Running with the right crowd
“You are the people our parents wanted us to be. You are the glue that holds this new economy together.” — Greg Erickson, director of entrepreneurial services for Ernst & Young, speaking to an audience of entrepreneurs
It’s not a sprint
Proving that business people can be in it for the long haul, EOY Judge Valerie Freeman of Houston, Texas, ran the New York City Marathon in just over four hours the week before the festivities.
I’d like to thank the Academy …
In 1998, Edward Iacobucci was honored as the national Entrepreneur Of The Year. But it wasn’t until this year, when he was invited back to discuss his company’s success, that he corrected perhaps his most egregious error. The first thing he did, before explaining his path to the top, was to thank his fiance for her support. We hope he hasn’t had to spend the past 12 months sleeping on the couch.
How’s your eyesight?
“Vision without execution is hallucination. Execution without vision is suicidal.” — Iacobucci
Business in paradise
The national Entrepreneur Of The Year program presents a number of high profile speakers. But the lure of the sun and fun is just too much for some. Several regional winners worked on their golf games or simply lounged around the pool. Stacey Di Julius, of John Robert’s Salon and Spa, took full advantage of the trip to check out the services of the Marriott’s spa. Is it possible to write off those expenses as business related?
Rule No. 1: Follow the money
John Di Julius was quite impressed with Guy Kawasaki’s presentation of Rules for Revolutionaries (see SBN June 1999). The thought of bringing Kawasaki, former chief technology officer for Macintosh Computers and the creator of Garage.com, to Cleveland to speak to his employees led Di Julius seek out the speaker. Kawasaki, who gives about 150 talks a year and admits his “rules” make him a one-trick pony, says it’s not the money that prevents him from giving more talks. It’s the lack of time. But at $30,000 a pop, we think it might be a money thing, Guy.
Ye of little faith
Not everyone had the foresight of the Ernst and Young judges who selected Michael Dell, founder of Dell Computers, as the national winner in 1989. According to Greg Erickson, the first question people asked Dell after he won the award was: “Do you plan to finish college?”
The naked truth
Humor is an important part of any presentation. And any presenter unable to laugh at himself isn’t likely to be in the business very long. After calling on a volunteer from the audience — a man with clearly thinning hair – Stephen Covey, who is as bald as a bowling ball, quipped: “Remember, while the rest are blow drying, we’re working for our customers.”
So where does Donald Trump fit in?
Addiction is defined as “compulsive behavior with short-term benefits and long-term destruction.” — Hyrum Smith
My, how times have changed.
“If my grandpa missed a train, no big deal. He’d wait 24 hours. If my dad missed a plane, he’d wait five hours. No big deal. If I miss a section of a revolving door, I go berserk.” — Hyrum Smith
Daniel G. Jacobs
