Chapter 1
“Are you ready?”
I nodded at the cameraman and began:
“Good afternoon from Broadway 317; we’re at the headquarters of New Software Solutions, more commonly known as NSS. Today I am honored to be talking with its founder and CEO Mike Greenberg. Hello, Mike.”
“Hello, everyone.” Greenberg waved warmly at the video camera lens.
“A year ago you launched the free software app Synthesis and soon after followed its premium version. The companies using the application have already surpassed two million and even Microsoft has revealed its intention to buy its rights. Do you think you’re living the American Dream?”
Mike laughed.
“I don’t know what you mean by ‘the American Dream’ but I’d like to tell everyone who’s watching that I believe in hard work. If one has any goals and dreams, they must pursue them tirelessly, even if the whole world’s against them. That’s exactly what Damien, my partner and co-founder of NSS, and I’ve just been discussing. If anyone thinks Damien and I have had some privilege then they can’t be further from the truth. In the beginning we were just a couple of poor young students who relied solely on New York University’s scholarships.”
“Mike, could you tell our viewers how your idea was conceived and how Damien and you founded New Software Solutions? What was your goal?”
After some fifteen minutes there was hardly a viewer who had failed to learn in detail the life story of Mike Greenberg and Damien Nash.
“Thank you, Mike.” I turned back to him. “It was a delight to be able to talk with you about your business startup and your future plans. I am Julia Preston and you watched Good Morning USA’s feature Miracle – How I Did It.”
“Cut! Well done!” The cameraman took the camera off his shoulder.
I was preparing to leave when Mike asked me:
“Are you free for lunch? There’s an Italian restaurant not far from here, if you don’t mind, of course. The owner is a friend of mine. He makes delicious Neapolitan pizza.”
“Is that a date?” I asked innocently and he blushed. He was acting freely and his energy appealed to me. I would’ve loved to have lunch with him. Suddenly I remembered that at two o’clock I had to talk to AEC’s program director at the company’s corporate office and I had to be there on time. I glanced at my watch – it was past 12.30.
“Okay, but let’s hurry. I have a very important meeting at two o’clock.”
***
“So how did you come up with the idea behind Miracle – How I Did It?” Mike asked casually, voraciously swallowing the pesto pasta he’d ordered.
We were already at Mario’s – a cozy Italian restaurant cuddled up in one of Tribeca’s backstreets. Over the pizzeria’s entrance there was a big sign saying “Delicious Neapolitan pizza”.
“Well, it happened somewhat spontaneously. I was in my final year at the University of Florida when a friend of mine read in the student paper about a California man who had earned ten thousand dollars for a children’s center by selling paintings on the street for a year.”
“You mean he was an artist?”
“No, painting had been just a hobby for him; he’d never done it professionally and that’s what’s interesting about the story. They said he’d been surprised people bought his paintings himself.”
“Perhaps he really painted well?” Mike suggested, chewing intently.
“I’ve no idea. Never mind; the article intrigued me and I went to talk to him. He turned out to be quite a down-to-earth guy, with a warm and nice personality. He thinks that each of us has some potential that can do wonders, but only if it’s aimed at benefiting others around us. In that moment I felt my mission was to bring similar cases into the open and show them to society.”
“A very generous goal.” Mike took a sip of wine. “I’ve always thought that one’s intentions are good until they become rich and successful. Once we get a
“Are you ready?”
I nodded at the cameraman and began:
“Good afternoon from Broadway 317; we’re at the headquarters of New Software Solutions, more commonly known as NSS. Today I am honored to be talking with its founder and CEO Mike Greenberg. Hello, Mike.”
“Hello, everyone.” Greenberg waved warmly at the video camera lens.
“A year ago you launched the free software app Synthesis and soon after followed its premium version. The companies using the application have already surpassed two million and even Microsoft has revealed its intention to buy its rights. Do you think you’re living the American Dream?”
Mike laughed.
“I don’t know what you mean by ‘the American Dream’ but I’d like to tell everyone who’s watching that I believe in hard work. If one has any goals and dreams, they must pursue them tirelessly, even if the whole world’s against them. That’s exactly what Damien, my partner and co-founder of NSS, and I’ve just been discussing. If anyone thinks Damien and I have had some privilege then they can’t be further from the truth. In the beginning we were just a couple of poor young students who relied solely on New York University’s scholarships.”
“Mike, could you tell our viewers how your idea was conceived and how Damien and you founded New Software Solutions? What was your goal?”
After some fifteen minutes there was hardly a viewer who had failed to learn in detail the life story of Mike Greenberg and Damien Nash.
“Thank you, Mike.” I turned back to him. “It was a delight to be able to talk with you about your business startup and your future plans. I am Julia Preston and you watched Good Morning USA’s feature Miracle – How I Did It.”
“Cut! Well done!” The cameraman took the camera off his shoulder.
I was preparing to leave when Mike asked me:
“Are you free for lunch? There’s an Italian restaurant not far from here, if you don’t mind, of course. The owner is a friend of mine. He makes delicious Neapolitan pizza.”
“Is that a date?” I asked innocently and he blushed. He was acting freely and his energy appealed to me. I would’ve loved to have lunch with him. Suddenly I remembered that at two o’clock I had to talk to AEC’s program director at the company’s corporate office and I had to be there on time. I glanced at my watch – it was past 12.30.
“Okay, but let’s hurry. I have a very important meeting at two o’clock.”
***
“So how did you come up with the idea behind Miracle – How I Did It?” Mike asked casually, voraciously swallowing the pesto pasta he’d ordered.
We were already at Mario’s – a cozy Italian restaurant cuddled up in one of Tribeca’s backstreets. Over the pizzeria’s entrance there was a big sign saying “Delicious Neapolitan pizza”.
“Well, it happened somewhat spontaneously. I was in my final year at the University of Florida when a friend of mine read in the student paper about a California man who had earned ten thousand dollars for a children’s center by selling paintings on the street for a year.”
“You mean he was an artist?”
“No, painting had been just a hobby for him; he’d never done it professionally and that’s what’s interesting about the story. They said he’d been surprised people bought his paintings himself.”
“Perhaps he really painted well?” Mike suggested, chewing intently.
“I’ve no idea. Never mind; the article intrigued me and I went to talk to him. He turned out to be quite a down-to-earth guy, with a warm and nice personality. He thinks that each of us has some potential that can do wonders, but only if it’s aimed at benefiting others around us. In that moment I felt my mission was to bring similar cases into the open and show them to society.”
“A very generous goal.” Mike took a sip of wine. “I’ve always thought that one’s intentions are good until they become rich and successful. Once we get a
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