Page 14 - BEQ Magazine Iss 19

Thor Falk

says “Yes”

By JULIE A. PALM

Heading into 2020, Thor Falk chose “Just Say screeching halt. I was confined to my house, just
Yes” as his motto. like everyone else.”
With the deaths of both his mother and Falk could have taken the pandemic shutdown
a sister, 2019 had been a tough one for Falk, as a sign to abandon his “Just Say Yes” pledge, yet
president of Falk Research Associates Inc., a full- he remained committed. He taught himself to sew,
service marketing research and consulting firm in making pillows from his late mother’s colorful
Winter Park, Florida. “I can jackets and protective
barely remember the second masks to share with his
half of 2019 but, somehow, family. He began training to
the promise of things being become a personal coach.
THOR FALK, better in 2020 stirred me,” And Falk used the darkness
president of
Falk Research Falk says. “It would be the of the year—the pandemic
Associates Inc . year of saying, ‘Yes!’ ” isolation, the Black Lives
It was a good time in Falk’s Matter protests, the turmoil
life to embrace the new, the of the election—to shine a
positive. A self-described light. “While upset by the
“gay old guy” who had specific events, I remained
been running his successful committed to looking for
business for two decades, opportunities in 2020 and
Falk was ready to take on fresh challenges and to refused to let go of my ‘Just Say Yes’ commitment
give back to others, especially younger members to myself,” Falk says.
of the LGBTQ community.
During the first few months of 2020, Falk’s FLYING THE FLAG
commitment to “Yes” went well. He lost 35 Inspired by a similar effort in Hingham,
pounds, led his business to its best quarter in a Massachusetts, Falk launched a project to
decade and, at 60, started dating again. “Then encourage residents in Winter Park to fly 1,000
came COVID-19 and my business came to a
Pride flags this June. He formed the not-for-profit

14 SUMMER 2021 BUSINESSEQUALITYMAGAZINE.COM