Don't Eat Paste in 2011

According to Google, the average life expectancy in the USA is 77.9 years. OK, since we know that everything on the Internet is always true, let’s go with that. Now, let’s do something interesting. Instead of adding up the years, let’s review our lives by decades. To be clear, a decade is a period of ten years. The word is derived (via French) from the Ancient Greek dekas which means ten. That means that if we are lucky, we have seven or eight decades to make our marks on the world. Here we go!

Decade One
Your first decade is spent pooping your pants, playing with toys, watching cartoons, and getting your first introduction to school. During your first decade, your teeth don’t work so well. In fact, just when you get used to them, they fall out. We learn that eating paste in school is highly over-rated. Decade one gets you a two wheeler bike (ouch, scraped knees) your first homework assignment (you forgot to do it) and your first fight with a bully on the playground (ouch, again). But in decade one Santa, the Easter Bunny, and the Tooth Fairy are always in your corner.

Decade Two
This is the best! In decade two, you learn everything that there is to learn in life. You officially become the smartest person in the world, and you realize that your parents are clearly idiots. It is in decade two that you have your first drink, your first cigarette (please don’t) and your first, well – your first just about everything. Decade two introduces you to puberty, middle school, high school, and college. Here we learn how to drive cars, get into (and out of) trouble, how to make our parents crazy, and it is in decade two that we have our first “real” dates. In some cases, in decade two you can even get (surprise) your own kids! Yes, decade two is by far the best – you are invincible!

Decade Three
Decade three gets really interesting. You are now usually married (or divorced) with more bills than money. You have a job (career) that you love (hate). You have a home (mortgage / second mortgage) and a new car that runs like a top (it’s in the shop, again). In decade one, you believed in Santa Claus. Now, in decade three, you are Santa Claus.

Decade Four
Decade four is much like three, but with bigger bills. Decade four is where you start losing hair on your head, but it starts growing like crazy in your ears (right guys?). If you are lucky, you have traveled well, and you have memories of some wonderful family vacations. Once again (according to Google) you have had two to three jobs (maybe more) at this point in your career. The days of working for one company for life are long gone. If you are lucky, it is in decade four that your youngest graduated from college, and you are finally “done” with tuition payments. What did you say, Jr? Graduate school? Hey, that’s great! .

Decade Five
Oh my God, what was that noise? Oh geeze, that was my father’s noise! Decade five is the wonderful decade of “losing things”. It is the decade of going bald (hair plugs) knee replacements, and (fill in the blank) replacements. Why the hell did I get that tattoo on my (fill in the blank) back in decade two??? It is in decade five that men run out and get the (Corvette, Harley Davidson, etc.) to make themselves feel better about the things they (lost / are losing). Ah yes, decade five is the decade of making up for the things that we lost, including our minds. Funny how you lose your hearing, but you ears get bigger to compensate (guys).

Decade Six
Ah, retirement. All of those years of hard work, the 401k and the Social Security payments. Now I get to play golf, travel the world, and enjoy myself. What did you say? Bank failures? Bernie Madoff? My house is now only worth how much???

Decade Seven
At some point during decade seven (or eight, or nine...) you will probably find yourself pooping your pants, playing with toys, and watching cartoons. Your teeth don’t work so well. In fact, just when you get used to them, they fall out (dentures). Ah yes, the circle of life. Why do the first and last decades have to be so similar? It is here that we realize that God truly has a sick sense of humor.

As the world welcomes 2011, it might be helpful to think of our lives as a series of decades. If we are lucky, we will have seven, maybe eight (or God willing nine) decades to live our lives. It is our quest to link these decades together, to make them as fulfilling and successful as possible. We don’t have too much control over the first decade, and probably not too much control over the last. It is what we do with the “middle decades” that we will consider our legacy.

I am in the beginning of my fifth decade. I am blessed to have wonderful wife, two great sons and a career that I enjoy. It is the magic of the Internet that allows me to share my thoughts with the world. It is my plan to make this decade my best decade ever. That is my plan - why not make it yours as well?

My final thoughts for 2010: live and follow the “golden rule” whenever possible. And don’t eat paste, regardless of which decade you are in.

Have a Safe and Happy New Year.

It's the story, of a lovely lady...

There's nothing quite like a good story. When sitting at a college lecture, listening to an athlete’s celebratory speech, or talking to a good friend, our ears perk up and our minds click whenever the word "story" makes an appearance.

A good story has the power to take a concept, a philosophy, and an idea and make it into a breathing, colorful entity, giving it life and making it real. It takes hazy notions and turns them into tangible, concrete objects that we can feel, touch, and that we can understand. A good story creates a bond, a connection. A good salesman knows how to tell a good story.

In marketing, telling a story is potent and powerful. When you tell people the story behind your product and company, they start listening. With the help of a story, you turn a cold, impersonal object into a warm and real personal connection. Imagine you supply a service, such as a computer technician. Your story begins when you were just a child and would spend hours taking things apart just to figure out how they worked, fascinated by the intricate technology.

Now, you've been working in the computer repair industry for over 20 years, and you love the challenge of determining the exact cause of the problem and providing a long-lasting, effective solution.

You're no longer just a computer technician. You are now someone who possesses an innate curiosity, a love for his work, and pride in his achievements. And you provide truly unique, individualized service. You've just created an intimate connection with your clients by giving them a real image of who you are, via a story.

What's the story behind what you do for a living? What drives you, what motivates you? What is the story behind your business, or the story behind your invention? How did it all begin? Tell your clients about your history and your mission, and notice how people begin to connect to you and become enamored with your unique expertise and focus. Tell them your story, and make your company and product come alive.

Now, let me tell you a story about a man named Jed...

Happy Birthday, Bunny

Tomorrow, there is a very good chance that you will be celebrating the birthday of someone that everyone in the world has come to know and love. Now, before you think I am being “politically incorrect”, read on…

The Energizer Bunny, the symbol of battery maker Energizer Holdings Inc., debuted in a Christmas themed commercial in 1989 and has, well, kept going ever since.

For more than 20 years, the advertising icon has become famous enough that people who persevere beyond reasonable expectation are often referred to, or call themselves, the "Energizer Bunny." Among the many references from politicians:

• In 1996, Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole, then 72, dismissed concerns about his age, saying: "I'm like the Energizer Bunny. We've got a lot of juice left in our generation."

• With his 2004 presidential campaign floundering, Democratic candidate Howard Dean promised reporters to keep "going and going and going and going and going — just like the Energizer Bunny."

• In 2005, former President George H.W. Bush said of former President Bill Clinton as they traveled together to raise funds for victims of the Asian tsunami, "You should have seen him going, town to town, country to country, Energizer Bunny here."

The pink bunny, always pounding a drum, always wearing sunglasses and flip-flops, made his debut in Christmas 1989 powering toys for all the good little girls and boys in the world.

The bunny soon showed up in a series of parody commercials for products such as wine, coffee and long-distance phone service, always banging the drum into the commercial to interrupt. Two decades later, he is still going strong.

The Energizer Bunny became an advertising icon. They found a meaningful and differentiating position within the category that is important to the consumer, and what's important for a battery is that it's long-lasting, it just keeps going.

To mark the start of his 20th year, a 40-foot-tall bunny float took part in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York and kept going down 34th Street while other participants made a right onto 7th Avenue.

The message of the Energizer Bunny has remained consistent over the last two decades. He speaks to longevity, determination and perseverance. He personifies the American spirit.

OK, Tom, where are you going with this?

Well, first of all, if you bought anything for anyone (especially toys for the kiddies) that says “requires 2 AAA batteries” on the box, today is your last chance to save Christmas morning. Get your batteries today, or you will be heading out to Walgreens tomorrow morning in your PJs. I am speaking from experience, so trust me on this one.

Second, just like the Energizer Bunny, the Christmas Season comes every year. Dependable, reliable, unstoppable. Regardless of your religious beliefs, no matter where you live in the world, Christmas is a time for everyone to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday - the unstoppable, reliable, dependable spirit of Christmas.

The “Christmas Season” which starts before Thanksgiving and ends after New Year’s Day is my favorite time of year. Not for the presents, not for the parties, and not for the great food. But for the pure enjoyment of spending quality time with friends, family and embracing everyone who is truly important in our lives. Of all the birthday parties that I have ever attended, the one that we celebrate every December 25th is by far, my very favorite.

Happy Holidays / Merry Christmas

Stop. Look. Listen.

I have always loved gadgets and gizmos. I grew up in the age of Star Trek, Apollo 11, and Color TV. I remember that it was a big deal to make the leap from Black and White TV to Color. Disneyworld in Orlando had its grand opening when I was around ten years old. A trip to Orlando in the 60’s and early 70’s was all about how our world would be shaped and made better through science and technology.

I remember that our family had one of the first “automatic garage door openers” in the neighborhood. Push a button from the car and the garage door goes up and down, like magic. I remember charging the kids in my neighborhood a quarter to push the button. I guess it was my destiny to find a career in the technology space, as I was always looking to be the one who gets to “push the button” on the next gizmo or widget. Anything wireless or “remote controlled” was super cool when I was a kid, that was for sure.

My two sons came home from college last night. Both are in the School of Business at Universities in Connecticut. They have access to all of the latest “gadgets and gizmos” for education. Laptop computers, high speed Internet, iPads and cell phones. Their state-of-the-art college libraries have real-time access to just about everything ever written, spoken, recorded, videotaped or photographed. They can videochat with professors, fellow students, or when they feel like it, with their parents back home. Both boys had the last of their last final exams yesterday. While driving home, they were able to log in from the car and see their final grades for the semester, within hours of handing in their last exam.

We are living during a time of a global network of friends on Facebook, cars with talking GPS, and kitchen appliances connected to the Internet. We are living in the time of instant communication, no matter where you are in the world, including the International Space Station. Walt Disney would be proud to see his vision and dream of “Tomorrowland” come true. Or would he?

Our two sons arrived home at around 11pm last night. We all sat in the kitchen for at least an hour, maybe two. Just my wife, my two sons and our dog Bella. No cell phones, no videochats, no emails. The hot chocolate was made from scratch (no microwave was used). I made it a point to listen, not speak. I make it a point to watch the expressions on the boy’s faces as they described their last few weeks at college. The relief of being finished with exams, and how good it was for them to be home, sleeping in their own beds. They told stories of their experiences, their professors, their friends, their roommates, dorm life, everything. I did not want to interrupt, I wanted to just sit back and soak it all in. No technology was involved in the making of this moment. It was pure human interaction.

There are various quotes about how “money simply amplifies who you are”. The idea is that having access to money makes good people better, and that access to money makes bad people worse, or something like that. I think the same thing applies to having access to technology. Last night was a very “low tech” evening - and yet - the quality of the communication was outstanding. The boys were tired from the driving, and they went to bed around midnight. But I could have sat at the kitchen table all night long, watching their expressions, and listening to their stories of college life, and how technology is playing a role in their world.

I love technology, and I love my job selling and promoting technology. I think that the world is a better place because of the magic of automatic garage door openers, cell phones, and the Internet. The next time you are in the car and you come up to a railroad crossing, you will see a sign that says “Stop. Look. Listen”. That is about as low tech as you can get, regarding something very important indeed (your safety). Try an experiment with your customers, with your friends, and by all means, try this with your family during this holiday season. Stop, look and listen to what people are saying to you. Stop, look and by all means - truly listen to what they are trying to communicate. Let it all soak in, like people used to do in the days before Facebook and texting. Let the magic of today’s communication technology simply “amplify and magnify” what messages you are already sending and receiving. Stop, Look and Listen.

Happy Holidays.

"Thanks a Million"

Did you ever say to anyone who did you a favor “Thanks a million...”? I know that I have, many times. I have not “Googled it” lately, but I think the average life expectancy in the USA is 72, which is much higher than the world average. If we use this number and then multiply by 365 days in a year, this produces a mere 26,280 days. If we factor out the “Diaper Years”, the exuberant years of adolescence, and also factor out our final years of twilight, this leaves us we far less than 26,280 days where we are fully responsible for our own thoughts and actions.

Yesterday, our family took the bus from Northern New Jersey to NYC to see the Macy’s Balloons. Taking the bus, we avoided the gas, tolls and parking expenses of “the Big Apple” which can be insane during the holidays. My youngest son Robert said that this was the first time that he ever rode a public bus. How was this possible? How could he have lived for 19 years in the New York Tri-State area, and have never ridden on a bus? Time flew by, as our family discussed this paradox.

When we arrived in NYC, we took a taxi cab to Columbus and 79th to see the Macy’s balloons. I think the night before the parade is more fun than the parade itself. Because there were four of us, I sat in front with the driver, my family sat in the back. All of us (including the driver) started talking about the city and the holidays. We learned that our driver was driving taxi cabs for five years. At a red light, next to our cab was one of those bicycle taxi cabs (Rickshaw) where the cab driver “peddles” you around NYC via nothing but human-power. These tricycle Rickshaws charge $15 to start, and $1 per minute for the trip. Add an extra $10 for more than one passenger. We saw hundreds of these three-wheeled taxis, and they were all occupied. New York City really is quite amazing.

When we arrived at Columbus and 79th, we got out of the cab and we all said thank you to the driver, and wished him a Happy Thanksgiving. I wondered if he was being extra nice during our ride (to earn an extra good holiday tip) or if he was this friendly every day, with every passenger. We asked a local police officer where the balloons were being set up, he gave us excellent directions, and he gave us a few secret tips on how to best see the balloons. We said thank you and we wished him a Happy Thanksgiving. At the end of the evening, we took another taxi cab (no Rickshaws for us) back to the Port Authority, and another bus ride back home.

It is estimated that over one million people see the balloons the night before the parade, and over three million people watch the parade live on the streets of NYC. There are no fees to see the balloons inflated the night before, and there is no charge to watch the parade in the morning. I cannot even imagine the true financial costs and expense to set up the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, to organize it, or clean up after it - for the past 83 years. As I write this blog, I am in my living room watching in HDTV the same balloons that I saw live and in person, just a few hours ago.

Other than our costs of transportation, our family “fun day” excursion into NYC yesterday was completely free. And yet, by my best calculation, we only said “thank you” to two bus drivers, two cab drivers, and one police officer. It would appear that we missed a few people, who made our holiday outing possible.

Today will be a day in our household that we spend eating (too much) wonderful food, watching no less than three professional football games on a big screen HDTV, and enjoying our numerous blessings. I had an epiphany on the bus ride home. It was this: if I spend the rest of my life, saying a proper and sincere “thank you” for all of my blessings – if I were to truly give thanks to everyone who is responsible for everything that is good and important in my life, I would need to live a very, very long life indeed – and I would be saying “thank you” non-stop. I think of all the time wasted in diapers and my years as an (occasionally) thankless teenager – I need to make up for lost time.

On this Thanksgiving Day 2010, I am thankful for my wonderful family, and my dear friends and co-workers. But I am also thankful for New York City cab drivers, bus drivers, and police officers. I am thankful for the armed forces of the US that are allowing all of us to watch the Macy’s Day Parade (for free) and to enjoy all of the freedoms that we enjoy, and to live the rewarding lives that we wish to create for our families. We are all so blessed, and the blessings are so diverse and numerous, that we can easily forget how much we have already enjoyed, and what the future still holds for all of us.

Black Friday will be tomorrow, and the malls will be full of people spending money, buying gifts for friends and family, while getting ready to enjoy the holiday season. The next thirty days are the most amazing of the entire year – especially in such places as New York City. I hope that we take the time to be thankful for the abililty to enjoy the holiday season - and what it means - as many in the world will not be as fortunate.

Since it is mathematically impossible to thank everyone who is responsible for all that we enjoy and cherish, and since it is impossible to go back in time and properly thank all who have made the sacrifices that created the lives that we enjoy, there is only one thing that I can say, and that is “Thanks a million”.

Have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving.

You did that on purpose!

I bought a car phone in 1983, when they were very (very) expensive. At the time, I was a college student, with aspirations of going to medical school. I had no real job, but I had a fancy sports car (very spoiled – the only son of a very Italian family). And I just had to have a car phone. Did I mention that I was spoiled? I never did go to medical school, but I have since sold many a “car phone” in my career – and many of those sales were to Doctors.

Inside each and every one of us is a passion, a particular trait or talent which bears our name. There are those who have had the good fortune of turning their aptitude and strengths into a livelihood, transforming their hobby into a business. Is this on purpose, or by accident?

In recent years, due to abysmal economic circumstances, many people have found themselves without traditional jobs to support their families. So they began to dabble in less traditional occupations, discovering unexplored, unfulfilled niches and opportunities. The www.dsa.org is full of such opportunities. Unfortunately, 80% or more of all new business ventures fail within the first 24 months. Alas, there are no short cuts to success, no matter how good the opportunity might appear.

Over the past few years, many new businesses were indeed created. And in some cases, many of these new businesses grew and flourished. But as demands came pouring in, many accidental entrepreneurs found themselves overwhelmed, unprepared, having never realized that their passion could take hold. Orders had to be turned down, the pace of production inevitably slowed, and the level of success stalled.

An accidental entrepreneur is a wonderful thing- as these daring individuals stumble across pockets of innovation and potential. But how does one maintain momentum and ensure that the growth of a new business isn't slowed or even killed before maturity?

An accidental entrepreneur begins their business without a plan, never dreaming that their hobby or passion could make it in the marketplace. But now that it has, without a plan, without vision, valuable goods and services become buried in tidal waves of growth. When this occurs, it is important to step back, slow down, and re-focus. What is the true nature of the business? What might have started out as an emergency “paycheck replacement” strategy is now a living, adolescent “entity” that needs good parenting. It is never too late to develop a strategy, to learn proper business procedures and processes, and evaluate points of profit and loss in order to allow a business to truly grow and prosper in healthy, sustainable way.

Accidental entrepreneurs should never lose heart or give up. Many successful businesses began accidentally. Hobbies can be transformed into corporations, but at some point in time, the creators stopped, stepped back, and formulated a proper business plan. True vision, purposeful strategies, and concrete guidelines steered them to their level of success.

So, I never did get my MD license plates, and I never did get to park next to fire hydrants legally. But I did get to say “I’ll call you from the car” long before anyone else thought it was possible. And that was no accident.

Freedom Isn't Free

Today, November 11th, we observe Veterans Day. There are nearly 24 million Veterans living among us, in every state and territory and from every walk of life. Many of the folks here at MTP are veterans or have loved ones who are veterans.

We'd like to take this time to honor those who chose to serve our country, work to keep us as well as our loved ones safe day and night. Please thank a veteran and share these facts with your friends & family, courtesy of the Veterans Administration:

WORLD WAR I
(1917 - 1918)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide): 4,734,991
Battle Deaths: 53,402
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 63,114
Non-mortal Woundings: 204,002
Living Veterans: 1

WORLD WAR II
(1941 - 1945)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide): 16,112,566
Battle Deaths: 291,557
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 113,842
Non-mortal Woundings: 670,846
Living Veterans: 2,079,000

KOREAN WAR
(1950 - 1953)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide): 5,720,000
Battle Deaths: 33,739
Other Deaths (in Theater): 2,835
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 17,672
Non-mortal Woundings: 103,284
Living Veterans: 2,507,000

VIETNAM WAR
(1964 - 1975)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide): 8,744,000
Battle Deaths: 47,434
Other Deaths (in Theater): 10,786
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 32,000
Non-mortal Woundings: 153,303
Living Veterans: 7,569,000

GULF WAR
(1990 - 1991)
Total Servicemembers (Worldwide): 2,322,000
Battle Deaths: 148
Other Deaths (in Theater): 235
Other Deaths in Service (Non-Theater): 1,565
Non-mortal Woundings: 467
Living Veterans: 2,254,000

WAR ON TERROR
(2001 - PRESENT)
The War on Terror, including Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom are ongoing conflicts. For the most recent statistics, please visit the following Department of Defense Web site:
http://siadapp.dmdc.osd.mil/personnel/CASUALTY/gwot_component.pdf