Delivering Happiness – Marc Accetta learns from Tony Hsieh

One of the best decisions that I ever made was attending a seminar on how to be an entrepreneur when I was about 27 years old.  The second best decision was that I would continue to attend trainings for Business and Personal development for the rest of my life.

I have just returned from a conference where I had the privilege of learning from a number of the most successful business people in the world.  While they were all amazing in their own rights, one stood out from all of the rest in my opinion.  That was Tony Hsieh (sic) the CEO of Zappos.

As many of you know by now, I am a very late bloomer when it comes to the Internet, so up until about 6 months ago,  I had never heard of Zappos or Tony.  That has changed dramatically as I have delved further and further into understanding the power of online business.  Zappos is one of the most highly regarded- if not the most highly regarded- company amongst the top circle of Internet marketing experts.

After hearing from Tony for about an hour, it is easy to see why.  He was interviewed by my friend, and master connector, Larry Benet.  Larry is actually an up and coming business phenom himself.  He has an amazing gift for persuading people of Tony’s skill level to share their business secrets openly with their peers.

Tony answered all of Larry’s questions calmly and coolly.  He gave us details about how he turned Zappos from a struggling company into the giant it has become, by telling us story after story of how he and his team treated people.

Tony is truly a master when it comes to culture.  As a matter of fact, culture is the absolute heart and soul of Zappos.  Tony told how his initial turn at being an entrepreneur ended less successfully than he had hoped (but pretty darn successful by most peoples standards selling his first company at the age of 24 to Microsoft for $265 Million) because he focused on his employees’ talents, as opposed to how they blended in with the team.  Tony learned from that experience and implemented the correct philosophy that he had discovered into Zappos.

They have 10 core components of their culture, and all decisions in the company are based on them!  Many people have great things written down on paper, but they stay on paper.  Tony and his senior management are relentless at making sure those core components are understood and followed by each and every employee in the company.

Here are the 10 Core Components of Zappos Culture:

1. Deliver WOW Through Service
2. Embrace and Drive Change
3. Create Fun and A Little Weirdness
4. Be Adventurous, Creative, and Open-Minded
5. Pursue Growth and Learning
6. Build Open and Honest Relationships with Communication
7. Build a Positive Team and Family Spirit
8. Do More With Less
9. Be Passionate and Determined
10. Be Humble

There is no doubt in my mind that developing a list like the one above will become common for companies that will dominate their industries in the decades that lie ahead.  Just like Henry Ford created a massive paradigm shift in the business world by creating the assembly line in manufacturing, Hsieh will create a similar sweeping change by ushering in the era of culture and customer service!

In his new book, Delivering Happiness, (which I highly recommend) Hsieh explains that their number one focus is customer service.  He goes on to explain that when Amazon made their offer to purchase Zappos, he was concerned because Amazon has attained their market dominance by focusing on offering the lowest price to its customers and Zappos had not.  He believes that price is not as critical to gaining and maintaining customers as customer service is.  He was concerned that if Amazon bought his company that ultimately, the culture that he had worked so hard to create and the resulting outstanding customer service would go out the window.

Tony explained that he was influenced by Chip Conley’s book Peak.  In that book Conley takes Abraham Maslow’s pyramid explaining the hierarchy of human needs, and simplifies it down to three parts.  Then he explains how it applies in today’s workforce.  The bottom line is that every person working for a company sees their work in one of three ways:

• A Job
• A Career
• A Calling

Tony has done a remarkable job at getting the employees at Zappos to see their work as a calling.  He wanted to make sure that never changes.  He illustrated that point by telling a story about the company’s customer service that involved a bunch of late night drinking and pepperoni pizza.  I won’t get into the details of the story, but I will assure you that it’s a story that illustrated the point perfectly, and is a story that I will never forget!

Tony recently did sell Zappos to Amazon for $1.2 Billion.  He is still running the company and committed to making sure that his employees never lose their calling and that Zappos continues to thrive.

In a world filled with CEO’s that virtually nobody trusts and virtually nobody seeks to emulate. Tony Hsieh stands tall.  He is a phenomenal living example that nice guys can…and do finish first!

Pippen was a great SIDE KICK….and now….so is Lebron!

Time will tell what the fall out of the 2010 Season of Free Agency in the NBA will be.  Will Lebron create a dynasty with Dwane Wade and Chris Bosh?  Will Pat Riley end up with more championships than either Red Auerbach or Phil Jackson?

Will Cav’s owner Dan Gilbert’s prediction that his team will win a championship before his former superstar wins on come to fruition?  Will anyone ever think of Lebron again in the same way that they think of Michael Jordan or Kobe Bryant?

As I said, it will be very interesting to see how all of this unfolds in the next 5-10 years.  One thing is for sure.  The last few weeks’ dog and pony show has been one of the most annoying sideshows in the history of sport.  I am a passionate sports fan, as many of you know by now and I am a huge Knicks fan (one of the main teams in the whole circus), but by last night when Lebron announced his decision I had honestly gotten to the point where I didn’t even care any more.

Part of me thinks that in the era of players making staggering incomes far beyond what they really deserve, that it is refreshing to see players take LESS money so they can win multiple championships together.  On the other hand I have to be honest and admit that the Miami Heat are now the exact same as the NY Yankees in my book; they are buying an all-star team that SHOULD win the championship every year.  Because of that I believe that I will be rooting against the Miami Heat in every game they play for the next 10 years!

What about poor Cleveland?  This is a crushing blow to the entire city, the owner of the Cavs, the players and the fans.  It will probably affect the overall economy of the city to the degree that it will affect just about everyone.  I feel bad for all of them, but I honestly cannot tag Lebron as a villain for leaving them.  His owners knew what they had to do to keep him…. surround him with enough talent to win championships.  The real bottom line is that they did not do that.  I think Gilbert could have made it a no-brainer for him to stay if Lebron honestly felt he could stay in his hometown and create a dynasty.

I think that was honestly his number one desire. The problem was that Lebron lost out on the game of convincing Chris Bosh to play in Cleveland.  I sincerely believe that if he could have sold Bosh on that he would still be a Cavalier.  But D wade and Pat Riley proved to be much better salesmen that Mr. James.

Once Bosh decided to go to Miami, it appears that Lebron did not have the guts to go somewhere/stay somewhere without him.  That is what blows me out.  You would thing that Bosh was the “King.” You would think that he would do what Lebron told him to do, but it was clearly the other way around.  Once Bosh committed to Miami….The real game began.

Did Lebron stay home, like MJ did and lead his team to victory?  Did he go in to be the savior of one of the NBA’s most storied franchises and join Amare Stoudamire in NYC?  Should he be the literal second coming in the second city and join the Bulls?

All of those would have been better choices to me.  I really think Lebron is one of the greatest ever!  It seems obvious that he does not.  I cannot imagine Michael Jordan EVER doing what he just did! I think the Gods honest truth is that Lebron lacks the confidence of a Michael Jordan, or a Kobe Bryant, or a Larry Bird…..or apparently a Chris Bosh!

What’s done is done, but I am deeply saddened.  I think a tweet I saw shortly after he made his decision said it best.  “Lebron went from being considered in the same breath with Michael Jordan to being mentioned in the same breath with Scottie Pippen.” No disrespect to one of the greatest players in NBA history, but Pippen was not…THE MAN in Chicago.  He actually proved that in the two years MJ played baseball.

Pippen was a great SIDE KICK….and now….so is Lebron!

BREAKING the 20 YEAR BARRIER…

As I sit here to write this, I am in my room at The Pierre hotel overlooking Central Park in NYC.  This is a beautiful (expensive) property, but its value is more sentimental to me than anything else.  This is the first hotel that I ever spent the night in with my amazing wife Kelly.  That was almost two decades ago when the hotel was a Four Seasons (now a Taj hotel).  We have returned here to celebrate our 20-year Anniversary.The evening we spent here all those years ago was magical.  I took her to Sardi’s for a pre-theater cocktail…. then we had 3^rd row seats for Phantom of the Opera (when it was the hottest show on Broadway)….Then we took a limo to Tavern on the Green for a romantic dinner….and topped it off with a horse and carriage ride through the park back to the hotel as we sipped on some Dom Perignon!

I knew I had one shot at this hot young lady, and I made that shot count!  So much has happened since then and being here is bringing back all kinds of memories.  Prior to being with Kelly, the longest relationship I had ever had was about 5 years.  At one point in my life, I never envisioned that I would find someone that I would want to spend several decades with.  It is truly amazing how time flies when you are having fun.

We have done soooooooooooo much together.  We have traveled all over the country non-stop for business and pleasure.  We have also done quite a bit of international travel over the last 5 years.  We have eaten in some of the world’s best restaurants…. we have seen dozens of Broadway plays…. We’ve been to a bunch of great sporting events……We have had the amazing pleasure of seeing our precious daughters grow up and blossom into little ladies….We have had numerous romantic getaways….It has been a blast!

Marc Accetta and Kelly Accetta in Rome with family

I know that they say all relationships/marriages are work.  Kelly and I have definitely had our moments, but in general it has been effortless!  It really has.  We have so much in common and truly enjoy each other’s company.  We have not only been together 20 years…we have worked together 20 years as well.  That is another thing that people say is a difficult feet to achieve, but it has been a joy for us.

If there was any hard work involved, it was by her in the early years of our relationship when I was quite a bit less mature and aware than I am now.  Heck, I was only in my early to mid 30’s…. Most men don’t hit emotional maturity until our mid-forties. (LOL)  I was definitely a handful in the beginning, but she was very patient, and I would like to think that it has been worth her patience.

Since those early years, we have been totally in sync.  She has truly been the wind beneath my wings, and I would like to think I have returned the favor for her.  She is definitely my biggest fan, as I am hers.

A few years ago, she took on the challenge of welcoming my mom, dad, and special needs adult brother into our home.  She has taken over as their primary care giver as well as being a spectacular mother to our daughters, and the CFO for our companies.  She is my hero!

It is so sad that people are virtually amazed when we tell them we are celebrating 20 years together.  I guess in this day and age, it really is unusual for people to be together that long.  If there were any advice I could offer to people on their way to breaking the 20-year barrier, it would be this:

• Find someone who is your best friend over someone who you think is hot (although I got to do both)
• Don’t spend all your time with your children.  Have some romantic dates and exotic getaways to keep you romance alive.
• Find someone who you can laugh with….over the funny things, and more importantly, over the tough things that will arise.
• Don’t take your partner for granted.
• And…….most importantly……have lots of great sex!

I have to go now as we are off to Per Se’ for what promises to be an unforgettable Anniversary dinner.  I look forward to the opportunity to have another amazing 20 years with my sweetheart, and writing a follow up blog about it from the Pierre.

Class Act

Being a bit of a sports fanatic – just a little – I remember the circumstances that brought Kurt Warner’s unlikely rise of stardom a reality.

Trent Green was playing spectacular football for the Rams that pre-season.   He had them looking the best they had looked in years.  In the final pre-season game of that season, Green was sacked and tore his ACL and his season was over.  The Rams had no backup quarterback with any NFL experience.  The second string guy was someone who was playing in the Europe earlier that season.  Things did not look good.  The Rams players look very depressed.  Their coach, Dick Vermiel, came right out and announced that Warner would be their starting quarterback, and that he had confidence in him.

The Rams exploded that season.  They were the darlings of the NFL and Warner was the leader of the pack.  The next few years saw Warner win a Super Bowl ring, and become the NFL, MVP twice.  He was the ringleader of what has been called, “the greatest show on turf.”

There were things that set Warner apart from all the other great players in the NFL.  First of all, he was a man of faith.  Not just for the cameras, but to his core.  And, he was not afraid of expressing it, even though he knew it would be something that the media would ridicule him on.  Unlike Charles Barkley, he took his job as a role model seriously.  He saw the NFL spotlight as a way to reach a broader audience to express his faith.

The other unique thing about Warner was that he was working as a stock boy in a supermarket while he was playing semi-pro football to make ends meet.  He truly defied all the odds and became a man of the people.

The story would be worthy of a Hollywood movie if it ended there, but it did not.  Warner ended up getting benched by the Rams after three world-class years as their quarterback.  He ended up joining the Giants as a back up.  He struggled with them and was dealt to the Arizona Cardinals to be a back up to the newly drafted college superstar, Matt Leinart.

It seemed like his once great career was over.  Then, just as he had done with the chronic losers in St Louis, he became the Arizona starter and turned them into winners.  He led them to the Super Bowl, against all the experts’ predictions, and had a spectacular game.  Only a next to impossible play in the closing seconds of the game stopped Warner from leading the Cardinals to victory on the worlds biggest stage.

He answered his critics one last time when he proved that last years Super Bowl appearance was not a fluke by having one of the greatest performances ever in this years playoff game against the Green Bay Packers.

Kurt Warner is what America is all about!  He defied all the odds, followed his dreams, and became a great player.  He was and will always be an inspiration to anyone who knows his story.

90% of all the ESPN viewers that responded to the poll this week voted that Warner is a definite Hall of fame player.  Some of the greatest players ever have not had that high of a percentage of the American people believe in their greatness.

But that is fitting, because as I said, Kurt embodies what America is all about … Opportunity !!!

The Power of One

This year I will be doing a show Podcast show called, The Power of One. I came up with the concept for the show a few months ago when I heard a song of the same name, by Israel Houghton, at Covenant church. I have studied human nature and the science of success for over twenty years and realize that most of the greatest innovations we have ever enjoyed came from the imagination of one person. While it ultimately takes teamwork to make the dream truly work, most great teams are lead by a dynamic individual who has a vision.

Our show will highlight amazing leaders from virtually every walk of life that have changed the world in which they lived by their contributions. While the people featured will all have in common the fact that they are ultra high achievers, they will also amaze you with the fact that they have come from such diverse backgrounds. Then again, while their differences will be vast, the similarities that created their successes and greatness will be nearly identical.

The formula for success is really the same no matter what you are attempting to do. As the series unfolds, you will definitely find this to be true. The power of what one idea can do is amazing. The power of what one dream can do is amazing. The power of what one person can do is amazing. I cannot wait to get started bringing these amazing stories to all of you. Some of the people will be very famous and others will not, but they will all be inspiring.

Years ago I needed to be inspired. I still need it. Much of my inspiration, then and now, comes from true stories of average people who had a dream, and who had the guts to make those dreams come true. I will share the stories that have inspired me. I think it will surprise you that many of histories greatest heroes were at one time broke and unsure of themselves. Some of them were depressed and considered themselves failures. The point is that there are thousands of more stories out there and I would love to help inspire one or two of them.

If you believe in your dreams and are brave enough to follow through on them, the possibilities are endless. Tune into our show and share it with all of your friends. 2010 is the beginning of a new decade; a decade that will bring many quantum leaps in our society. Someone will be responsible for those leaps. Join our show and either hear about them or become inspired to create one of them. In 2010 come to understand the true power of one!

Happy New Year 2010!

Just wanting to wish everyone a great 2010, remember that goals no matter how unattainable they seem can be achieved if you believe in yourself.  We at MarcAccettaSeminars are happy to have served hundreds of thousands of individuals during 2009.  We hope that you have signed up for our Newsletter on MarcAccetta.com.  If you aren’t please do so ASAP, there will be many surprises for all our Newsletter Members in 2010.

The Blind Side Movie – Marc Accetta Reviews

I just got back from seeing The Blind Side….WOW…What a GREAT movie. For some reason I was not that excited to go see it, but boy am I glad I did. Like other great inspirational films like Miracle, Stand and Deliver, Remember the Titans, and Brave Heart…The Blind Side is based on a true story.
The studio was brilliant releasing the film at Thanksgiving time. There are several scenes where I was really stunned at how little some people have in their lives and how much so many of us have. I was very happy I was seeing it with my two children and my little brother from BBBS. It really gives perspective to those of us who have truly been blessed in our lives.
That was only one of the powerful life lessons the movie had to deliver. Why don’t you chime in and tell me what you got out of the movie….and/or tell me your favorite inspirational movies are…and why.
Watching The Blind Side with my little brother was very surreal. Once you watch the movie, you will understand why. For now, let’s just say that you would be amazed at the impact you can have on a young persons life if you just slow down for a minute, and take the time to take an interest in their lives. It doesn’t have to be someone less fortunate than you….it may be your own child or relative.
Go see the movie as soon as you can! It really is great. Then let me know your thoughts.

Blessings,
Marc

A View from the Edge 2009…Recap!

It’s hard to believe our 2009 version of A View From the Edge (affectionately known as The View) is over.  My team and I work on the three day program for months in advance.  There are hundreds of man/woman hours that are poured into the intense preparation, and then the 72 hours of the show pass by in the blink of an eye.

I want to thank all the people who have showered us with texts, Facebook Wall Postings, MySpace Comments, messages on Twitter, emails, voice messages, etc.  We have never been so inundated with positive comments, and have never had such overwhelmingly glowing reviews.  It is very humbling, so on behalf of our whole team, I thank you for all of your kind and thoughtful comments.

We have posted a poll for the attendees to vote for their favorite characters for this year’s show at www.WVView.com .  Over the initial 24 hours, we have quite a few different characters that are racking up lots of votes.  The top ones so far are; George Washington, the Hockey Player, the Mask, the Dancer, the Fireman, the Soldier at Arlington Memorial, the Matrix,  the Wizard/friends, and the Snow White/Freud crew.  We encourage all attendees to take the time to go to the site and cast a vote for your favorite.

We will be posting lots of pictures from the event on the WVveiw.com website as well as the Marc Accetta Fan Book Page on Facebook and www.MarcAccetta.com  as well.   We will also have the recap video up on YouTube by Wednesday.

We worked hard to create eight new characters this year.  Our goal is to keep adding new characters to keep the show fresh for first time attendees as well as those who re-attend every year.  I am never ceased to be amazed at the creativity and talents of my production team.  You all hit it out of the park again guys.  The fire effects were amazing.  Wait till you all see the pictures and the video footage.

I want to thank Mike Walker and David Todd and their fantastic team and all of their input for this year’s show.  It was a blessing to have you on site for the event.  I want to pass on or best wishes and prayers to Mike Walker for a speedy recovery from the injuries he sustained in the car accident he suffered late Saturday evening.  Mike is recovering nicely, but we want you all to keep him in your thoughts and prayers as well.

A special thanks to my main man, Monico Perez!  He is the hardest worker I know and he takes full responsibility to make sure that everything is perfect for each character so all I have to do is walk out on stage and do my thing.  This was also the 6^th View for my amazing lighting director Mauri Decker, the 8^th for my stage manager Frank Peebles, and the 12^th for my stage director Richard Montez of CornerStone Ministries.  I must also acknowledge the efforts of my wife Kelly.  Not only did she do an outstanding job with all the costumes and makeup for all the characters, she hit a grand slam with her dance performance and her Dreamstrealer character. She upstaged me….and I loved it!

On Saturday evening, Dave Watson recalled his auctioneer skills and we raised over $100,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Kelly and I chair the Collin county board for BBBS and each year WorldVentures welcomes our CEO, Charles Pierson to come and talk to the group about BBBS.  This was our largest fund raiser ever!  WorldVentures also presented BBBS with a Dreamtrip to one of the most exclusive resorts in the world (worth about $10,000 with a/f) to BBBS to auction off at their Annual Black Tie and Boots Ball on November 14^th in Dallas.

To top it all off, Charles announced that WV CEO, Mike Azcue had been matched with his own Little Brother and Wayne Nugent (the other co-founder) put in his application for a little brother right on the spot!

I love doing The View. I love the crowd….I love the people who participate with me in the characters….I love the team that makes me look so good….Mostly, I love the effect it has on people.  Our catch phrase for The View is that, “Life will never be the same.”  It is so gratifying to see that come to fruition each year.

I had an incredible moment at the end of The Hockey Player character Saturday night.  As the music blared, I laid down on the concrete steps of the arena to catch my breath.  As I did, I had a perfect view of one of our screens and watched as the camera was panning around the entire crowd.  I could hardly believe the looks of joy and fulfillment on every face I saw.  It was a very special moment for me.  All the hard work and preparation is well worth it if we are impacting lives in that way.

All I can say is that my team and I can’t wait to see you all again at the 2010 View.  Seating will open up at the April International Convention.  I pledge that we will take it to another level again, as we all enjoy the amazing life that is WorldVentures!

Winds of Change

Human beings are an unusual bunch.  The one thing in life that will never change is, that things are constantly changing…..yet humans cannot seem to wrap their minds around the fact that change is natural and inevitable.  

Change affects us all in many ways. The changes in the world economy have had a profound impact on many in the last year.  Changes with the environment have an effect on everyone as well.  One of the most difficult forms of change is when your child (who you still refer to as your baby…..bad idea….will discuss the power of words in a future blog) starts attending a new school.  Whether it is elementary school, middle school, high school or college, graduating to the next step is often tougher for the parents than the students themselves.

My wife and I recently had to deal with this phenomenon when our oldest daughter started High School.  It was quite a step for her…..and us.   Many parents have the hardest time letting their children blaze their own paths.  We know that they are naïve to the ways of the world.  We know that their path will be littered with some people that will try to take advantage of them.  As a parent/protector, it is very had to let go.

My good friends experienced the same thing with their son who started Kindergarten this week.  Different situation and setting, but definitely the same emotions.  It is hard to accept that you will not be their only influence in their lives any longer.  They will have teachers and friends who will now matter more than you do in some situations.

Ironically, I also have a good friend who just dropped their oldest son off at a major university to begin their college career.  She said that that was the toughest to bear of all, since you are no longer living with them on a day to day basis any more.  That is when it sinks in that, although they will always be your child, they have truly moved out and they will never actually going to be a child again.

One bit of advice that I can share with all parents is that we must understand that our job as a parent is to raise our children to leave us.  That is the ultimate graduation.  Talk about bitter-sweet!   It is a tough way to look at it, but it is the healthiest way to look at it as well. We are not doing ourselves or our children a favor by creating someone who is co-dependent on us.  It is our job to create an independent soul that can think and act for themselves.  We need to let go and let them peruse their own dreams…even though we may not understand or agree with them.  We need to let them skin their knees in the real world.  We simply need to let them have the freedom to learn from their own experiences that we demanded from our own parents when the time was right.

There are many books that help us deal with change, but the one that stands out to me is, Who Moved My Cheese, by Dr. Ken Blanchard.  It is the story about a couple of mice and their quest to find cheese once they discover that it is not in the place that they had always known it to be, Simple, yet a highly effective story. 

As a matter of fact, I assigned my youngest (10 yr old) daughter to read it this summer, and she totally grasped the main message.  That’s my kind of book, something that a ten year old can understand.

Change is inevitable.  Don’t try to avoid or deny it, but rather embrace it.   God obviously did not intend us to get too comfortable, so learn to roll with the changes in your life.  Be flexible and open to new situations and you will definitely live a happier and more relaxed life.

L’italia è un paese meraviglioso.

In mid November I was fortunate enough to take my wife and two daughters to Italy for an incredible two week vacation.  I know it is a cliché, but it was definitely a trip of a lifetime.  First of all, for those of you that have been around me know that I NEVER take two weeks in a row off.  Secondly, we did not touch our cell phones and only got on-line twice during the whole trip.  That, in and of itself, was a blessing.  Looking at it now, it amazes me how we are all attached to our cell phones and computer in our everyday lives like an IV bag at the hospital. 

After about three or four days of real relaxation, I finally started to get the adrenaline out of my system, and have a blast.  We started our adventure in Rome.  We had a very tight connection in NYC on our flights to Rome, that our bags missed the plane.  We were having such a good time that we didn’t even care.  Rome is such a magical city where the modern day life takes place right in the middle of an ancient city.  Sometimes, you can’t quite believe what you are seeing.  It was priceless to see our girls taking it all in that we didn’t even notice that our luggage was missing but we eventually got it about 36 hours later.  We saw the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel and the Coliseum, but we had just as much fun just walking all over the city exploring. 

Needless to say, the food was amazing.  We stayed at the De La Ville hotel at the top of the world famous Spanish Steps which gave us easy access to all the finest shopping and restaurants.  We spent hours just strolling up and down the Via Veneto the equivalent to Rodeo Dr. in Beverly Hills and doing nothing.  It turns out that Europeans are really good at doing nothing.  It is obvious that they are enjoying their lives.  Don’t get me wrong they do work because they want the finer things in life…BUT they actually stop and enjoy life a lot more than we do in America.  We stayed in outstanding 4 and 5 star hotels and ate at the finest restaurants, but were surprised at the lack of speed of service.  At first we were frustrated then we realized that the service was excellent it was just not at the American breakneck pace that we were used to.  It took a while to slow down, but once we did, it was liberating. 

The only bad part of the entire trip was our experience at the Zilli store on the Via Veneto.  I was given a Zilli jacket many years ago as a gift and was dying to buy something there.  I immediately found a Cashmere jacket that was lined with Chinchilla.  (Please do not be mad at me if you are an animal activist, it turns out that these particular chinchillas had died in a tragic car crash)  Anyway, I was trying it on and asked one of my daughters to feel the inner-lining.  NOW, if you have never felt Chinchilla fur, it is undoubtedly some of the finest, softest fur that you will ever feel and I believe that this is what all the clothes are lined with in Heaven.   As my lovely, children went to feel it, the Jackass is charge went crazy yelling at me AND my children.  What a pathetic salesperson.  Then he muttered under his breath that we were STUPID Americans.  That was a BIG mistake on his part.  I had some very select “American” words for him and we were on our way out of that store.  As we continued to walk we found the exact same coat at Brioni and the sales person encouraged my daughters to feel the fur.  I assure you that before I leave this earth, I will buy that coat from Brioni, and wear it in to see that imbecile.

 The next day we took the train to Milan after that and hit the most gorgeous shopping mall I have ever seen.  It is actually hard to call it a mall.  It is a converted historic building that may have been a cathedral at one time. It is breathtaking and houses all the best Italian stores including Prada’s flagship store.  We spent quite a bit of time in that store, and my wife assures me that we saved a tremendous amount of money there because the products are much higher in the USA after the importing costs are added.  I’m not sure I follow her logic, but it was great to see her and the girls run amuck in that place.   

We then set off for my personal favorite…Venice.  I can’t exactly put it in words, but Venice is absolutely wonderful.  We stayed at the Ca Marie Adele, which may be one of my favorite hotel in the world.  The staff takes customer service to a level that I have never experienced.  We walked all over Venice.  We visited the Palace of the Dogie’s, rode in Gondola’s and strolled around St marks Square.  We enjoyed my birthday dinner at a spectacular restaurant called Do Forni.  Now this restaurant is known as The Restaurant of Venice and to say “WOW” to the food just does not give it justice.  

If you are looking for a romantic setting, look no further.  Venice is The Deal.  Think about what they have done with a city that is technically flooded!  Talk about turning a negative into a positive.  We finished our trip to Venice with a trip to the world famous Murano Glass Factory.  What an amazing experiace it was to see the level of craftsmanship it takes to make those pieces.  In another example of European patience, a Murano glass maker must serve as an apprentice for fifteen years before they have a chance to be elevated to a Master Craftsman.  I honestly believe that the biggest reason that most people never reach their dreams is that they think very short term. I honestly believe that Nothing of True Greatness Will Come Quickly. 

We were very fortunate to get an exclusive tour to see the pieces of their glass that are considered Fine Artwork.  There is a figure of Moses holding up the Ten Commandments that is on my Goal Cards and will stay there until those Commandments are residing with me in Dallas, Texas.

The bad news is we eventually had to leave Venice. The good news is we were headed to Florence.  We visited the famous David statue which is truly awe inspiring.  Everyone should really see Michael Angelo’s masterpiece in person before they die.  The detail on that statue is absolutely unbelievable.  Especially when you learn that he took a defective piece of marble that two other great artists had tried to carve and gave up on, and he turned that into the incredible likeness of David from the Bible.

Florence also is noted for having the best food in Italy, and you will get no argument from us.  We ate at several amazing restaurants but the hole in the wall Birreria Centrale is one you must go to when you visit Florence.  The Cathedral in the center of town was built in the 1400’s and it is a marvel to behold.  Right adjacent to it are the Golden Doors to Heaven.  It is all breathtaking and just beautiful to see the amazing structures.

Our trip concluded back in Rome.  This time we stayed at the Hotel Splendide Royal.  What a way to go out.  We ate our last two dinners at Harry’s Bar (the place that everyone who’s anyone must eat at) or so they say anyway, and then we conclude with the indescribable Mirabelle at the top of the Splendide Royal hotel.  The breathtaking view is only out done by the sumptuous food. 

Amazingly considering all of the delicious food we consumed, we did not put on any weight on our trip.  That is pretty amazing is you ask me and it is all do to our life changing diet planned by our nutritionist Kira.  She keeps it so simple and takes no excuses from her clients.  We really appreciated her cusom teachings and suggestions on this incredible trip.

As a final thought, I will tell you that although I did learn several valuable lessons from observing the Italian lifestyle, I also realized some very profound things about life back home in America.  As good as the Italian food was,ours is better. Not only that, it’s consistently better all over the place.  Our cars and homes and stores are bigger and better too.  Unless you have traveled abroad (and really paid attention) you cannot possibly know how good we have it.  I loved visiting Italy, but I love living in America.  We do focus on material things a bit too much, and do burn the candle at both ends too, but all in all, I could not imagine living anywhere else.

I truly hope that you take the time and money to do a trip like this with your family (or by yourself) before your time on earth is done.  You can do anything you set your mind and your heart to.  Walt Disney said it best, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”