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On his daughter Lana’s wedding
day in 1994, Bill Hyche surprised her
with a special gift he had been working
on since she left home to attend college
five years earlier.
Like many anxious parents whose children are
setting out on their own, Hyche, of Lakeway,
Texas (pop. 8,002), wanted to share values he
considered important. After struggling for two
years to compose a letter, he threw it away, elect
ing instead to print a colorful poster featuring
sayings that offer simple, sage advice, such as
“Exceed Expectations,” “Do Not Judge,” “Learn
to Communicate,” “Forgive Others” and “Give
Money Away.”
“As my daughters Laura and Lana grew up and
moved away, it occurred to me that they might not
really know me," Hyche, 61, says of that time. “I
wanted to give them something that showed me not
just as a lather, but as the person I really am."
Lana still recalls that moment with her father
on her wedding day. "The poster was my dad's
way of saying, This is how 1 raised my children,
and now I'm handing it off to you.”' When she
told him, “Dad, this sounds just like you," Hyche
knew his gift had accomplished its purpose.
When friends and colleagues began requesting
copies of the poster, Hyche expanded on the val
ues, spending several years collecting more than
1,200 quotes from the world's leading speakers
and writers. Each of the poster’s 79 values became
a chapter title for The Right Moment: A Collection of
Quotations for Living an Inspired Life, a book he self
published as a gift for his daughters in 2003.
Hyche, president of his own health care consult
ing company, never intended to become a writer.
But while giving a motivational speech attended
by a Wells Fargo executive, Hyche mentioned the
book and immediately received an order for 500
copies from the banking company. As more orders
came in. Hyche established Common Good Press
to publish the book.
He pledged to donate 10 percent of profits to
charities selected by groups or individuals pur
chasing the book, an action that enabled Hyche
to leave his grandchildren a lesson, as well as a
legacy, of giving.
“My goal is to give away $1 million through
this book,” he says.
With more than $30,000 already donated to
Leading an
by BEVERLY
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organizations supporting families of American
troops and to institutions such as the American
Cancer Society and Texas Association of Student
Councils, Hyche has a good start on fulfilling his
pledge. In addition, books purchased by corpora
tions for their employees get a personalized fore
word by the company's CEO. A special teacher’s
edition of the book, with a foreword by Archie
McAfee, director of the Texas Association of Sec
ondary School Principals, is a popular apprecia
tion gift in schools throughout the country.
“Teachers love that they can incorporate the contents
into lessons on values,” McAfee says.
Lana (now Lana Hyche King), the original inspira
tion for Hyche's tome, says she refers to the book regu
larly for motivation in her personal life as well as in her
markering business. “I use it to find meaningful quotes
for meetings, presentations and friends,” she says. Her
son Camren, 11, gives a copy to his teachers every year,
proudly signing page 112, which opens with his own
quote spoken as a 4-year-old learning to acknowledge
differences: “If you were just like me, how would I
know who you would be?"
Today, Hyche has a new dream.
“My fantasy is to use this book to create something
bigger than my world,” he says. "All I ever intended to
do was write a book for my children, but it has taken
on a life of its own. To make a difference... that means
a lot."
Beverly Bimmier is a freelance miter in Austin. Texas.
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