Monthly Archives: July 2011

Quote of the Day July 31st

This Week I am putting out a whole mess of quotes… Please enjoy and Share All

Photos are from my yard… Enjoy

“Just like a sunbeam can’t separate itself from the sun,
and a wave can’t separate itself from the ocean,
we can’t separate ourselves from one another. We are all
part of a vast sea of love, one indivisible divine mind.”

— Marianne Williamson

Quote of the Day July 28th

This Week I am putting out a whole mess of quotes… Please enjoy and Share All

“We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully
engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and
comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else
in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.”

— Earl Nightingale

Quote of the Day July 30th

JW On PurposeThis Week I am putting out a whole mess of quotes… Please enjoy and Share All

Photos are from my yard… Enjoy

“If you realized how powerful your thoughts are,
you would never think a negative thought.”
— Peace Pilgrim

Quote of the Day July 29th

This Week I am putting out a whole mess of quotes… Please enjoy and Share All

“Entrepreneurship is living a few years of your life like
most people won’t, so that you can spend the
rest of your life like most people can’t.”

Quote of the Day July 28th

This Week I am putting out a whole mess of quotes… Please enjoy and Share All

Photos are from my yard… Enjoy

“We are at our very best, and we are happiest, when we are fully
engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we’ve established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and
comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else
in life so wonderful, so worthwhile.”

— Earl Nightingale


Commercial Real Estate Distressed Property Strategies with Mark Levinson, Esq

Commercial Real Estate Distressed Property Strategies

Mark Levinson of GreenbergTraurig

Bookmark and Share

We interviewed Mr. Levinson at the 2011 GreenPearl Distressed Real Estate Event held in Los Angeles. For more event information go to www.GreenPearlEvents.com.

Mark LevinsonWilliam Mark Levinson
Shareholder

levinsonm@gtlaw.com
Direct: 310.586.3888
Direct Fax: 310.586.0588
Los Angeles
2450 Colorado Avenue
Suite 400E
Santa Monica, CA 90404
T 310.586.7700
F 310.586.7800

Mark Levinson has substantial experience in a broad range of corporate, securities, real estate and finance matters including an emphasis in municipal finance.

Mr. Levinson routinely structures, negotiates and documents the public and private placement of a range of securities offerings; loan restructurings; defaulted bond workouts on behalf of issuers, indenture trustees and bondholders; venture capital and private equity investments.

Mr. Levinson also provides guidance to businesses on Securities Exchange Act reporting obligations and general corporate and contract matters.

Mr. Levinson has experience in the municipal finance industry and routinely serves as bond and underwriter’s counsel, credit and liquidity provider’s counsel, and indenture trustee’s counsel.

He typically is engaged by financial institutions, municipalities, redevelopment agencies, and other governmental authorities and educational institutions to assist in a range of infrastructure, affordable housing, and Mello-Roos and Marks Roos financings utilizing bond or certificate of participation structures, aggregating billions of dollars in securities.

Mr. Levinson has handled all types of real estate transactions, representing syndicators, developers and owners in their projects including shopping centers, office buildings, warehouse distribution facilities and residential property.

He has particular experience representing syndication companies, lenders and others in a range of acquisitions, dispositions and private offerings and sale-leaseback arrangements.

Areas of Concentration
  • General Corporate
  • Securities
  • Financing transactions and secured lending
  • Private Equity Investments
  • Mergers and Acquisitions
  • Real Estate, leasing and land use
  • Acquisitions and dispositions of real estate
  • Mezzanine, bridge and permanent financings
  • Distressed Bond Workouts
Significant Representations
  • Served as issuers, underwriters and trustees counsel in numerous public offerings over a broad range of projects.
  • Represented numerous borrowers and financial institutions in secured and unsecured financings.
  • Represented Tenant In Common sponsors in acquisition of various commercial real estate projects pursuant to which the sponsor identified and acquired real estate projects throughout the United States, negotiated the complex loans acquisition financing and structured and administered the acquisition by tenants in common of the real estate.
  • Represented indenture trustees in numerous defaulted debt securities relating to companies in a wide range of industries.
  • Represented a financial institution providing credit enhancement to major airport and multi-family housing projects.
  • Represented Financial Advisors in connection with rendering fairness opinions.
Professional & Community Involvement
  • Second Vice President on Executive Board, New West Symphony
  • Chairman’s Circle, Los Angeles Business Council
  • Cabinet Member, Real Estate and Construction Division of the Jewish Federation, 2010
  • Board Member, Spotlight the Arts
  • Board of Governors, Cedars Sinai Hospital
  • Former Trustee, Temple Judea
  • Member, Association for Corporate Growth
  • Member, Brandeis University President’s California Council
  • Member, Business Law, Real Property and Probate & Trust Law Sections of the American Bar Association
  • Member, Los Angeles Business Counsel
  • Member, Los Angeles Business Forum
  • Member, Los Angeles Venture Association
  • Member, National Association of Bond Lawyers
  • Member, American Bar Association

GreenbergTraurig

Experience

GT’s growth to 1800 lawyers and more than 30 locations is an example of the firm’s instincts for leveraging a changing marketplace. The need for lawyers to help clients navigate change continues to escalate. For GT, merging with other law firms to be in new markets overnight is not the way to respond to the market need. Preserving the firm’s “built for change” culture is. GT leaders travel across the country handpicking lawyers with the talents to guide clients through the very moments their businesses and markets are changing most. It is this rare combination of talents around which we relentlessly hire at GT – legal, business and leadership skills. That’s why we refer to GT lawyers as “3-D lawyers.”

Culture

Walk through the hallways at GT and ask a lawyer what’s different about the firm. No matter in which office, state or time zone, a GT lawyer will no doubt answer in one word – culture. Culture is shorthand for thinking differently about what makes lawyers happy at a law firm and in turn what gets results for clients. GT’s culture places the power to get results in the individual, embracing diversity, lawyers’ multidimensional skills and commitment to community. It also means shunning such things as bureaucracy and internal competition and insisting upon an unwavering commitment to ethics and integrity. Indeed, the firm is run to eliminate the market forces that can distract organizations from their number one purpose: getting the best results possible for clients and keeping talent thrilled to be here.

GreenbergTraurig http://www.gtlaw.com

Articles and Press Releases

Putting Clients and Culture First is Always Good Business
New York Law Journal, October 2010

Greenberg Traurig Achieves 100 Percent Rating on 2011 Corporate Equality Index

To Hear More Podcasts CLICK HERE

New Site Theme

OMG, I have been playing with new site themes all night.. How unproductive, but hopefully this one will do the trick.

WordPress.com just doesn’t have the functionality of WP.org.

Hope you like the new look. The content section is skinnier, but it looks real nice.

JW

Not Another Name Change!?

Disney Rose JW Najarian

Disney Rose from my garden

I am changing the name of the site to JW On Purpose.

Yes sorry, but the wonderful and talented author,  Hyla Molander came up with this new name and I really loved it.

I was NetworkingFools.com and then JWN360 and then JW360 and now I am JW On Purpose.

By the way the graphic of the Disney Rose from my garden is just that. There is no special meaning to this story or post. I just liked it.

I took a ton of pictures of the flowers our yard and shared them on Flickr. So why did I put a picture here? Because this story seemed dull without a picture. So now you know the PURPOSE of the graphic. If you are interested, here are the rest of my pics http://www.flickr.com/photos/jwnajarian/sets/72157626992498566

The purpose or mission here is to deliver, what I like to call, DIIIEEECCC (Pronounced ^%$@%$#@ or Whatever!).  It stands for Delivering Intriguing, Inspiring, Interesting, Educational, Entertaining, Enlightening, Cheerful and Compelling Content.

We often ask questions related to cause. We love to know what causes you support and we like to try and help you put out the word for your cause.

I love the double entendre meaning with the name On Purpose. First I love the word purpose. Here is the definition.

pur·pose  (pûrps)

n.

1. The object toward which one strives or for which something exists; an aim or a goal: “And ever those, who would enjoyment gain/Must find it in the purpose they pursue” (Sarah Josepha Hale).
2. A result or effect that is intended or desired; an intention. See Synonyms at intention.
3. Determination; resolution: He was a man of purpose.
4. The matter at hand; the point at issue.

tr.v. pur·posed, pur·pos·ing, pur·pos·es

To intend or resolve to perform or accomplish.

Idioms:

on purpose

Intentionally; deliberately.

to good purpose

With good results.

to little/no purpose

With few or no results.

[Middle English purpos, from Anglo-Norman, from purposer, to intend : pur-, forth (from Latin pr-; see pro-1) + poser, to put; see pose1.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.


purpose [ˈpɜːpəs]

n

1. the reason for which anything is done, created, or exists
2. a fixed design, outcome, or idea that is the object of an action or other effort
3. fixed intention in doing something; determination a man of purpose
4. practical advantage or use to work to good purpose
5. that which is relevant or under consideration (esp in the phrase to or from the purpose)
6. Archaic purport
on purpose intentionally

vb (tr)

to intend or determine to do (something)

[from Old French porpos, from porposer to plan, from Latin prōpōnere to propose]

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

So we can use the word on as an adverb or adjective to change the meaing.

On Purpose, where on is the adjective to mean either with intent, determination, resolve, accomplish and result as in the phrase “They are doing that on purpose”, meaning that they are doing something with intent or using on as an adverb as in the phrase “He is writing this book on pupose.” which says that the subject of the book is about purpose.

Anyway as a phrase   It sounds good and, I believe it is apropos to what I am trying to do here.

Hope everyone likes it as much as I do…  Thanks Hyla

Crap, Now I need a Logo. If you have any ideas… Let me know what you think.

Klout, What is It, How does it work?

logo kloutKlout is about network influence and What they call True Reach

Network influence

Network Influence is the influence level of your engaged audience. Engagement is measured based on actions such as retweets, @messages, follows, lists, comments, and likes. Each time a person performs one of these actions it is a testament to the authority and the quality of your content. Capturing the attention of influencers is no easy task, and those who are able to do so are typically creating spectacular content.

True Reach

True Reach is the size of your engaged audience, eliminating inactive and spam accounts. Klout calculates influence for each individual relationship. For example, if you are followed by a person who follows 5,000 other people and you have never interacted with this person, share very few common friends, and generally don’t tweet about the same topics, it’s likely that the your tweets are barely seen by this person, and you probably have little to no influence over them. On the other hand, if a person takes the time to put the user on a Twitter list, it means they really value the content the user produces, and will increase the influence the user has over them.

Klout will break down all your different scores, but they do give you a Klout score which is your overall rating on Klout.

The Klout Score

measures your influence online based on data from Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and soon, other networks. Our philosophy is that influence is the ability to drive action so we focus on tangible indicators of influence like @ mentions, retweets, likes, and comments. Currently they use over 35 variables total and you can learn more at klout.com/kscore

Data Limitation

Scores are updated daily, but all scores are for past 30 days and no historical data is kept. This means your score is about what you are doing for the web lately.

What is +K?

+K allows you to share that someone has influenced you recently in a topic. Just go to their topics tab and click the +K button next to the relevant topic. Learn more.

Most of this information is right from the Klout Site. Unrelievedly, it was the best explanation I could find.  You can also find great info at: The Social Media Examiner http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/is-klout-a-good-judge-of-your-social-media-influence/

Starting with how many people follow you or like you or are connected to you, the social networking world has kept score, but now everyone wants to know what this all means.

Ok so I have built huge lists; Do they hear me or see my stuff. Is all the Facebooking, LinkingIn, Twittering, Digging, and Stublling all over each other help us, be better people, sell goods and services or help the world as a whole?

What Klout does do, is a pretty good job of giving you a score or allowing others to see your score. This can help you if you are a marketer or social media educator as the world can now tell if you know what you are talking about.

Having a list is useless unless that list sees you and Klout shows you if you are being seen. It can be fooled as with all the systems.

My thought is that it is fun and shows great promise. I have been using Empire Avenue which is a game that rates you like a company. You have shares and your share price is based on the amount of people that see you on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, YouTube and all your blogs. It is great if you don’t let the tail wag the dog.

EAv can become addicting. If I add my share price to my Klout score and divide it by my followers I become very confused!

The truth is that if you have more that one Twitter account your score is not as reflective as it should be. The technology is moving and someday, all people will want to know is what is your score. – JW

Les Brown on an Acheivement Driven Community

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATrYlRZ5DPk]

Les Brown Talks about Achievement, Commitment and how we need to Advocates of this

We got a chance to speak with Les Brown during Inspiration 2020 in Los Angeles. Les Brown’s words are always solid in meaning,  to the point and profound.

During a very tough point in my life, one of Les Brown’s PBS specials gave me the motivation to start to turn my life around and started me on a course of personal development, that has served me well throughout my life. So I have a special place in my heart for Les.

I have met Les several times and always enjoy our short chats. I hope I can get him to do a larger interview someday.

Les Brown – Biography

As a renowned public speaker, author and television personality, Les Brown has risen to national prominence by delivering a high energy message which tells people how to shake off mediocrity and live up to their greatness. It is a message Les Brown has learned from his own life and one he is helping others apply to their lives.

Born a twin in low-income Liberty City in Miami, Florida, Les and his twin brother, Wes, were adopted when they were six weeks old by Mrs. Mamie Brown, a single woman who had very little education and financial means, but a very big heart. As a child his inattention to school work, his restless energy and the failure of his teachers to recognize his real potential resulted in him being mislabeled as a slow learner. The label and the stigma stayed with Les damaging his self-esteem to such an extent that it took several years to overcome.

Unending Self-Education
Les has had no formal education past high school, but with persistence and determination he has initiated and continued a process of unending self-education which has distinguished him as an authority on human potential. Les Brown’s passion to learn and his hunger to realize greatness in himself and others helped him to achieve greatness. He rose from a hip-talkin morning DJ to broadcast manager; from community activist to community leader; from political commentator to 3-term legislator; and from a banquet and nightclub emcee to premier keynote speaker.

In 1986, Les entered the public speaking arena on a full-time basis and formed his own company, Les Brown Unlimited, Inc. The company provides motivational tapes and materials, workshops, and personal/professional development programs aimed at individuals, companies, and organizations.

Award Winning Speaker
In 1989, Les Brown was the recipient of the National Speakers Association’s highest honor: The Council of Peers Award of Excellence. In addition, he was selected one of America’s Top Five Speakers for 1992 by Toastmasters international.

In 1990, Les recorded his first in a series of speech presentations entitled “You Deserve” with Les Brown, was awarded a Chicago-area Emmy and became the leading fund-raising program of its kind for pledges to PBS stations nationwide.

Acclaimed Author
Les Brown is not only an internationally recognized speaker and CEO of Les Brown Unlimited, Inc., he is also the author of the highly acclaimed and successful book, Live Your Dreams, and former host of The Les Brown Show, a nationally syndicated daily television talk show which focused on solutions rather than problems.

Les Brown is one of the nation’s leading authorities in understanding and stimulating human potential, utilizing powerful delivery and newly emerging insights to teach, inspire and channel people to new levels of achievement.

Commercial Distressed Real Estate CMBS, Notes, Bulk, Auctions, Debt Restructure

Commercial Distressed Real Estate CMBS, Notes, Bulk, Auctions, Debt Restructure

Robert Kline of RW Kline Companies

Many of you may not know that I run a large Commercial Real Estate site where we often do interviews with Financial Experts and Leaders in the Industry. I will be posting several here that I believe are interesting to a wider community. Hope you like them.

To Watch the Video CLICK HERE

We interviewed Mr. Kline at the 2011 GreenPearl Distressed Real Estate Event held in Los Angeles. For more event information go to www.GreenPearlEvents.com.

Robert Kline KW Kline CompaniesRobert W. Kline – Principal and CEO RW Kline Companies

Mr. Kline is a savvy, experienced executive with over 30 years of successful leadership in the commercial and residential real estate industries. Mr. Kline’s firm specializes in CMBS and Commercial loan modifications, note sales, restructuring, commercial brokerage and mergers and acquisitions.

R.W. Kline Companies also specializes in assisting lenders in the disposition process.

Mr. Kline is a seasoned workout specialist with personal experience in the real estate industry. As a former Senior Vice President for Pulte Homes and the Communities of Del Webb, he ran the nation’s largest land operation and division within Pulte, delivering more than 5,500 lots a year with over a billion dollar balance sheet and budget. His responsibilities included leading the national land team and council with over seven billion in land, acquisitions, entitlements, land development, strategic positioning, trade partnering, and short and long-term strategic direction. Prior to his leadership role at Pulte, Mr. Kline founded and owned seven separate companies throughout his career, including a residential/commercial restructuring, advisory, development company and a marine construction/dredging company.

His well-rounded experience has provided him with a thorough understanding of financial and operational controls. He works alongside company management to develop a workout plan that makes sense and is able to be executed. His goal is to provide expert assessment, evaluations and real estate asset management to those who may be especially hard hit by pending or likely commercial foreclosures.

Over the past 32 months, Mr. Kline has facilitated more than 290 note sales, crafted large merger and acquisition plans and quadrupled the size of companies. His niche is working with clients, lenders and servicers to restructure both CMBS and conventional loans for companies with hospitality, gaming, retail, master planned, multi-family, mixed-use, industrial or office properties. Due to his expertise and relationships with numerous lenders,

he has successfully negotiated write-downs that are approximately 15 to 20 percent more favorable than a company that negotiates on its own behalf. Additionally, he has worked with private or court-ordered asset solutions, receivership and workouts on behalf of more than 175 lenders and CMBS servicers.

R.W. Kline Companies’ team is comprised of former national lenders, former RTC agents, FDIC contractors and former CMBS servicers. R.W. Kline Companies also provides full service disposition solutions to lender clients across the country. Mr. Kline is a frequent guest speaker within the commercial real estate and financial industries and is a member of numerous professional organizations, including:

Urban Land Institute (ULI), Lodging and Hospitality Conferences (IHC, ALIS, NYU), IMN Debt, Distress Property and Lender Conferences (IMN),International Council for Shopping Centers (ICSC), Turnaround Management Association (TMA), Home Builders Association of Central Arizona (HBACA), National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), American Bankers Association (ABA), Florida Bankers Association and the California Bankers Association.

Mr. Kline serves on the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Board of Directors and well as the Community Development Council (CDC).

About RW Kline

www.RWKline.com

R.W. Kline Companies is in most major and secondary markets throughout the country which enables us to service our clients with all of their real estate needs. Our experienced teams work together with all levels of management to recognize your needs, establish an all encompassing turnaround solution while preserving long-term relationships.

We are a real estate capital management company with professionals that offer a broad range of services that
include:

  • CMBS and Commercial Loan Workout Specialists
  • Capital Debt and Equity Platforms
  • Note Sales Intermediaries
  • Restructuring and Redevelopment of Distressed Projects
  • Commercial Brokers
  • Land Development and Management Experts
  • FDIC Portfolio Transactions
  • Loan Syndications
  • Distressed Debt Acquisitions

To Hear More Podcasts CLICK HERE

Marianne Williamson – Peace Alliance – The Department of Peace

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUQl9Ni7arY]

marianne williamsonMarianne Williamson talks to us about empowering women and children.

She talks about finding non-violent solutions to domestic and international violence.

Marianne Williamson received an award from BraveHeart Women for her contributions to the cause of women’s rights and for being an exceptional women.

Lisa asked her about the Peace Alliance and what was going on with the Department of Peace and Marianne gives a memorable and passionate answer, less about whether or not the department is or is not, but more about how we need to change the paradigm of how we are handling violence.

Marianne Williamson’s Bio

Marianne Williamson is an internationally acclaimed spiritual teacher. Six of her ten published books have been New York Times Best Sellers. Four of these have been #1 New York Times Best Sellers. A Return to Love is considered a must-read of The New Spirituality. A paragraph from that book, beginning “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure...” – often misattributed to Nelson Mandela’s Inaugural address – is considered an anthem for a contemporary generation of seekers. Marianne’s latest New York Times Best Seller is A Course in Weight Loss: 21 Spiritual Lessons for Surrendering Your Weight Forever. A Course in Weight Loss was selected by Oprah to be one of her Favorite Things in 2010.

Marianne’s other books include The Age of Miracles, Everyday Grace, A Woman’s Worth, Illuminata, Healing the Soul of America and The Gift of Change.

She has been a popular guest on television programs such as Oprah, Larry King Live, Good Morning America and Charlie Rose.

Marianne is a native of Houston, Texas. In 1989, she founded Project Angel Food, a meals-on-wheels program that serves homebound people with AIDS in the Los Angeles area. Today, Project Angel Food serves over 1,000 people daily.

In December 2006, a NEWSWEEK magazine poll named Marianne Williamson one of the fifty most influential baby boomers. According to Time magazine, “Yoga, the Cabala and Marianne Williamson have been taken up by those seeking a relationship with God that is not strictly tethered to Christianity.”

BraveHeart Awards

The 2010 Annual BraveHeart Awards.

From: WestSide Today

By Sheri Goldberg  |  August 10, 2010
Actress and animal rights activist, Tippi Hedren, New York Times best-selling author and international lecturer, Marianne Williamson, and “The View” co-host Sherri Shepherd will be honored at a gala ceremony on Saturday, October 9, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City.

The BraveHeart Awards celebrate six women and one man who have been inspiring trailblazers who have transcended above the preconceived ideas of empowered individuals.
Launched in May 2009 by author and motivational speaker, Ellie Drake, The BraveHeart Women Global Community is a groundbreaking social network. Through conversation, compassion, and community, BraveHeart Women empowers women of all ages to discover their own voices, expand their potential, and be the change they want for themselves, their families, community, and the world.

Drake is also the co-host of “A BraveHeart View,” a global series seen in over 80 countries worldwide on www.BraveHeartView.com. The show is similar to “The View,” with celebrity panelists including Mariel Hemingway and Rolonda Watts, and guests ranging from Kathy Ireland to Dr. Maya Angelou.

BraveHeart Women founder Ellie Drake says, “I am honored and inspired to recognize these three empowered ladies, who are truly making a huge difference in the world. Marianne Williamson continues to inspire and impact lives around the world with her best selling books; Tippi Hedren has taken on the challenge of educating the public about exotic animals, while creating a sanctuary for many of them; and Sherri Shepherd’s realness and authenticity on “The View” inspires women in America on a daily basis.”

Lip-Dub Videos I Just Love Em

Have you seen all the new Lip-Dub videos?

If you don’t know what they are by the name I am sure you have seen a few without realizing it.

Recently the show The Office did one to “Nobody But Me”  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ac2Cs9bCe6E

And recently Entertainment tonight said goodbye to Mary Hart with this cool video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdxQki3sniA

This one is one of the most famous but I will let you watch and decide:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZPjjZCO67WI]

 

Here are a couple of other favorites:

Harvey Danger http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMuRWRqpQXQ

Clark Retirement Home http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZ7-n930zJo

 

 

 

Too Rolling Stoned

I love Robin Trower and this song Too Rolling Stoned is just a classic best of the best for me, but what the hell do the words mean?

Why do I even bring this up? Even though I don’t know what the words mean, for some reason I seem to feel like they seem to suit me very well when I am overwhelmed. Things that make us go Hmmmmm?

Oh a stitch in time, just about saved me
From going through the same old moves
And this cat is nine
He still suffers
He's going through the same old grooves
But that stone just keeps on rolling
Bringing me some real bad news
Takers get the honey
Givers sing the blues
Too many cooks yeah spoil such a good thing
I know I laughed out loud but that was then
Ain't it funny, a fool and his money
Always seemed to find was those real good friends
That stone just keeps on rolling

Well that stone keeps on rolling
Bringing me some real bad news
The takers get the honey
The givers sing the blues

A stitch in time, helps to unfold me
Circus starts at eight so don't be late
Please be so kind not to wake me
I think I'll just sit this one out

Here is the music. Caution it is classic rock guitar at it’s best, but if you don’t like long leads… don’t bother. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBoq8aoWB4E&feature=related

I am feeling the technology blues right now. So much to do and so little time. I thought technology was supposed to free us… No shit, that ain’t happening anytime soon.

Now there is Google + and people seem to be flocking to it in droves, some actually giving up Facebook. I still am confused with Facebook to be honest. It is set up so rinky dink and always has that thrown together feel to me. Also everyone says to send everyone there to your fan page…. I don’t want everyone going to my fanpage; I want them going to my site. I try to use the fan page to accomplish that. So many scenarios and methods.. OMG!

Back to Google+ I am using it and it is no big thrill. I might not have figured it out yet, but I am not overly impressed nor am I sure it will be useful in the long run.

My favorite is still LinkedIn and my stats show that it gets so much of a larger response than Facebook and Twitter combined.

Well it is time for me to get back to my newest blog posts.. You will love what is coming up. I will be announcing a new eBook that exposes cons and frauds in the motivational speaker industry and the main consultant on the book is one of the biggest event coordinators out there today… Should be hot!!

JW

Joseph Knudson on Living the Difference

Joseph KnudsonJoseph Knudson is on a Mission.

His mission is to bring to light growing up gay and the prejudice and lies he had to live through in order to find himself.

“Living the Difference” is Joseph’s story about growing up gay, but it is not a pity party, it is the story, the good, the bad and all the obsticles and hurdles he had to maneuver deciding to live his life the way it was meant to live.

More importantly Joseph tries to lift the curtain to all sorts of prejudice, even beyond the gay and lesbian community.

Joe Knudson is a 56 year old divorced gay male who came out later in life. Having been married for several years, he is the father of two fantastic sons.

Living the Difference - JW Knudson

Living the Difference - JW Knudson

He went through what many in the gay communityhave gone through themselves, struggles with identity, as well as fitting in a “one-sided” society.

While he lead a seemingly straight life throughout his early and younger middle age years, he knew he was definitely different from the so called “typical male”.

He married his high school sweetheart and began on a journey of hope that his true inner feelings and desires would someday change. He has written a book, Living The Difference and is using this book as a vehicle on his mission to educate the world’s population about understanding and accepting people who are gay.

Living The Difference

J.C. doesn’t try to convince you of what being gay is or is not. He believes that being gay is as natural as being straight and so he doesn’t waste time defending that position.

He simply and neatly opens the doors and lets you look inside his life. He is respectful. He doesn’t impose on the reader or force intimacy. His story explores the wasted moments and the misery created through self denial and ignorance, showing clearly that living a lie leads to a life full of regret and self judgment.

By embracing himself and his natural desires J.C. opened himself and his life for self respect, for true loving, lasting relationships, and to mutual appreciation. He shares his confusion and desires without being explicit, and in so doing makes it possible for others to learn from his life, offering as much in the way of comfort and hope as he does to dispel fear and ignorance.

Living the Difference reveals in its pages a man with high standards, ethics, dedication, love, and loyalty. By Vonnie Faroqui “Ink Slinger’s Whimsey”

I was pleased when Joseph agreed to do an interview with me as he is very active in the gay and lesbian community and writes the Gayly Blogger.

Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural

Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural

We mentioned this book, in the interview, which was talked about by Ricky Gervias in his HBO special (video can be found on YouTube, but be careful it is for mature audience only),

Speak Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less(tm) with Ann Convery

Ann ConveryAnn Talks About How to Increase Your Sales, Leads and Clients in 2 Minutes

How would you like to attract up to 50% more cash, clients and business in the next few weeks?

Effortlessly attract new business in 30 seconds or less with no visible sales technique. Anywhere. Any place. Any time.

I met Ann at a training given by Gary W. Goldstein, the producer of the movie “Pretty Woman”.

Gary was teaching his course “Scaling the Great Wall of Hollywood” and he brought Ann in to speak to the group about how to take their current elevator pitch and update it so that it would, not just let people know what you did, but it would also be able to touch the person in the core of their brain and get them to get excited about what you did. – JW

So after sitting down with her for a personal consultation, I was amazed at what she had taught me in a 15 minute meeting.

My expectation was that she would help me refine my pitch somewhat and that would be it, but refine is not the word. Propel to a new quantum place is a better description.

Update: I recorded a video with Ann at Author 101 in Los Angeles. Although we go into much more detail in this podcast we do have a very interesting conversation I know you will enjoy. Here is the link to go check it out. http://onpurposemagazine.com/2012/04/11/ann-convery-video-interview-at-author-101/

Here was my pitch:

Q. What do you do?

A. I consult with businesses to help them use Twitter.

A great short pitch right? I would say it and get little or no response. “Oh that’s great! Which way to the cheese platter” or “I don’t know how to use that Twitter thing yet”.

Ann told me about the Lizard or Old Brain and how it needed to hear what it wanted or it would shut down and put into hibernation, the conscious brain.

We took my pitch and changed it to…

A. I help people like you increase their targeted client or prospect list by 1000+% in 3 months!

BANG…

At first I said sounds great… then I used the pitch. Most everyone replied with Really! How do you do that?, Can you do that for me., Wow I could use that service., Wow, I have a friend that really needs that…

The difference in response was night and day. Ann has hit on something really basic and useful and you have to listen to this recording because Ann goes into detail and shares over twice as much as she shared with me during that first meeting.

You will walk away with tools and strategies to make a difference in how you talk to new and old clients that will help you increase and propel your business to new heights in less than 2 minutes…

A NOTE: Ann is great at the elevator pitch, but it only begins there. She can help you will all aspects of corporate and business communications and marketing. – JW Najarian

Ann Convery

Ann Convery is an international speaker, seminar leader, trainer and author. Her list of clients reads like a “Who’s Who” of top professionals in the fields of politics, medicine, law, business, health and beauty.

For 17 years she has prepared clients for:

  • CNN
  • 60 Minutes
  • The New York Times
  • Time Magazine
  • Oprah
  • People
  • Vogue
  • and other outlets.
Ann’s extensive background in media training led her to create her popular program, “Speak Your Business in 30 Seconds or Less™”. This radically different approach to marketing has enabled Ann’s clients to generate up to thousands of dollars in business, sometimes within weeks.

Ann has also been interviewed by The Los Angeles Times, Cosmopolitan, First for Women, Presentations Magazine,and many other media.Ann is a highly sought after international speaker.Clients call her from all over the U.S., Europe, the U.K., Canada, Mexico and Australia.Ann has delivered over 125 speeches and trainings for corporate and private groups in Barcelona, Madrid, Mexico City, New York, Chicago, Seattle, and California.

A top-selling author, Ann’s second book was published by Harper Collins in May 2006. Ann has published numerous articles including several columns for the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Products

Ann has a few products that will be of interest to you. CLICK HERE to find out more…..

Ann’s Website: http://www.annconvery.com

Catching Up is Hard to Do, But Disney is a Great Reason to have to.

OK this part of the blog is my journal and may or may not have great graphics… Tonight no..

What a week. Just finished fourth of July weekend and am moving way to fast toward the new weekend where family will arrive and we will be forced to have more fun…. All I can think about is work so when family comes into town all I can think of is do I have the time to spend with them…. OMG isn’t that what life is about? I am so blessed and forget it constantly. I love everything I do (except working out) and so I don’t know how to say no to anything.

Anyway we spent the weekend at the Disneyland Hotel. Fully renovated rooms and a pool area that looks like a Martian landscape. Videos to come.

We have a special tactical approach to doing Disneyland I will call GForce. Named after the inventor M. Gates. I can not share the tactic with you as it totally gets rid of lines and heat and getting tired in Disneyland and though I love you all, sharing could change the scene.

I got to ride the new Arial ride, and saw 3 different Star Tours scenes.. There are 54 I think….

And we got to see the special 4th of July World of Color spectacular, which I videotaped for your enjoyment…. it was spectacular.

Hollywood Tower of Terror Hotel

Left Disney on Sunday (I actually spent the 4th on the couch catching up on Tivo) and stopped with our friends at Northwoods Inn. For those that are not familiar with Northwoods in Los Angeles, I will try to describe.

A very large log cabin lodge with constant snow on the roof. The dinner menu is Lobster, Steak and Crab, but also great chilli dogs and burgers. It is the place where you throw your peanut shells on the floor and they have the never ending salad and cheesy bread that is to die for coming at you like a diet nightmare. Yes you can take it home, but you just keep eating… What is that all about?

Northwoods Inn

Northwoods Inn

I heard booming all night from the various shows around L.A. and finally it quieted down after 10pm with an occasional rocket whistle or pack of firecrackers going off.

Tuesday was catch up day, but my wife needed me to help her with a project so today was actually more of the catch up day. No I did not really catch up, but had a great day.

What did I learn today? (Doogie Houser Moment)

Incredible people are all around you and the most interesting stories are not the celebs, but the friends you are closest to.

JW Najarian

Interview With Benjamin Allen and Aggie Kobrin About ~The Truth Behind the Curtain~

Truth Behind The Curtain

A Story About  Cons, Scams and Influence Peddlers in the Seminar Industry

Writer Benjamin Scott Allen and event producer Aggie Kobrin come together to bring you Mega Motivation Gurus And the Moment of Truth.

New Crowd Funding Site for Truth Behind the Curtain [CLICK HERE]

Mega Motivation Gurus And the Moment of Truth a The Truth Behind The Curtain production, is a short eBook about Mary, a feisty events coordinator at the wake of an old and dear friend Frank.

Frank is a well respected motivational speaker, so everyone and anyone that is huge in the industry is at this affair to honor Frank.

This is Mary’s story of what she has seen going on behind the scenes at all the various events she has produced and worked on.

benjamin scott allenTHE AUTHOR

Benjamin Allen has worked in both the non-profit and corporate worlds until going into full-time writing and public speaking. In the non-profit world Benjamin utilized his skills in grief counseling for the terminally ill and their caregivers.

In the corporate world he was the Director of Training for a sales company.  He has delivered keynotes to thousands of people on topics relating to grief, personal growth and conscious business and is the author of his non-fiction journey through grief, Out of the Ashes.

He has also written two novels, Under the Sun and The Leveler. Benjamin can be found at www.BenjaminScottAllen.com or www.truthbehindthecurtain.com/blog.

Several years ago Benjamin appeared extensively in the media beginning with the New York Times, Dateline, The Today Show, Good Morning America, 20/20 and various local newspapers, especially The Dallas Morning News.

His story also featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show. The subject matter focused on the tragic circumstances his family endured. His wife received a blood transfusion tainted with HIV during the birth of their first child. Consequently, his wife and their two children died, the first being in 1985 and the last death was in 1995.  His book Out of the Ashes details that journey.

THE CONSULTANT

Aggie Kobrin - Truth Behind the Curtain

Aggie Kobrin

Aggie Kobrin Founder of CEC Global Events and Off Hollywood Media is engaged in producing seminars, conferences and events of all sizes as well as providing advisory, consulting, resource and film distribution services to Hollywood elite and to the new breed of independent film makers. Now 70% of the film making industry.

Is Mary Aggie?? No, but she easily could be.  Aggie is certainly feisty and is one of the best known events organizers in Los Angeles and nationally. Name a guru, motivational speaker, trainer, celebrity speaker etc etc… and Aggie has worked with them, booked them or organized one or more of their events. Who better to work with Benjamin then Aggie to make this a rock solid portrayal of the industry while keeping it funny and compelling.

I got a rare chance, and believe me getting Aggie to sit still for a minute is not an easy task, to interview both Aggie and the Benjamin at two different times. Aggie I caught at her home south of Los Angeles and Benjamin I caught up with his wife Rachel Flower at their home in beautiful Lake Tahoe.

Two great interviews to get whether or not a book is the catalyst, so you really need to listen to them.

THE eBOOK

Benjamin gets deeply into the characters of the different motivational gurus at the wake and weaves a humorous yet serious look at the way con men think and play the game.

He shows the good side of people and the bad side, the funny side and not so funny side of greed, narcissism, sociopathic and non empathetic behavior that will lead someone to lie to you and cheat you and call it a win win.

If you have ever been scammed or conned you will want to read this story. If you are looking for a way out of your current situation then you need to read this book. If you are in any line of business or are out in the public day to day, you probably need to read this.

We all need to know how to go into any situation with our eyes open to incredible opportunity and to the frightening about of deception there is out there, just waiting for it’s next victim.

Go watch the short video that explains the book and pick up a copy. At 33 pages you will read it in a flash, but the fun does not stop there…..

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE CURTAIN – The Movement

The Truth Behind the Curtain is not the book title it is the movement Aggie Kobrin is propelling with the book. Watch the video below and she will explain it to you.

It is Aggie’s dream and passion to make sure that no one gets scammed or conned. In any business or industry. She has started a movement and you will have a chance to get in on the ground floor.

Aggie wants your story. That is right. She wants you to send her your stories of the times you have been scammed. She wants to build a movement to help educate the masses and take away the tools of the professional con.

She wants to help expose the cons that have gone on for so many years and help empower the masses so that we do not fall prey to those that would misguide us for their own selfish purposes.

Here is a video of Aggie talking about Truth Behind the Curtain.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOMb-m6HMhU]

Happy 4th of July 2011

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY WEEKEND!!

OMGosh! The Year is pounding ahead. Shouldn’t it still be January!?

I want to wish all my friends, followers, likers, connections, pals, buddies, listeners, watchers, and readers.. A wonderful 4th of July weekend. Tell me what you are doing or what you did over the weekend!