A Funny Thing Happened

 

A few years ago the folks at Rocware asked for some help. They had amazing technology and their brand was very big around the world - but their name was relatively unknown in North America. So, they became a paid sponsor of the NYDLA and we did a campaign to GetRocware.com sending an email to the facilities managers of our 174K+ schools across North America. 

We crushed it.

Also years ago BlueJeans by Verizon was trying to find its footing in the 'Zoom Wars'. Same drill: we did an email to the facilities managers of our 174K+ schools across North America.

Wow. Marketing. We're good at it. Who knew? 

Over the past 15 years this story repeated itself for Zoom, Logitech, Lenovo, AireSpring, HubSpot - the list is long. Now in 2026 we sell, market and promote 'All Things Remote' and the tools and the services that ENABLE all things remote. Telemedicine. Ecommerce. Teaching, training, coaching, mentoring, living, learning, working, playing in the GLOBAL Cloud COMMUNITY. 

Yours and mine. 

While cleaning out the attic I found an album from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Growing up in the 60s my parents played that album, let's just say - OFTEN. I no longer own a record player, but I found it online, and played it. I was transported back in time to my living room in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. I could almost sing along, even now at 65 years old. CORE MEMORIES. 

AND SO...................

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Running the Distance Learning Association.

We became a marketing powerhouse.

Born in the 5 boroughs of New York City, the New York METRO Distance Learning Association was born in 1983 (Pre-Internet). I guess they were shipping VHS tapes and whatnot as 'online' was not yet a thing. But over the years, Distance Learning became DIGITAL Learning and now in 2026 it is all just DIGITAL LIVING. 

TED Talks. Audible. SiriusXM. YouTube. Zoom was founded by Eric Yuan on April 21, 2011. Before that, if you said 'Zoom' to me I would think of the kids show on PBS Boston - again from the 60s. 

Broadway > Film > Album. Turns out that the 'Forum' album made more money over the years than the other two mediums. Who would have predicted, right?

2026: The NYDLA | NADLA | GLOBALDLA makes more money MARKETING to the 174K+ facilities managers of our schools, and the ALUMNI NETWORKS of our schools than via membership dues. We have a trusted BRAND. 

How do you say something against Lifelong Learning, right? How can EDUCATION be a bad thing? Folks (school alumni) are now running Hospitals. Car Dealerships. Municipalities. Factories. Restaurants. CEOs, CFOs, CMOs, CTOs. Doctors. Scientists. Truck Drivers. Roofers. Electricians. Landscapers. Plumbers. EVERYONE. We have the entire line cards of companies like TD SYNNEX, D&H, Ingram Micro, Jenne, TeleDynamics and more in our online store. Because Distance Learning became DIGITAL Learning and now it is most certainly just DIGITAL LIVING. 

Zoom was 'born' as a meeting tool that just flat out worked. And we all watched how Zoom became a verb during the pandemic. Today, Zoom has morphed into a complete ecosystem for teaching, training, coaching, mentoring, living, learning, working, playing to/from ANYWHERE in the world. It only makes sense that the Distance Learning Association would be helping the entire world to become www.PoweredByZoom.com 

And now this: our DLA CoffeeInTheClouds.com fireside chats are also Powered By Zoom and now reach millions living all around the world. Not just the 174K+ schools but we also directly reach the Alumni Networks of our schools. We are now also live on Audible, YouTube and SiriusXM networks. Zoom recently won an Emmy - because their cloud technology allows you to produce TV BROADCAST QUALITY events, to/from anywhere in the world. INTERACTIVE HDTV to you. You can now work with people because of their attitude, not their latitude and longitude. 

So yes, a funny thing DID happen to the NYDLA. It is now 2026 and we are democratizing education globally via disruptive technology. What started out as a tiny non-profit born in the 5 boroughs of New York City (way back in 1983) the DLA has morphed and changed and has grown into the (now) GlobalDLA.org. 

And it feels like the 'DLA' journey has just begun. 

Yours and mine. 

joinNYDLA.org

Everyone has a guy (or gal)

 

I needed some painting done at the house. I am not sure if you are familiar with the jobs boards out there in the world, things like Thumbtack and Angie's List (now just Angi). You make a post of what you need done and then DOZENS of contractors for whatnot start calling you and emailing you and texting you. Turns out those contractors pay a fee for those leads - no matter what. Plumbers, Landscapers, Roofers, you name it - all pay $$$ for the chance to call, text, and email the same folks! It's like a food fight. Same goes for Facebook Marketplace. It all feels kinda dumb. 

I'm old enough to remember www.Craigslist.com - the popular online classified advertisements website where people can buy, sell, trade, and find local services, jobs, and housing. 

Focus: The site is organized by specific cities, regions, and countries so users can find listings nearby.

Categories: Listings are split into clear sections, including jobs, housing/apartments, items for sale (furniture, electronics, cars), services, gigs, and community discussion forums.

Simple Design: The website uses a basic, text-heavy layout without flashy animations or graphics. 

Direct Communication: Most browsing is free, and buyers and sellers deal with each other directly via email or phone without the site processing payments or managing delivery. 

Founded: Started in 1995 by Craig Newmark in San Francisco, initially as an email list for friends about local events before moving to the web in 1996.

Reach: It operates in hundreds of cities worldwide, though the vast majority of its users are in the United States.

I was 35 when Craigslist was born. I am old enough to remember using the Yellow Pages to find contractors. Some of the ads were BIG (expensive) and some were tiny. But if you were in business, you had to be in the phone book - THE Yellow Pages. And now, not so much. 

Back to painting my garage: I saw a painter's van parked in my neighbor's driveway. I took out my phone, took a picture, and called them. "Do you service Boonton Township, NJ?" I asked. Of course I already knew that they did, but it was a conversation starter. Fast forward to today: best hire ever. 

As I sit here today I am reflecting on how Craig Newmark started with an opt-in email list - a vetted proven list of trusted relationships. It was simple, clean, and valuable. 

I have been in business since 1983, pre-email. Today we have thousands of lists of zero spam, 100% opt-in currated relationships that get a 50% open rate to our email newsletters - because they are the opposite of spam. These lists are NOT social media, not AI slop. They are real people, who want to be in (and on) the list. 

I think the future of marketing is found in the past. I think we are due for a Yellow Pages | Craigslist reboot. Slow it down. Humans connecting with humans. Because you need to call 'my guy' - and everyone has a guy (or gal). 

BoontonWorks.com is 

going LIVE later this month.

Otto B. Strodthoff

The only Grandpa that I ever knew was Otto B. Strodthoff, my Mom's Dad. Otto and I had a special bond. Some of my favorite memories were playing golf with my Grandpa, Otto. Thankfully Otto lived long enough to meet my two sons. Otto actually lived longer than my Dad. My wife loved Otto, he always had a seat at our table. I made sure that Otto would want for nothing. My Grandpa. 

My oldest son named his first born child Otto Anthony Capone. After my Grandpa, and my Dad, Anthony. So, there was no chance that when I saw my first ad for 'Otto - the AI that you own' I was going to just keep on scrolling. 

So, I started poking around, digging and researching, to find out what's what about Otto. Who is behind it, is it real, can I get one, can I test one, etc. I always find it 'fun' when you discover something via social media and it grabs you deeply enough to make you click. And then click some more, and then go down the rabbit hole. Like I said, there was no way that something named 'Otto' was going to miss my attention.

And I learned long ago that it goes ATTENTION > ENGAGEMENT > ADOPTION > UTILIZATION. 

In sales (or just about anything) it all begins with Attention. If I don't have your attention, I can't sell you anything. Without your attention, I cannot teach you anything either. Then comes Engagement. Was there enough of a 'spark' to cause the person to ask for more? To take the call to action? To say "OK, I'll bite, what's going on here?" 

If you get an Otto, what will be the result? Will it change your life? Or will Otto sit on the corner of your desk collecting dust, because you just never got around to returning it? Could Otto become 'the thing' that changes your AI journey? Will Otto change you life?   

Fun fact: I almost hosted a podcast with the current CEO of Otto way back in 2018. Not really sure why that never happened, but now we might do a fireside chat all about Otto. We (the NYDLA.org) have grown much since 2018 as our www.CoffeeInTheClouds.com fireside chats | video podcasts now reach millions of people living all around the world. 

And so, I am cautiously optimistic that we can become a significant partner with Otto. This month we shall begin testing, and doing a deep dive of all things Otto. If everything checks out, we shall be offering Otto to the 174K+ schools serviced by the NYDLA - and their alumni networks. The (hopeful) Master Plan: we shall become a Tier 1 ELITE reseller for Otto, across North America. And then, the world.

I think Grandpa (and Grandson) Otto would approve, don't you? 

Otto is coming soon to www.TAC-USA.com

10% of 10% of 10%

 

www.nydla.org/linkme

There was big news last week about Meta paying out $18 billion.

Meta agreed to pay up to $18 billion in a landmark settlement in August 2026 to resolve multi-state lawsuits accusing Facebook and Instagram of fueling social media addiction in children, as detailed by the New York Times.

Settlement Payout Breakdown

Total Amount: Up to $18 billion paid across participating states and territories.

Base Payments: At least $12 billion distributed to states in annual installments over a 10-year period.

Separate Deals: About $1 billion allocated to Texas, which settled independently.

Privacy Claims: $459 million dedicated to resolving older privacy claims tied to the Cambridge Analytica scandal.

Contingent Funds: Around $5.3 billion tied to whether competitors like TikTok and YouTube adopt similar safety rules and fines.

Required Platform Changes

Meta did not admit wrongdoing, but the court order forces major design updates:

Time Limits: Default daily usage limits applied to teen accounts.

Nighttime Blocks: Restrictions preventing teens from using the apps late at night.

Hidden Engagement: Turning off default visibility for likes and reactions on teen posts.

Safety Controls: Better age verification checks and added tools for parents.

So how did the stock do?

Meta's recent multibillion-dollar legal settlements and fines had a negligible (or even positive) impact on its stock price because the costs were lower than feared and removed major legal uncertainty.

Why the Market Reacted This Way

Removed Legal Overhang: Settling clears long-standing uncertainty that weighed down investor sentiment.

Manageable Payouts: Spreading payments over 10 years and utilizing cash reserves makes the fine a small fraction of Meta's annual revenue and profits.

Minimal Business Disruption: Required platform changes (like default daily time limits for teens) target a small percentage of overall users and revenue, yielding little impact on Meta's bottom line. 

Smaller Rulings: Earlier state-level penalties (such as a roughly $567 million New Mexico ruling) also resulted in flat or minimally changed share prices as investors shrugged off the costs relative to Meta's massive annual profits and revenue.

Where are you going with this Tom?

I have around 4.3K connections on my personal Facebook. I don't call them friends, as I only have a few (less than a dozen) true friends. These FB peeps are connections. Not friends. 

I do use technology like Linkme to reach millions of people living all around the world. These are real humans, no bots. No bots, ever. I find it fascinating that Meta has been able to fool the world into thinking that you can have more than a few (handful) of true human friends. 

http://link.me/ThomasCapone if you want to actually connect with me. 

Sorry, my 'friend' dance card is full. 

Whatcha gonna do with the old ones?

 

www.NYDLA.org/Regadget

We have been selling telecom and technology since 1983. When one of our large schools like RUTGERS does a technology refresh, it's a good day. 1,000+ laptops here, 1,000+ cameras there, it adds up fast. And when one school buys let's say 1,000 new Lenovo computers, that is a $1M+ sale, easy. The phrase 'a rising tide lifts all boats' is very accurate here as our buying power is the result of all the schools, and all of the alumni of our K-20 schools - all 174K+ of them. 

REGADGET is now a value-added member benefit of the (now) GlobalDLA.org 

Our Story (Regadget)

From Humble Beginnings to Industry Leadership.
Founded in 2017, Regadget began with a clear mission: to provide the best renewed laptops and Chromebooks for schools and businesses. Recognizing an underserved market, Regadget quickly established itself as a trusted provider of high-quality refurbished devices, combining innovation with sustainability.

Starting with one employee in a modest 1,000 sq. ft. warehouse, Regadget’s story is one of rapid growth fueled by passion and purpose. By the end of its first year, the company moved into a 5,000 sq. ft. facility and expanded its team. Today, Regadget operates in a cutting-edge facility, employing 50 dedicated professionals who are committed to making technology accessible to all.

So, if you have 'no' computer then a refurbished computer is fantastic. And if you have a school in a part of the world that has very limited technology, then refurbished hardware is very welcome. 

Also, if you live in a part of the world impacted by a natural disaster, rebuilding your technology stack can be both expensive and complicated. A partnership with companies like Regadget goes to the core of our mission: we are democratizing education on a global basis via disruptive technology.  

Knowledge + Technology + Talent delivered to every time zone in the world. After all, we are all living, learning, working, playing, teaching, training, coaching, mentoring in the GLOBAL Cloud COMMUNITY. Yours and mine. 

www.GetAireSpring.com 

Finding Your Smart

 

If you simply type 'Seth' into the Google, the name Seth most commonly refers to two major historical and mythological figures: the biblical son of Adam and Eve in Abrahamic religions, and the ancient Egyptian god of chaos and storms. 

But if you scroll down just a little, you find https://seths.blog and https://sethgodin.com 

I know (for a fact) that just a few years ago if you just typed 'Seth' into search you found him - Seth Godin - first choice. I know this because I found that remarkable. For me it was a 'wow' moment. Just type 'Seth' and he came up first. That should make anyone pause. 

I read Seth's daily blog, daily. Here is today for this Sunday, 8/16/2026: https://seths.blog/2026/08/replace-the-filters/  I get an email every day with the blog post of the day. And, I read it. Every time. And once in a while I go to the 'Best of the Blog' and read posts from days (years) ago. 

Seth Godin is 'my smart'. Mine. There is a part of my brain that thinks that everyone on the planet read's Seth's Daily Blog. Like me. Obviously they do not. But again, there is a part of my brain that 'feels' like they do (or should). After all, Seth is 'my smart' and so he should be 'your smart' too. 

There is a Project Management tool called Basecamp.com. It comes from the folks at 37signals.com They make three things that I pay to use: Basecamp, HEY! and Highrise. Funny thing about Highrise is that you (as in YOU) cannot buy Highrise today. They won't let anyone get a 'new' account, but if you are an existing paying customer (like me) you can keep using Highrise 'until the end of the Internet.' 

Wow. 

37signals (especially Basecamp) is 'my smart'. I can't imagine running a business without Basecamp. Just a few months ago the new and improved http://Basecamp.com/5 went live. I don't think I have been so excited about a product reveal. 

I run a professional trade association, NYDLA.org. I think that everyone on the planet should be a member. As soon as I think that, my brain also says that is just dumb. EVERYONE CAN read Seth's blog. Or use Basecamp. I think there are 1B+ Zoom users in the world, but only a small fraction of those users pay to use Zoom. 

After COVID Zoom became a verb. Getting a working Zoom account was expected. But getting folks to PAY to use Zoom, to access the higher professional features of Zoom became a slog. As of today, the world population is approximately 8.3 billion people. And according to the Google 300 million people (in total) use Zoom daily worldwide. SO that is 3.61% of the world population paying more than $0 to use Zoom. 

As of today, there are approximately 250 million paying Amazon Prime members. 3.01% of the world population pays to use Amazon Prime. Like me.

OK, where are you going with this Tom? Land the plane....

Seth Godin, 37signals, Zoom, Amazon Prime are a part of my life. Every day. They are 'my smart'. Everyone has a collection of products, services, tools (and relationships) that make up their own 'smart' as in the things they use and experience every day. Some are free, some cost money. It is a good exercise to take a moment and think about how 'your smart' became yours. 

And why you might say 'no' to something that could have been - would have been - should have been on your list. Your very own smart list. 

It is smart to try things, at least once. You cannot say 'That is not my cup of tea' if you never tried tea in your life. 

What will be your next smart?

https://joinNYDLA.org

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