- Ray Price photo by Christer Berg for his Portraits With Purpose project.
“Never take what happens to your clients personally.”
Advice to a young Scott Misner from a mentor and former boss that I still think very fondly of to this day.
Worst advice I’ve ever received.
Why? Because it’s always personal with you. Having the opportunity to serve others – who trust you with their very being – is a blessing.
Every pixel on your website. Every seemingly trivial misuse of your logo. Every word in a press release. Every ribbon-cutting or anniversary celebration. It’s all personal.
So, I write today with a heavy heart. And I’m thinking about that advice from years ago. I’ve been asked to do what I probably dread more than any other… and that’s to write a eulogy media announcement for a beloved friend and client.
Nine years ago to the day I wrote a eulogy for my nephew, Wesley. He was five.
Tough words to string together, for sure. I guess creativity just doesn’t flow when we’re mourning.
So, back to this day, what do I say about a man who’s passion for his craft has impacted an entire community?
A man who channeled that passion for two-wheels and the freedom of the open road, for being in the wind, to inspire countless new motorcyclists, including yours truly.
A man who’s very passion and commitment to his wife and family converged every day as they welcomed hundreds of bikers into their home. A family room that doubles as a showroom floor.
Ray Price was a great human.
Soft-spoken. Especially for somebody who’d travel at speeds beyond 200 mph. Yet, he was full of stories. Not just about drag racing, either, where he became famous for riding the fastest naturally aspirated bike on the planet and as “The Father of the Funnybike.”
Ray had wonderful stories about Raleigh history. The man knew everybody.
Probably because he held group rides for charity just about every weekend at his dealership.
Also, because he took the chance to create a huge tourist event in downtown Raleigh 11 years ago, long before everybody else caught wind that Raleigh actually had a downtown.
Ray loved his city. So much so that he kept his dealerships and racing team downtown against heavy pressure from powers-that-be to move it out to the interstate, where most motorcycle dealerships are located.
And, man, was he likable. Just look at the outpouring on social media.
Though, for me it’s bigger than all of that combined. You see, Ray experienced the worst day of this writer’s professional career… and gave me the opportunity to make it right.
So, let’s just say that curating a motorcycle exhibit for the City of Raleigh Museum this year, featuring Ray, was a gift for us both.
So much more can be said. But let me leave you with just this…
Ray Price had a heart of chrome. Forevermore, when we ride, we ride with Ray… into the wind.
