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I just returned from two weeks in Turkey and Syria, vacationing with my family. There is nothing like a trip overseas, to strange countries and cultures, to gain new perspectives.

One thing this trip reminded me: don’t believe something just because the media says it.

Syria is about as ‘out’ with the U.S. as a country can get. It sponsors Hamas, is destabilizing the Middle East, etc. etc. True — yet what we discovered is that the person on the street (as opposed to the government functionaries working for the dictatorship in power) was as friendly, helpful and genuinely curious about us Americans as I’ve ever met. Compared with (for example) the French, there is no comparison. Our perceptions going in were totally inverted by the time we left.

As a valuator, the lesson is ‘don’t ever accept something at face value’. Our job is to dig into the details of a company and craft an objective interpretation of the future value of the business. It takes effort, but it’s the only way to get the real story. Just because something is ‘common knowledge’ does not mean it is true. Face value is not real value.

Have you gained new perspective from a recent trip abroad or a new experience? Let us know in a comment below!