A Thanksgiving Story That Shatters Expectations 🦃✨

The Brattons could’ve kept every penny. Instead, they asked: Who helped us get here? How can we honor that? What legacy do we want to leave?

I still can’t stop thinking about it.

Generosity at a scale that blew the business world away.

Picture this: A family sells its business after generations of hard work. Nothing unusual there, right?

But here’s what they did next that blew my mind...

The Bratton family—owners of Wake Stone Corporation—sold their company to Vulcan Materials for a pretty penny.

And instead of keeping it all? They gave millions back to their employees.

We’re talking:

• $10,000 per year of employment for rank-and-file workers

• $20,000 per year for supervisors

• $40,000 per year for superintendents

Many hourly employees walked away with $200,000–$400,000. 💰

Let that sink in for a second.

This wasn’t some corporate bonus program. This was a family saying: “You helped build this. Now let us help build YOUR future.”

Here’s what gets me:

1. They didn’t just write checks—they protected futures.

   • No jobs lost

   • No pay cuts

   • A transition plan that kept people employed

2. They turned a business transaction into a legacy moment. Sam Bratton said it best: “We’ve always treated everyone like family.”

3. They proved that “enough” isn’t a number—it’s a mindset. (More on this in a sec...)

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The Thankful Test 🍂

This story got me thinking about “The Thankful Test” (hat tip to National Christian Foundation for this gem).

It’s just three questions that reveal how gratitude shows up in our lives:

1. How much time do I spend comparing? (What I have vs. what others have)

2. How much time do I spend complaining? (About what’s lacking)

3. How much time do I spend coveting? (Wanting what isn’t mine)

The Brattons aced this test.

They didn’t…

• Compare their sale to others’

• Complain about “having” to share.

• Covet the windfall

  They celebrated what the sale could do for others.

Proverbs 11:25 says it best: “The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.”

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Your “Enough” Line 🎯

Here’s what I’m wrestling with this Thanksgiving:

What if “enough” isn’t about the number in your bank account, but about the impact in your wake?

The Brattons could’ve kept every penny. Instead, they asked:

• Who helped us get here?

• How can we honor that?

• What legacy do we want to leave?

This week, I challenge you to ask:

1. Who’s helped build what you have? (And how can you honor them?)

2. What does “enough” look like for YOU? (Not your neighbor. Not your industry. You.)

3. What’s one way you can turn gratitude into action this week? (Even if it’s small!)

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Your Turn! 🗣️ I’d LOVE to hear from you:

• What’s the most generous act you’ve seen in business?

• How do you define “enough”?

• Who’s someone you’d love to honor this Thanksgiving?

Email and tell me—I read every single one!

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P.S. My friend Dale always says: “Do your giving while you’re living, so you’re knowing where it’s going!”

This Thanksgiving, let’s make sure our gratitude doesn’t just stay in our hearts—let’s put it into action. Who’s with me? 🙌