The 2010 Wedding MBA Conference In Las Vegas Confirms Mike Walter and Marcello Pedalino to Join the All Star Line Up of Featured Speakers: 9/20 – 9/23

By:  the MMP Wire Staff –  Las Vegas Convention Center, Nevada

The logistics have been worked out and the scheduling details have been finalized, Mike Walter and Marcello Pedalino have been added to the list of notable industry presenters at the Wedding MBA for Wednesday, September 22, at 4pm.

The 7th Annual Wedding Merchants Business Academy Conference will feature 3 days of presentations from well known bridal-biz superstars like Timothy Chi from WeddingWire.com, David Katz from Conde Nast, Amy Wilkens from Martha Stewart Weddings, Alan Berg from the Knot, Andy Ebon from the Wedding Marketing Network and Peter Merry, author of the Best Wedding Reception Ever.

Walter and Pedalino’s seminar, “It’s All About You!… Seriously.  How To Take Better Care of Yourself So You Can Take Better Care of Your Bride,” will focus on the benefits of health and wellness as a peak performer and a wedding professional.

Like the other presenters at the Wedding MBA, Mike and Marcello will share some of their secrets to success as well as some underestimated lifestyle habits that are paramount for longevity in the special events industry.

Special thanks to the ADJA for the national endorsement and continued support.

If you will be attending the conference but haven’t signed up yet, the Wedding MBA has offered all of MMP’s loyal readers a $100 discount on their registration fee.

Never Give Up: Alex Federico

In case you haven’t noticed all the positive themes here in The Sunshine Club, we Celebrate Life,  Love, Laughter, Inspiration, Achievement; on days like today….we Celebrate Results.

My good friend and frequent Sunshine Club contributor, Mike Walter, often says… “There’s two things you can make in life: results, or excuses.”

My new friend, Alex Federico, is all about the results…   Even though the odds were stacked high against the successful entrepreneur, (owning 22 ice cream trucks), he took control and made it happen.  Breaking up with his girlfriend also proved to be a powerful motivator.

Could you imagine yourself being 100 pounds heavier than you are right now? Alex can, because he was.  Last May, he weighed in at 296 lbs. If he didn’t show me this photo from a year ago, I wouldn’t have believed him either.  Today, ‘the new’ Alex weighs in at about 200. If pictures are worth a thousand words, feel free to look at these ‘after’ shots and write a few of your own in the comment section below.    I’ll start…  1) Wow! 2) Holy lifestyle intervention Batman! 3) I’m proud to be Italian.

Like our other dynamic guests here in the Sunshine Club, Alex was kind enough to share his success story and sage advice with all of MMP’s readers.   Enjoy!

mp: I’m always curious about the “trigger.”  Describe the moment you decided to change your life.

AF: “Believe it or not, the quest to lose weight began the day after me and my ex-girlfriend of 6 years broke up.  May 9, 2009, I joined the gym and weighed in at 296lbs with 24% body fat.  Today, I weigh somewhere in the area of 200 lbs. and maintain a body fat percentage of well under 10%.”

mp: What adjustments did you make to your diet, lifestyle, etc.?

AF: “My lifestyle has not seen very many drastic changes in the way of dieting- mainly because I don’t diet.  I eat whatever I want but I am just extremely conscious of portion control and the times at which I eat.  I have a saying that I tell everyone looking to lose weight: “eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.” I do however workout for about an hour a day at 5am before I go to work with p90x, which is largely responsible for a majority of my weight loss.”

mp: Tell me more about the ice cream venture.

AF: “I started my ice cream truck business when I was 18 years old with one truck; currently I own 22 and have exclusive distribution rights to several large venues and park systems throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties.  Over the last 7 years of business, I have had extreme highs and dramatic lows but still manage to maintain order amongst chaos currently employing a little over 40 employees and managing about 30 or so national accounts. Although the ice cream business has been good to me over the years it is time to move on.  At the conclusion of the 2010 season I will be putting the ‘for sale’ sign on the door and moving on to my next venture in life which will be joining the family business out in Staten Island.“

mp: Now that you’ve dropped the weight, what goals are you currently working towards?

AF: “My personal goal since I was 18 has been to purchase a home by the time I’m 25. I am currently under contract and scheduled to close July 31, 2010 on a condo in Red Bank, NJ.  In business,  although the recent focus has been redirected from the ice cream industry to the family business which is plumbing supplies,  my goal  has always been to strive to lead the industry in sales and my goals shall remain the same as my career transition begins this fall.”

mp: When people see your photos, they’ll want to know what you learned throughout your journey.  What advice would you give them?

AF: “I’ve been offering the same advice to everyone I run into over the past few years in business, life and now in fitness.  Write down your goals and NEVER, no matter what anyone else says, GIVE UP!!!”

Thanks Alex, the Celebrate Life Team wishes you continued health, happiness and success.

Special thanks to my good friend, Gabe Savarese, for introducing me to Alex a few weeks ago.  He told me about Alex’s story and set up a quick lunch down the shore.  Gabe told me that in addition to Alex having a great story to tell, he was an awesome cook as well.   A few weeks later, Alex invited us both back to his beach house for a delicious barbeque lunch.   Life is good. 

Marcello Pedalino is a 3-time National DJ of the Year, ADJA Leadership Award Recipient and Health and Wellness enthusiast who believes that life should not only be lived, it should be celebrated.

If you have a Sunshine Club story you’d like to  share or know a person who should be on our radar, please submit an e-mail, photo or link for consideration.

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