Empathy and Excellence- Marcello Recommends: The Thank You Economy by Gary Vay’ner’chuk

The Thank You Economy is the “Good To Great” for the Crush It generation.

If they taught stuff like this back in college and my professors were dialed-in like @garyvee, I probably wouldn’t have dropped out.

If you’re looking for some personal literary stimulus or a great gift idea for a fellow entrepreneur, add TYE to your list.

Thanks again to my Signature Event partner, Jason Jani, for giving me a copy to read on MMP’s recent international excursion.

Continued success! -mp

A few Tweet-worthy quotes from TYE that were a bit too long for Twitter:

“In fact, no relationship should be taken for granted.   They are what life is all about, the whole point.  How we cultivate our relationships is the greatest determinant of the type of life we get to live. Business is no different.”

“If your organization’s intentions transcend the mere act of selling a product or service, and it’s brave enough to expose its heart and soul, people will respond.  They will connect.  They will like you.  They will talk.  They will buy.”

“Any company that gets so complacent it thinks everything is “fine” deserves to go out of business-  it literally means its leaders stopped caring.  A competitive company is always on the offense. Always.  Always.  Always.”

“Setting the tone and establishing a cultural foundation of empathy and excellence is essential to success in the Thank You Economy.”

The New Standard: “The Most Amazing Night of Our Lives” -Another Signature Event from Marcello and Jani at The Grand Summit Hotel

There’s an expression from card playing that I’ve always liked, it’s “Stack the Deck.”    The legitimate philosophy behind it is to win by arranging the cards so they are dealt out to your advantage.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t endorse cheating, but if you’re fortunate enough to look like Tom Cruise in Rain Man and know that your brother can outsmart the shoe, you drive him straight to Vegas, buy him a nice suit and sit him down at the Black Jack table.    The winning ensues.

After hitting the jackpot 2 years earlier at his son Ryan’s Bar Mitzvah, the pressure was on to keep the winning streak alive.   For his son Jared’s Bar Mitzvah, the respected family man and successful real estate developer, Howard Weinerman, stacked the proverbial deck.  Because, like many of us…  Mr. Weinerman doesn’t like to lose.

First, he arranged the most important card in the whole deck, the Queen of Hearts- his lovely wife, Vicki.     She rivals some of the best event planners that I’ve worked with.  From the e-mail exchanges to the design sessions, she was always organized, creative and decisive.  When you combine those traits with the fact that she’s an awesome mom, (evident from Ryan’s impressive toast to his little brother), Vicki deserved all of the credit, kudos and applause that came her way when her husband gave his welcome toast.

Next, Howard secured the best casino in town, The Grand Summit Hotel.  Mark Giangiulio, Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Hotel and Lodging Association, and general manager with his team, Jim Thornton and Terry Garcia, (acclaimed pit bosses) ensured that the location was fit to please a chance personal visit from Sam “Ace” Rothstein himself.  In this case, Jared’s grandfather, one of the co-owners of the prestigious venue, would in fact be on-site as a guest.  Yeah, it’s safe to say that the classic song “Under Pressure” popped into my head quite a few times leading up to the event.

Speaking of Aces, Howard also had his “Ace in the hole,” (a card that can supply a sure victory when revealed).  I was really honored to recieve the call again from the Weinermans to host the event and provide the entertainment and event production.  I was also really excited to get up from  the poker table, yell out “all in” and reveal a pair of Aces this time around.   When clients are planning a Wedding, a Bar Mitzvah or a Corporate event and require ‘the new standard‘ or in this case a “Royal Flush” to stay with the theme, we proudly offer our Signature Event level services.  My partner and I, Jason Jani, from Sound Connection Entertainment, compiled an exclusive inventory of invitation-only offerings for momentous occasions just like Jared’s once-in-lifetime celebration.

From the video-recap below and from all the gorgeous photographic artistry by our “two-of -a kind” photographer friends, Wendy Robinson and Maurcio Lemonk, you can see the difference of what a Signature Event looks like.

You’ll notice the customized staging, personalized lightscaping, distinctive decor, exceptional performances, featured musicians, tastefully-interactive entertainers, incomparable mixology, classy event facilitation,  and most notably…  Jared feeling like a “King for a Day” and his family and friends having the “most amazing night” of their lives.

Best wishes to Vicki, Howard, Ryan and Jared.  Thank you for letting us share in your joy and fireworks. It was truly, our pleasure. And I’d be remiss if I didn’t thank you again for your additional generosity and hospitality after the event.  As I’ve said in the past, not only do I have one of the best jobs in the world, I’m very fortunate to work with a first class clientele.

If you are interested in stacking the deck and achieving dramatically different results, Jason and I would be happy to schedule a Signature design session with you. For those willing to invest accordingly, contact us at 732-547-1677 or 732-749-3223.

Encore Gallery:

Signature Collaboration – MMP + SCE – Bar Mitzvah – 2011 from Sound Connection Entertainment on Vimeo.

So Raise Your Glass! A Toast to Alyssa and Vinnie’s New Year’s Eve Engagement Celebration at The Brownstone

This photo pretty much says it all… the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. Penna sharing a moment in time filled with a few of my favorite things; passion, joy, possibility and contentment.

I’ve noticed a trend since the start of the new millennium.  When my clients were looking for the perfect date to celebrate a special occasion, especially a Wedding or an Engagement, they put New Years Eve right up at the top of the list for potential considerations.  Think about it:  1) Like any date that falls on a holiday, your guests will have the next day off from work. 2) Like Thanksgiving, all of your family and friends will already be in town visiting. 3)  Like any celebratory moment, you want to share it with all of your family and friends… *see #2.  4) And who doesn’t enjoy getting dressed to the nines once in awhile, feasting on gourmet cuisine, drinking fine wine and dancing the night away while celebrating new begininngs?   Exactly!

Not only were the VIP’s and guests full of year-end enthusiasm and positive energy, most were professionally coiffed as well.  The bride-to-be, Alyssa, owns a very successful salon in Hawthorne, NJ, called Blush.  And in case you’re wondering if anybody gets out of hand at a private New Years Eve celebration, the short answer is, ‘no’… especially when the groom-to-be is a well respected officer at the Passaic County Sheriff’s Department.

One of the highlights of the night took place about ten minutes before midnight.   Just about all of the guests had made their way onto the dance floor to watch a live simulcast of the Times Square ball drop on our plasmas. They were barely able to keep their feet on the ground as the anticipation for 2011 grew to a fever pitch.  This surreal vibe was intensified by the Red Bull-worthy tracks we were spinning.  They included custom remixes from my Signature Event partner, Jason Jani, and one of the hottest tracks of 2010… Raise Your Glass, by Pink.  I kept wishing that it was possible to bottle-up some of that feel-gooded-ness and share it with the rest of the world.

With a little help from my friends at Golden Note Entertainment, confetti cannons filled the air with a colorful display of paper rain drops.  Special thanks to Vinnie’s cousins, Joey D. and Gerry Siracusa for supplying the special effects and for their assistance with our production from start to finish. Additional thanks go to Gerry for sharing the cover photo for this entry.  I also want to recognize my good friend and production associate, Mike Wieder, who creates personalized visuals for all of MMP’s clients who treat themselves to our multi-media package upgrade. We made sure that Alyssa and Vinnie’s unique branding was tastefully visible at specific points of their reception.

Photo credit for all the candid pictures below go to Issac, MMP’s production supervisor for the evening.   He took paparazzi-stlye photos throughout the event and then displayed them our dual plasma screens during dessert to create a real-time montage.  As always, this premium service was a big hit and was enjoyed by all of Alyssa and Vinnie’s guests.

New Year’s Eve has become one of my favorite nights of the year.  Since I’m usually in bed by 9:30 pm, it’s now a great excuse to stay up late and ring in the New Year with style, class and of course… great company.  The Penna and Shackil families were a pleasure start off 2011 with.

Thank you for letting me be a part of such a memorable and exceptional evening.  Best wishes!  -mp

Encore Gallery:

NJSBA Hosts 2000 Guests in the Palace at Somerset Park: Another Signature Event Collaboration from Jason Jani and Marcello Pedalino

Last month I teamed up again with my good friend and Signature Event partner, Jason Jani, for another exceptional portfolio piece.  Our client, Pomptonian Food Service, was celebrating 50 years of excellence in conjunction with the New Jersey School Board Association’s 2010 Convention and Member Appreciation Gala.

Throughout the day, upwards of 2000 attendees were shuttled back and forth from The Palace at Somerset Park to attend educational seminars and informational symposiums.  Topics included; social media, energy efficiency plans, public relations, health benefits and the effects of nutrition and wellness for students.  Speaking of nutrition, the Pomptonian currently provides staffing, high quality lunches, and innovative culinary concepts to over 70 school districts in NJ.

After a long day of taking notes and networking, the Pomptonian and the NJSBA wanted the remaining attendees to return to the Palace to relax, enjoy a nice dinner and have some well deserved fun!

In addition to several other performance and specialty interactives that were taking place simultaneously throughout the colossal Palace, Jason and I were given 1/2 of the West Ballroom to create the Pomptionian V.I.P Lounge. Since most attendees registered in groups of 3 to 5 people, we were told we’d be catering to intimate crowds of 10 to 30 guests at a time who would stop by and leave as they wished, have a drink or two, grab a bite to eat, and maybe even bust out a few of their favorite dance moves. No problem! 

Jason’s vision for the production layout was on point as always.  From the luminescent projection of Pomptonian’s signature logo on the cathedral ceiling, to the L.E.D decor lightscaping to the surround coverage of 4 plasma screens displaying custom visuals, retro music videos and guest candids, word spread quickly throughout the Palace that this was a cool place to stop by and enjoy life for awhile.   Of course Jason, as one of the top DJ/Remix artists in the country, manned the DJ booth all night and dropped a masterfully-blended soundtrack of lounge, pop, classic funk and current musical audience pleasers.     I handled the on-site logistics, client relations, hospitality and interactive Emcee hosting.

Over the course of the four hour reception, we had several occasions where a select group of guests were either enjoying the evening’s soundtrack with a nice glass of chardonnay, dancing to their requests with colleagues or competing in an impromptu challenge from our Minute to Win It repertoire.  We were very pleased with the feedback from the NJSBA, The Palace and the happy guests.

Special thanks to the Palace team; Stacie DeMicco, Senior Conference Planning Manager, Kristie Pappas, Senior Corporate Sales Manager, Anthony Panchery, Banquet Manager and Richard McConney, Director of Banquets as well as Erik Endress, Director of Association and Meeting Development and Marcia Lavingne, County Activities Coordinator from the NJSBA for their professionalism and coordination assistance.

If your company is planning a convention, team building workshop or a holiday gala and you’d like to take it to the Signature Event level, contact us to schedule an on-site consultation and design session. Our client portfolio includes The Allen & Co. Media Summit in Sun Valley Idaho, Macy’s, The Borgata, Samsung Electronics, Bank of America, Pathmark, LG Electronics, David Tutera, Synchronoss Technologies and AnnTaylor.    -mp

Weddings of Distinction: Marcello Attends Premier Tour of The Ashford Estate

Chances are if you haven’t heard about The Ashford Estate yet, it’s only a matter of time.   Exclusive venues like Bonnet Island Estate, Pleasantdale Chateau and Mallard Island Yacht Club have gotten most of the attention from discerning brides looking for private locations that feature tasteful opulence and exquisite attention to detail… Now, courtesy of visionary founder Chris Vernon’s latest masterpiece, The Ashford Estate is being offered to those fortunate enough to experience its grandeur.

Through the majestic gates upon entry yesterday afternoon, guests drove up the tree-lined pasture of the Allentown multi-acre estate enjoying the beautiful fall foliage that NJ natives cherish.   After a stroll though the grounds including a stop at the Conservatory, Reflections Pool, Library, English Gardens and Floating Gazebo, Vernon welcomed his guests in the Chapel. He moderated a brief creative counsel and officially introduced Weddings of Distinction to the V.I.P wedding professionals in attendance. Among the many industry notables were Kathi Evans from All The Best Celebrations and Erik Kent from NjWedding.com.

Like our Signature Event level offerings with entertainment and event production,  Weddings of Distinction is a concept that encompasses the finest in locations, hospitality and customer service that New Jersey has to offer. Stay tuned for the recap of the Signature Corporate Event that Jason Jani and I produced for the New Jersey School Board Association at The Palace at Somerset Park which took place on Tuesday.

The tour continued with a delectable dinner social back in the Conservatory with stations from Main Street, passed hors d’oeuvres by Merri-Makers and some refreshing mixology courtesy of Marsilios. We made our way up and throughout the tri-level mansion to get a sneak peak at the well-appointed guest rooms and simply divine bridal suite.  Each room features its own unique decor and personal touch of design pleasure.  Our excursion’s denouement took place at The Ashford’s Grand Ballroom.   From the graceful lines of the chiavari chairs to the well-thought out floor plan to the customized Fennelli lighting,  it’s a visually stunning combination of sophistication and luxury.

Naturally, The Ashford Estate, or a Wedding of Distinction at Bonnet Island is not an inexpensive proposition. Expect to invest upwards of $25,000 for the property rental alone in peak season.

For those who appreciate cachet, beauty, talent, experience, rarity or historical significance, you already know about  investments deemed priceless. Most brides and readers of this blog agree that a once- in- a-lifetime event falls under that category.

Ashford’s official website and facebook page will launch at years end.  Until then, for additional photos or to set up a private tour and design session at the Ashford, Bonnet or any of the Weddings of Distinction properties, contact me at your earliest convenience @ 732-547-1677 and we’ll set it up with the WD team.

Special thanks to Chris, Kathi, Ginny, Steve, Maggie and Meghan for their genuine warmth and hospitality.   The possibilities for future collaborations are very exciting.   -mp

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