china doll

Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of traveling abroad for work. The bulk of that travel is to China.

And, over that time, I've also had the privilege to get to know some terrific people. Anny is one of those people.

The person in the picture attached to this post is Anny. I must admit, I've never seen her this way. Most of the time she's wearing jeans, t-shirt, tennis shoes and a backpack, ready to take on the world.

On a moment's notice, she'll get on a bus, take a train, stand on her head if needed to make sure she's done the right thing for our company. I never worry that she's got other motives than to do the right thing for us.

I've watched her evolve from a naive person starting a business to a tenacious business woman. And, I count her as my friend.

Over time, my opinions on whether we should put up trade barriers between us and other countries has evolved. At first, I felt it was important to keep Americans employed. I still do. But, I've also learned that all people should have work if they're willing. They deserve to build a life for themselves, no matter where they're from. Knowing Anny has somehow taken the lines off the map and allowed me to think that everyone deserves opportunity, not just people who look like me.