Slowly, and then all at once

 

The phrase "slowly, and then all at once" famously originates from John Green's novel The Fault in Our Stars, where a character describes falling in love like falling asleep. It is a variation of Ernest Hemingway's line about bankruptcy ("gradually, then suddenly"), capturing how tipping points work in life.

The phrase means that a change or process happens in two stages: a long, invisible buildup phase where nothing seems to change, followed by a sudden, rapid tipping point where everything shifts at the same time. 

We just hit a tipping point at the DLA. A big one. We found a way to double our membership (and it was already huge). 

I was on a webinar a few weeks ago, and in the room was this guy from Linkme. He found me on my personal LinkedIn after the webinar. I make it really easy for people to find me: TomCapone.com goes to my LinkedIn profile. So, when I attend a webinar (or anything) getting people to 'click on' TomCapone.com is my money shot. Anyone that knows me has heard me say "Get 'em in the boat..." which means we can nurture them.. and then sort them out later. Life (and business) is all about attention > engagement > adoption > utilization. 

If I can't get your attention I cannot teach you (or sell you) anything. But the ENGAGEMENT is everything. A car alarm going off at 2:00 AM is going to get your ATTENTION, but most people will just pull their pillow over their head until it shuts off. No ENGAGEMENT. 

OK, you got them to engage. Great! Now what? It might not be a good fit for them. It might be 'cool' but not a fit for THEM. Thanks, but no thanks. It's 2026 and there are STILL people in the world who have never seen STAR WARS. Or tried Sushi. Or paid for an online course (or an entire college education). 

I am going to jump ahead since if you got this far I (still) have your ATTENTION. The folks at Linkme have made the Distance Learning Association the exclusive vendor to offer all education niche members their own Linkme account. Like mine here: link.me/ThomasCapone 

Linkme for Business. Linkme for Education. Linkme for actors, authors, teachers, trainers, coaches, mentors. Linkme is a 'tool' that enables massive zero spam, 100% opt-in, curated NETWORKING. 

PENN STATE WORLD CAMPUS has 800K+ living alumni. PURDUE UNIVERSITY ONLINE has 600K+ living alumni. RUTGERS has 615K+ living alumni with 380K+ living in New Jersey - like me! 

We have made Linkme a value-added member benefit of the (now) GlobalDLA.org  So, not only can our 174K+ schools use Linkme but the ALUMNI NETWORKS of our 174K+ schools can ALSO use Linkme. For free. Well, technically it is not free, I'm buying. Well, it's free (to you) once you www.joinNYDLA.org  so I guess it's really a member benefit. I think we need less words and more clicking at this point, don't you agree?  (www.NYDLA.org/Linkme)

If you made it this far, we have clearly passed the ATTENTION phase and we are now deeply in the ENGAGEMENT portion of the program. You know, the call to action: >>> link.me/ThomasCapone <<< 

www.joinNYDLA.org

SwissArmyOffice.com is re-born

Today we are staying at a Home2 by Hilton. And, they named it well. I have my Lenovo laptop, two Espresso Displays, Logitech Blue HD mic, Yamaha speakerphone, Jabra headset, and my trusty Meeting Owl. When I plug into the LG monitor (in our suite) I have four screens. I would turn on the 2nd Espresso Display, but that just feels piggy this morning. 

At the NYDLA.org we use Basecamp.com as our PM tool. We also use Adobe, HubSpot, Zoom, BigCommerce, QuickBooks. Everything in the cloud. And we use AireSpring GLOBAL to power our smartphones and laptops to/from anywhere in the world - even from ships at sea. 

Because we are a Tier 1 ELITE reseller and/or Master Agent for most telecom and technology products and services, I can duplicate my home office from just about anywhere. I have a new self-driving EV that syncs both Apple and Android phones, so I have been taking Zoom calls and meetings from the road. Funny thing, my car has an interior camera that monitors my eyes, and so my EV yells at me if I am not watching the road. 

I am asking our web team to create the SwissArmyOffice.com product line. Basic SAO is a laptop, 2nd monitor and headset. The Home2 Deluxe SAO will have everything you see in this pic - less the LG monitor. And you get a wheelie case that fits it all, and fits into an airline overhead bin. We can even 'rent' a SAO by just shipping overnight the wheelie case fully loaded (and all batteries fully charged). And we include annual plans of Zoom, 8x8 or the UCaaS | CCaaS tools of your choice. All via our $1B+ buying power. We can lease the entire bundle for 12, 24 or 36 months. 

Oh, one more thing. Every SAO comes with 10 hours of STRATUSstaff.com support per month. So you get the knowledge, the technology and the talent to live, learn, work, play, teach, train, coach, mentor to/from ANYWHERE in the world. 

"Home is where the heart is" is a popular saying meaning your true home is where the people you love and care about are. This phrase also names several songs and a home renovation show. 

It's 2026 and your 'Home Office' is where the SAO is...  anywhere. 

SwissArmyOffice

 

It's not the years, it's the miles

 

Many years ago, we used a CRM & SFA tool called SalesJunction. 

SalesJunction is a web-based, affordable CRM and Sales Force Automation (SFA) tool designed for small to medium-sized businesses. It helps companies streamline workflows, track leads, and manage customer accounts with customizable dashboards and email integration. They were acquired by SilverCloud Partners. 

Founded in 2011, SilverCloud Partners was a financial advisory firm that specialized in advising, consulting, and operating software technology companies and the firms that invest in them. The firm catered to the needs of various sectors, such as information technology, consulting services, and commercial services. It was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia. The firm dissolved and ceased to exist on March 13, 2025.

In 2010 we moved away from SJ and went with Highrise, a product of 37signals.com We have also been using Basecamp.com for around 20 years. 

We now use Basecamp.com/5 and it is magic. Between Highrise, Basecamp, Zoom, BigCommerce and a smattering of SaaS tools we can run multiple companies including the growing NYDLA | NADLA communities. 

We use Highrise and Basecamp every day, all day long. 

2026: you cannot get Highrisehq.com. If you go there, you will find this note:

We shall not have the Sunsetting of Highrise like we did with SalesJunction. The folks at 37signals have done something here that is worthy of note. They are not taking on new customers for Highrise. They are no longer looking to grow Highrise. But for their existing customers - all can sleep well at night with the knowledge that you can continue to use Highrise forever. 'Until the end of the internet!' 

We have two Highrise accounts, one for MTP and one for the NYDLA | NADLA membership. Each account maxes out at 300,000 contacts. So, for $700 per month, we have 600,000 possible contacts serviced via a very elegant, very powerful CRM | SFA tool. And now via AI, our Highrise accounts 'play nice' with all of our other tools: Basecamp, Zoom, Adobe, Dotdigital, Mailchimp, QuickBooks - the list is long. I have joked with the founders of 37signals: Between Highrise and Basecamp, I can service 600,000 customers for less than $1,000 per month. CRM | SFA | Project Management. Done. 

If I could get a 3rd Highrise account I would. But no one can. Not since 2018. We have other tools, like Zoho and HubSpot. We tend to sell what we use and use what we sell. 

AND SO... today in 2026 we run everything with Highrise, Basecamp (and the rest......) Sounds like the opening to Gilligan's Island (damn, I'm old). Oh, and I also use HEY.com email from 37signals. And so should you. 

I will use products and services from 37signals.com 'Until the end of the internet!' 

GetAireSpring.com - Master Agent for 25 years. 

The Math of Marketing

 

I like the math of marketing. In fact, I think I love it. But do you know your target audience? 

FIFA WORLD CUP finals will be at MetLife Stadium, temporarily known as New York New Jersey Stadium for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is a multi-purpose stadium located at the Meadowlands Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, five miles west of New York City. Capacity: 82,500.

If I paid the folks that ran MetLife Stadium to put my 'QR Code' on the Jumbotron - the big screen at the stadium - what would that cost me? What would that be worth? If I could have www.joinNYDLA.org on the rings of electronic billboards that circle the stadium, what would be a good ROI on that marketing spend? 

If (for some reason) the management of MetLife Stadium was willing to put my QR codes and my websites 'on' the billboards for FREE - this would be fantastic. Great! Do it! 

But if the cost was a non-zero amount, how does one (like a CMO) decide on what is a good use of marketing dollars? $1,000? $10,000? $100,000? 

A 30-second Super Bowl commercial costs an average of $8 million for airtime alone, with premium slots during Super Bowl 60 reaching record highs of $10 million. While buying the broadcasting space is the headline figure, industry analysts and company executives report that the true all-inclusive cost ranges between $16 million and $29 million per commercial. This massive difference stems from hidden expenses required to bring the ad to life.

Cost Breakdown per 30-Second Commercial

Network Airtime: $8 million average (up to $10 million for last-minute inventory).

Video Production: $1 million to $4 million for high-end filming and special effects.

Celebrity Talent: $1 million to $5 million for A-list actors, athletes, or musicians.

Network Matching Spend: Networks like NBCUniversal frequently require advertisers to buy an additional $7 million to $10 million in ad commitments across other sports properties throughout the year.

Question: Is FIFA WORLD CUP bigger than the NFL Super Bowl? 

From a marketing standpoint, the FIFA World Cup is significantly bigger overall, especially in global reach, cumulative exposure, and total sponsorship/marketing revenue though the Super Bowl excels as a concentrated, high-value U.S. advertising spectacle.

Viewership and Global Reach

World Cup: Massive global scale. The 2022 final reached ~1.5 billion viewers (with 5+ billion cumulative unique viewers across the tournament). The 2026 opener alone drew ~1.2 billion. The full tournament (now 48 teams, 104+ matches) is projected to exceed 5 billion total engagements, averaging far more daily exposure over a month.

Super Bowl: Dominates the U.S. with ~123 to 125 million average viewers (peaks higher, e.g., 202+ million tuning in for parts). Global audience adds ~60+ million, for totals around 200 to 265 million. It’s the biggest single U.S. TV event annually but pales globally.

Marketing takeaway: The World Cup offers unmatched international brand exposure across continents, ideal for global campaigns (e.g., Coca-Cola, Adidas, Visa). The Super Bowl is a premier U.S.-centric platform where brands can dominate cultural conversation in one night.

Advertising and Sponsorship Revenue

Super Bowl: Extremely high per-spot value. 30-second ads cost ~$7 to 8 million (record levels in recent years). Broadcasters generate $650 to 800+ million in ad sales for the game. It’s a cultural phenomenon where ads themselves become events (reviewed, memed, debated), driving strong brand recall and buzz in the U.S. market.

World Cup: Far larger total marketing/sponsorship haul. FIFA’s sponsorships for 2026 are projected at ~$1.8 to 2.7 billion (or higher), part of $8.9 to 11+ billion total tournament revenue (broadcast rights are the biggest slice). Brands get prolonged exposure across dozens of matches, host countries, and digital channels.

Marketing takeaway: Super Bowl ads deliver intense, concentrated impact and prestige in the American market (hard-to-reach audiences, high engagement). World Cup sponsorships provide scale and sustained global activation opportunities.

Other Marketing Dimensions

Economic/Host Impact: Super Bowl brings $500 million to $1.3 billion to host cities (tourism, hospitality, etc.). World Cup generates billions more in broader economic activity across multiple nations, plus long-term infrastructure and tourism boosts.

Brand Equity and Cultural Power: Super Bowl ads create viral, shareable moments in the U.S. World Cup builds deeper emotional connections worldwide through national pride and ongoing narratives. Both amplify existing brand equity effectively.

Duration and Format: One high-production U.S. night (with many ad breaks) vs. a month-long global festival (fewer in-game ad opportunities but massive cumulative reach).

Bottom line: Choose the Super Bowl for premium U.S. brand launches, cultural dominance, and ad creativity. Choose the FIFA World Cup for global scale, international markets, and total exposure volume. For most multinational marketers, the World Cup wins as the bigger platform.

MY target audience for the DLA will know the names Seth Godin, Tom Peters, Scott Galloway, Alex Hormozi. They will read their books, and take their courses. NYDLA.org paid members are probably not the same 82,500 folks who will pay $$$$$$$ to attend the World Cup finals live in New Jersey (one week away from today). 

Well, SOME will, Right? 

www.joinNYDLA.org 

NYDLA members at World Cup (Miami) 

Can we be Sirius for a minute?

 

We started doing an audio podcast many (many) years ago. We called it NYDLAcast.com  

It was when Zoom became a verb that we started doing video fireside chats. PoweredByZoom.com  Actors, Authors, Subject Matter Experts. Thought Leaders. During COVID we did 'ZoomTalks.us' with Comedians. Zoom Shows. And some of these comedians have millions of followers on social media. I'm looking at you Jim Gaffigan. 

When someone famous launched a book, folks like www.FortierPR.com would contact us to do a book launch interview. Some of these authors have 500K+ followers on LinkedIn. We found a hack - we would 'gift' their new book to the NYDLA | NADLA paid members. Technically, we would reimburse the cost of the book via a $25 credit to their monthly DLA membership fee. So, buy the book, get a $25 credit. Sweet.

And so, our audio only NYDLAcast.com fireside chats started getting coverage on Audible.com for the books, and then for podcasts. 

Audible does not publicly disclose exact subscriber numbers, but industry estimates and historical reports place the figure at roughly 36 million subscribers globally. The service controls the lion's share of the global audiobook market. And now the audio podcast market. 

Last month, the folks from SiriusXM came calling. 

SiriusXM reaches approximately 33 million paid subscribers for its core satellite and digital radio platforms. When taking its broader media ecosystem into account which includes Pandora and its extensive partner and podcast networks, SiriusXM Media reaches over 160 million listeners monthly.

Here is the breakdown of SiriusXM's reach:

Core Satellite & Direct Subscriptions: Roughly 33 million paid subscribers (which includes users on paid streaming plans and complimentary new-car trials).

SiriusXM Media Ecosystem: Through SiriusXM, Pandora, and the wider partner network, the company's advertising platforms reach 170 million people, which translates to roughly 55% of the U.S. population aged 13 and over.

The big thing is actually the little thing: anyone can do this. From now until September I am working 'from the road' visiting NYDLA | NADLA host universities. We are traveling from Maine to Virginia (the New York Megalopolis) working from Hilton Properties. My wife (and our dog Konta) are enjoying the world of 'remote' this summer. We get two connecting rooms (suites) which allows me to set up my SwissArmyOffice.com in one of the suites and 'live' in the other. 

Question: do you have a product | service | book | course that would be a fit for the NYDLA | NADLA | Audible | SiriusXM | Zoom zero spam, 100% opt-in global cloud community? We should do a test, yes? 

Hey, did you know that when you joinNYDLA.org you get 10,000 Hilton Honors points during your first stay at a Hilton Property?

Well, now you know. 

Konta Capone

On your Honor

 

Home Away from Home

I've been a Hilton Honors member (formerly known as Hilton HHonors) since 1987. When our kids were little, we discovered a 'hack' to rent a room at Embassy Suites for the sleepover birthday parties. Two connecting rooms (suites) with pool access, and games and pizza and whatnot. Just be prepared to leave an extra good tip for housekeeping. 

This July > August 2026 we are doing a 'roadshow' up and down the Northeast coastline. We're visiting many of the NYDLA | NADLA schools, from Maine to Virginia. You know, those colleges and universities located in the New York Megalopolis. 

NYDLA.org was 'born' in the 5 boroughs of New York City in 1983. The New York METRO Distance Learning Association. Pre-Internet. I guess they were shipping VHS tapes in the mail. As distance learning became DIGITAL learning - it is now all just DIGITAL LIVING. 

Distance Education has become just education. Telemedicine is now just medicine. Remote work is now just.....work. And of course, E-Commerce is now just commerce. 

My company MTP - My Teaching Partners as been around since 1983. I took over running the NYDLA during the last recession. Around the 2008 - 2009 timeframe. When the world (and the NYDLA) was broke. RUTGERS was our first 'host university' in 2011. I remember thinking that we could not even afford to pay for our monthly website hosting. I remember vividly saying out loud "I can't pay these bills. We are going to go dark." 

RUTGERS was our first Host University and sponsor. You can see their original letter from 2012 here. Then came Quinnipiac, then Stevens. As we fast forward to 2026 there are now 174K+ schools across North America serviced by the Distance Learning Association. But RUTGERS was the one that took us from being broke to cash flow positive. If it were not for RUTGERS there would be no DLA. 

Right now my wife and I are staying in a Hilton Property down the road from Yale.edu. We have two connecting suites (just like when the kids were little). One of the rooms in the suite is my 'office' PoweredByZoom.com of course. We also have access to the hotel's meeting room down the hall. Hey you DID GetMeetingOwl.com right? The month of July we shall be at Yale, UCONN, Quinnipiac, University of Hartford and a few more. Then in August we pack up the EV and head down to Georgetown, University of Virginia, and.... RUTGERS. Via Zoom, you can easily have 200 people LIVE in the room, 200K+ people LIVE via Zoom, and 2M+ people watching the archives via Workvivo by Zoom. Hey - got people? GetWorkvivo.com 

DLA members can get our SwissArmyOffice.com - our brand of an office in a trunk. For one low monthly fee you get Zoom, and Meeting Owl, and Lenovo, and Logitech and Starlink, and your choice of BigCommerce or Clover. Throw in a Jabra3 85 with AI-powered deep learning mode, and you are living, learning, working, playing, teaching, training, coaching, mentoring to/from ANYWHERE in the world. 

2026: Penn State World Campus has 800K+ living alumni. Purdue University Online has 600K+ living alumni. RUTGERS has 615K+ living alumni with 380K+ alumni living in New Jersey - like me. And we are connected with (checks notes...) ALL OF THEM. 

Ah, yes. I am living in New Jersey. When I am not living (learning, working, playing, teaching, training, coaching mentoring) at a Hilton Property. 

And of course, with the DLA mascot, Konta. 

Konta Capone says: "Hilton Pet Friendly properties

are Woofarific!" 

I.U.P.G. (International Union of Professional Grandpas)

 

https://www.obama.org/visit/

The phrase "I know it when I see it" was used in 1964 by United States Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart to describe his threshold test for obscenity in Jacobellis v. Ohio. In explaining why the material at issue in the case was not obscene under the Roth test, and therefore was protected speech that could not be censored, Stewart wrote: 

I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.

The expression became one of the best-known phrases in the history of the Supreme Court. Though "I know it when I see it" is widely cited as Stewart's test for "obscenity", he did not use the word "obscenity" himself in his short concurrence, but stated that he knew what fit the "shorthand description" of "hard-core pornography" when he saw it.

Ok, my turn: "I know a good man when I see one." ~ TomCapone.com 

It is Father's Day 2026. Today is the first Father's Day for my oldest son, Tom. My other son Robert now has two Father's Days under his belt. Tommy and Bobby both had sons born just this past Christmas. So now I'm a Professional Grandpa three times over. Theo, then Graham, then Otto. All family names. 

I just received this note from one of my team leaders at STRATUSstaff.com (one of my companies).

Just wanted to wish you a Happy Father's Day. You have been such a great Father to your Sons and a great Grandpa to your grandsons. Aside from being an amazing husband to Dianne, you are a great mentor/teacher and leader as well. You have given me an opportunity to fulfill my lifelong dream, being a Webmaster. Your teachings and advices are well appreciated and it's written all over different places :D (Notebook, online, my phone/desktop and in me literally). I am grateful and Blessed to have such an amazing boss and to be part of STRATUSstaff.com. Enjoy this special day with your Family sir. Happy Sunday and Happy Father's day. Salute!

Because I run the Distance Learning Association, I am constantly surrounded by teachers, trainers, coaches, mentors. Leaders Worth Following. Our Coffee In the Clouds video podcasts now reach millions, and we just went live with SiriusXM and Audible platforms. We are democratizing education on a global basis via disruptive technology. 

I just learned that we shall be broadcasting LIVE from The Obama Presidential Center later this year. And how did this happen? Someone told someone to check out www.CoffeeInTheClouds.com  Here is my Professional Grandpa quote for this Father's Day 2026:

"I'll probably never become a Billionaire. The odds are against it. But I can live my life in such a way, and run my companies with a culture so that everyone is rooting for me. Remember that money is just a tool to be used to do good works. Unused tools will get rusty." 

I'm in a great mood right now as I'll see my three grandsons tomorrow. I leave you with this on Father's Day 2026: Teach everything you know. Pay it forward. Be the boss that you wish you had. And remember - everyone you meet in life (especially at work) is someone's grandchild. 

Got this card today - thanks Ann!