This Is How We Do It- Marcello Recommends: Running Your Multi-Op by Michael Walter

On page 107, Michael Walter, the owner of Elite Entertainment, writes “My mom used to tell me,  -Being smart doesn’t mean you have to know all the answers.  It just means you have to know how to find them-.”

In his new book and proverbial treasure map,  Running Your Muil-Op, Michael spoon-feeds 20 years of advice on  how to recruit and develop talent, how to effectively manage and delegate day to day operations, and how to deal with the inevitable growing pains that come along with running a thriving small business.   It’s like Vince Lombardi opening up his playbook and handing it off to Captain Jack Sparrow.

All of the nuggets are delivered with enough real world experience and wit to keep the reader engaged, even during the self-described “more boring legal stuff” section.

What I love about the book is that Michael’s information is universal;  His tips about taking your employee’s spouses and significant others into consideration throughout the year is relevant to any CEO.   The sections about embracing technology for organizational purposes and marketing will be helpful to any entrepreneur.  And the parts about trust, resolve, humility, ego, reality and balance make the book a good read for anyone who likes to learn life lessons via entertaining anecdotes.   (I love how he and his former business partner decided that it was time to move into an office.)

Walter is like a Gary Vee. He’s got  a lot of energy to burn and plenty of useful information to share that will motivate others to take action.  He also thrives on progress and readily admits that he likes the attention.  Walter is the kind of guy that you ask to take out to lunch someday after you see him speak at a national conference or read one of his re-tweeted articles. That’s actually how I met Michael 10 years ago.    He was asked to produce the DJ of the Year Competition by DJ Times Magazine back in 2001.  I put my hat in the ring and and was fortunate to win.  Not just because I won a couple of nice plaques and got some great press… but because I  met someone who would become one of my best friends.  (notice I didn’t say “lucky.”   Michael and Branch Rickey don’t really believe in luck)

If you follow this blog, you know I keep things positive, but I also keep things real.  So I was really happy that Mike’s book didn’t suck.  That would have been awkward.   To the contrary, I’m happy to report that all of the initial reviews, beyond our circle of friends since its debut last month-  have been stellar.

“Mike has given away the keys to the candy store. Shared all the trade secrets. Divulged the secret recipe… is he crazy to do so? Maybe. Is he a genius? Definitely. And generous?  OH YES.” – Scott Faver

My favorite part of the book was the Epilogue: Words to Live By.   Mike shared several examples of what inspires his  business philosophy and life principles.  He quotes everybody from Sting to Aristotle and mentions everything from Fatal Attraction to The Serenity Prayer.  (it keeps you on your toes- like when Tony Hsieh quoted Winnie the Pooh in his book, Delivering Happiness)  This is a nice snapshot of what our entertainingly-eclectic conversations sound like when we are flying out to a speaking engagement together or while we are out for a training run.

Michael is a fellow “Life Is Good“ fan and he and the love of his life, Kelly, are big supporters of the Sunshine Club. I thought this excerpt from the final chapter of the book really encapsulates the Celebrate Life vibe we promote here and just might  inspire someone out there in the world today….    -mp

…” one of the more awesome things about DJing as long as I have, is bringing joy to so many people.  When we do what we do well, that’s what we do.   We get people to dance, laugh, sing, and celebrate.  We get them to leave their routine lives for a few hours and to enter a world where their troubles and difficulties don’t exist. There is only the here and the now at a good party.  Nothing else matters-”… ~Michael Walter

Click here to order your copy of Running Your Multi-Op.

Follow Michael on Twitter:  @DjMikeWalter

The EPMEN Wedding Entertainment Conference Delivers

From Allentown, NJ,  for the Ashford Estate tasting- to Allentown, Pennsylvania, for the EPMEN Wedding Entertainment Conference; this week is all about making Brides & Grooms happy and learning how to help them plan the reception of their dreams.

Some big names in the wedding industry were there to share their expertise with the attendees.  I brought back 3 pages of new ideas and reception enhancement techniques to implement into our upcoming events.

Special thanks  and kudos to Adam Skuba and the EPMEN crew for all of their hard work and hospitality.  -mp

Start Your Day off with La Dolce Vita- Marcello Recommends: Casa Lever Restaurant on Park Ave

Location, location, location! When you have to give someone from Jersey directions and they end with something like, “right next to Park Avenue and 5th,”  life is indeed sweet.    When Penelope Cruz wants to entertain guests like Madonna and your restaurant is chosen , you might be on to something.   When you can combine classic Milanese dishes with cordial hospitality and then adorn your stylish interior with original Warhols for good measure… the result is Casa Lever, a comfortably-chic restaurant that recently added gourmet breakfast selections to their daily offerings.

Since Lever gets their pastries and breads directly from Sant Ambroeus, I did extra laps in the pool the day before our visit so my carbohydrate/caloric intake-guilt wouldn’t spoil the morning’s indulgence. 

The sumptuous feast consisted of a tomato, mozzarella and basil panini, an apple-filled croissant, a plain croissant with assorted jellies for a warm-up, then an order of raisin brioche french toast  with creme anglaise and  raspberry & blueberry slices plus a side of niman ranch smoked bacon for the meal.  All of the above nicely complimented by 2 cups of  tea and a glass of orange-carrot juice blend.   Delicious!

My dining mates were good friends, colleagues and fellow fitness enthusiasts. (Kudos and congrats to Jay Simms from Chicago who ran the Philly marathon last weekend and qualified for Boston...  pretty much the holy grail of all 26.2 challenges.)  Visiting with his lovely wife, Tamara (who was celebrating her birthday with a week of Broadway), Jay ordered some of Lever’s healthier options along with a familiar face to the MMP readers, Mike Walter.

They enjoyed the Golden Granola with yogurt, (organic oates, honey, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and coconut), the Uova al Tegamino, (sunny-side up organic eggs, crispy applewood bacon and crostini), and Uova Tirolese,  (poached egg, hollandaise sauce, tirolian speck and spinach).  They were very pleased with their meals as well.

We drove in and found a convenient parking garage right up the block.  After breakfast and some of the best shopping in the world-  Radio City Music Hall and the likes of Rockefeller Center are just a short (people-watchers dream) walk away.

So whether you are just waking up and don’t feel like preparing a gourmet breakfast, looking for an impressive table to do some serious business over lunch or are in need of a meeting location with panache (there is a semi-private area in the back of the restaurant that features a drop-down screen and can accommodate up to 20 people),  or are fortunate to be celebrating a special occasion with discerning dinner guests… Casa Lever should be on your dolce vita-radar.  -mp

390 Park Avenue at 53rd,  New York City, NY 10022 (on facebook)

Contact:  Robin Gustafsson, @ 212-888-2700 or

Debbie Pettersson, @ 212-207-6680  ext. 151

Jackpot: The Wedding MBA Sends Every Attendee Home from Las Vegas a Winner- Mike Walter & Marcello Pedalino Come Up Aces

It’s nice when something lives up to the hype.    I’ve been hearing about the Wedding MBA for a few years…  things like, “It’s THE convention to go to if you are a wedding professional,” and “the seminars are above and beyond what you’ll find at your typical wedding industry gathering,” and “hold on to your notebooks, laptops and iPads… you’ll be taking lots of notes from some of the most successful special event gurus in the bridal business.”  The Wedding MBA delivered.

After 2 and 1/2 days of presentations from the likes of Sonny Ganguly & Tim Chi from Wedding Wire, Tammy Elliot & Susan Southerland from The Perfect Wedding Guide, Carly Roney and Alan Berg from The Knot, Julia Markel from the Association for Wedding Professionals International, Andy Ebon from The Wedding Marketing Network and Peter Merry, the author of The Best Wedding Reception Ever,  I’m exhausted and my brain hurts a little.

There was barley enough time to squeeze in a few runs at sunrise and barely enough energy left over at night for some additional networking, but I’ve got at least 10 new ideas to share with our brides and 5 new concepts to implement into MMP’s 2011 business plan so it’s all good.   After speaking with many of the 1500 attendees, they all seemed to share the same sentiments.

Social Media was definitely the “it” phrase of the week.  You couldn’t go more than 15 minutes without hearing someone mention a possible tip or tweak for utilizing Facebook, Twitter, blogging or youtube marketing for SEO and staying connected to the e-universe we live in now. If you’d like to have your mind blown, check out this video clip that Sonny shared with the crowd about sixth sense technology.  We all had to pick our jaws up off of the floor.

Another golden nugget was the universal message from The Knot’s editor in chief, Carly Roney.  She said that “many brides and grooms now value personal expression more than tradition.”

The celebrate life team here at MMP Entertainment is happy to incorporate your unique personalities and preferences into your once-in-a-lifetime reception.

Speaking of personalities, you can visit Susan Sutherland’s bountiful site and discover her secret survey offering…  take this quiz and figure out what type of bride you are. It will help us enhance your wedding planning experience by understanding your planning personality. Susan was really dialed-in to the wedding industry and offered valuable insight into the psychology of  today’s bride.

The convention rock stars were hard to miss as they each made several guest appearances and gave multiple seminars. Andy, Alan, Sonny and Peter always had a crowd around them in the halls asking for additional advice, photos for their wall and autographs of their books.

I was very happy to see that all of my friend’s and colleague’s  hard work and dedication to their craft was being recognized.

I’m also happy to report that our presentation, “Take Care Of Yourself,” was very well received . Mike Walter and I, as the new kids on the block at this gathering, spoke about the importance of a Health and Wellness program for the 21st century entrepreneur.

We shared our philosophies and offered solutions on common personal and professional challenges like time management, prioritization, diet, exercise, dolce far niente and overall life balance.  In essence, if you take better care of yourself, you can take better care of your clients.  And if you take better care of your team, you’ll be taking better care of your bottom line.

Special thanks to Dr. Drax from the ADJA for the sponsorship and support, to Will & Patti Hegarty and Shannon Underwood from the Wedding Merchants Business Academy for producing  such a monumental event, to Ron Brown for his production assistance, to Sonny Gallardo for transportation, and to Liz Daley, for sharing a few of her photos for this entry.

... a quick mention to a few of the several hundred new friends and wedding professionals  that I met while attending the WMBA…

Jean-Loup Bitterlin from Casa De Los Siete Patios in Mexico, Rachael Citron and Heather Balczarek from Glass Slipper Weddings in New Jersey, Jose Betancourt Jr. from Junior’s Band Orchestra in Florida, Olga Goddard from My Favorite Flowers in Utah, Carmen Hocking from A Beautiful Wedding in Kansas, Marc Conneely from Wedding TV in London, Kathi Evans from All The Best Celebrations in New Jersey,  Jody and Tammy Maxx from Music to the Maxx in Texas,  Patrick Kelly from I Do Appointments in Oklahoma, Ali Berberich from The Blue Angel Cafe in California, Eric Goldschmidt from Eventurous in Ohio, Doug Rice from Bridalicious in Texas and Pete Miller from Speaker Coach… who came all the way from Australia!!!

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.

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