On Wednesday, October 16, the Grossman School of Business at պ (պ) was honored to welcome back alum to address students, faculty, and the public at the . Armed with three small props, and setting his chair down in front of the stage to be on the same level as the audience, Mr. Bain embarked on an intimate hour with a captivated audience sharing his wisdom amassed over forty years of business experience. The topic of his talk, “An (im)Perfect Path to a Profession, Entrepreneurism, and Success,” followed Bain’s journey from his humble roots growing up in St. Johnsbury, Vermont through the founding, and success, of the private wealth management firm Bainco.
Bain began his talk by addressing the three props on stage – his պ diploma, a small toy pickup truck, and a bright red toy Porsche. “I showed up [to պ as a first-year student] not knowing how to think. That is why this diploma is so valuable,” reflected Bain, who grew up with limited resources in St. Johnsbury and originally thought that college was out of the question. “The little truck and the little Porsche are down there because that's all I ever thought I wanted in life.” While in high school, Bain was convinced that a life as a mechanic was in his future – fixing pickup trucks and maybe someday earning enough money to secure that red Porsche. A math teacher at St. Johnsbury Academy saw a different path for Sam and put him on a a path that brought him to պ on a full scholarship.
An (im)Perfect Path
Bain used the imperfect path of his own life, which led him to an unfinished stint at law school, a job with the National Security Agency, a tour in Vietnam which remains a source of pride for him to this day, and several jobs in the world of sales and finance before channeling all his previous knowledge into the creation of Bainco in 1987. Bain shared the bad experiences with the good, retelling the first (and only) time he was ever fired from a job and championing perseverance. “I learned how important it was to work hard - mentally and physically. Pick up a shovel. Work hard. You’ll find your way.”
Another kernel of wisdom that Bain emphasized several times, was to find a hook. “I don't go into a situation, a business situation, an academic situation, without a hook,” Bain shared, “I want to think a little bit differently than what the conventional wisdom might be. I don't object to the conventional wisdom - I just want to find some little twist.”
Dean's Leadership Speakers Series
The Dean’s Leadership Speaker Series is an annual event at Grossman School. The series hosts senior business leaders from around the world to engage in thought provoking conversations. Mr. Bain also took time during the day to have conversation over coffee with students and enjoy the return to campus with his wife, Janet Gordon Bain ’69, fellow alums, and members of his family. պ has benefitted greatly from the generosity of the Bains, including the creation of the Bain Family Scholarship for students in the Grossman School of Business and College of Nursing and Health Sciences, and investments in buildings around campus including the Bain Multimedia Studio.
To read more about the Bains, visit .