A Driven Career

 

A "driven career" signifies a professional path where an individual possesses a strong desire for advancement and is willing to dedicate significant effort and dedication to achieve their goals. It involves proactive goal-setting, continuous self-improvement, and a commitment to excelling in their chosen field. Key characteristics of a driven career:

Proactive Goal Setting

Individuals with a driven career set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals, and actively work towards them. 

Continuous Improvement

They are constantly seeking ways to improve their skills, knowledge, and performance, viewing challenges as opportunities for growth. 

Dedication and Hard Work

Driven individuals are willing to put in the necessary effort and time to achieve their objectives, often going the extra mile to excel in their roles. 

Ambition and Motivation

They possess a strong internal drive and motivation to succeed, constantly seeking opportunities for advancement and taking ownership of their career development. 

Strategic Thinking

They think strategically about their career path, considering how their current role contributes to their long-term goals and actively seeking out opportunities that align with their aspirations. 

Networking and Relationship Building

Driven individuals recognize the importance of networking and building relationships with colleagues, mentors, and industry professionals to expand their knowledge and opportunities. 

Resilience and Adaptability

They demonstrate resilience in the face of setbacks and adapt to changing circumstances, viewing challenges as learning experiences. 

Focus on Impact

Driven individuals often strive to make a meaningful impact in their field and contribute to the success of their organization. Examples of actions associated with a driven career:

• Seeking out challenging assignments and projects.
• Pursuing further education, certifications, or training to enhance skills.
• Actively seeking feedback and using it to improve performance.
• Mentoring and coaching others.
• Taking on leadership roles and responsibilities.
• Continuously seeking out opportunities for advancement.
• Building a strong professional network. 

In essence, a driven career is characterized by a proactive, ambitious, and dedicated approach to professional development and success.

It just hit me this week, how much all things 'Cars' and the automotive industry had on my career. I started selling CAR PHONES for NYNEX MOBILE in the 80s. And over the years I have sold and marketed car insurance, leads for car dealerships, software for managing car dealerships - so many things connected to 'Cars'. 

We (the NYDLA.org | MyTeachingPartners.com) sold 7,400+ Car Dealership OWNERS access to The Disney Institute for Leadership Training. I owned many cars over the years. Bought many, leased a few. One of my favorites was my 1999 Lincoln Navigator. At the time, it was one of the largest purchases of my life. That 'truck' was amazing. The number of round-trips that we made to UCONN, to Quinnipiac, and Disney World was significant. The engine in that car (that year especially) was AMAZING. I'll bet that 1999 Navigator is STILL on the road. 

I now find myself shopping for a new car. Not sure if I will lease or buy. But I know that the vehicle will have 'Super Cruise' or whatever that brand of car calls their version of hands-free driving. And it will have the Zoom app in the dashboard. I still live in BOONTON USA (there is only one) and my 'territory' is Boston to Virginia. I prefer to drive, not fly. My drive time is when I get caught up with my books on Audible.com  

I received this email: 

Thomas Your Personalized Navigator Price Quote

Thank you for contacting Lincoln of Wayne regarding a new Lincoln Navigator. Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is XXXX XXXXXXX and I am excited to be of assistance with your Lincoln of Wayne shopping experience. 

I can provide your price quote but just need a little information to be able to curate pricing specific to your needs and wants. Are you looking to lease or purchase? Would you be putting any money out of your pocket or $0?  If leasing, how many miles a year do you need? If it is easier to stop in, I'd be happy to help in-person.

Click here to schedule an appointment.

Our goal is to make acquiring a new Lincoln Navigator as convenient as possible by custom tailoring your experience with our exclusive Lincoln On Demand program. Sit back and relax, we can bring the test drive to your home or office. Once you finalize your purchase, we can either set a delivery appointment here at Lincoln of Wayne, or we can provide at-home delivery of your new Lincoln. With Lincoln On Demand, you can truly purchase your next vehicle from anywhere! Click here to schedule a reservation at your home or office.*

You are well on your way to enjoying the best dealership experience you've ever had. Thank you for choosing Lincoln of Wayne!

When I bought my 1999 Lincoln Navigator I was dealing directly with the owner of the dealership (Lincoln of Wayne). It is now 2025 and I am now dealing with his son. I remember like it was yesterday: sitting in Peter Sr.'s office talking about his son who was in High School in Morristown, NJ. And now that son (Peter Jr.) is running the show. At least I think Peter Jr. he is running the show, not sure. It's a big family. But I am pretty sure he will be reading this blog - we're now connected on LinkedIn. 

I am not sure what make/model car I am ultimately going to drive. But I do know that if I go with a Lincoln, it will be from Lincoln of Wayne. How could I not? We just had a (virtual) family reunion. 

Cars. Car Phones. Car Dealerships. Automotive Marketing. Sales Training. Leadership Training and Development. Yes indeed, I've had a driven career. 

For more than three decades, Disney Institute has been helping to advise and train a variety of professionals, teams and organizations worldwide based on the business insights and best practices of Disney parks and resorts. 

You should write a book

A blog is a type of website or an online platform where individuals or groups regularly post content, such as articles, opinions, personal experiences, or information on various topics. Blogs are typically written in an informal or conversational style and can cover virtually any subject, from travel and food to technology and lifestyle. They often include features like comments sections for reader interaction, tags or categories for organization, and multimedia elements like images or videos. Blogs are used for personal expression, education, marketing, or building communities, and they are usually updated frequently to engage audiences.

I have been doing a Sunday Blog (every Sunday) since 2010. I used Blogger (this thing) and I have been using it for 15+ years. I can't say that I have never missed a Sunday. But hey....

No really. HEY! is my new email service via the folks at 37signals. And they have a feature called HEY World. 

HEY World is a blogging platform integrated into the HEY email service, developed by Basecamp (37signals). It allows users with a paid personal HEY email account (@hey.com) to publish blog posts directly by sending an email to world@hey.com. The platform simplifies blogging by eliminating the need for separate website setup or complex publishing tools, making it as easy as sending an email. Posts are published to a webpage (world.hey.com/username) and can be shared with subscribers via email or RSS feed. It’s designed for simplicity, with no JavaScript, tracking, or ads, evoking a "Web 1.0" feel. However, it’s only available to paid HEY for You customers, not trial or HEY for Domains accounts, and your email address is publicly visible, which has raised privacy concerns for some users.

So now I have two. ThomasCapone.com goes to my Sunday Blog, and TheCEOdepot.com goes to my HEY World blog. 

Blogger is like my primary residence, and HEY World is like a vacation home. Blogger is more 'formal' and HEY World is more like 'Hey, you know something...' and you just blast it out to...well, to the world. 

I do a video podcast (www.CoffeeInTheClouds.us) and most of the time, we are launching new books. When a new book is going to go live, the good folks at FortierPR.com usually gives me a call and we book the interview. Our video podcast fireside chat style interviews are PoweredByZoom.com and reach millions of people living all around the world. Most of the time, these folks are FAMOUS and they tell everyone they know to check out the interview. I'll allow it... 

And....the good folks at FortierPR.com said that it would be easy to convert my 15+ years worth of Sunday Blog posts into a book. After all, it is already written. So, we are doing it. I'll use TommyCapone.com for that - to launch a new book. MY book. 

Where are you going with this Tom?

Well, Blogger.com is free. HEY World is free, when you pay $99 per year for HEY! email service. And my video podcast powered by Zoom is also....well OK that is not free. But it is part of the Zoom Workplace which starts out at $15 per month. 

2010 to 2025. Fifteen years of Sunday Blogs. And now, a smattering of daily or weekly blogs via HEY World whenever the mood hits me. And now a book, which is simply a concatenation of my Sunday Blogs. So, that book kinda wrote itself. 

It is amazing what you can do for FREE...or damn close to free. You can even 'Google' the word concatenation for free..... amazing times. 

One of these will be the book cover...

Want to help me pick?

Does that Drill come with AI?

 

My brilliant friend and NYDLA.org member Jon Stark made a post this week that made me pause and reflect. One of his clients was asking about how 'AI' would impact his freelancing business. In the scenario described the customer, armed with AI, thinks they can create what they believe to be the same deliverable. BUT!

The deliverable is not the value. 

The effectiveness of the deliverable is where the real value usually lies. So... If a prospect asked: “Couldn’t I just use AI to do what you do?” Jon would say: “If you think so, give it a try. I’ll loop back in 3 months and see how effective it was for you.” Jon is saying that clients don’t want deliverables.

Clients want results.

For a freelance SEO contractor - if they can get results with AI, then yes, you are in trouble. If they can’t, you aren’t. It made me think about the old joke about "People don't want to buy a drill... they need a hole." 

This past week was InfoComm - 'THE' ProAV show of the year. It was great. Earlier this year, we attended the HIMSS.org event. It also was great. Ah, but WHY was it great? And was it great for just ME, or was it great for everyone? In July, there will be an event in NYC - 'AI in Healthcare' once again from our friends at HIMSS. Because it is right in my backyard (NYC) it will be easy for me to attend. Round-trip for me via train from BOONTON USA to Pennsylvania Station NYC will cost me around $15. So I can attend THIS (or almost any other event) in NYC and still sleep in my own bed at night. Yes, I am spoiled. 

One thing that I noticed from the InfoComm event is that many vendors use this event in Orlando as their annual meeting with their remote staff. Other than events in Las Vegas, if you are going to fly to a venue Orlando is pretty great. This year, we had a staff training event at The Disney Institute parallel to InfoComm. So, being in Orlando this month we were both effective and efficient. 

46,900 folks attended our HIMSS.org event this year in Vegas. 41,300 attended InfoComm LIVE in Orlando. Many times that number attended some or all of these events virtually. All in, it is easy to spend thousands of dollars to attend a trade show LIVE. Hotel, travel, and if you are the vendor a proper trade show booth could easily cost $10,000 to $100,000. I have seen vendors bring 100+ staff to man a trade show. So that is 100 plane tickets, 100 hotel rooms, plus a few days of meals for everyone. 

So this brings me to the point of today's Sunday Blog: are you buying a drill - or do you simply need a hole? When you try to justify the expense to a CFO why attending (or presenting) LIVE at a trade show, what is the criteria that you use to explain the effectiveness of the investment? I still see people attending trade shows simply because their competitors are going. I see people buying plane tickets and hotel rooms with a clear mission - and others are just caught swimming in the current. 

We use Adobe and Dotdigital and Orum (three NYDLA.org vendors) to follow up, Follow Up, FOLLOW UP with all attendees of all the trade shows that we participate. Our rule is this: if we are going to attend a show, we will spend the time and money necessary to properly follow up. There is always another show - just like there is always another bus. And, because we are an 'Association' when our members attend a trade show LIVE, our members can meet other members IRL (not just Zoom). Many times for the first time (the only time?) if it were not for trade shows like InfoComm or HIMSS or ISE or CES (I can keep going) we would never, ever, ever meet each other in real life. I also recognize that my living 30 miles West of the Center of the Known Universe (NYC) I am spoiled. I can wake up, jump on a train from BOONTON USA and be at 11 Times Square or Javits Center by 9:00 AM easy. And I can be back in BOONTON USA to take my dog to the park before dusk. I can use my laptop on WiFi the entire time (usually 90 minute commute, door to door). 

So, I am a big fan of the ROI of trade shows - especially those in NYC. Attending a FREE webinar is nice. But when someone spends real money - spends their after tax dollars - to attend a trade show - or host the Happy Hour - they are going to be looking for an ROI. They are going to be looking for a way to measure the effectiveness of attending the show LIVE. They want the hole from the drill. 

Oh, by the way - the Lenovo | Meeting Owl Happy Hour on Thursday at InfoComm - bravo! It was..... a hoot. 

www.NYDLAatInfoComm.com

There will be pens.....

This week is our big ProAV show InfoComm in Orlando. We already have 41,300+ NYDLA.org members signed up to attend LIVE. I figure around 800 trade show booths. Some will be your classic 10x10 booth with a table, tablecloth, and.....pens.

Others booths will be more like small houses constructed indoors. It is not unheard of to have a vendor spend $100,000+ on their booth. Zoom will have at least 20+ staff attending while vendors like Sennheiser typically send 100+ to such trade shows. 

Hey Grok, how can I get my boss to pay for me to attend InfoComm this year?

Subject: Request to Attend InfoComm 2025 – A Strategic Opportunity for Professional Growth and Business Impact

Dear [Manager’s Name or Management Team],

I am writing to request approval to attend InfoComm 2025, the largest professional audiovisual (AV) trade show in North America, taking place June 7-13, 2025, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. This event presents a unique opportunity to advance our team’s expertise, enhance our company’s competitive edge, and drive innovation in our AV-related projects. Below, I outline the key benefits of attending InfoComm 2025 and how it aligns with our organizational goals.

1. Access to Cutting-Edge AV Technologies and Trends

InfoComm 2025 will feature over 800 exhibitors showcasing the latest advancements in audio, video, conferencing, digital signage, enterprise IT, security, VR, and live event solutions. The exhibit hall offers hands-on access to emerging technologies like AI-driven decision-making tools, advanced audio systems, and AV-over-IP solutions, which are shaping the future of our industry. By exploring these innovations, I can identify tools and strategies to improve our workflows, enhance project outcomes, and ensure we remain at the forefront of industry trends. For example, sessions like “2030 Vision: The Future of AV” will provide insights into long-term industry shifts, enabling us to future-proof our technology investments.

2. Comprehensive Educational Opportunities

The event offers over 100 sessions across 11 educational tracks, including AI in AV, business and project management, and enterprise IT. These sessions, led by industry experts, provide actionable knowledge to refine our skills and processes. For instance, workshops on AV system monitoring and Certified Technology Specialist (CTS) preparation can directly enhance my technical expertise and contribute to our team’s ability to deliver high-quality projects. Additionally, sessions like Yamaha’s ProVisionaire Ecosystem and Panasonic’s automated conferencing solutions will equip me with practical tools to streamline our operations.

3. Unparalleled Networking Opportunities

With attendees from 125 countries, including AV and IT integrators, enterprise buyers, and industry leaders, InfoComm is a hub for building strategic relationships. Networking events like the AVIXA Women’s Breakfast, the Night at Universal Studios, and guided show floor tours (e.g., Smart Workplace & Classroom) offer opportunities to connect with peers, vendors, and visionaries. These interactions can lead to partnerships, new vendor relationships, and insights into competitor strategies, all of which can strengthen our market position.

4. Market Research and Competitive Insights

Attending InfoComm allows me to observe competitors, engage with industry experts, and gauge reactions to new products. This firsthand market research can inform our business strategy, helping us identify gaps in our offerings and capitalize on emerging opportunities. The show’s Trailblazers Zone, featuring innovative solutions from new exhibitors, will provide a glimpse into disruptive technologies that could shape our future projects.

5. Cost-Effective Professional Development

The show floor is accessible for free since we are a paid member of the NYDLA.org. This makes InfoComm a cost-effective way to gain high-value training and exposure to global AV trends. My attendance can maximize our return on investment by bringing back knowledge and connections that enhance our team’s capabilities.

6. Alignment with Organizational Goals

By attending InfoComm 2025, I can acquire skills and insights that directly support our objectives, such as improving project efficiency, adopting innovative technologies, and strengthening client relationships. The knowledge gained will enable me to contribute to our team’s success by implementing best practices and staying ahead of industry developments.

Conclusion and Request

InfoComm 2025 is a critical opportunity to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving AV industry. I propose attending the event as an NYDLA.org member to participate in educational sessions, explore the exhibit hall, and network with industry leaders. I am happy to provide a detailed cost estimate or discuss how my attendance can be tailored to specific company priorities. 

Thank you for considering this request. I am confident that attending InfoComm 2025 will deliver significant value to our team and organization.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

[Your Job Title]  

Grok says: This letter highlights the key reasons to attend InfoComm 2025, tailored to persuade your management by aligning the event’s benefits with professional and business goals. Let me know if you’d like to adjust the tone, add specific company objectives, or include a budget breakdown.

Oh, and we shall be giving away 100 $250 TAC-USA.com Gift Cards powered by Tremendous.com to the first 100 NYDLA.org members that shoot our 'QR Code' at our vendor booths. 

And pens. There will be free pens. 

www.NYDLAatInfoComm.com

Partners and Agents and Resellers - Oh My!

The phrase "Lions, tigers and bears" comes from a passage spoken by the Tin Man, Dorothy, and the Scarecrow in The Wizard of Oz.

"Lions and tigers and bears" is an expression from The Wizard of Oz where it symbolizes an unknown danger. Dorothy asks Tinman what might lurk in the woods and he replies "Lions and tigers and bears" even though he clearly has no real, concrete idea.  The Oh My! - It's rare to have lions, tigers, and bears share the same range.

Partners and Agents and Resellers - Oh My!

In my world (telecom and technology) it is common for a major company (Zoom, Microsoft, Verizon, et.al.) to have Partner Programs. They often allow for Agents. Sometimes MASTER AGENTS. And sometimes they allow for entities to RESELL for them (buy wholesale, sell it to customers). We call them Resellers. 

I have been in the telecom and technology game since 1983. I have sold NYNEX Mobile 'Car Phones' in the 80s. I was a Bell Atlantic Agent in the 90s. Over the past 40 years I have experienced life as an agent, as reseller, as a VAR (Value Added Reseller). Every possible combination. And here is my muse for this Sunday Morning, June 1st, 2025:

You got your Lions, you got your Tigers and you got your Bears. And many times you CAN find them in the same range. 

Some programs are AMAZING. From time to time you will uncover a Partner Program and/or an Agent Program that is totally professional. It becomes obvious from the first 'Welcome!' email that a tremendous amount of time and money has been invested in this channel partnership. There are teams of people with a mission to run the program, run the portal, run the show. Other programs, it seems like they are saying, "Hey Joe, do we have a (checks notes....) Partner Program?  Oh yeah, right. OK kid, click here. Call me if you need me. Oh, and try not to need me...

Sometimes Partner | Agent | Reseller programs are activated because the leadership or management of the parent company feels like everyone else is doing it - so we should do it too. Sometimes the parent company is '100% Channel' which means they do not sell direct. If you want to buy their product or service, they introduce you to one of their partners. ( I like that ). Sometimes you will have 'Channel Conflict' where the agent | reseller | VAR is competing against the house. "Why should I buy it FROM YOU when I can get it from THEM, directly?" 

THIS month is one of our largest industry events of the year. InfoComm. If you are in the 'Pro AV' business, you probably know about InfoComm. If you are a buyer of telecom or technology (for schools, hospitals, business, etc.) there is a good chance that you are going to be in Orlando this month. As of this blog, 40,000+ members of our Distance Learning Association (NYDLA.org) have already registered to attend InfoComm. 

I predict that there will be around 800 'Vendor Booths' at the InfoComm event. Some of these booths will look like small houses. Others will be the typical 10x10 trade show booth, with a table, a tablecloth and some brochures. I know for a fact that some of OUR vendors will be sending a small army of people to InfoComm, and will spend well over $100,000 for the show. MASSIVE shows like CES can cost $500,000 for a proper trade show experience. Ahem. 

The main moral of "The Wizard of Oz" is that you already possess the qualities you're seeking (courage, brain, heart) and that "there's no place like home." It emphasizes the importance of friendship, the value of self-discovery, and the realization that things that seem powerful or scary are often not what they seem. 

Partner Programs | Agent Programs | Reseller Programs can seem big and scary. But if you grab on to the right ones, you will find 'your home' with friendship, a chance at self-discovery. You will need to be vigilant and not give up. You will learn that ordinary people (like you) have power. 

Even the most ardent admirers of the Wizard of Oz story often fail to learn its simple lessons: Don't get stuck on the yellow brick road; don't blame others for your circumstances; don't wait for wizards to wave their magic wands and never expect all of your problems to disappear. 

A good, solid Partner Program will remind us that the qualities we seek are often already within us. I hope that you will meet us at InfoComm. I'll be the guy in the Ruby Slippers...

Oh, one of the things that I am very proud of - we are an AireSpring MASTER AGENT. We have been their Master Agent for 25 years. I hope to have 1,000 Sub Agents making $100,000 per year. That is an annual payout of $100,000,000. { Not a typo....}  

There's no place like home.... There's no place like home.... There's no place like home.....

www.NYDLAatInfoComm.com

How do you take your Zoom?

 

How do you take your Zoom? 

I have been using and promoting all things Zoom long before Zoom became a verb. Because I have been running the Distance Learning Association since 2008, it makes sense that we would have a deep relationship with Zoom. (And I've been running MTP - MyTeachingPartners.com since 1983!)  But that is true for GoTo and Google and Cisco Webex and Adobe and Microsoft Teams and the rest of the players in the space. We work with all the TBLS vendors (Technology Based Learning Systems). 

When I started doing my video podcast, it was PoweredByZoom.us from the first VIP interview. When FortierPR.com has a new book to launch, we do the virtual book launches via Zoom. And those 'Zoom Talks' become multimedia, transmedia, omnimedia experiences reaching people all around the world. Sometimes the person that I am interviewing is super famous, with millions of followers. 

Earlier this month, we attended the Zoom Education Summit in Utah. Teachers, trainers, coaches, mentors from all around the world attended both LIVE and virtually via Zoom to learn best practices on how to do all things Zoom.  

Our vendor Wander.com is a luxury vacation rental platform that blends the comfort of private homes with the consistency and amenities of high-end hotels. Founded in 2021 by entrepreneur John Andrew Entwistle, Wander aims to "hotelify" vacation rentals by offering a standardized, tech-enabled experience across its curated portfolio of properties. 

What Makes Wander Unique

Top 1% of Vacation Homes: Wander selects only the top 1% of vacation rentals, ensuring guests have access to exceptional properties with inspiring views and luxurious features.

Hotel-Grade Amenities: Each property includes hotel-quality cleaning, dreamy beds, modern workstations with fast Wi-Fi, and 24/7 concierge service.

Smart Home Technology: Wander integrates smart-home tech and automation through its proprietary WanderOS platform, delivering consistent quality and operational efficiency.

End-to-End Travel Platform: Beyond accommodations, Wander offers a comprehensive travel experience, including trip planning, concierge services, and curated experiences.

Wander.com operates properties across the United States, including destinations like California, Texas, Hawaii, and the Hudson Valley in New York. Each location is chosen for its stunning natural beauty and potential for memorable stays.

Recently we started shipping Meeting Owls to Wander locations. The folks at Owl Labs in Boston make a very unique video camera that puts you 'in the room' from anywhere in the world. So, you can place a Meeting Owl in the center of the table in the living room (or the home office) at a Wander location, and have the best meeting (or teaching, training, coaching, mentoring) sessions of your life. All Wander locations have super fast WIFI and HDTV displays. 

One cool trend is for companies to reward staff with 'Wander Weeks' where they can work from a Wander.com location for the week, on the company tab. Ah yes, Zoom meetings from a Wander. I had the idea to record VIP CoffeeInTheClouds.us interviews with the special guest, and 10 to 20 people joining us LIVE for Q&A. And of course, since it is PoweredByZoom.us you can have 20 people LIVE in the room, 200,000 LIVE via Zoom and 2M+ watching the archives of the meeting via Workvivo by Zoom. I love all the vendors and sponsors of the (now) GlobalDLA.org but I must say the Zoom + Wander + Meeting Owl 'bundle' is pretty impressive. 

Convene in NYC (and now London) is another NYDLA.org vendor sponsor. They have the most amazing venues for hybrid meetings and events, all with super fast WIFI and big screens. You can invite people to take the train down from Boston or up from Philly, and host your meeting or event at Convene. I live 30 miles to the West of 11 Times Square in North New Jersey. I can be in NYC in less than an hour, just in time for an amazing breakfast at one of many Convene locations. I really think this is the future of work - the future of education - the future of entertainment. You can have the best company offsite events, for the company holiday party or to celebrate a big team win. Everything, especially new product launches can be PoweredByZoom.us 

I have also noticed that many new cars come with "Zoom on board" so that you can attend Zoom meetings and events from the road. I assume that you can host calls and meetings from the car with GoTo and Webex and Teams but Zoom makes it simple, easy and elegant. Ah yes, the new AI features of Zoom and Zoom Workplace from your (self-driving?) car. Impressive. 

Zoom Workplace is an AI-powered collaboration platform developed by Zoom Communications, designed to streamline communication, enhance productivity, and support flexible work environments. It integrates various tools such as meetings, team chat, phone, scheduler, whiteboard, and more, all within a unified platform enhanced by Zoom AI Companion. 

AI-Enhanced Collaboration: Zoom AI Companion assists users by summarizing meetings, drafting emails, generating chat responses, and more, aiming to reduce mundane tasks and improve efficiency. 

Unified Communication Tools: Combines video conferencing, team chat, VoIP phone services, email, and calendar functionalities to facilitate seamless communication.

Productivity Enhancements: Features like Zoom Whiteboard for brainstorming, Zoom Clips for recording and sharing video messages, and Zoom Docs for collaborative document creation are integrated to boost team productivity.

Employee Engagement: Incorporates Workvivo, an employee experience platform acquired by Zoom, to foster a sense of community and engagement within organizations.  

Zoom Workplace is available FOR FREE (first seat) to all (now) GlobalDLA.org members on various platforms, including desktop and mobile devices, and is designed to cater to businesses and schools of all sizes seeking an integrated solution for modern collaboration needs.

AND SO....... the world is indeed......... PoweredByZoom.us - join us and THRIVE in the GLOBAL Cloud Community. Yours. 

www.GetZoom.us

www.CoffeeInTheClouds.us interviews

are PoweredByZoom.us

Just me and my Robots

I believe that within the next 10 years, there shall be a Billionaire Solopreneur. 

I have been in business since 1983. So I have seen much. I was in the room when Priceline went live. I was there for the birth of AOL. I was the 3rd person in the USA to sell NYNEX Mobile Car Phones. I was one of the first to have a LinkedIn account. When LinkedIn hit 100,000 members, we all got a letter (in the mail!) from the founder, thanking us for our support of their little startup. Maybe I should retitle this blog "Damn, I'm old". 

It was out of tragedy that we found our niche: Education. Lifelong Learning. Teaching, training, coaching, mentoring in the GLOBAL Cloud COMMUNITY. My journey into the 'TBLS' world (Technology Based Learning Systems) world was due to the terrorist attacks of 9/11. 

When the Statue of Liberty was CLOSED due to 9/11, the idea was to allow the kids to do 'virtual field trips' to via videoconferencing. MTP - MyTeachingPartners.com was born to deliver DSL (Digital subscriber line) and videoconferencing hardware and service to all the K-12 schools in the NY/NJ/CT region. I was in the right place at the right time. Over the years this is why we became a Zoom Partner (GetZoom.us)

I am reflecting to how we went from selling 'car phones' to selling everything in the world of telecom and technology. Next month is the amazing InfoComm show in Orlando. We go to InfoComm every year. This year we already have 38K+ people registered to attend InfoComm, all from our (now) NADLA.org community. I know how hard it is to promote and run even small events. So, I get to tell the world to simply meet us: NYDLAatInfoComm.com. And we do just that. We get to tell everyone from our 174K+ K-20 schools, our 16K+ municipalities, and our 6K+ hospitals (and their employees / students / alumni) to simply meet us in Orlando every year. Thanks, InfoComm! You made it easy. 

Our 'store' is a BigCommerce.com store. We have the entire line cards of TD SYNNEX, D&H, Jenne, IngramMicro, TeleDynamics, Midwich and many (many) more 'loaded' into our E-commerce solution. So, we not only USE BigCommerce but we are also a BigCommerce Partner (GetBigCommerce.com). We offer 'shelf space' in our TAC-USA store for all of the vendors attending InfoComm. This same offer goes for all of the vendors attending ISE, or CES, or Enterprise Connect or (I could keep going). Simple. Easy. Thanks, BigCommerce! I was in the right place at the right time when I met the folks at BigCommerce. 

We became a Kajabi partner, and MightyNetworks, and Shopify, and Adobe, and (I could keep going). The 'technology of the day' allows us to teach, train, coach, mentor from ANYWHERE in the world. Tools like Kajabi allow an author to convert their paper books into not only audio books (ala Audible.com) but into multimedia, transmedia, omnimedia COURSES. Their subject matter expertise becomes part of TheCloudUniversity.com  So, via technology anyone from anywhere can teach, train, coach, mentor as we all live, learn, work, play in the GLOBAL Cloud COMMUNITY.  I was in the right place at the right time when I met the folks at Kajabi. And the folks at Shopify. And Adobe. (I could keep going). Once again: right place, right time. 

I wrote this blog myself, there was no AI involved. Yet. I am sure that it is only a matter of months before writing a blog WITHOUT AI will become rare. I do ask humans (my wife, my staff) to always 'proof my blog' because I don't like to look, well.... bad. Hmmm... maybe I can also ask AI to proof my blog for me? 

2025: and now we have AI - everywhere.  

Zoom + AI. Shopify + AI. Kajabi + AI. Dotdigital + AI. Over the next 10 years, the TBLS (Technology Based Learning Systems) and the E-commerce systems of the world will have more AI, and less people. A company that would normally need 100 people in their back office will become 10 key people who have Mastered AI. And at some point 10 key support people will become 5. And then, at some point, it will be one single solopreneur and their AI robots. It will happen soon, I predict before 2035. 

Think Luke Skywalker PLUS R2-D2. A human and lots of droids who work 24x7x365. 

A $1B company of one. 

www.CoffeeInTheClouds.us

www.PoweredByKajabi.com

Car Wash University

 

So, they are the new kid in town. It started with an email to me ( and my wife, and my kids ). If my dog Konta had a working email I am sure that he would have received one too. 

OK, so we all got the email. And then we all got the follow up emails. And the follow ups to the follow ups. And so, yesterday was the big day. Yesterday was the visit to the new Speeders Car Wash in Mountain Lakes, New Jersey. 

I live in Boonton Township, New Jersey. We're the next town over from Mountain Lakes. There is a Boonton, New Jersey, and we share a Zip Code. So you have Boonton and Boonton Township. The kids living in Boonton go to Boonton High School, but the kids that live in Boonton Township go to Mountain Lakes High School. But ALL OF US live in Morris County, New Jersey. 

THERE IS ONLY ONE BOONTON USA. Boonton became a separate municipality, and was incorporated as a Town under a charter granted by the State Legislature in March, 1867. The area within the limits of the new Town was formerly part of the old Townships of Pequannock and Hanover. Under the charter, the new Town was governed by a seven-man Board of Trustees, but, by an amendment to the charter in 1872, authority was vested in the Mayor and Common Council, which later became the Mayor & Board of Aldermen and is now known as the Mayor and Town Council.  

Boonton's charter of 1867 was a milestone in the long history of the Town. More than a century earlier the village of Boonetown (Booneton, Boonton Falls) was established on the Rockaway River, about a mile and a half downstream from the center of the present Town. As early as 1747, Obadiah Baldwin operated an iron refining forge at that place, where water power was in ample supply, and raw materials, such as iron ore and wood for charcoal, were not too far away. Under David Ogden, the owner of the site and a large tract of surrounding land, and, later, under his son, Samuel, the ironworks was enlarged, and a village of workmen and their families emerged. This village was named by the Ogdens "Boone-Towne" in honor of the Colonial Governor, Thomas Boone, in the year 1761.

AND SO.... yesterday was the day to get the car washed. The new Speeders Car Wash on Rt. 46 in Mountain Lakes New Jersey had me in their tractor beam. Their emails have 'locked on' and I was being pulled out of my driveway and right down the boulevard to their new location. 

I was impressed. There are several Car Wash locations within a mile or two of home. In fact, there is one right in BOONTON USA. But again, immediately, this place was DIFFERENT. It felt like a mash up of Walt Disney World and Chuck E. Cheese for cars. And a little bit like the drive through at Chick-fil-A. The efficiency was palatable. You can just feel in your bones that someone engineered this to be different. Different by design. I counted around a dozen staff, and they all had uniforms like an Indy Car pit crew. Everyone was smiling, everyone was happy. 

In the most professional way, they took my electronic coupon off my phone for the FREE car wash. And then, as the seconds clicked by, I was braced for the sales pitch. In three.....two....one..... and we're off! It's all about the subscription. It's all about the monthly Car Wash Club. Netflix, for cars.

I knew it was coming. The kid giving me sales pitch however, did not. I told him "THIS IS FANTASTIC! This is great! I am impressed! Ah, but this is my wife's car and she has to decide. Can you sign up online?" < sigh >  

I could watch his eyes blinking, as his brain was processing the answers from his training. What do you say when they say this, what do you say when they say THAT.... I told him: Congratulations! You made a sale! I am sure that she will be back to sign up one day soon. 

Now he had a choice: keep working me, or pass me through, as there was a line forming behind my car. I quickly said "Good job! Keep up the good work, I'm sure you will have a fantastic day selling..." 

So here's the deal. The Car Wash was the best of my 64 years. When I got home, I told my wife. I posted on Social Media. And then I got an email and a text from RussellSpeeders.com reminding me that if I 'tell a friend' to get a free car wash, I would also earn points. From their website:

Russell Speeder’s started over 50 years ago in Norwalk, Connecticut, and currently operates 32 car washes in Connecticut, New York, Nebraska and Kansas City. In that time we have washed millions of cars and have evolved our process for providing customers with a fast, clean, shiny car. We are obsessed with offering an amazing customer experience delivered by our hundreds of hard working associates.

Over the last several years we have been laser focused on providing over 150,000 monthly members the best unlimited car wash program in the country. Stop by today to experience all we have to offer, and enjoy the ride!

WOW. Free Air! Free Vacuum! So on my ride home (just a few miles) I reflected on what just happened. The email campaign, worked. The first customer experience worked. I told my wife that I just had the best car wash ever. I told my kids. I told my dog Konta. I posted on Social Media that I had the best car wash, ever. And this was BEFORE I got the text and email prompting me to tell my friends to earn friends and family points. 

And now I'm BLOGGING on it.  I'll even email hello@russellspeeders.com to tell them 'read my blog!' 

It made me think about how in BOONTON USA there are probably a dozen Pizzerias. There are many coffee shops. There are many nail salons. MANY to choose from. I love BOONTON MAIN STREET in the one and only BOONTON USA with the shops and the many (many) amazing places to eat. There are many choices for getting a car wash near BOONTON USA. 

Or is there really now just one..... ?

https://russellspeeders.com/locations and now...Welcome to New Jersey! 

https://russellspeeders.com/elevateher-2025  You gotta like these folks already, right? 

Eventful things

Is eventful good or bad? Let's ask The Google.....

Eventful things are exciting, important, or full of incidents. Your eventful life might inspire you to write a fascinating autobiography one day. If your day is eventful, a lot of things happen — it can be good or bad, but it's certainly not boring.

"Eventful" means full of significant or interesting happenings, or having important consequences. It can describe a period of time, a person's life, or a situation, implying it was not ordinary or uneventful. 

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

Full of events: An eventful day or year is one that is busy, with a lot of activity or changes happening.

Important or memorable: An eventful life or decision is one that had a significant impact or is remembered for its importance.

Not boring: Eventful things are exciting, interesting, or packed with incidents. 

This upcoming Friday we have an EVENT at Yale in Connecticut. We have it listed on Page 1 / Slide 1 of NYDLA.org. I am looking forward to presenting - to a room of around 300 people. Give or take. Use code 'NYDLA' and save $300. And on Day 2 everyone in the room will get a $250 Gift Card from TAC-USA.com powered by Tremendous.com. Cool. 

That is it. It is a LIVE event. There will be no streaming media, no Zoom. The event begins on Yale campus on Friday morning 5/9 and goes to 5/10 midday. Technically it begins at the Cocktail Reception on the evening of 5/8 (ahem.) 

NEXT month, we have InfoComm. As of this blog post, we already have 37,250 members of the NADLA.org registered to attend LIVE. By event time, expect 40,000 NADLA.org members to have registered, with 10X that number of NADLA.org members to attend InfoComm virtually. I tip my hat to the organizers of InfoComm, every year is better than the year before. We have invited the 174K+ *schools, the 16K+ municipalities and the 6K+ hospitals of the NADLA.org to attend InfoComm this year. Many NADLA.org members will attend - virtually. {*and the alumni of the schools}.

In 2024 we attended a Cybersecurity Summit on THE INTREPID Sea Air Space Museum in NYC. Figure 900+ were LIVE at the event, 900K+ LIVE via Zoom and 9M+ (to date) have watched the archives of the event via Workvivo by Zoom. I am sure that number will 10X over time, with tens of millions of views via YouTube. 

Last month, we attended the Microsoft Summit at 11 Times Square NYC. I have been on the 6th floor of that building more times than I can count. Microsoft is an amazing vendor and sponsor, and very generous. I noticed that the large room holds 364 people, according to the Fire Code. The event last month was very (VERY) good, but there was no risk of breaking the law. I figure the were 200+ people in the room, tops. 

Right now, I am enjoying an Audible book from Jefferson Fisher. I will be doing a 'CoffeeInTheClouds.us' interview with him next month. We will gift his book to all who watch our interview. Technically, I will 'reimburse' the cost of the Audible book (we are an Audible partner) by giving 1 month membership credit to the NADLA.org for everyone who buys his book. ($25 credit). Jefferson started out making YouTube videos from his car, on his phone. He had no office, he had no team - he had no money (no sponsors, no backers). 2025: Jefferson has 10M+ followers on Social Media, 500M+ views on Social Media and 1B+ views across all media platforms. That is BILLION with a B. 

Here is where I am going with this: Is my time with Jefferson Fisher in the local dog park an event?

When I am walking in the park with my dog (every day) I am in my personal cloud university. I am listening to a book read by the author (this time Jefferson Fisher). I really love books read by the author - it feels like they are talking directly TO ME. I follow Jefferson on social media, I am one of his tribe. 

It will cost me around $100 in gas, tolls, parking to attend the event at Yale next week. I am getting $500 in travel stipend as a speaker, and a hotel room on campus. Cool! It will cost me $1,000+ next month to attend InfoComm mostly due to travel expenses, food and hotel. I have a free pass to the event. Ah, but no speaker stipend, no travel reimbursement. Boo! It costs me $18.50 in bus fare (round trip) from BOONTON USA to 11 Times Square NYC to BOONTON USA. So, right now, today, as I live in North New Jersey (30 miles West of Times Square) the 'events' that give me MAXIMUM ROI are the events in NYC, especially at 11 Times Square (Microsoft).

Or is my maximum ROI the dog park, courtesy of Audible? I think Konta votes for the dog park. 

I won a Meeting Owl from the Microsoft Summit!  

Hoot!

We are Hootin' in Boonton

A Meeting Owl is a 360-degree video conferencing device that acts as a camera, microphone, and speaker, designed to make hybrid meetings more engaging and immersive for both in-room and remote participants. It captures the entire room, intelligently focuses on the speaker, and provides clear audio to all attendees. Here's a more detailed look at what a Meeting Owl is:

360° Camera, Microphone, and Speaker

The Meeting Owl is an all-in-one device that captures the entire room's view, and also acts as a microphone to pick up audio from all directions and speakers to project sound to those attending. 

Intelligent Focus

It uses AI to automatically zoom in on the person who is speaking, making it feel more natural and engaging for remote participants. 

Immersive Experience

The 360° view and intelligent focus create a more immersive experience for both in-room and remote participants, making hybrid meetings feel less like a video conference and more like a real meeting. 

Works with Popular Platforms

The Meeting Owl is designed to be plug-and-play with most major video conferencing platforms, including Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Skype for Business. 

Flexibility

You can also connect multiple Meeting Owls or pair them with other Owl Labs products like the Owl Bar or expansion mics to enhance coverage in larger rooms. 

Privacy and Security

The Meeting Owl does not record or transmit any video or audio data, it only streams it to your computer. 

Evolution of the Meeting Owl

Owl Labs has continued to develop and improve the Meeting Owl, with newer models like the Meeting Owl 3 and Meeting Owl 4+ offering even more advanced features like 4K video and improved AI. 

In essence, the Meeting Owl aims to bridge the gap between in-person and remote collaboration, making hybrid meetings feel more natural and engaging for everyone involved. 

BOONTON USA is located around 30 miles West of New York City. Boonton has been home to abolitionists, a stop on the Underground Railroad and home of the world famous Boontonware. Trolley cars, vaudeville theaters and hotels thrived on Boonton Main Street at the turn of the century. The settlement was originally called "Boone-Towne" in 1761 in honor of the Colonial Governor Thomas Boone.

Boonton Iron Works ~ 1900 

Main Street BOONTON USA became home to BoontonWorks.com - a business foundry. In the spirit of the old Boonton Iron Works, the cloud technology of the day allowed for anyone (from anywhere) to launch and run a business from good ol' BOONTON USA. For some time, the old Boonton Opera House was converted into office space / coworking space in the spirit of WeWork or Regus or Convene. 

AND SO.... located in the heart of Morris County, New Jersey - just 30 miles West of Times Square NYC - BOONTON USA (there is only ONE Boonton in the entire USA) has found a new purpose via BoontonWorks.com. Companies like Shopify and BigCommerce and WooCommerce and Adobe and many others can run their entire enterprise from laptops with high-speed Internet from anywhere up and down Main Street Boonton. Work from the Boonton Opera House - work from Boonton Coffee Co. - work from one of the dozens of restaurants and eateries of BOONTON USA. Or work from home and come to BOONTON USA for your meetings. Or coffee. Did I mention the dozen coffee shops on Main Street BOONTON USA? 

Boonton has a train station and bus service that runs up and down Main Street all day long. You can be on BOONTON MAIN STREET at 8:00 AM and be physically in a LIVE meeting at 11 Times Square (Microsoft) in less than an hour via the Lakeland Bus Line. I have personally made that round-trip over a hundred times and counting. 

OR.... you can STAY in good ol' BOONTON USA and have your meeting via the Meeting Owl with anyone living anywhere in the world. You can live, learn, work, play, teach, train, coach, mentor anyone from anywhere. You can take a course - teach a course - create a course from BOONTON USA. 

Yeah, now that's something to hoot about. 

GetMeetingOwl.com 

Boonton Opera House ~ then and now.

The evolution of the Meeting Owl

The Meeting Owl was created in 2014 when Mark Schnittman, a former iRobot engineer, experienced firsthand the challenges of remote meetings. He found that traditional video conferencing setups were often awkward, noisy, and ineffective. Inspired to find a solution, Schnittman partnered with his former iRobot colleague, Max Makeev, to create a video conferencing device that would make remote collaboration more natural and engaging.

After many months of development, the first Meeting Owl was launched in 2016. The device quickly gained popularity for its innovative features, including a 360-degree panoramic camera that automatically focuses on the speaker, a built-in microphone array that captures sound from all directions, and a noise-canceling speaker that ensures clear audio.

The Meeting Owl has evolved over the years with the release of the Meeting Owl Pro in 2019, followed by the Meeting Owl 3 in 2022. The current flagship model, the Meeting Owl 4+, was released in 2024 and features a high-resolution camera with 4K ultra HD video capability, improved audio quality, support for artificial intelligence (AI) features that further enhance the meeting experience, and the ability to enhance your audio pickup by attaching an Expansion Mic.