This Blog is Not For You...

Reflections on Mortality from My Friend and Mentor Daniel Isenberg

Of all of my teachers over the years (at least “teacher” in a formal academic sense), I have stayed closest with Daniel Isenberg. As my professor of international entrepreneurship in business school, a former VC in Israel, an active angel investor, and as a thoughtfully contrarian author and lecturer, we have long had many overlapping personal and professional interests that have kept us tight.

Despite coming from different generations, we have bonded as friends and I consider Dan one of my most trusted mentors and thought partners. On the surface, one might say that I know Dan very well. In reality, I didn’t really get to know what’s deep inside of him until I read his most recent book, rather provocatively titled “This Book is Not for You: My Loss, My Grief, My Healing.”

Dan tragically lost his beloved wife Carla to a rare and aggressive form of cancer back in late 2023. This kind of trauma in one’s life is never welcome, but especially so when a life partner is as young and vibrant as Carla had been. Moreover, in a sad twist of irony, Carla was a brilliant Alzheimer’s and ALS researcher who had dedicated her life’s work to the mission of saving lives.

Dan’s path to coping with Carla’s serious illness and the aftermath of her eventual death was obviously very personal. However, that did not stop him from documenting his experience and internal emotions for all to absorb and contemplate. His book not only serves as a chronicle of a painfully difficult time, but it opened a window into Dan that I had not seen before. This, in turn, opened a path that I could explore within myself.

Adding to Dan’s story was his own recent health incident that could have ended much worse than it did. Allow me this platform to present Dan in his own voice sharing his story. While the video quality linked below is not perfect as this speech was not staged for mass distribution, I encourage you, my dear followers, to listen in. It is hard for me to imagine not finding something in this talk to reflect upon and find some meaning and inspiration.

Dan, my friend, for your “last lecture” (though I certainly hope not)… over to you!