Entertaining Leadership

Music In 3D

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 22:10:00 +0000

Since the introduction of the MP3 player and the ipod, CD sales in the music industry have declined. Consumers are able to purchase their favorite song at a lowered cost, which have caused album sales to fall. In the past music artists use to do concert tours to promote a new CD, now artists are doing concerts to “make ends meet.” Music executives have begun to explore how 3D technology can increase revenue.

The thought from executives is that not only will 3D concerts help to increase revenue, but it may help to solve some of the piracy problems the music industry is experiencing. The technology associated with 3D is very expensive and nearly impossible to replicate and reproduce.

Recently, The Black Eyed Peas announced that they would be making a 3D film with director James Cameron. Hollywood agent Sanford Climan says “there is a lot of money to be made from filming concerts in 3D and screening them in real time simulcast.” By simulcasting a live concert fans are able to see their favorite band perform when they cannot afford a ticket to the concert or when the concert sells out very quickly. In 2008, U2 screened their 3D concert at the Sundance Film Festival and it was shown in 600 American theaters, the film grossed over $20 million.

I’d have to admit that it would be more convenient to see my favorite music artist’s concert at the local movie theater, especially when the closest venue to me is 45 minutes away. This would also decrease my out of pocket costs such as gas, concert ticket compared to theater ticket and beverages. But, would the experience the same? Do I chalk it up to you get what you pay for? I wonder if this will be a one-time fad or a cultural phenomenon. I think that a 3D concert for the pop artists will do very well, but I am skeptical when it comes to the other genres of music.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/life-in-3d/3d-in-the-music-industry

Funding A Dream

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 03:07:00 +0000

Owning your own business starts with a dream. An idea is born and the entrepreneur takes that idea and brings it to fruition. In a perfect world, they have the financing needed for start up costs to get their idea off the ground and start selling their product. In the real world, most companies have to search and seek out financing for their dream. But where do you go to fund a dream? The websites below offer different types of financing for the many different types of individuals and businesses.

The Opportunity Finance Network is a financial network that provides financing to low-income, low-wealth, and other disadvantaged people and communities.

http://www.opportunityfinance.net/

The Association for Enterprise Opportunity focuses on the development of microbusinesses. The members of AEO include microlenders, small business development organizations, non-profit lending organizations and educational institutions dedicated to microenterprise. AEO’s affiliation with microlenders can help a microbusiness obtain the funding they need to get started.

http://www.microenterpriseworks.org/

The Coalition of Community Development Financial Institutions provides funding to distressed communities. The funding obtained is to help develop activities in low wealth communities in both rural and non rural areas across the U.S..

http://www.cdfi.org/

The Corporation for Enterprise Development operates at the “local, state and federal levels to create economic opportunity that alleviates poverty.” The CFED is working to provide asset building for children. The ABC initiatives are savings, college success, financial education, partnerships, products and policy. CFED is forming partnerships with larger corporations to provide funding for these programs.

http://cfed.org/

The Community Development Venture Capital Alliance provides equity capital to businesses in underinvested markets. CDVCA also “promotes the field by combining advocacy, education, communications and best-practice dissemination through conferences and workshops.”

http://www.cdvca.org/

“The National Community Investment Fund is a non-profit, private equity trust that invests in banks, thrifts and credit unions that generate both financial and social returns.” The institutions funded are designed to promote community development with the majority of its focus on low to moderate-income people or communities.

http://www.ncif.org/

The National Federation Of Community Development Credit Unions was developed to serve low income and minority communities. Their mission is to provide financial, technical and human resources to help Community Development Credit Unions.

http://www.natfed.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

The U.S. Economic Development Administration provides federal funding. There are many grant opportunities that a business can apply for. The EDA also provides information regarding leadership and many other investment program opportunities.

http://www.eda.gov/

The First Nations Development Institute is a funding resource for Native Americans. They provide financial and investor education, business and asset development and direct financial grants for Native Americans.

http://www.firstnations.org/default2.asp?id=69

Oweesta is a subsidiary of First Nations Development Institute. Their main focus is to provide “tools and knowledge that lead to sustainable and systematic economic development for Native Americans.

http://www.oweesta.org/

After reviewing these sites, I learned that there is funding available for many different types of people such as minorities, Native Americans and more. The funding can be found through investors, grants, trusts and many other resources. If you are looking to fund your dream, there are resources available to you. Obtaining the funding will require a well thought out business plan.

Entertaining Leadership vs. The Experts

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 22:33:00 +0000

On a quest to develop my very own business plan I have learned many things along the way. A business plan is a necessary tool for those who intend to start their own business. By creating a business plan a future business owner is forced to address issues dealing with all aspects of their business. What business processes do you intend to use? How do you intend to market your product or service? How many employees will you need? How many units of your product or service will you need to sell in order to keep the business afloat?

In an earlier post I had researched experts Steve Blank and Carlos Slim, who believe that is was more important to have a business model than an actually business plan. I agree and disagree with both of these experts. I agree that incorporating a business model into your business plan is the correct course of action. Developing the business model with strengthen your business plan. “Failing to involve customers and their feedback from literally the first day of a startup’s life, keeping the most vital opinions silent"(Blank, 2012) In order to make a business successful an entrepreneur needs to understand the wants and needs of its consumers.

I have incorporated this into my business plan for Entertaining Leadership. After a client has completed one of our courses we ask that they provide us with feedback on how to improve our company. This feedback will be analyzed and addressed at our company meetings. The feedback could lead to new and more efficient processes within our company. Expert Carlos Slim suggested that companies “create a simple organizational structure with minimal hierarchies; provide personal development and in-house training for executives” (Calvo, 2012). At Entertaining Leadership we have designed a simplistic structure. We also promote staff development. We believe that it is our responsibility to assist our staff members in growing into better leaders themselves.

I believe that the Operations section of our business plan will be the most important to our investors. This section will explain how we intend to implement our business. It will show how our classes are conducted and how our back office operations are structured. Without the Operations section investors would not understand how our service is brought to fruition from our knowledge development team to our clients.

Blank, S. (2012). Steve blank. Retrieved from http://steveblank.com/about/

Calvo, J. (2012, August 9). Expert views on business plans. Retrieved from http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/

Business Plan or Business Model?

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 03:43:00 +0000

While researching the “Experts views on the Value of Business Plans,” I came across two gentlemen who believed that business models held more weight than the actual business plans themselves. I found this to be almost baffling. In almost every business class that I have taken, I have been taught that in order to have a successful business, you need to have a successful business plan. Have I been misinformed all these years?

Steve Blank is a well-known entrepreneur who has founded many start-ups. He has taught entrepreneurship at U.C. Berkeley, Stanford and Columbia. While most of these schools emphasize on students creating a business plan, Blank suggests that they focus on the business model. Blank states, “we’ve discovered that startups are not smaller versions of large companies” (Blank, 2012). Blank stresses that his students focus on their customer development process, and not their business plan. “Failing to involve customers and their feedback from literally the first day of a startup’s life, keeping the most vital opinions silent“(Blank, 2012) is what Blank’s calls a start-up sin. Another reason a start-up “sucks” according to Blank’s is “they’re solving a non-problem” (Blank, 2012). “Entrepreneurs need to switch smartly out of ‘do’ mode and return to the earliest ‘discovery’ steps to find a distinctive, exciting solution to a seriously painful customer need or problem” (Blank, 2012).

Carlos Slim is the “Mexican telecommunications king, but also owns many various other businesses from hotels to sodas” (Clark, 2012). Like Blank, Slim’s focus was on the business model and not so much the business plan. He achieved great success in selling prepaid phone cards. “Many individuals in Mexico have a very low income or no regular income, many opt for prepaid minutes” instead of a home phone (Clark, 2010). Although he owns a technology company, Slim prefers to use pen and paper instead of a computer (Luhnow, 2007). His business perspective suggests to “create a simple organizational structure with minimal hierarchies; provide personal development and in-house training for executives” (Calvo, 2012). Slim started a group called ‘Fathers and Sons’ that invites Latin American billionaires and their heirs for annual meetings” (Luhnow, 2012). During the meetings there are seminars that focus on ‘How to Run A Family Business’ (Luhnow, 2012). Slim also suggests entrepreneurs have clear objectives; reinvest profits and corporate creativity (Calvo, 2012).

After reviewing the background and views of both individuals, I believe that I will have to do both. I will have to create a business plan to include the nuts and bolts of my business idea. But, I will also have to gain feedback from my customers in order to properly assess my company. But, before I do both of those I need to identify if my business is a solution to a problem.

Blank, S. (2012). Steve blank. Retrieved from http://steveblank.com/about/

Calvo, J. (2012, August 9). Expert views on business plans. Retrieved from http://bpexpertviews.blogspot.com/

Clark. (2010, November 22). World’s wealthiest man carlos slim interview: No scarcity for slim. Retrieved from http://therisetowealth.com/?p=607

Luhnow, D. (2007, August 4). The secrets of the world's richest man. Retrieved from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118615255900587380.html

ESPN Stops to Smell the Roses

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 03 Sep 2012 03:49:00 +0000

Media rights seem to be the talk of the town when it comes to sports. In 2011 NBC won the media rights for the Olympics through 2020 for the price of over $4 billion. The NFL has had its share of press lately regarding media rights as well, implementing strict limits regarding the coverage of football. The newest member to jump on the bandwagon is ESPN.

ESPN has locked in a deal to cover the Rosebowl from 2015 through 2026. The media rights deal tops off at almost $600 million, which roughly breaks down to approximately $80 million a year. The Rose Bowl’s new media rights fee jumped from its current fee of $30 million per year to $80 million per year. This is an increase of 167 percent.

The pay structure allows the Rose Bowl’s partners the Pac-12 and Big Ten to keep all of the revenue generated from the media rights. One exception to this occurs when the Rosebowl is a semifinal game or playoff game, then the revenue “flows through the playoff system and be distributed to all of the FBS conferences” (Smith 2012).

As of right now ESPN is the current BCS partner. ESPN paid $125 million for the media rights to the BCS Championship. This fall negotiations will begin again between ESPN and the BCS for the media rights. ESPN has 30 days to negotiate a deal, if a deal cannot be made then the media rights open up to networks such as FOX Sports.

While ESPN is negotiating the BCS, there are two other bowl games where media rights are available; the Orange Bowl and Champions Bowl. “ESPN has taken an aggressive stance, considering its bid to keep the Rose. It’s terribly complex. There are a ton of moving parts. Right now we have more questions than we have answers” (Smith 2012) said the commissioner of the Mountain West.

As the deals are finalized and ESPN and other networks have dotted their “I’s” and crossed their “T’s”, it will be interesting to see if the other Bowl media rights fees increase in the excess of 167 percent like the Rose Bowl’s media rights did.

Seidenberg, J. (2009, September 09). Legal issues affecting online coverage of sports. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/article/legal-issues-affecting-online-coverage-of-sports-a149496

Smith, M. (2012). ESPN will pay $80m a year for rose bowl. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, 15(13), 1, 40.

Olympic Sales Strategy

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 01:27:00 +0000

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) revamped its sales strategy by “ending a decades-old practice of selling TV rights to broadcasting unions, which traditionally covered large regions of continents” (Mickle, 2012). In the past the U.S. broadcast money had played a large part in filling the IOC’s “coffers” (Mickle, 2012). For the first time Olympic T.V. rights revenue from the U.S. will fall below 50 percent of “the IOC television money during the next quadrennium” (Mickle, 2012).

The new sales strategy shift has secured over $3.7 billion for the 2014 and 2016 Games globally, $2 billion “of which came from NBC’s deal signed last summer” (Mickle, 2012). Back in 2009, “Brazillian broadcasters reportedly paid $8 million to $9 million for Olympic TV rights as part of a Latin American broadcasting union called OTI” (Mickle, 2012). Since the separation from the Broadcasting Unions the IOC began selling the media rights to three media companies. The deal is worth over $170 million, which is an incredible increase since splitting from the Broadcasting Unions.

“With the 2016 Games in Rio being billed as the first Latin American Olympics, the IOC Managing Director of TV and Marketing Services, is particularly optimistic that the organization will be able to increase TV rights revenue in Latin America, where it still has rights to sell in Mexico” (Mickle, 2012). In the past the IOC has sold to the area by using the Broadcasting Union OTI and ESPN. The new strategy will have the IOC looking to selling individual rights to countries such as Peru, Chile and other neighboring markets to increase revenue.

With a quick review of the numbers it is easy to see that the IOC made a wise decision by changing its selling strategy. In the Brazilian market alone the increase is absolutely incredible. As the IOC reaches out to the different markets for the selling of the media rights, it will be interesting to see what the final number is by the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Another interesting factor to think about will be the status of the Olympic athletes union. Will one be in place by 2016? Will rule 40 (the sponsorship rule) be eliminated? And finally, will the athlete’s be receiving a portion of this financial increase?

Mickle, T. (2012). Sales strategy helps ioc boost rights fees. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, 15(16), 1,31.

An Olympic Experience A Child Will Sure Remember

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 01:18:00 +0000

After only four years of discussions with the International Olympic Committee, McDonalds was granted rare Olympic access. Approximately 200 children were given the opportunity to attend the 2012 London games. The children were granted access that took them behind the scenes. They were given the opportunity to try archery at Lord’s Cricket Grounds and play beach volleyball at Horse Guards Parade. The US archery team even let them hold their freshly won silver medals.

Back in 2008 McDonald’s began asking the IOC if it could provide a unique Olympic experience for kids. “It was modeled after an activation the company had used successfully during its sponsorship of the FIFA World Cup” (Mickle, 2012). For the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing, McDonalds had brought a few hundred children to the games. They were able to tour the great wall of china and many other tourist spots, but they were never given the opportunity to set foot on the field where the games were held or meet the Olympic athletes. After Beijing McDonald’s looked to improve this experience for children and make it more of an Olympic experience and less of a tourist experience.

As McDonald’s worked out the logistics with the IOC, London’s Olympic Committee worked with McDonald’s to ensure that McDonald’s was granted access. Each child was able to bring one parent to the “Champions of Play” (Mickle, 2012) program. The selection process involved the child writing an essay about “teamwork or overcoming a challenge in sports” (Mickle, 2012). Their visit to London would last three days. They were granted access to walk on the swim deck at the aquatics center, try their hand at archery, beach volleyball and meet Olympians like Swimmer Dara Torres, speedskater Joey Cheek, canoer Antonio Rossi –“giving each child a medal” (Mickle, 2012). In the end the program was a true success. But McDonald’s has already begun to look at ways to improve this Olympic experience for both Sochi and Rio.

Mickle, T. (2012). Mcdonald's gets kids in the games. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal, 15(16), 1, 33.

Media Credentials

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 03:04:00 +0000

With more and more media outlets utilizing the Internet “sports coverage is becoming increasingly complicated with restrictive credentialing provisions at all levels of sports” (Seidenberg, 2009). Both professional and college sports have begun to place restrictions on press credentialing. “The leagues are often asking those who cover them to agree to give up valid copyrights of their own products in exchange for covering an event” (Seidenberg, 2009). How does this affect the First Amendment? “No First Amendment right exists to have access to a stadium or other event venue” (Seidenberg, 2009). The actual sport itself is not copyrighted because “it is an unscripted even happening in real time” (Seidenberg, 2009). The moment the copyright exists occurs when a person “captures an image or sound. The copyright is owned by the person who does that, not by the league” (Seidenberg, 2009).

Professional sports and college sports have begun to impose strict limits regarding coverage of games on the Internet. An interesting case NBA v Motorola, Inc., involved an online gambling company using pagers to relay information regarding NBA statistics, to be used for gambling and fantasy sports leagues. The NBA won the initial case; however Motorola won in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. They affirmed, “that no underlying script exists in a game and that the information at issue was public and did not involve misappropriation of any broadcast video or audio or the interception of NBA data” (Seidenberg, 2009).

“Leagues are maintaining that they own the copyright photographs and video that someone else took at games because these are league events” (Seidenberg, 2009). When media photo or video is taken at a league game, it is done so because the league has issued a license to cover the game. Some of the stipulations in the licensing require the journalist to wear the logo of the teams sponsor. The media photo and video can only be used for editorial purposes. In some cases the media is denied these credentials. UFC’s Dana White denied two reporters (one from ESPN and the other from CBSSports.com) press credentials and access to the UFC events because he “didn’t consider their writing worthy of his company’s PR file” (Wagenheim, 2011). These two journalists were reporting the news and White essentially denied both of them press credentials because their articles in the past had not been favorable in the eyes of Dana White.

White is not alone in his feelings to eliminate reporters from writing non-favorable articles. Mark Cuban of the Dallas Mavericks blogged “proposing the banishment of Internet writiers from NBA locker rooms” (Wagenheim, 2011). The difference between Cuban and White is that David Stern the commissioner for the NBA would never allow this. Whereas White is essentially the commissioner for UFC so he can do whatever he wants.

Does this seem unfair to journalist? Of course it does. But, “there is a relative lack of case law on this subject” (Kirby, 2001). Some of the media outlets who have challenged this subject include arguments that involve “First Amendment, antitrust, intellectual property and contract law” (Kirby, 2001). This will continue to be a struggle between the media and the sporting leagues for years to come. Unless the media outlets ban together collectively, this will always be an issue. But until then, we can always rely on Twitter for our up to date online sports information. It will be interesting to see if the leagues will go after copyright issues on Twitter.

(Kirby, 2001)

Kirby, K. (2001, October). When sports team restrict access. Retrieved from http://www.rtdna.org/pages/media_items/when-sports-team-restrict-access180.php

(Seidenberg, 2009)

Seidenberg, J. (2009, September 09). Legal issues affecting online coverage of sports. Retrieved from http://suite101.com/article/legal-issues-affecting-online-coverage-of-sports-a149496

Wagenheim, J. (2011, April 13). Strikeforce's move into the bigs includes bush-league writer ban. Retrieved from http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/jeff_wagenheim/04/13/credentials/index.html

Sports Labor Unions

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 03:05:00 +0000

Labor unions were typically created because unfair conditions existed in the workplace. According to Investopedia, in sports, “non-unionized players were treated as pieces of property that had no rights to pensions, healthcare benefits or even lunch money for road games.” This all changed when “a few brave players to stood up to the owners and demanded a fair share of the revenues that their top-talent provided” (Investopedia, 2011).

“Just prior to the formation of the National Hockey League Players Association in 1967,” the average salary of a hockey player in the NHL was approximately $10,000 to $15,000. This did not include healthcare of a pension plan. “It was also common for pre-union NHLers to work summer jobs to support their families.” If a player missed a game because of an injury, he was not paid. He also incurred large medical bills because he did not have healthcare(Investopedia, 2011).

In the early 1950’s Red Wing Player Ted Lindsay began to rally players together to form a union. In order to stop the union from forming the Red Wings traded Lindsay to Chicago where he was less influential. Finally, in 1967 the players were successful in uniting enough players to form the NHLPA. They were influential enough to convince the owners to recognize their demands and not punish players for being a part of the union(Investopedia, 2011).

It took pioneers such as Ted Lindsay who “fought powerful millionaires and risked their professional careers to ensure that future players in these leagues would be well compensated and cared for beyond their playing careers.” With players negotiating hundred million dollar contracts, the “founding fathers of these unions have gotten more than they ever hoped for”(Investopedia, 2011).

(Dobel, 2011)

Dobel. (2011, July 23). Point of the game. Retrieved from http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=unions in sport&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

(Investopedia, 2011)

Investopedia. (2011, July 05). The rise of labor unions in pro sports. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/financial-edge/0711/The-Rise-Of-Labor-Unions-In-Pro-Sports.aspx

Copyright Infringement In Sports

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 02 Jul 2012 02:21:00 +0000

In our technology driven society, it is pretty safe to say that most people who own a computer or a smartphone, are a member of some sort of social media network. The two most prevalent networks are Facebook and Twitter with Pintrest not to far behind. Anyone who has an account on either one of these sites usually posts pictures to be shared with their “friends,” “followers” or fellow Pintrest followers. I just happen to be a member of all three social networking sites.

I have on several occasions posted pictures of my favorite sports teams and players. I never really considered that there might be copyright infringement issues with my photos as well as the photos that many of my friends post as well. For example, if I attend a baseball game and take a picture of my team and post it to Pinterest, I own the rights to that particular photo. But, if one of my followers copies my photo and pins it to their board or posts it on Facebook or Twitter, they have in essence stolen my property and there are committing copyright infringement. According to an article written my Meredith Yoeman, “the chance of someone actually being sued for copyright infringement is slim because most people want their product pinned. After all, it is free advertising and promotion.”

But copyright infringement is a serious issue. In 2011, the owner of the website HDHOCKY.TV was indicted for copyright infringement. According to the Department of Justice, the website was selling “DVDs containing recordings of copyrighted television broadcasts of hockey games and other copyrighted works such as team and player profiles, from the National Hockey League (NHL) and other professional hockey leagues.” The website did not have permission from any league to reproduce or distribute these recordings.

Another issue affecting the Sporting Industry is the sale of counterfeit merchandise. Anti-Piracy agents seized $6.2 Million worth of sports merchandise. The seizure was a part of a nationwide effort called “Operation Fake Sweep.” Officials targeted stores, flea markets, street vendors and websites selling counterfeit sports merchandise. One man arrested for copyright infringement operated 16 websites that would stream live pay-per-view sporting events. After reading these articles about copyright infringement indictments, a person may think twice about posting a picture of their favorite sports team.

NBC's "Olympic" Bid

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 01:46:00 +0000

With the 2012 London Olympics approaching, it is only fitting to say that one of the biggest stories of 2011 was NBC’s bid for the rights to the Olympics. “The International Olympic Committee spent almost three years courting networks to bid on its U.S. television rights.” The committee decided to wait until 2011 to begin the bidding process due to the economy. This decision proved to be a wise decision. NBC bought the rights to the Olympics through 2020, for the price of $4.4 billion. NBC outbid its competitors such as Walt Disney Co., owner of ESPN and ABC by $800 million (Sports Business Daily).

NBC holds the rights for four Olympic games. “The 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, will cost $775 million. The 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro will cost $1.2 billion. The 2018 Games will run $863 million, and the 2020 Games will cost $1.4 billion. The locales for the 2018 and 2020 games have not been determined yet” (LA Times). According to the LA Times, NBC lost $233 million on the 2010 Games and could potentially lose a similar amount for the 2012 London games. Part of NBC’s strategy for Olympic coverage is to show all events live. USA Today reports this is different from the 2010 Olympics, where they held “best events for prime time even on tape-delay” (USA).

Although NBC won the bidding war for the rights to the Olympics, why would they bid in excess of $800 million? Typically, the bid gaps between large companies are closer than this. It is uncanny to me that NBC would present such a large dollar amount for the rights to the Olympics, when they lost $233 million on the 2010 games and while we are facing such difficult economic times. To the average American this would seem like a waste of hard earned money. To the philanthropists it would seem that this money could be appropriated toward a well deserving charity. For these reasons, I have chose this as one of the top stories of 2011.

Interview With Kevin Bergquist

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Wed, 23 May 2012 03:23:00 +0000

Recently, I had the privilege to interview Kevin Bergquist Owner/Operator of DOJO Martial Arts. I first met Kevin back in 9^th grade Spanish class where we became great friends. Looking back I remember Kevin always being involved in Martial Arts, but it wasn’t until recently, almost 19 years later, that I realized this was his true passion in life.

What is your current position?

Kaicho Director - Yamagawa Martial Arts Association, Owner/Operator - DOJO Martial Arts

Do you consider this job something you are passionate about?

Absolutely! Has been my dream since childhood.

What is the most difficult thing about your job?

Menial tasks such as billing, cleaning, and marketing. I hate chasing people for money and feeling like a bill collector.

What is the most rewarding thing about your job?

Changing lives and having people learn to believe in themselves. I took a handicapped kid who couldn't run and made him a State Champion, an abused young girl and restored her confidence, and the look on a child’s face when they finally get it right.

What are some of your accomplishments?

World Martial Arts Magazine - Karate Master of the Year

Martial Arts World Hall of Fame

International Hall of Champions

World Head of Family Sokeship Council Hall of Fame

Diamond Lifetime Achievement Award - Southeastern Martial Arts Hall of Fame

Martial Arts World Expo Heavy Hitter Award

School of the Year - Florida League of Martial Artists

3X Florida State Champion

Students have won over 50 State, National, and World Championships

What advice would you recommend to someone interested in pursuing this field?

Train Hard and Train Every Day. There are no shortcuts. Hard work always beats talent when talent refuses to do hard work.

What type of training prepares you for a career like this?

A lifetime spent studying the martial arts with the best teachers you can find.

What makes a good leader within your industry?

Honesty and Dedication. But most importantly, being able to praise and encourage your subordinates

Do you find that you need to separate your emotions from your job?

Negative emotions should be controlled and released on the bags during private training. Conversely, Happiness and excitement should be shared, as it will spread like wildfire.

Do you have to negotiate deals within your industry? If so, what advice can you offer to close a successful deal?

When buying, pretend your not that interested, when selling, give the client an idea and let them think it’s theirs, take the word "I" out of your vocabulary and ask questions which allow them to say it often.

Do you have any additional comments you would like to offer?

Find a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life.

After interviewing Kevin, I have a new found respect for what he does. He is a true leader, mentor and role model throughout the Martial Arts community. His passion for Martial Arts is what drives his students to be the absolute best they can possibly be. There is a mutual respect between teacher and student. A respect that continually reciprocates, resonates and fosters integrity amongst the Masters and Students at the Dojo.

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:51:00 +0000

Amanda Ray Beard is an Olympic gold medalist. She attended her first Olympic games in Atlanta at the age of 14. There she won a gold medal and two silver medals. The media took many photographs of her approaching the pool carrying her teddy bear. She went on to compete in two more Olympic games earning her a total of 7 medals. Her Olympic notoriety was a springboard to her lucrative modeling career. She appeared in magazines such as FHM and Sports Illustrated. But amidst all of this fame Amanda was struggling on the inside. She felt unworthy of her success.

Unbeknownst to her, she was battling with clinical depression. She hid this struggle from friends and family. Her parents had no idea what she was going through. The depression led her down a dark road. “She became bulimic, abused drugs and alcohol, and started cutting herself. Only when she met her future husband, who discovered her cutting herself, did Amanda realize she needed help.”

Her new book “In the Water They Can’t See You Cry” describes Amanda’s struggles and triumphs in overcoming her diagnosis. She has been currently touring and promoting her book. On April 11^th Amanda’s agent Even Morganstein of PMG Sports tweeted that she “will be announced as a NY Times Best Selling Author.”

It is important for people out there who are experiencing clinical depression to know that they are not alone. It is very difficult for anyone, let alone someone in the spotlight to bare there sole on a topic like this. I applaud Amanda for her bravery in discussing the topic. It shed light on those who are in the same situation reinforcing that there is in fact light at the end of the tunnel.

Overcoming Obstacles

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 00:58:00 +0000

Amy Purdy was 19 years old and living life to the fullest. One day she was admitted to the hospital with what they thought was the flu and ended up being bacterial meningitis. She was on life support and had a 2% chance of living. She recovered, but left the hospital without a spleen, a kidney, hearing loss in her left ear and lost both of her legs. She was devastated and had to learn to cope with her new legs. The first time she put them on they were painful and prohibited her from doing the things she loved the most. She was emotionally and physically broken. She thought to herself, if her life were a book and she were the author how would she want her story to go?

As she pondered that question, she imagined herself snowboarding again. She could feel the wind against her face and her heart racing. At that particular moment a new chapter in her life began. She knew that with the legs that she currently had she could not snowboard. She could not bend her knees and ankles the way she needed to. She learned at this point in time that snowboarding and obstacles did 2 things. The first was that obstacles can stop you dead in your tracks and the second was that it forces a person to get creative. Instead of giving up she designed her own set of legs that would allow her to snowboard. After many trials and errors, she finally found the solution to her problem.

The new legs gave her the ability to snowboard. She currently holds two world gold medals for adaptive snowboarding, and is the highest ranking adaptive snowboarder. Her tragedy enabled her to rely on her imagination and solve a long-standing problem. A person’s limitations can be tools to break through borders and allow a person to live beyond their limits. Her borders allowed her to be innovative. Amy hopes that others can look at their challenges as a blessing that can ignite a person’s imagination that propels them to go further in life.

Dream Big

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:58:00 +0000

Diana Nyad is one of the greatest long distance swimmers in the world. In 1979 she swam 102.5 miles from the Bahamas to Florida. She has broken many world records, including circling the island of Manhattan in 7hrs and 57 minutes. In October of 2011, Diana spoke at TED. She began her speech discussing how she had watched most of her life pass her by. She became so lost in negative thoughts over the years about career moves and why did this happen to me, that before she knew it life had passed her by. Her mom died at the age of 82 and she thought, I have 22 more years left to live in the present.

She decided that now was the time to chase a life long dream. It was such a big dream, that she had to face it with utter conviction and unwavering passion. She decided that she was going to swim from Cuba to Florida. It would take 60 -70 hours to swim these waters. Some of the possible dangers that she could face were sharks, hypothermia, jellyfish and the Gulf Stream. Now as if these dangers weren’t enough of a challenge, I should also mention that she had not swam in 31 years. Even with all of these challenges Diana pursued her dream of swimming from Cuba to Florida. She began her rigorous training regiment. She would swim for 15 hours a day. If when she came in from swimming and the time was 14 hours and 58 minutes, she would swim for another 2 minutes.

Finally, the day arrived, the day she had been training so hard for the past two years. She was ready both physically and mentally. The bathing cap was so tight and pulled over her ears so she would not get hypothermia. As she began her swim, she describes the it as being completely alone with your thoughts. To mentally work through the swim she would count first in English then German then Spanish and then French. After counting she would go through her playlist in her head which consisted of 65 songs. Then she began to think about Stephen Hawkings “The Grand Design” and ask herself is there and edge of the universe?

Diana describes swimming as encompassing all of life’s obstacles. She had worked through the pain and suffering but encountered a huge obstacle the box jellyfish. She had been stung several times, it was the most excruciating pain she had ever felt. It felt like hot oil all over your skin then paralysis would start in the back and the chest, then convulsions. It affected the respiratory system severely. The EMT on staff jumped in the water to assist her and he was stung so severely that he could not help her. A medical team was flown in to assist and gave her oxygen, prednisone and Xanax. She swam the next day and the next night and was stung yet again. After 41 hours of swimming she could no longer swim and her dreams were crushed.

The one thing Diana stresses is, of moments of big disappointments how do you find grace in defeat? She looked back on her journey and she felt proud and courageous of what she had accomplished. She said that as long as the ocean is still there she can swim from Cuba to Florida and she will. She left her audience with a paraphrase from poet Mary Oliver “So what is it you’re doing with this one wild and precious life of yours?” There are many times in life when we feel defeated and deflated. It is how we handle those moments and move forward that makes us the people we are today. If a person gives up completely after defeat, they will watch their life pass them by. Each time you dust yourself off and move forward with unwavering passion and utter conviction you come one step closer to reaching your dreams.

The NCAA's Influence

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 05:03:00 +0000

The National Collegiate Athletes Association is very influential on basketball within universities and colleges in the United States. Many athletes playing basketball in college do so because they love the game. Others play because they are an excellent basketball player and have received a scholarship to play basketball for their college. The National Collegiate Athletes Association is very influential when it comes to college scholarships. The NCAA focuses their attention on all types of athletes. They assist the athletes who want to pursue a professional career in basketball and they also assist the athlete whose attention is on their academic studies.

The NCAA operates with the athlete’s best interest in mind. A recent proposal was brought before the committee to change the lines on the court for Men’s basketball games. The NCAA presented the recommendation to its members and came to a decision by encompassing all factors for these athletes. The NCAA also encourages athletes to become involved in community service. Many collegiate basketball players have become affiliated with great organizations, and eventually go on to work for them after graduation. Many of these athletes have created their own foundations as a way to give back to their community.

The final way the NCAA is influential on college basketball is in the conduct of the players. The NCAA believes strongly that athletes should conduct themselves with the utmost integrity. Influential speaker, John Maxwell believes that Integrity is one of the most important qualities a leader can possess. The NCAA encourages not only collegiate basketball players but also other college athletes to “practice principles such as fair play, spiritual uplift techniques and balancing the needs of the person toward sports with the needs of gaining a good education.” The NCAA wants to not only produce gifted athletes, but athletes who can be role models to younger generations.

Reference: NCAA Influence on Basketball

Leadership Off The Field

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 04:14:00 +0000

Tim Tebow has graced the cover of Sports Illustrated for a total of eight times. Each time he has been on the cover, it has showed a level of leadership that he has demonstrated on the football field. But it is his leadership skills off the football field that are something that we can all learn from.

Tebow always envisioned helping others. While at the University of Florida Tim Tebow started a student organization called First and 15. First and 15 raised money for important charities such as Uncle Dick’s Orphanage in the Phillipines and the pediatric cancer center at Shands Hospital in Gainesville, Florida. “First and 15 allowed him to mobilize and lead hundreds of students on campus and UF boosters to help with the charities.” The organization was able to provide things such as Disney trips for disadvantaged children. Former UF Coach Urban Meyer said "Tim has made community service and commitment to serving others a cool thing among his peers. He has changed the way kids his age look at helping others..." Not only did Tebow inspire kids his age, he also inspired Urban Meyer, who took his family on a mission trip to feed disadvantaged children. Because of NCAA rules Tebow could not start his foundation while he was in college.

Finally, in January of 2010 Tebow’s vision of creating the Tim Tebow Foundation was made a reality. Like Greene’s 35^th Law, he had Mastered the Art of Timing. His true vision for the man he wanted to be and the things he wanted to accomplish were brought to fruition. Even before the inception of the Tim Tebow Foundation, Tim Tebow has always maintained the same level of integrity. Maxwell Describes Integrity as “the most important ingredient of leadership.” “Integrity Builds Trust, has high influence value and facilitates high standards. It means living it myself before leading others. Integrity is a hard-won achievement” On November 15, 2011 the Tim Tebow Foundation announced that the had partnered with CURE International to build a surgical facility in the Phillipines, which would provide care for thousands of children. This move again demonstrates another leadership skill of problem solving and the growth of the Foundation.

Recently Tebow was named the most popular athlete according to ESPN. Every week during football season Tebow, chooses a person who is suffering, dying or injured and flies them and their family to the Bronco’s game all expenses paid. “They go to the Bronco’s game, he rents them a car, puts them up in a nice hotel, buys them dinner, gets them pregame passes, and visits with them before the game.” He takes the time to visit with them after the game and will even introduces them to other players and then sends them home with a gift basket.

That quote alone demonstrates that Tebow has a vested interest in enriching the lives of others. He possesses all the qualities of a great leader. According to Maxwell’s five levels of leadership. Tebow is at level four, the people development stage. People follow his lead because of what he has done. He has committed himself “to invest in people’s lives, to make a difference.

Tebow is a great leader because he has the vision to fulfill a specific need. He has integrity that demonstrates his credibility. People want to follow his lead He is creating solutions and positive changes that make a difference in a people’s lives around the world. His patience has allowed him to master the art of timing. And his faith has allowed him to stay grounded and truly listen to those around him. He is truly inspirational and what Maxwell calls a born leader.

Green Robert. (2000). The 48 Laws of Power, New York. NY. Penguin Books.

Hensch, M. (2011, November 16). Tim tebow's next play: Building a children's hospital in the philippines

Retrieved from http://www.christianpost.com/news/tim -tebowsnext play-building-a-childrens-hospital-in-the-philippines-62106/

Maxwell, J. (1993). Developing the leader within you. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Reilly, R. (2012, January 13). http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow.

Retrieved from http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7455943/believing-tim-tebow

Savitz, E. (2011, December 19). 5 leadership lessons from tim tebow's game-time audio. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ciocentral/2011/12/19/5-leadership-lessons-from-tim-tebows-game-time-audio/

Tim Tebow Foundation. (2012). Tim tebow foundation. Retrieved from http://www.timtebow

foundation.org/about

University of FLorida. (2012). The university of florida. Retrieved from www.ufl.edu

Integrity of a Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:02:00 +0000

According to John Maxwell’s book “Developing The Leader Within You,” Integrity is the most important ingredient of leadership. He states, “when I have integrity, my words and my deeds match up. I am who I am, no matter where I am or who I am with.” An individual in a leadership position can execute the principles of integrity to their employees by arriving to work on time if they expect their employees to arrive on time. If they demonstrate a positive attitude toward their employees, most of the employees will exhibit the same attributes. “The more credible you are, the more confidence people place in you, thereby allowing you the privilege of influencing their lives.”

Maxwell lists seven reasons why integrity is so important. The first reason is that integrity builds trust. This is evident when a leader can influence their employees to trust them. The second reason is Integrity has high influence value. “People’s minds are changed through observation.” The third reason is that Integrity facilitates high standards. “Leaders must live by higher standards than their followers. “ The fourth reason is that Integrity results in solid reputation, not just an image. Image is the outward appearance that others see. Integrity is the person we are on the inside. The fifth reason is Integrity means living it myself before leading others. Quite simply put practice what you preach. The sixth reason is Integrity helps a leader be credible, not just clever. “People of Integrity expect to be believed. They also know time will prove them right and are willing to wait.” The final reason is that Integrity is a hard-won achievement. A leader that possesses Integrity demonstrates self-discipline, inner trust, and honesty.

When a leader has Integrity there is no confusion amongst their peers as to who they are and what they stand for. “People with Integrity are whole people.” This type of leader possesses values in which they live their life by. As individuals in leadership positions it is important to have integrity. A leader will be far more successful in achieving their goals and excel in their area of expertise, when they exhibit integrity.

Empowering Employees

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 04:22:00 +0000

Leadership is essential in any organization. Without effective leadership the organization fails. An effective leader is someone who can empower his or her team. When a leader can effectively empower their team the sky is the limit. By encouraging employees to develop a career path, the leader is demonstrating to the employees that they care about the success of their employees. This level of empowerment will in turn have the employee focusing more on what they can do to not only better themselves as an employee but, what they can do to better the future of the company. People often feel a sense of belonging when the can participate in the success or implementation of something beneficial for their organization.

The key to empowering your employees is demonstrating that you truly care for your employees. A level of trust needs to be established between the leader and the employee. If there is no trust between the two, ultimately nothing will be accomplished. As a leader, allowing your employees to gives you feedback on the organization can assist in the promotion of this trust. If the employee feels that they can comfortably discuss the pros and cons of the organization with their leader, they will feel a sense of value. Also, some new and creative ideas could be generated from these open forum type of discussions. Giving your employees feedback provides “reward and recognition” for their job performance. Constructive criticism is important as well. This will give the employee direction and growth. Finally when a problem occurs within the organization, ask the employee “what is wrong with the work system that caused the people to fail.” Following these simple steps will create a more positive work environment. If a leader can make their employees feel as though they are a vital part of the organization, the employee will begin to shine and grow and become a valuable asset to the organization.

Leadership Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 03:30:00 +0000

As we dive into the area of developing our leadership skills, there are two books that I highly recommend. The first is called "Developing the Leader Within You" by John C. Maxwell. The second book is called "The 48 Laws of Power" by Robert Green. These books are essential in facilitating the leadership qualities that are successful in all areas and aspects of business.

About Me

noreply@blogger.com (Jenifer) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 02:49:00 +0000

My name is Jenifer and I am originally from Cranston, RI. I moved to Bradenton, FL when I was 10. I received my Bachelors degree from the University of Florida in Food and Resource Economics, with a Specialization in Agribusiness Marketing and Management, and a Minor in Agricultural and Natural Resource Law. I have worked in the litigation field as a paralegal for eight years. I am currently attending Full Sail University, where I am pursuing a Masters degree in Entertainment Business with a Sports Management Track. I believe my legal background will be extremely beneficial within the entertainment industry. I have created this blog to assist others with their leadership skills in the entertainment industry, and also to assist in the area of contract review.