Marcello’s Business Philosophy and Life Principles Get Published In”Performance Beyond Expectation”

Ray Martinez’ latest literary effort, Performance Beyond Expectation, made its official debut at the Mobile Beat Convention in Las Vegas last week.  It’s a collection of success stories, anecdotes, great quotes and basic life principles. My company’s  chapter features our philosophy on the importance of image, technology, fitness, the evolution of the Mobile DJ industry, and life balance.

To be included in a book that highlights some of  my mentors and entrepreneurial inspirations  is an honor.  Then again, anytime you are featured in a book, magazine, newspaper or online and people are saying nice things about you as opposed to the alternative.. it’s a good thing.

Thanks again Ray.

The following is a blog-friendly excerpt of MMP Entertainment’s chapter.

Marcello Pedalino

“Know,  first, who your are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” -Epictetus

Credits: Featured speaker at the Disc Jockey News Conference in Dallas, Texas, 2006, the NJDJN National Meeting in Atlantic City, New Jersey, 2008, and the DJ Retreat in Nashville, Tennessee, 2009.

Awards: DJ Times Magazine “DJ of the Year” award winner, 2001, 2002 and 2007.  American Disc Jockey Association “Leadership Award” recipient, 2008.

Marcello Pedalino is known in our industry as the sharpest dressed man.  He is no doubt Mr. GQ; but behind this sharp dressed man, is a man of success with a very high-end entertainment company.

When asked how he got interested in becoming a mobile entertainer, Marcello responded, “I remember attending my cousin’s wedding in the mid 80’s.  The band they had was good- but not good enough to keep me on the dance floor all night.  I wandered outside and into another reception that was taking place at the same venue and saw something I’ll never forget.  It was John Murphy, from Star DJ’s, leading a huge conga line.  Everybody was dancing and the bride and groom were having a blast; the positive energy was intoxicating.  When I found out how much he was getting paid, I knew this was a career that had some potential.”

I further questioned him about his passion and the monetary awards; if he did it because he was passionate about entertainment or just an easy way to make money.

Pedalino replied, “I’m passionate about making people happy, I’m detail oriented, I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and I’ve always loved music; it was an organic path that led me here.  The money was like a cherry on top.”

He was then asked to describe his work ethic and how it has helped him become a successful entertainer and entrepreneur.

“For better or worse, it’s been an all or nothing philosophy.   If I’m determined and motivated for all the  right reasons,  I will skip lunch and the proverbial 5 o’clock whistle until the task at hand is completed and operational.  There are many times when I’ll mimic getting up from my chair like those professional poker players do when there’s a big pot  and they have to commit everything have; when I put my mind to something, I’ll get in the zone and say, “All In!” From that point on, it’s game on. When a person is comfortable being in this mindset, they tend to out-perform individuals who aren’t as motivated or who don’t have as much on the line.  The foundation of my work ethic is also based in Jimmy Valvano’s famous speech in which he said, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.“  That had a big effect on my psyche at the time and has had a significant impact on the success I’ve earned since.”

Those who know Marcello, know he’s an avid fitness buff. At most trade shows when other DJs are out until three or four in the morning, Marcello gets a good night’s rest and is up at the crack of dawn getting ready to run.  I asked him to tell me the differences between his workout training and his DJ training.

He said, “I consider my physical fitness a necessary layer of my professional training. I physically train with a group of friends at my YMCA who understand the importance of motivation and the concept that it’s easier to stay in shape than it is to get into shape.  I professionally train with a group of industry colleagues who respect the fact that complacency is the enemy of progress. Both factions are refreshingly unapologetic when it comes to prioritizing a training regimen- regardless of the occupation.”

I mentioned a moment ago about how sharply dressed Marcello is all the time.  I asked him to  share his thoughts on dressing for success and making an impression on clients as well as how it can turn into more money for the DJ, based on presentation.

“As an owner operator in the entertainment business, my company’s success depends on my appearance and well being.  I am the product, the brand, the vice president of sales and the human resources director who establishes my company’s first impression to almost all of our potential clients. If I don’t look good, I don’t feel good, if I don’t feel good, I don’t perform well, if I don’t perform well, I’m out of business.

I’ve been in enough situations where dressing better than my equally talented competition resulted in me signing the contract to justify the few extra minutes it takes to dress for the occasion.

I also read a phrase in GQ a long time ago that stuck with me, “dress how you feel.”  It’s funny, people will sometimes say to me, “you look like a million bucks,” to which I reply, “I feel like a million bucks.”  When it’s time to do business, I reach for my Canali suits and Zegna ties.  When it’s time to chill at the condo in Costa Rica, I grab my shorts and flip flops.”

Marcello was asked how things were when he broke into the business as  a DJ and to explain the difference on the trade shows and the DJ’s approach to their work today compared to when he started.

He remarked, “I don’t see much of a principle change per se.  There were people who I met at my first show back in 1998 who were really helpful, who exuded passion and who were setting a great example.  And then there were people I met who, well let’s just say, they didn’t fit the same profile.  It’s very similar today.  You need to be open-minded but you’ve also got to be very selective when it comes to choosing your sources of inspiration.  I’m always trying weed out all of the negative influences. I like how Bryan Dodge calls them “bad seeds.”  I’m a firm believer that you are who you surround yourself with.”

Marcello’s opinion on whether technology has helped or hurt our industry was, “I can’t think of any way that technology  has hurt our industry. With programs like PCDJ and Virtual DJ, my performances have become more efficient with regards to preparation and more entertaining with regards to presentation.  The ability to adapt is essential for any industry. I think technology has helped our industry remain generationally relevant in the eyes of savvy prospects.”

What advice would he give to DJs just starting out regardless of their age or to guys who were once DJs in high school or college and decided to return to the industry?

His response was, “Follow your heart, but don’t ignore reality.  If you think this is your calling, go for it.  However, being in the right place at the right time usually requires the willingness to travel.  The key is to find a location and a demographic that will support your quest.”

Finally, I asked this extremely likable colleague what message would he share with part-time DJs doing this as just a hobby to make extra money, or who might be considering making this a full time profession.

“Like anything else in life, every so often, stop, take a breath and reevaluate your situation carefully. I’ve got a very good friend who has an excellent job with enviable benefits.  I’d tell your readers what I told him 8 years ago when he asked if he should become a full-time mobile entertainer.    After careful consideration of his specific wants and needs, I told him there’s no reason why he couldn’t have the best of both worlds.  With the right time management skills and the ability to choose your events wisely, you can continue with your current vocation and build an ancillary career at the same time.  He’s in a very good position in his life right now and I’m very happy for him.”

Words spoken wisely from a young man who knows what success is and is willing to pass on his wisdom to others who seek the same.

La Ruta de los Conquistadores

Back in the day, Spanish explorer, Juan de Cavallón and his crew of new world conquerors supposedly found a short-cut to travel from the Pacific coast to the Caribbean side of  Costa Rica.  One has to think that Juan was either an adventure-junkie or a man with incredible adventure-race foresight because his 330 km “shortcut” from 1540 is now considered to be the premier mountain bike challenge in the world.

“The Route” that old Juan took  was researched and resurrected by modern-day super-athlete Roman Urbina, and eventually transformed into the La Ruta de los Conquistadores; an insane multi-day competition that attracts iron-men and women from all over the globe.

“It’s not about making it to the finish line; it’s about working with what you’ve got, giving it all your might and surviving the adversities that you might come upon along the way. Lending a hand to someone else, a sip of water, a spare tube, a word of encouragement, a friendly smile… while you compete against yourself… that’s the true spirit of La Ruta.” Said Román, “This will be an edition like no other, a true eulogy to mountain biking, in a location that hosts some of the most challenging terrains for this discipline, the rugged terrains of Costa Rica’s vast mountain ranges. And like Urbina says, “…it’s time to train hard, time to mount your bike with determination and get motivated to conquer Costa Rica on your iron stallion.”

My good friend from Slovakia, Lacso Katona, who sometimes I think is more machine than human, has been taking me on mini-mountain bike excursions every year since I’ve been coming down to Costa Rica for vacation.  Lacso came here for vacation about 20 years ago and basically said “to heck with Slovakia… this will be my new home.”    That same story and similar sentiments have been told to me more than once by my other “gringo” friends who also made ‘pura vida’ their permanent residence.

Over the years, Lacso has been telling me about this holy grail of mountain bike terrain known as La Ruta.  In his Slovakian-Spang-lish accent, the tales are even more dramatic and entertaining than what I found on the internet.

As a fitness enthusiast and a big fan of Mother Nature, it was time to let my tires kiss the dirt and get a taste of what everyone was talking about. Yesterday, after training here for 3 weeks, I did a section of stage 1 and it was absolutely amazing.  The song, Hurts So Good, by John Cougar comes to mind.  Challenging? Yes.  Rewarding? Yes.  Would I be able to do another 300 km’s in November when the trails are muddy and cold?  Fuhgettaboutit!  No, not without training with guys like Lacso and Lance Armstrong consistently for at least a year.

After our four-hour trek of only 33 km’s that included; steep climbs, technical down-hills and the kind of ridiculous scenery that you only see on the Outdoor Life Network, I was ready for lunch and an ice-cold mango smoothie.

Kudos to anyone that has ever competed in La Ruta de los Conquistadores and uber-kudos to anyone that has actually crossed the finish line.  For the rest of my fellow- mortal humans out there; keep spinnin’, keep dreamin’,  and keep enjoyin’ your ride on this journey we call ‘life.’

Encore Gallery:

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