This year’s commencement speaker may be a lawyer, entrepreneur and real estate investor, but according to him, his secret to success started with one unexpected thing: the bagpipes.
Berkeley was honored to welcome back John Errico ’04 to address the graduating Class of 2025. Now a Principal at Liberty Hudson Capital and an elected city councilman in New Jersey, Errico has built a career full of impressive titles and achievements, but his message to graduates was refreshingly simple – say yes.
In a speech full of humor and authenticity, Errico took the audience on a journey through his time at Berkeley and beyond. He shared how a freshman year suggestion from Bagpipes Director Patrick Fisher to learn the bagpipes set off a chain reaction of unexpected opportunities, from leading the Berkeley Pipe and Drum Corps, to writing college essays about bagpiping, to eventually running international tours for his college a cappella group at Yale.
He repeatedly mentioned that he stepped up for roles others avoided, not because he was the most qualified, but simply because he was the only one willing to say “yes.” From editing the yearbook to becoming the president of clubs with one member (himself), Errico made the case that showing up and saying yes matters more than being perfect.
“Some of the biggest things in life start small. They start with a yes. They start when you show up,” said Errico.
He even revealed that he still carries a laminated, wallet-sized version of his Berkeley diploma, originally handed out by the alumni office 21 years ago, as a reminder of how far a simple “yes” can go.
With humor and honesty, Mr. Errico told graduates they don’t need to have everything figured out.
“You don’t need to be the most qualified or the most confident,” he said. “You just need to be willing to raise your hand.”
His advice was clear: embrace the opportunities you’re given, volunteer for the unpopular jobs and trust that the small decisions you make now may one day lead to something surprisingly big, like giving the graduation speech at your alma mater.
To read Errico’s full speech, click here.
