things slow down…”But in my world it’s a very good thing that August is crazy busy.I’ve found that the season of life supercedes age. So, doing things at this stage of life (like building a business) that many people (like most of my startup CEO clients) are doing at a much younger age causes me to feel a bit of shock when I think of the “number” that my upcoming birthday represents.It’s kind of fun to be living the life of a 30-something in some respects with the wisdom of someone my age. But I do have to coax my body to stay in the game. It knows my real age!

    1. Kirsten Lambertsen

      I relate to this so hard ๐Ÿ™‚

  54. jason wright

    All the 5s.The new Nexus phone (Nougat) will come in 5″ and 5.5″ sizes. Is bigger better for typing?

  55. RichardF

    Happy birthday Freddy boy!

  56. LE

    Happy Birthday Fred.

  57. ppearlman

    Happy Birthday Fred!

  58. Guy Lepage

    Happy Five Five Fred. May you have 55 more years. Cheers. ๐Ÿ™‚

  59. rich caccappolo

    Happy Birthday, Fred! I believe you share a birthday with Robert Plant – so, two icons celebrate on the same day.

  60. awaldstein

    Fred- listened to a BBC science podcast about the mind and aging. The impact of exercise and health impacting the growth of the brain itself as age indeed shrinks it.On how our pace of response can be interpreted not as the slowing of reflexes but the density of data and knowledge we parse through, How our gut responses carry with them the potential for accrued experience.Long live middle age and may it forever be a larger block of time.Happy Bday!

    1. LE

      but the density of data and knowledgeI would tend to agree with this and in fact the information and curiosity quenchers on the Internet have made this an even bigger issue. So much to stuff your brain with. And many less reasons to have to remember things that are available at your fingertip.

      1. awaldstein

        The distinction that researchers make is that information and experience are not the same.And today–there is information on everything everywhere. Reading doesn’t make you experienced, just informed.And that is not knowledge as I define.This huge topic–relevance and experience, fitness and intelligence, flexibility in thought and age–critical pieces that will redefine our world as we know it.

  61. Kirsten Lambertsen

    Happy Birthday, fellow Leo ๐Ÿ™‚

    1. Donna Brewington White

      I was almost a Leo. (Missed by one day!) Happy Birthday to you as well!

      1. Kirsten Lambertsen

        Thanks! You’re definitely an honorary Leo ๐Ÿ˜‰

    2. PhilipSugar

      Right there with you.

  62. erichamm

    Happy Birthday Fred! Here’s to the next 55 years…and if technology & medical advancements keep on their current pace, the 55 after that!

  63. Lawrence Brass

    Congratulations and Happy Birthday Fred.A toast for the bartender, for the next 55.Cheers!

  64. Aashay Mody

    Happy Birthday! Looking forward to many more inspiring, thought-provoking posts from you.

  65. Tracey Jackson

    Happy Birthday!!

  66. Fred Thiel

    Happy birthday. At the end of our life journey, the only thing we have is the collection of memories and experiences that made up our lives. May your collection be full of wonderful loving, joyous, proud and touching moments.

  67. ShanaC

    Happy Birthday (and I hope it was fabulous, one to make a fable of)

  68. Pete Griffiths

    Well – You’re about old enough to begin the process of understanding your family/upbringing.

  69. K_Berger

    Happy birthday. Many more.

  70. Anupam Heda

    Happy birthday Fred!

  71. Pranay Srinivasan

    Happy birthday, Fred! Privileged to have met you and to follow you here.

  72. David Kidder

    Congratulations Fred. Deserved. A wonderful place to be in your amazing life. Grateful for you.

  73. Steven Kane

    Amen, sir, amen.

  74. Michael B. Aronson

    Happy Birthday, wanted to share with you something that one of my friends shared with me when I turned 55 (and 56,57,58 and so far 59,have been pretty good)Very appropriate given all that you do!from:Sammy Hagerhttp://www.metrolyrics.com/…One foot on the brake and one on the gas, hey!Well, there’s too much traffic, I can’t pass, no!So I tried my best illegal moveWell, baby, black and white come and touched my groove again!Gonna write me up a 125Post my face wanted dead or aliveTake my license, all that jiveI can’t drive 55! Oh No!Uh!So I signed my name on number 24, hey!Yeah the judge said, “Boy, just one more…We’re gonna throw your ass in the city joint”Looked me in the eye, said, “You get my point?”I said Yea!, Oh yea!Write me up a 125Post my face wanted dead or aliveTake my license, all that jiveI can’t drive 55!Oh, yea!I can’t drive 55!I can’t drive 55!I can’t drive 55!I can’t drive 55!Uh!When I drive that slow, you know it’s hard to steer.And I can’t get get my care out of second gear.What used to take two hours now takes all day. Huh!It took me 16 hours to get to L.A.Gonna write me up a 125Post my face wanted dead or aliveTake my license, all that jiveI can’t drive 55!No, no no,I can’t drive…(I can’t drive 55!)I can’t drive…(I can’t drive 55!)I can’t drive 55!Read more: Sammy Hagar – I Can’t Drive 55 Lyrics | MetroLyrics

  75. Emeri Gent [Em]

    Welcome to the 55 Club as I pass on my birthday wishes. The great thing about the web is that we can have a metacognitive moment by reflecting our thoughts when we were 50 as much as contemplating 55 http://avc.com/2011/08/fifty/When I entered the 55 Club at the beginning of the year I focused on Obama being 55 when his Presidential term is over at the end of this year. I called the post simply 55. https://www.linkedin.com/pu…Personally for me that post was not about age, it was about learning. That simply launched what I described as Learning Journey 55. Next January I welcome in Learning Journey 56. The poem above focuses on the aging process but for me 55 represents a blessing.Age matters for those who left life too early. Jimmy Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27. When we reach 57, we would have had 30 more years of life experience than those guys. That experience does not take me to mortality it takes me to Muhammad Ali and his quoteโ€œThe man who views the world at 50 the same as he did at 20 has wasted 30 years of his life.โ€While Ali did not make it to 85, there is every possibility that we will still be here in another 30 years and that is not about counting time, or accounting for purpose, it is in that Ali quote – and so lets hope that we are not the same people at 85 that we were when we are 55.When I look at people like Peter Drucker and Coach Wooden, these are people who maintained their vitality close to the century point. Retirement might stop some people earning, but so long as the future is a healthy life, only we stop ourselves from learning.What makes the 55 club special for me is the learning journey. What makes it special for you is family, but none of this is an either-or, it is simply how we each frame life.[Em]

  76. Philippe Platon

    Nice inspiring post. Happy belated birthday, Fred

  77. Joe Marchese

    H(belated)B, Fred… enjoy the moment. August is my favorite month of the year for all the reasons you cited. My FB post from yesterday was: “August. Hamptons. Family.” I couldn’t be happier, and I’m delighted you feel the same way. I’m easily twice the age… or more… of some of my clients, yet sometimes feel like the youngest guy in the room. Go for it.

  78. DJL

    Happy Birthday, Fred. (I was out over the weekend spending the last two free days with my kids before they head to school.) Thanks for taking the time to keep us interested and (sometimes) entertained every day. (And come to Euchre one year ;>)

  79. karen_e

    Happy belated birthday & many happy returns.

  80. Malcolm Greaves

    Wait until you are 75,and read that lot again. Your post today will reveal how naive such ersatz sentiment will seem.Am I a cynic? No, just a realist.

  81. Peter Beddows

    Belated perhaps, but no less sincere, the wish not only that this was a very happy birthday but also that there are many more yet to come.You have already given so much to so many yet it seems likely that you will have even more to offer as time goes by and the wisdom and experience continues to grow. So glad to have met you, albeit virtually; I have gained much from reading your posts for which I am very grateful. Thank you.With that said, as my own aging process continues – notwithstanding earnest attempts to change its direction that all of my electrical and electronics engineering and business development knowledge has thus far failed to come up with either solution of app – it was just in this past year that I finally decided that my 30 year old photo used for my Avatar across social media had run its course and my Dorian Grey deal had to come to an end, So as you are, incredibly, just young enough to beat my own oldest child’s age by 4 and you have 20 more years to catch up with me, it is with great pleasure to observe you youngsters grow! ๐Ÿ™‚

  82. Peter Beddows

    @fredwilson:disqus Belated perhaps, but no less sincere, the wish not only that this was a very happy birthday for you but also that there are many more yet to come.You have already given so much to so many yet it seems likely that you will have even more to offer as time goes by and the wisdom and experience continues to grow. So glad to have met you, albeit virtually; I have gained much from reading your posts for which I am very grateful. Thank you.With that said, as my own aging process continues – notwithstanding earnest attempts to change its direction that all of my electrical and electronics engineering and business development knowledge has thus far failed to come up with either solution or app – it was just in this past year that I finally decided that my 30 year old photo – used for my Avatar across social media – had run its course and my Dorian Grey deal had to come to an end, So as you are, incredibly, just young enough to beat my own oldest child’s age by just 4 years and you have 20 more years in which to catch up with me, it is with great pleasure to observe you youngsters grow and blossom: We older folk have to feel that we have done at least something right with our life!:)

  83. Abs Ghosh

    Happy Birthday, Fred