I write this just after Veterans Day — the U.S. public holiday observed annually on Nov. 11, honoring military veterans, that is, those who served in the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with other holidays such as Remembrance Day in the United Kingdom, my country of birth.
Around this time, perhaps more than ever, we hear people say, “Thank you for your service.” They may say this to a veteran or post a similar comment on social media to honor a deceased family member or friend who served. The only sacrifice greater than serving in the military is giving one’s life in the act of doing so — which, of course, is what we honor on Memorial Day.
It may seem trivial to connect military service with the workplace, but the phrase “Thank you for your service” has resonated with me more than ever in recent days, especially as we head into Thanksgiving.
Few employees, in my observation, are truly thankful for what they’ve received. Most don’t appreciate what they have. It’s often said that employers will pay just enough so people won’t leave, and that employees will do just enough not to get fired. I’m not sure I agree. I’ve seen many people be overpaid (in my opinion) for what they actually do, and many others go the extra mile and still not be paid what they’re worth.
If you’re an employee, have you ever stopped to consider that an entrepreneur — or a group of entrepreneurs — started the business you now work for? It’s easy to see this in a start-up, where you probably work alongside the founders. But even when I worked for the large, publicly traded Hilton Hotels Corp., it wasn’t hard to think back a few decades and picture Conrad Hilton — the founder and great-grandfather of the wonderful (sic) Paris Hilton.
As a side note, I met Paris once at what used to be the company headquarters in Beverly Hills. She said to me, “You sound like Hugh Grant.” I was mightily pleased, as Hugh is from a very posh part of London, whereas I’m from ragamuffin middle England. I was about to express my gratitude, but she added, “Yeah, but you’re not as good-looking.” Charming. I’ve since refused to accept her friend request on Facebook.
Even if you work for a government or quasi-government entity — or even a church — in a very real sense, it was entrepreneurs who had the courage to apply for that school to be built, that cityhood to be granted, or that church to be founded. We have much to be grateful for as employees. Someone, or a group of people, gave their time and talents to create the workplaces where we now earn our living.
The definition of an entrepreneur underscores the risks such people take — they could have lost it all. An entrepreneur is “a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses, taking on greater than normal financial risks in order to do so.”
I’d encourage employees to reflect during this season of gratitude — between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving — on the sacrifices made by those who came before them to create the jobs they now hold. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration’s 2025 report, nearly 48% of employees in the United States work for small businesses.
Remember, even the biggest businesses were once small. Walmart, which employs 2.3 million people, was started by one entrepreneur — Sam Walton — just 63 years ago, in 1962.
I can only imagine the horrors of war, and I am immensely grateful for the men and women who gave their time — and some, their lives — to serve their country. It is often said there’s no greater love than to give one’s life for a friend.
So, as we pause to give thanks, I hope all employees will also take a moment to reflect on all we have to be grateful for. America may not be perfect; California certainly has its challenges; and even Awesometown is not always awesome — but the measure of a great country, a great state, and a great city is when more people want in than want out.
Paul Butler is a Santa Clarita resident and a client partner with Newleaf Training and Development of Valencia (newleaf-ca.com). The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Signal newspaper. For questions or comments, email Butler at [email protected].
