- March 9, 2018 -

It was just a normal day. Sitting in the barbershop in Philly...getting a trim and shooting the breeze with Lou my barber.

Just me and Lou that day.

The door opens...and in walk Julius Erving and Moses Malone!

Dr. J and Big Mo in the house lol

So Lou introduces me and all I can come up with is: "So you gonna beat the Cetics and the Lakers?"

Geez, Artie!

Moses says, "Hell ya, bro!"

And with that...we were just three dudes sitting there gettin' a shave and a trim.

The last time I was with those guys was at Julius's retirement party at [...]

- March 8, 2018 -

I didn't watch the Olympics this time around.

Too much going on between my dad's failing health and trying to keep up with work.

And men in tights skating reminds me of men in tights dancing...so there you go.

But there was a name that kept popping up in conversations.

A guy who was in Olympic news in the early 80's.

A guy who's beat testicular cancer and a brain tumor. He was adopted. Never got any taller than 5' 4". His signature move was a backflip.

And he has less hair than I do LOL

His name is Scott Hamilton...and he's one [...]

- March 7, 2018 -

About 20 years ago I was introduced to the owner of a wine shop that had recently opened in Napa.

Napa is wine country but her shop was unique.

Margaux noses out and stocks hard-to-find artisanal wines from all over the world.

Boutique wines aren't massed produced. They're limited in quantity but exceptional in quality...and not cheap.

In short...I was hooked and have been collecting wine ever since.

Specifically Cabernet.

And in my wine cellar, every bottle is accounted for...probably won't even be able to drink it all before I die LOL

This wine isn't for every day consumption...it sits there until a [...]

- February 28, 2018 -

  When Steve Jobs was getting ready to open the first Apple stores, he asked around the Apple headquarters: "What's the best customer experience you've ever had yourself, as a customer?"

Nobody mentioned how awesome they were treated at Best Buy or Walmart.

The answer he kept getting was a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons or some other five-start resort or hotel experience.

So take a wild guess at what he did?

He enrolled all his soon-to-be store managers in The Ritz [...]

- February 27, 2018 -

A few weeks ago while I was in Philly visiting my dad, our family went out to dinner after leaving the hospital.

Nerves were already raw and none of us were in the best frame of mind knowing we'd lose him soon. My mom was especially exhausted.

After waiting longer than usual (it was a favorite place we've gone to many times) I was just about to ask the waiter about the wait...

And before I could...he showed up with a couple of plates of artichoke dip, vegetables, and pita chips on the house along with an apology about [...]

- February 26, 2018 -

Who doesn't love a good story?

I've always been a fan of John Grisham's books. Suspense. Intrigue. Legal thrillers.

He just tells a damn good story.

I'm certainly not John Grisham by a long shot - but it's no surprise that I tend to gravitate to telling stories in our emails.

Stories that teach a business or marketing lesson.

Why?

Mostly because I think there's plenty of article-based content already available on the Internet to satisfy anyone willing to search.

And because I never get tired of hearing a good success story.

Take the Ritz Carlton, for example.

They go the extra mile for their [...]

- February 23, 2018 -

I have to be honest...it's been a hell of a week.

Between going back and forth to Philly to spend time with my dad before he passes...I've found it very difficult to focus.

(And why I'm getting this out  a bit later and shorter than normal so I apologize.)

Focus has never been an issue for this guy.

Blinders on...nose to the grindstone...get 'er done.

Yeah, losing my dad sucks...but I've enjoyed spending time with my nephew who attends University of Pitt and has kept me company on some of the trips.

So I'd like to think I'm the cool uncle LOL

But [...]

- February 20, 2018 -

Well, well...it's a small world lol

Seems yesterday's email took a few of you who were brokers in the '80's back in time a bit, eh?

Evidently there are still a few of us relics with some unwritten Wall Street books waiting to be penned 🙂

In those days, we investment brokers followed a code, a formula...and never broke from it.

"Art, brokers with beards make money. Brokers without beards make more money" my initiation into a world where you stuck to a script had started.

And when you did, the money flowed like buttah...we were knuckleheads straight out of college and [...]

- February 19, 2018 -

For years I worked with a journalist documenting all the facts for a tell-all book about what I witnessed during my stockbroker days in the 80's.

But while covering a story out of the country, she was tragically killed.

I followed up with her family to try to recover all the notes we had compiled...but no luck.

So I let it all go, moved on.

Besides Wall Street had already been produced.

You remember Bud Fox, the young broker who's desperate to get to the top...and obsessed with having ruthless corporate raider Gordan Gekko mentor him.

That was my world.

The stories have [...]

- February 16, 2018 -

I'm driving to Philly as Cheryl types this post for me.

My dad is suffering from congestive heart failure, and I'd like to get there one last time before he passes.

He's had a good, long life and it is what it is...but if you've lost a parent, you understand the feeling of helplessness.

It also puts into perspective how important it is to treat our family, employees, and colleagues with respect and kindness.

You don't get do-overs when you treat people badly.

Here's a perfect example of what I mean...

Wanna sniff out a bad business partner before they self-destruct and [...]