Celebrate The Life of Nora Mae this St. Patty’s Day!
She’s still able to laugh out loud, dance to one of her favorite songs and even wave all day to her adoring fans every St. Patrick’s Day… at 107 years old!
The Sunshine Club salutes Nora Mae Collins!
Check out this great story and video from Barry Paddock!
P.S Most readers know that I don’t drink at all, but, like my friend Artie Evans, who had a Manhattan with two olives every afternoon, it seems like a ‘shot o’ something’ each day might be good for ya! 
Thanks to Mike for another feel-good submission!
Thank God for Grandmas and Zappos! A Tour of Zappos.com
My group at the Zappos tour. Treat others like royalty, feel like family. I could live with that.
After reading Gary Vaynerchuk’s, The Thank You Economy, I was inspired to read Tony Hsieh’s, Delivering Happiness… After learning about Tony and how his extraordinary company, Zappos.com, offered friendly tours of the corporate headquarters in Las Vegas, Nevada, I knew a field trip was on the horizon.
As a result of some logistical good fortune, I was in Vegas last month with a group of dear friends from the special events, entertainment and production industry who also wanted to see this Zappos Culture that we heard and read so much about, in person. Zappos turned out be the real deal and left our many of our heads spinning with traces of wonderment and unequivocal WOW.
Zappos Culture Book
In the Culture book that each guest receives at the end the tour, Thich Nhat Hanh writes, “The amount of happiness you have depends of the amount of freedom you have in your heart.” To me, this quote encapsulates the Zappos.com mojo that fuels its uncharacteristically happy employees, appreciative customers and ridiculous numbers. The Zappos team is given the freedom to make their workplace as comfortable as their living room, to be a little weird, to obsess over the customer- in a healthy way, to be inspired- not intimidated by the success of others, and to contribute beyond self through philanthropy and mentorship. All of these core values, among many others, translate into daily WOW on a scale that was tough for a few of us to wrap our aspirational minds around.
Did you know it was possible to generate 12 million dollars in sales in one day? Me neither. Did you know that there’s a company out there that intentionally makes less profit each year so they can make the lives of their employees better instead? Me neither. And did you know that you can get paid to train for a job at Zappos and then get paid even more to quit if you don’t gel with the positive culture DNA that their looking for? I did, because I read the book… but it was still impressive to hear it again nonetheless.
I'm not kidding, most of the employees looked this happy. It was so strange and beautiful at the same time.
I’ve learned a lot about branding over the past few years. Zappos used to be known as a shoe company. Now, even though they still sell a gazillion shoes, they are known for their exemplary company culture and their laudable level customer service. How does this happen? When your employees feel like this… Here’s a Culture book excerpt from Stacy H., a six year Zappos veteran;
“Coming to work at Zappos is like going to visit Grandma’s house as a kid. You are spoiled, you have fun and get fed. At Zappos, we get fed so much that I am convinced that I will not lose any serious weight until the day I leave. It makes me think about the letters people write when they have to leave. Usually it is due to moving out of state, because, well, why else would you leave Zappos? The e-mails are sent out to the entire floor to say goodbye to their work-family. We typically throw a mini-happy hour for the person who is leaving and demand to see them back for visits.
This can't be right.
Our Zappos culture is more than just 10 ideas to live by, or a fun environment, or even happy customers. It’s looking at those around you, those you will never see but hear their voice on the phone, or read their words in an e-mail, as family. When you can see the world in this caring light, you become a better person and the joy spreads. The Zappos culture is paying it forward to everyone that comes in contact with us. Our vendors, our employees, our customers, and even our tours get joy out of the experience that is Zappos. Thank God for Grandmas and Zappos!”
If you have a trip planned to Vegas and like the idea of going home with more than you came with- do yourself, your team and your organization a favor and set up a tour.
Special thanks to Jodi Harris and Andy Ebon for setting up a day filled with joyful experiences.
As Tony likes to say, “Live in The WOW!”
Encore Gallery:
A Passion for Purposeful Living- Marcello Recommends: “Aspire” by Kevin Hall
Choc full of thought-provoking nuggets: "Aspire" by Kevin Hall
In the AfterWord of “Aspire,” Dr. Gerald Bell wrote that Kevin Hall’s “passion for living a purposeful life is contagious.” After two days of ingesting, contemplating and being inspired by Kevin’s insightful collection of thoughts, I think Gerald summed up the glaring feeling that you’ll experience upon completion of the book. If not, check your pulse.
When I was younger, my mom encouraged me to ask people I admired out to lunch to see if they’d be gracious enough to share their expertise and winning ways with an enthusiastic sponge who revels in the pursuit of happiness. (A practice I continue to this day)
Most were incredibly generous and many became treasured friends and mentors. It was obvious that Kevin, an undeniable master of this practice, is seemingly fearless when it comes to connecting with people & positive vibes while allowing his curiosity for betterment steer him in the direction of the wisest folks on the planet. Hall has also managed to breathe new life into etymology and treat the world to a nugget-packed, four year literary effort entitled, “Aspire- Discovering Your Purpose Through The Power of Words”
Without trying to make lite or over-simplifying it, the best way I can describe Kevin’s book is to say that it was like reading 11 extended versions of the most profound fortune cookies ever opened up. The 11 cookies/chapters included personal stories and poignant research about core values and philosophies like Humility, Empathy, Namaste, Ollin, Passion, Sapere Vedere and Integrity.
Author, Kevin Hall
There are guest contributions and targeted mentions throughout the pages by inspirational A-listers like Mother Theresa, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo Da Vinci as well as Lance Armstrong, Stephen Covey, Harry Cordellos and Marva Collins to name a few.
I think a good book, aside from being one that I actually keep reading after the first 10 pages, is one that either makes you think, that entertains you or one that makes you take action. Aspire is a trifecta. Kevin added a cool little twist and interactive ending to each chapter that encourages you to reconnect and show gratitude to specifically-impactful people in your life. This commendable reminder alone would have made the read worth it. Good on you Kevin.
Special thanks to my dear friend, Neen James, for sending me a copy of Aspire.
Below are a few excerpts to whet your appetite …
“Understanding, as well as appreciating, our unique calling is crucial. The two most important days of our life are the day we were born and the day we discover what we were born to do. That’s the day we catch the vision of who we were meant to be.” -Kevin Hall
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms- to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” -Viktor Frankl
“We often receive what we desire for others.” -Pravin Cherkoori
“Enthusiasm is the fuel of happiness and bliss. It refers to the divine light that shines within each one of us.” -Authur Watkins
Everything about Mother Nature is harmony and flow. She doesn’t fight the elements, she embraces them. Rivers don’t run uphill. Plants don’t try to grown in the Arctic. Animals thrive in their natural state.” -Kevin Hall
“Sight is a function of the eyes, vision is a function of the heart… Vision sets you free from the limitations of what the eyes can see and allows you to enter into the liberty of what the heart can feel. Never let your eyes determine what your heart believes.” -Myles Munroe
“Live life in crescendo… It means that your greatest work or contribution is always ahead of you.” -Steven Covey
“Limitless possibilities await those who have the humility to admit they don’t know it all. Prosperity is found by cultivating and attitude of lifelong learning.” -Kevin Hall
In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being”- Albert Schweitzer
Nothing is more validating and affirming than feeling understood. And the moment a person begins feeling understood, that person becomes far more open to influence and change. Empathy is to the heart what air is to the body.” –Stephen Covey
“I go to Nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order.” -John Burroughs
“The masters in the art of living make little distinction between their work and play, their labor and their love, their minds and their bodies, their information, their recreation, their love and their religion. They hardly know which is which; they simply pursue their vision of excellence at whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing.” -James Michener
Click here to order your copy…
Exceeding Expectations at The Indian Trail Club: Alex’s Bar Mitzvah
In some recent articles, I’ve mentioned how “stacking the deck” can help to ensure a successful event. Allison and Jeff Karpf stacked the deck perfectly for their son Alex’s Bar Mitzvah and helped make it day he and the family will always remember fondly.
They chose the Indian Trail Club to host the event, Wendy Robinson for the photography, Seth Elgart for videography, David Mitchell for the decor, and MMP for the entertainment to round out their A-Team.
That’s a pretty solid line up of Bar Mitzvah specialists to have as a resource leading up to the celebration and to handle everything the day of. We’ve all worked together numerous times in the past… this really helps everyone stay on the same page as a team while still allowing plenty of room for each individual to shine throughout the seamless affair.
You’ll see from the video recap that Alex’s Bar Mitzvah had another huge component in it’s favor throughout the event… the Karpf family invited a stellar guest list of fun loving family and friends to help them celebrate. If the guests weren’t eating delicious food, they were dancing , if they weren’t dancing, they were playing a game, and if they weren’t playing a game or dancing or eating delicious food, they were smiling and laughing from their seats taking it all in.
Alex was definitely beyond his years with regards to his maturity and ability to command a crowd. When it was time for his thank you speech, which he presented in lieu of a formal candlelighting, he looked like a seasoned pro and captivated the crowd. And when it was time to honor his parents, he touched the hearts of many by sharing a few of his favorite memories… I particularly liked these specific sentiments from the notes he used to speak off the cuff;
“Dad, you always save the day for me when I’m in need.”
“Mom, the daily, after school ‘Hi Alex, how was your day’ that I only recently learned to appreciate.”
With three younger brothers, I’m looking forward to seeing more of Alex and his family in the coming years. Brett, Owen and Will have a great role model to look up to. .. Alex has 2.
In the video testimonial, Alex’s mom, Allison, said that her expectations were high- yet we exceeded them. It was our honor and pleasure to be a part of such a momentous day.
Special thanks to Debbie Pagerie, from the Indian Trail Club, for her hospitality and professionalism. Our sincere gratitude to Wendy Robinson for sharing her photos for this article, to Seth Elgart, for producing and posting the highlight recap video and to David Mitchell, from Still Life Event Design, for helping to bring the club to life via exceptional decor and ambiance.
Mazel Tov to Alex and the Karpf family, we wish you all of the health and happiness that life has to offer!
Encore Gallery:
Neen James- It’s Australian for Fabulous, mate!
The Aussie Hostess with The Mostess: Neen James with Rachel Gordon and friends.
You know it’s going to be a great party when the hostess greets you at the door and offers you a beverage and a tattoo.
Super-Productivity expert and social media darling, Neen James, along with her Master of the Barbie and technology aficionado husband, Andy, held their annual Celebrate Australia soiree at their lovely home in Bucks County, Pa.
What makes a party fabulous? First and foremost, it’s your guest list. As I mentioned in the last post, 10 Tips for Celebratory Success, when you invite the people you care about and the people who care about you, the rest will fall into place.
Neen & Andy (with a slice of homemade Pavlova Cake) Fresh fruit, meringue, cream and a crispy crust.. Bonzer!
Neen and Andy are connected to an eclectic group of cool people and thought leaders from all over the world. The house was buzzing with teachers, lawyers, publicists, professional speakers, realtors, media specialists, marketing managers, designers, make-up artists, yoga studio owners, tech experts, and even one special event entrepreneur who got a golden e-ticket this year.
The vibe was ultra-friendly and positive. Laughter was a constant- as was a nice mix of aspirational conversation, trips down memory lane and a sprinkle of networking for potential collaborations… Just right for a festively-chic night out.
Neen tweeted her guests earlier in the week reminding them to “bring your appetite.” I’m glad I took her advice and also ran an extra 3 miles in the morning. The constant service of delectable Aussie-inspired appetizers featured; prawns on the barbie, meat pies, sausage rolls, lamb chops and specialty quiches. The aromas were as delightful as the flavors.
Beké Beau showing her love for Neen and the Pavlova
Neen Knows: If you’re planning a party and want to create an intimate affair but don’t want the potential stuffiness and conversational limitations that can result from a sit-down dinner, opt for a heavy menu of passed hors d’oeuvres instead. When paired up with the right mixology offerings, this ‘freedom to mingle alternative’ to being a seating chart slave can really enhance your guest’s experience.
Neen and Andy also came through in what I call the “little things” department. They decorated the house with Aussie flags, played some cool Aussie beats in the pool room, offered everyone temporary Aussie tattoos, and had an awesome ‘Best of Australia’ photo montage playing on their huge living room plasma screen. The images were stunning! All of these elements combine to spark fun and interactive exchanges among your newly-introduced friends.
It was a pleasure meeting everyone in the fabulous network of Neen. No matter who I encountered, everyone agreed that her ability to ignite people’s productivity on both a personal and professional level is uber-impressive. If you think you can keep up, fasten your seat belt and follow her on twitter. @NeenJames
Special thanks to Neen and Andy for their generous hospitality and friendship.
Continued health, happiness and success!
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