I remember the big things

I met "Big Tony" Gonczarow during my "Pre-Med" educational track days at PURDUE. Thanks to the magic of Facebook - Tony and I reconnected - only a few years ago.

Tony was easy to remember. First, he was taller than me, and had at least 50 pounds on me. And I'm not...tiny. Second he was from the Northeast, like me. Third, his stories about his father - a Holocaust survivor - were impossible to forget. Riveting stories. I can remember vividly Tony telling stories of how his father survived, and how he made his way to the USA. Tony's father was very proud to show his bare arm - to show the numbers tattooed on his forearm.

Around 30 years ago, I was very busy moving colleges, schools and museums off of ISDN and over to DSL. Video conferencing was going through its renaissance, and the new affordable high speed Internet (DSL) was the way to go for hosting quality distance learning and video conferencing sessions.

One of my clients at the time was the Holocaust Museum and Educational Center. One of their cool ideas was to host real-time video conference calls with survivors, and with K-12 students all around the world. This was state-of-the-art at the time.

One of my cool ideas was to not just host these meetings - but to also record and archive these sessions. 

I love technology. If it were not for Facebook, I would not have reconnected with Tony. We have "come close" to meeting again in NYC over the past three years, but it did not happen. It will happen, one of these days. If it were not for Facebook, I would not know that Tony became a teacher at Southmont Senior High School. For years, he has been changing lives. Teaching, coaching, mentoring students.

How many of his students have gone on to become Doctors, Nurses, Business Owners, Teachers, Entrepreneurs. How many of the lives that "Big Tony" has touched, are now citizens out in the world - doing good work.

Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. Ever since I reconnected with Tony, I have been thinking more and more about the Holocaust, and about Tony's father. I have been thinking about how we are all connected, all of us. And how through technology, we can ALL do more to be - connected.

Later this week, I shall be donating my archive of Holocaust Survivor video conference meetings with K-12 students to the Museum of Jewish Heritage in NYC.

If Tony's father did not survive, there would be no Big Tony. There would not be the amazing sons that Tony is so proud of - sons who are now moving on with their own college careers. And if there was no Big Tony in Chemistry 101 at PURDUE, I probably would never had the "extra" motivation to service the Holocaust Memorial and Tolerance Center of Nassau County. I would have never had the idea or the motivation to give them my services at no cost. But I did give them free DSL service, in memory of Tony's father.

Life is all about the moments that we connect together.

I owe a great deal to Edward Gonczarow, a man that I never met. We all do.

Massive Mini Meetings

I had a "meetings and events" epiphany today.

This month was a busy month for the NYDLA. First was CES in Vegas (55,000+) and then NRF2019 at Jacob Javits (37,000+). Later this month will be Inman 2019 at the Marriott Marquis (4,000+).

And we had a smattering of smaller events and meetings throughout the month. From events with 75 people to 55,000 people, we really covered the spectrum of "meetings and events" so far in early 2019. 

Yesterday my son and I attended "a two man team building meeting" - at a New Jersey Devils hockey game at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Parking was easy. Getting into the area via eTickets on our smartphones was easy. Watching the game live on the ice - and on the big screen - AND on our smartphones was....easy. I also noticed that since we had eTickets on our smartphones, we had coupons and spiffs and specials sent to us throughout the game. We did not do it but we could have made purchases for food and souvenirs from our seats, and then just picked them up at our convenience. Or, had things shipped directly to our home, or to anywhere in the world. 

Last week, we had a meeting in SoHo (that's an acronym for South of Houston Street, NYC) with around 75+ in the room live. Presenters flew in from out of town, to present to NYDLA members - live. People traveled, paying for gas, tolls and parking from out of town, to meet up in the same room. The training "could" have been done virtually, via Zoom or other tools. But the decision was made to spend the money for travel and food to have people gather in the same room. 

The National Conference Center is a Platinum Sponsor of the NYDLA. Located on the old Xerox Sales Campus in Leesburg, Virginia, their entire facility is based on one thing - meetings. Quality meetings. Training meetings, corporate events, government meetings, team building - meetings. Their entire ethos is about gathering people together in the same room (5 to 5,000) at their state-of-the-art facility when the "knowledge transfer" is critical. Yeah, you can have meetings and events at hotels and resorts and such, but when it's time to get "serious" you should have your IMPORTANT meetings and events at THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE CENTER. 

So here is my epiphany. Virtual meetings are here to stay. I love, love, LOVE hosting meetings on Zoom. It's my weapon of choice. But there is something about shaking hands with a person for the first time. There is something about "breaking bread" and there is something about looking a person in the eye when handing them your business card. Once you meet someone "live" you can always do virtual. Your brain is wired to remember the live in-person meetings, and that is what you remember when you are on a conference call. When I shake someone's hand, I will remember that person in a very different way, even if the next twenty meetings we host are on Zoom.

So with that being said, let's all meet very soon - preferably over an adult beverage - in the VIP suite - at the Prudential Center. 

Unless we need to be "serious" and then of course, we will see you at THE NATIONAL.....

The Two Toms

The Big Show

When the romantic comedy Jerry Maguire hit theaters Dec. 13, 1996, it featured a career-altering performance by superstar Tom Cruise and the breakthroughs of Cuba Gooding Jr. and Renée Zellweger.

SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!  

With sports agent Jerry Maguire (Cruise) out of a job and desperate, he reaches out to Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Rod Tidwell (Gooding), who expresses his unhappiness with his existing contract. Not only does the shirtless Gooding dance and repeat "Show me the money!" on the phone, but he insists that Maguire scream it back at him. This iconic scene made Gooding an immediate success and propelled him to win best supporting actor.

Show. Me. The. Money.  My brain is now stuck on the word.............show.

Show is one of those words that can mean a million things. It can be a verb, or a noun. You can show off, show up, you can host a show, you can show someone in. You can do a "show and tell" or have something showing that you wish was not showing. 

OK. Let me show you something.

The National Retail Federation Show (aka "The Big Show") is next month in NYC. And they don't call it THE BIG SHOW for nothing. It's not just a show, NRF is like the Super Bowl for business.

OK, let me get this show on the road. The NYDLA.org (my day job) has been asked to help get people to attend THE BIG SHOW. So, we are sending out 500,000 emails to NYDLA members within 100 miles of NYC. And we are going to show them a good time. 

Their show, is now our show. And as history has shown, no one has a bad time. The Schools of Business supporting the NYDLA say that this one event is the highlight of their year.

Now I don't want to "showboat" here, and I don't want to show anyone up, but if 10% of 500,000 NYDLA members from NY/NJ/CT attend THE BIG SHOW this year, that is more people than attended THE BIG SHOW last year (in total). 

Heck, if 1/2 of 10% of NYDLA members attend, I will be the first one to say to our CMO:

GOOD SHOW my man! 

Good show indeed. 

Wait Training

"Wait! Where the hell is the Chinese Restaurant???!!!"

I must have not been paying attention. My favorite Chinese Restaurant is now GONE. Replaced by some form of personal training "gym" thingy. Great. Now where do I go for my ribs?

This is what I thought as I stared at the door. Just what the world needs, another fitness place. About four seconds before I was about to turn away and drive to a fast food joint.......  my life changes.

I have known about weight training all my life. My father was a professional athlete. I played enough sports over the years. I was never a "gym rat" as they say (who says that!) but booked enough hours "working out" over the years.  But that was many (many) years ago. 

Chapter One:  Jamie and Fran

OK, so now I am standing INSIDE The Body Shoppe in Boonton, NJ. But something is very different about this place. I see weights, and I see kettle bells, and I see exercise balls, and all the normal "gym" stuff. But I never expected to be greeted by....FRAN.  She might be 5' nothing, and something like 100 lbs (I'm not good at guessing) but she can DEFINITELY kick my butt if she wanted to.

Then I meet Jamie. Immediate connection. I start asking questions, he starts telling me his life story. And I am........fascinated. 

Jamie's words: "I worked in corporate most my life. In May of 2012 my brother committed suicide. Six months later, his wife took her own life. I adopted his children: Johnny Voit 15 now 21 - graduated from Salve Regina in the spring with a finance and economics degree, Stephen Voit 12 now 18 - graduates HS in the spring attends school for electric and HVAC and Christopher 5 now 11. I also have 2 children of my own Michela 13 and Nicholas 9. I left the corporate world in 2012, took some time off and then opened SWEAT Fitness Club. After 5 years I felt as though I was losing my focus on what I love (helping people) and "my identity" as the club just got too big and it required too much of my time each week to continue to strive (over 100 hrs per week). So I decided to take all that I learned over the years and downsize and I concentrated on what really matters: People and their Health. That pretty much sums it up."

90 minutes later: Jamie knows his stuff about health and fitness!

Chapter Two: "I'm not crying, you're crying!"  

OK, so I am no longer craving ribs. Or any food. I am blown away. I listened to Jamie tell me his story. And then I told mine. It was like meeting my old college roommate who I did not see for years, and trying to tell 'em everything that happened since college. 

Me. Jamie. Fran. Talking. And.....talking. And then more... talking. And no one wanted the conversation to end. Then I met Fran's son. She introduced me like it was...important for her son to meet me. Wow. 

Then Jamie hits me with this: "Here is a little secret.  No one knows what SWEAT actually stands for..."  

Satisfied Workouts & Exercises Achieved Together

Cute. But over time, even days later, I keep thinking about Fran and Jamie's new business. About how they are in the hyper competitive world of fitness, and gyms, and personal training. 

I've been in business since 1983. I have seen it all. And I am learning new things about business every day. 

Had I not craved ribs, I would have not met Jamie and Fran. I would not have become their new client. And I would not have written this blog. But if Jamie and Fran were not WHO THEY WERE, my visit at The Body Shoppe in Boonton NJ would have lasted around 45 seconds. Not 90 minutes.

Here's what I think SWEAT stands for:

Successful Work Experiences Achieved Together.

I have never wanted a startup business to be successful more than my hopes for The Body Shoppe in Boonton, New Jersey. 

I will tell everyone I know about Jamie and Fran. You cannot fake this stuff. If Fran and Jamie treat EVERYONE this way, they are going to CRUSH IT. If they ever want to franchise their business model, I'll be their first investor.  

I am going to get physically fit and healthy, yes. But what I received during my first "session" with Jamie: priceless. 

That will be my last "non-sweaty" session with Jamie and Fran.

Epilogue

You can only take your life to the next level when you take yourself to the next level. And the journey is best when you get yourself.....Sweaty. 

Do it with friends. 

Me. Around 90 days from now....DONE.

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Just the Facts, Ma'am

Joe Friday never said it. If you are old enough to remember the TV show "Dragnet" then you know the catchphrase "Just the Facts, Ma'am"

But he never said it. Not on the show. A PARODY of the show first used the phrase. But not Joe Friday.

I learned of this fact, because I Google the word "facts" and "Just the Facts, Ma'am" was the number one hit. 

[No, it was not really the number one hit on Google. But you won't check it out for yourself, so who cares, right?]

My search took me to the Snopes.com website, which covered the topic. Is it not amazing that a website like Snopes even exists? 

We read things on the Internet, on social media, and then after liking the posts and sharing the posts and re-tweeting the posts, we find out that the post was false. Or less than factual. But it is too late. Truth and facts lose out to speed and volume. 

I was about to say "A lie can travel around the world before the truth can put on it's shoes" ~ Mark Twain. But it looks like it was Winston Churchill who said it, and it was pants, not shoes. 

USAfacts.org is a cool website founded by former Microsoft executive Steve Ballmer. It is all about the facts. The truth. It is a very useful website (especially at election time). You should check it out.

But I have no idea if Steve Ballmer is actually even connected with, or has anything to do with the website. Truth. Facts. What does that even mean any more, when lies travel at the speed of light?

We always say that we want the truth. The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. But can we handle the truth?

Last one:  What percentage of people vote?

Google says about 60% of the eligible voting population votes during presidential election years, and about 40% votes during midterm elections. 

Is that true? Is that a fact? How do we fact check the fact checkers?

When we VOTE on November 6th shall we vote with our hearts or with our heads? 

Where is Detective Joe Friday when we need him.....

Two packs a day? EVERY DAY???

Is Reading Still Fundamental?

Who remembers growing up with the commercials for www.RIF.org?  I remember how "reading" and reading comprehension scores were a major part of our education. But is reading still such a big deal?

My friends Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson (aka DHH) of Basecamp fame have blessed us with a new book. Just go buy it. Seriously, buy it, read it, and then live it. 

But this blog post is not so much about their new book. It is about reading, in general. 

I was born in 1960. Growing up, we had......books in school. And film strips. And movies. Who remembers watching MOVIES in grade school? It was such a big deal. Secretly, I think it was a mental health break for our teachers when they could run a movie or film strip, and keep us crazy kids occupied for a few minutes. 

I bought Jason and David's new book on Amazon, as an eBook. And I opted for the audio version as well. It took me around 2 hours to read the book on my Kindle. But having the audio version allows me to "re-read" the book while driving.

And then it hit me. We now live in the world of podcasts, and YouTube, and multimedia, trans-media, TBLS (Technology Based Learning Systems). 

Penmanship is no longer taught in school. But experts claim that it should be. 

When you BUY a book, you proactively take the steps necessary to purchase, read, and process the contents of a book. You are PULLING the information into your brain. You set the pace. You decide when to start, stop and restart reading. YOU are in control of the flow. You can pause and re-read a section. You can highlight sections. And, you can buy books that resonate with you, and give them to friends, colleagues and staff. 

So, here is what I think. I think we need to read more. All of us. We need to PULL more information into our brains, rather than having information PUSHED at us. If we read more, there would be less "fake news" and there would be less confusion, and less chaos in the world. 

So that's it. RIF.org had it right all along. We all need to read more books. And if you are in business (of any size) start with THIS one. 

NYDLA.org members: email me the receipt from your book purchase 

and you will receive a matching credit on your NYDLA account. 

Email: CEO@NYDLA.org 

An Apple A Day

This weekend was a family triple birthday celebration, combined with the annual "Apple Picking" extravaganza. 

And it was full of Apple puns.

You are the apple of my eye. How do you like them apples? The apple does not fall far from the tree. In the end, we all apple-ologized for the lame apple jokes. 

But "An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away" stayed with me all weekend.

The first podcast interview of my career was with Milton Chen, CEO of VSee.com 

VSee was founded in 2008 by two Stanford PhD students who wanted to make remote work simple. The original VSee platform was coded by Milton who did his PhD research on the psychology of video communications.  Milton has deployed VSee for former President Obama’s Inauguration, for the Navy Seals, for Hillary Clinton and Angelina Jolie in their refugee work. Milton has also personally traveled to Iraq twice, Syria twice, as well as Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America on numerous humanitarian and medical missions trips.

VSee  is much more than a telemedicine platform. VSee are people who believe in the power of telemedicine to save money, to save lives, and improve healthcare. Their team mission is to make telehealth an everyday experience. Today, VSee serves over 1000 companies including Walgreens, MDLIVE, Trinity, DaVita, HCA, Seton, McKesson-US Oncology, and others. 

And, VSee is the official telemedicine platform of NASA and is the only telemedicine platform on the International Space Station. 

This month representatives of the NYDLA.org shall attend VSee's Telehealth national conference in San Diego. 

Over the years, I have watched VSee grow into a global band of designers and engineers passionate about using knowledge, technology and talent to do good. They strive to overcome the barriers preventing telehealth from being an everyday experience, for everyone on the planet. 

What if telemedicine became as accepted as apple picking? What if the adoption and utilization of telemedicine technology like VSee became as easy to use as picking apples? 

The old pun "An apple a day will keep the doctor away" has been replaced by technology. Today, you can find a doctor INSIDE of an Apple. Or inside of an Android smartphone, tablet or PC. 

Telemedicine is indeed the future of healthcare. Saving lives on a global basis (through technology) is as American as Apple Pie. 

Healthcare for all is my core belief, and I hope you found today's blog a-peel-ing. Hmmm... I think my next blog will be about STEM. 

Let's make global healthcare for all as easy as Picking Apples.