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! 

When was the first hello?

 If you are reading on a mobile device, hold in landscape mode.

It was January 2024 when I got the first 'hello' from the folks at Rocware. Basically, they had a brand that was new to North America but NOT new to the world. 

The New York METRO Distance Learning Association was born in the five boroughs of New York City in 1983. Pre-Internet. The Big Apple. The Center of the Known Universe. You know, the Home of the NBA Champion New York Knicks (first time in half a century). 

The 'ask' was to allow Rocware to be a Sponsor of the Distance Learning Association. And the first step was to 'send me your stuff' so that I can see it for myself. If we (the DLA) are going to sell, market, promote (any) product, service, book, course - anything - we need to know what we are talking about. So, the next thing you know there was a UPS truck in my driveway with 'one of everything' in the Rocware product line. 

Personally, I have been selling, marketing, promoting (and using) telecom and technology since the 70s. In the 80s I was the 3rd person in the USA to sell 'Car Phones' when the NYNEX Mobile system first went LIVE in the NY CGSA (New York Cellular Geographic Service Area. But I always had a rule: I use what a sell and I sell what I use. It never feels right to use Product A and then to SELL Product B. 

Very quickly I saw that Rocware was the best technology that no one ever heard of. (Yet). So, yes we became a RESELLER of Rocware and we became a Tier 1 ELITE partner. The first Rocware Platinum Level Reseller in North America. Rocware became Slide 1 on the NYDLA.org website, and we got busy telling the world to GetRocware.com 

Did I mention that the New York Knicks just won the NBA Championship Title for the first time in 53 years? They won in 1973 - and now again in 2026. 

Last night, the Knicks BRAND won. This morning in my inbox was Seth Godin's blog about The Nature of Launch Day. And about brands. 

Back in January of 2024 the endorsement of the Distance Learning Association was deemed to be very valuable to the leadership of Rocware. When you go to a trade show and you see booth after booth after booth of vendors (competitors) they are all hoping to get your attention. They are all hoping that you give them attention, which becomes engagement, which hopefully becomes adoption and finally, utilization. 

But nothing happens without step one: attention. If I don't earn your attention, I cannot sell you anything. I can't teach you anything, either. 

For the past ten years (or more) the major telecom and technology industry trade shows have been a big part of the DLA community. After all, you cannot do anything 'remote' without technology. 

This month, we are inviting the world to meet NYDLAatInfoComm.com and to specifically meet the folks at the Rocware booth. We have sent a zero spam, 100% opt-in email campaign to the 174K+ K-20 schools across North America, specifically to the facilities managers of the NYDLA.org | NADLA.org schools. If they are going to get cameras for their schools, they need to GetRocware.com 

And so, at InfoComm 2026 we are (once again) doing our best to make Booth C8479 the 'hot' booth of the show. We are giving a $250 gift card to all NYDLA | NADLA members who stop by and say hello to Daniel Meaders of Rocware. We are also giving 1 year of Zoom for FREE with every new Rocware account that we activate. All things Rocware is a member benefit. 

I do hope that you read Seth Godin's blog today (actually, every day). But TODAY really fits the moment. When Seth talks about planting the right seeds in the right place being more important that hustling for noise - that is what today's Sunday Blog is all about. There will be 800+ exhibiting companies. That is 800+ booths competing for attention. I would make a safe bet that 90% of the major video conferencing brands to be staple at InfoComm. Especially the camera companies. 

We (the DLA) sell, marketing and promote the entire line cards of TD SYNNEX, Ingram Micro, D&H, Jenne, and more - all of the major technology distributors. For Rocware, our partnership with D&H allows us to service our 174K+ schools, 16K+ municipalities, 6K+ hospitals for all things Rocware. We are Tier 1 ELITE resellers (partners) for many brands. Like Zoom, or Verizon, or Logitech, or Lenovo. But we always have an opinion. 

It is 'fun' to tell someone to GetRocware.com - it is fun to put YOUR name behind a brand. To tell the world that - yes - we have every make and model of  (that) widget. Yes, we have the entire line cards of TD SYNNEX, Ingram Micro, D&H, Jenne, and more... but we have an opinion. Hey, have you ever heard of.... Rocware??? Oh man, let me tell you all about Rocware. I am putting my name and MY brand on the line, right?  From Seth's blog:

The focused work of a trade show, then, isn’t to maximize turnout. It’s to get the right people to come. Not just people who like to go first, but folks who are eager to give you the benefit of the doubt, and those that are focused on spreading the word. Not because it’s good for you, but because it’s good for them.

People like you.

www.GetRocware.com

My Trusty Wheel Horse: $2 per hour

The last time I was on a rider mower was... yesterday. Before that? 

1969 in Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

Wheel Horse is a highly regarded brand of vintage lawn and garden tractors first developed in 1946 by Elmer Pond in South Bend, Indiana. Famous for their exceptional build quality, rugged cast-iron parts, and versatility, these iconic red machines are popular among collectors and hobbyists today.

The Wheel Horse Legacy

The company started in a two-car garage, building walk-behind tractors. After a naming conflict with another company, it became "Wheel Horse" named for its ability to do steady, dependable "tractive work".

Acquisition: The brand was purchased by The Toro Company in 1986. Toro continued producing tractors bearing the Wheel Horse name until 2007.

Community: The brand boasts a massive following of restorers, with hubs like the RedSquare Wheel Horse Forum providing resources, model lists, and event schedules for enthusiasts.

Popular Models & Features

Wheel Horse became a staple for property owners because of its modular design, allowing a single tractor to act as a mower, snowblower, tiller, or bulldozer.

1960s: Classic short-frame and step-through models like the Lawn Ranger, Suburban, and the 1054 series set the standard for heavy-duty small tractors.

45 Bowden Road | Cedar Grove, New Jersey

I blogged on my Dad a few times over the years. He was an early adopter. Ours was the first house in Cedar Grove, New Jersey to have a burglar alarm, radio controlled garage doors, Color TV and whatnot. 

And we had a Wheel Horse. 

We lived at 45 Bowden Road, Cedar Grove, New Jersey. I just did a Google Maps with Satellite view (above) to see the yard that me and my Wheel Horse maintained. You can also see the Community Church of Cedar Grove right next door. My first paying customer. 

Yes while other kids were doing lemon aid stands, I was mowing lawns. $2 per hour. Me and my Wheel Horse. Well technically it was Dad's Wheel Horse. And his gas. But it was my money. The Entrepreneurship bug found me early. 

I loved riding that Wheel Horse. For me, it was like a Go Kart. And I got PAID to do it. At my highpoint, I had 9 paying customers on Bowden Road, but the Church was the best. I got $5 per mow.

Yesterday was my first time on a rider mower since the 60s. In Connecticut. My wife and I visiting our eldest son and our grandson. I offered to mow the lawn. No Charge. 

"No, Tommy, your money is no good here...."

Me and my Wheel Horse Ride Again!

{Speakers On}

The Leader of Leads

 

Who said the best defense is a good offense? 

The exact origin of the phrase is unknown, but it has been popularized by American heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey. Here are the most notable figures associated with the sentiment:

Jack Dempsey: The boxer made the exact phrasing famous in the sports world, stating it was his primary strategy.

George Washington: He expressed a similar sentiment in 1799, writing that "offensive operations, often times, is the surest... means of defense".

Sun Tzu: Centuries earlier, the Chinese military strategist wrote in The Art of War that "Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack".

Carl von Clausewitz: The famous Prussian military theorist wrote a nearly identical concept: "The best form of defense is attack". 

I have spent my entire career selling. I started selling 'Car Phones' when the NYNEX Mobile System first went live in the NY CGSA (Cellular Geographic Service Area) back in the 80s. There were only 9 Cell Sites at the time, service was spotty (and expensive!) and the phones themselves were a few thousand dollars. Want one? 

Way back then I ran a TV Ad on our local Cable station that cost me $900 for the month. At the time, I think I had $995 in the bank. My first 'lead' was the guy that ran UPS for the Northeast. He lived in Budd Lake, New Jersey and drove to Secaucus, NJ every day. I have blogged on this story in the past. That one initial sale led to thousands of 'car phones' in the UPS trucks (and Executives Cars) in the Northeast. And then, nationwide. Do you think that the guy that ran UPS from Maine to Virginia could give me any referrals? 

After 40+ years in sales and marketing, I can honestly say that generating high quality LEADS is the most important thing in business. Nothing happens until someone sells something. And you cannot sell anything to anyone if they do not ENGAGE with you. And to get them to engage you need to win their ATTENTION. So it goes...

Attention > Engagement > Adoption > Utilization. 

1983 - 2026. Because I run the (now) Global Distance Learning Association (GlobalDLA.org) I get to interview hundreds of people from the top Schools of Business around the world. We have all 8 Ivy League Schools, and 174K+ K-20 schools in the NYDLA | NADLA ecosystem. And we have access to the ALUMNI of these schools. 

I owned the CLOdepot.com domain for many years, which originally stood for Chief Learning Officer. I was going to (planned to) build out a new business (like a riff on Home Depot) to service the Learning Officers of the world. You have CEOs, CFOs, CTOs, CIOs, CMOs and there are now CLOs. 

But I have changed my mind. CLOdepot.com is going to be dedicated to the Chief Leads Officer. 

For the first time in history, Penn State World Campus has more people paying them tuition than Penn State. Purdue University Online has more paying students than Purdue University. Rutgers University has 615K+ living alumni, with 380K+ of them living in New Jersey (like me!). 

2026: all of these 174K+ K-20 schools are now competing with each other. If you attend Stanford Online you are not going to ALSO attend MIT Online. If you go to UCONN online, you will not ALSO attend Quinnipiac Online. So all of these 174K+ schools are competing for you attention. They are all competing for your tuition dollars. 

Right now, today I could use tools like Adobe to send a 100% opt-in, zero spam campaign (email, mail, phone calls, SMS) to the 174K+ online schools serviced by the NYDLA | NADLA. If 10% engaged:

• That is 17,400 MQLs (Marketing Qualified Leads)
• And if 10% of the engage that is 1,740 SQLs (Sales Qualified Leads)
• And if 10% of the the SQLs BUY that is 174+ sales. REVENUE! 

10% of 10% of 10% is being very conservative. I like to under promise and over deliver. And over time, those MQLs and SQLs will ALSO convert, as we continue to nurture the leads via our marketing automation tools. Oh right - we also service THE ALUMNI of our 174K+ DLA schools. 

So the big lesson that I have learned in my 40+ year career in SALES and MARKETING is this: he who has the best leads wins. 

Who needs some help with generating lots of HIGH QUALITY leads? I'm teaching everything I know. TomCapone.com is the 'Selling CEO' and I work for you, our members. 

www.joinNYDLA.org

The New York METRO Distance Learning Association

Something cool happened to me (for me?) last week. Without my knowledge - out of the blue - one of our vendors sent me a DRAFT copy of my new book. A book that that was written for me (about me) by AI.

Basically, the AI bot read every one of (these) Sunday Blogs since 2010. It also read all of my NYDLA.org Tom's Tome posts (since 2025) and all of my social media posts. 

All of them. 

And then in less than an hour, it created a DRAFT of a 'book' written in my voice. If you want to see it, you can click here: NYDLA.org/AI_Book_Draft 

Now as I write THIS Sunday Blog, I don't know what to think (or feel) about this. I am both impressed and also terrified. I did not ask for this to be done, so I certainly did not know about this (or pay for this). The AI bot did not get everything correct. For example, it thinks I have two brothers (I have a sister) and it was a little sloppy with some of the facts. But for the most part, it was pretty accurate. And again, this was completed at no cost in less than an hour, in total. 

The New York METRO Distance Learning Association was born in the 5 boroughs of NYC in 1983. Pre-Internet. As of today, the NYDLA.org | NADLA.org services 174K+ K-20 online schools across North America. It's Kindergarten through 20 as in Grad School, Med School, Law School. We service all 8 Ivy League Schools. And amazing schools like PURDUE University Online with 600K+ alumni. Penn State World Campus with 800K+ alumni. RUTGERS with 615K+ alumni (380K+ alumni live in New Jersey - like me!). Many of these online schools have online courses that you can take from anywhere in the world. Courses on Sales, Marketing, Accounting, even Law School. PURDUE makes a point that the degree that you can earn from PURDUE University Online is the exact same education (degree) that you can earn from their campus in West Lafayette, Indiana. Now, from anywhere in the world. 

And now I am thinking this: if AI can do this for 'a book' can it not also do this for an online course?

Hey AI bot: go read all of the books in the New York Public Library on Cybersecurity and write me a new book on Cybersecurity. You can access the New York Public Library from anywhere in the world. 

Hey AI bot: go TAKE a dozen courses online on Cybersecurity and make me a new course on Cybersecurity. 

If this was done (my book) and I was not even aware that it was happening, could the same not be happening right now for online courses, or for any media that you can find online? And would anyone even know that this was happening? 

Hey AI bot: go read all the books on Cybersecurity and go take all the online courses on Cybersecurity and then create a new Cybersecurity course (with a book) written in the voice of... Morgan Freeman. Let me know when you are finished. I would like it by end of of the day, please. 

Oh, AI bot: check to see if this is legal before you get started. Start by checking with Harvard Law School and Yale Law School. Heck, check with ALL the Law Schools. And first check all the posts online about copyright law and whatnot. 

TomCapone.com wrote this Sunday Blog. No AI Was involved. {ah, but how would you know???} 

Plug In

 

I'm on my first road trip with an EV. And I'm having flashbacks.

I was born in 1960 so I have seen many 'firsts'. I remember getting a Color TV when that was a big deal. I remember having one of the first radio controlled garage doors when living in Cedar Grove, New Jersey. That was magic. My dad loved new stuff, we called them 'gadgets' back then.

In 1960, one in five American households didn’t have a car. 2025: There were 20.5 million EV cars sold, world-wide. 

Think about all the TV antennas on the rooftops across the USA. We had channels 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 when I was growing up. And then came Cable TV. And then Satellite TV. And then the Internet. 

The only constant in life is change. 

I learned to drive during the 'Gas Crisis' in the 70s. I watched as President Carter spoke to the nation on TV, as he made the National Speed Limit 55 across the USA. I felt so cheated! Just in time for me get my driver's license, we had gas rationing. I also remember when President Carter placed Solar Panels on the White house. 

And I remember when President Reagan promptly took them down. 

When I drove to and from PURDUE from my home in New Jersey in the 70s gas was around $0.85 a gallon. There was talk that gas might cost more than $1 per gallon one day soon. Many said that would never happen. There were many 'muscle cars' on campus, no one really cared about MPG back then. During my days at PURDUE we had Americans being held hostage in Iran. Now in 2026 our cars and trucks are being held hostage. We really don't seem to learn, do we?

I can charge my EV at home, during off peak hours. It takes around 5 to 7 hours to get a full charge from home. From the road, it takes 10 to 20 minutes to top off to 80% of a charge, which can get me 250 to 350 miles. The app in the car (and in my phone) will find a charger for road trips. My son has an EV so when we visit him in Connecticut I charge up in his driveway. 

Solar (and wind) technology has changed a lot since the 70s. I wonder where we would be as a country if we kept the solar panels on the White House. If we made the alternative energy industry cool. If we changed from 'muscle cars' to electric. The 'gas crisis of the 70s should have been a lesson for all of us, right? 

We were warned. Big money wanted to keep the game the same. And climate change was a hoax, right?

I remember making that college drive from New Jersey to Indiana, and looking at all the land. The open spaces. Farmland, and cornfields. Farms, farms, farms as far as the eye can see. Why not Wind Farms and Solar Farms? 

Dozens of countries operate electrified or battery-electric (EV) trains, with widespread adoption across Europe, Asia, and expanding rapidly in Australia and the Americas. The majority utilize traditional electrified overhead wires or third rails, while others are pioneering battery-electric or hydrogen-powered train technologies for cleaner transit.

Leading countries utilizing electrified (EV) and battery-electric trains include:

Switzerland: Operates a 100% electrified national railway network, featuring heavily utilized electric passenger and freight trains.

The Netherlands: The first country to run its entire national railway on 100% wind-powered electricity.

Japan: Operates one of the world's most extensive electrified networks (roughly 75% electrified), famous for its high-speed electric Shinkansen bullet trains.

India: Aiming for full network electrification, with nearly 90% of its rail routes electrified using heavy electric locomotives for both freight and passenger travel.

China: Boasts the world's largest high-speed rail network and one of the largest overall electrified networks in the world.

Spain: Leads Europe in high-speed rail and is pioneering zero-emission electric and hydrogen-powered high-speed trains.

Australia: Expanding commercial battery-electric freight locomotives, using massive onboard battery banks and regenerative braking to haul heavy mining loads without overhead lines.

My grandchildren will never know a world without EV trains, cars, trucks. Probably EV ships and aircraft, too. Fossil fuels will be like having thousands of horses in the city, pulling wagons and buggies. 

That must have really been something, manure as far as the eye can see on city streets. Here's to hoping that we have sunny (and windy) times ahead. Like the rest of the civilized world.