Humble Beginnings, Big Dreams
I grew up the youngest of three boys in a working-class home. My dad was a cattle trader—an independent one—which meant he worked long hours, took big risks, and provided a decent living for our family in Houston. My mom was a traditional homemaker, warm and full of love, the kind of mother every child hopes for.
From as early as I can remember, my brothers and I were encouraged to work, to hustle, to figure things out. We harvested pecans, sorted and sacked them, and sold them door-to-door. We mowed lawns, hawked lemonade, and looked for any honest way to earn a buck. That work ethic shaped me. Our dad’s constant refrain was, “Someday, you boys need to start your own business.” Balancing our dad was our mother. She taught us compassion and selflessness by her gentle example and giving heart.
The lessons stuck – all of them.
When It All Fell Apart
By 1962, my dad had grown his cattle business and took a big leap—expanding into the feedlot business in a small town in Louisiana. So we left Houston and moved to Amite into a modest rental home. Within two years the business failed, resulting in financial ruin. One day, dad came home and told us to pack our bags. We left town that night and moved-in with my grandmother in Palestine, Texas.
I was barely fourteen, but that frightening experience changed me forever. I learned what it means to go from having enough to having nothing—but to keep going anyway. Although it didn’t feel this way at the time, it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me.
Over the next few years I worked every job I could find. I shined shoes. I cleaned shops. I sold movie tickets. In high school I worked twenty-five hours a week in multiple part-time jobs. When we eventually moved back to Houston, I started selling Cutco knives door to door. I didn’t make a lot of money, but I got something more valuable: sales experience. That led to a commission-only job at a lady’s shoe store—my first taste of real sales success.
Building My Foundation
After high school, I enrolled in night classes at the University of Houston carrying twelve hours per semester. My draft number was 25 (12 hours per semester was mandatory for student deferment, or “Hello Vietnam!”). I initially majored in English and Creative Writing but later switched to Economics. It took five years to earn my degree.
During that period I worked full time for a place called Industrial Welding School as an Outreach and Job Development Specialist. Part of my job was encouraging students to finish training and become certified welders. They were all government sponsored, so either on probation, parole, or from poverty programs. But the majority of my time was spent developing good-paying, skilled jobs for graduates to go to. I loved the work. It gave me a great sense of giving back and feeling like I was making a meaningful difference for good in people’s lives. It also gave me great insight into marketing, hiring, and how businesses think when it comes to finding talent.
What I didn’t realize at the time was that this “ordinary” job was laying the groundwork for the business I would eventually start.
Taking the Leap
In 1977, Industrial Welding School closed its doors. I was 27, unemployed, and had four months’ worth of savings in the bank. I’d never forgotten my father’s mantra: “Start your own business.” But I had no inventory, no team, and no idea where to begin.
Then I stumbled across something that made my eyes light up: the personnel placement industry. I was amazed that companies would pay a fee to hire someone—just a regular person with good skills and no troubled background. I thought, That’s what I’ve been doing for years, just not for a fee. That was my “aha” moment.
I borrowed a back office with two rotary phones from a CPA friend and opened my business on May 9, 1977. I named it Piper-Morgan Associates Personnel Consultants. On Monday, I had no clients and no candidates. By Friday, I had made my first placement.
The Road to Staying Power
Starting a business is hard. Building one that lasts is even harder. There were times (more than a few) in the early days where I wasn’t sure how I was going to pay my bills. But I stayed committed to doing right by people—both the companies I worked with and the job candidates I represented.
In time the business gained traction. Eventually, I developed an interview coaching method I called “Winning the Offer.” I taught it to every candidate. Boy, did it ever work! My placements increased exponentially. My reputation grew. I went on to become the top-ranked technical and professional recruiter in Houston for 18 straight years—and in the entire state of Texas for nine. No other recruiter came close. I stopped entering the competition after the 18th win.
Lessons from the Journey
Looking back, I see a clear line through my life: adversity, hustle, purpose, and belief. I didn’t have a blueprint or investors. I had grit, the willingness to learn, and a commitment to helping people.
Here are some of the principles I’ve learned about entrepreneurship:
- Start small, but start. You don’t need a fancy office or big budget. I had two rotary phones and a borrowed desk
- Believe in your instincts. If something lights you up, pay attention. It might be the thing you were meant to do.
- Treat people like gold. Reputation is everything in business. Honor your word, particularly when it’s hard, most particularly when it’s extra hard.
- Never stop learning. Every job, every failure, every sale teaches you something
- Give back. Success is sweeter when you use it to lift others
Where It All Leads
Piper-Morgan has been a dream come true. It proves that someone from modest means can create something lasting, meaningful, and good. This work has always been more fun than fun for me.Today, I’ve poured that same entrepreneurial energy into philanthropy, education, and innovation—like the voice therapy app my son created for people with Parkinson’s to use free of charge which is now accessed globally. A seven year effort I could fully fund because of Piper-Morgan. What a wonderful gift to humanity!
The journey hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been worth every step. If you’ve ever thought about starting your own business, I’ll pass along my dad’s advice:
Do it. Start something of your own. Don’t wait for perfect. Just begin.
You never know how far it might take you.