Busy, but…
I stopped in at the new Ala Moana Brighton Collectibles today and found them to be busy as usual. I normally won’t interupt that, but today I was a real customer, not just an observer.

She Just Had To Have It, but…
You see, while in the store a few days ago one of “Jerry’s Angels” showed Masae this new bag and she loved it. She didn’t want to use up what she had left of her “Brighton credits,” so she passed. But, she hasn’t stopped talking about it. So today I chose to buy her one of those “No Special Occassion Gifts.”

Ring It Up
Store manager DeAnne Imamura agreed to help me with the “surprise” by taking my ctedit card, ringing it up, and then holding it in the store until Masae sees this Blog post and then goes to get it.
You see, I am trying to condition her to pay close attention to this Blog. We’ll see how long it takes.

Mahalo for the Mahalo
I was suprised today to open the November issue of Hawaii Business Magazine to find this substantial public “Mahalo” for my recent lunchtime talk at Morton’s. This is an example of going the extra mile and doing the unexpected and uneccessary. The article says;

“Mahalo Ron Martin
Hawaii Business Magazine and the sposors of the SmallBiz 2008 Luncheon, Bank of Hawaii and Avis, would like to thank Ron Martin of Success Dynamics, Inc. for being the guest speaker and reminding all of us to look for the positive and keep things easy.”

My “Mahalo” goes to Hawaii Business Magazine publisher David Tumilowicz and his staff at the magazine. This was both touching and appreciated.

Best Restaurant on Maui
When dining on Maui, my Restaurant of choice is the Lahaina Grill in the historic Lahaina Inn,  just off of Front St. in Lahaina.

Celebrity Treatment
I can always count on the “Celebrity Treatment”, especially when Owner Jurg Munch is around. When Bill and Mary Ellen Jelen were on Maui last year we dined there, and Jurg gladly posed with the Jelen’s.

The Celebrity Table
Last night Terri Kohl, co-owner of Brighton Collectibles treated me and her friend Carolyn Clarke to dinner at Lahaina Grill. Jurg was off at a birthday bash (his own), but we were ushered to the “Celebrity Table”. I had coffee with Jurg this morning and he explained to me that this is the table where Oprah Winfrey sits when there; thus the title Celebrity Table.

Mirror Man
At the end of our meal we were treated to a complimentary desert dish. I snapped this delicious desert photo of Terri and Carolyn with my iPhone and e-mailed it off to Jerry Kohl saying, “Wish you were here.” I’m getting pretty good at catching myself in the mirror while photograhing others; acidentally of course.

Turtle Bay Resort
The beautiful Turtle Bay Resort was the setting for the first annual North Shore Chamber of Commerce Business Exposition.

Old Home Revisited
It was a treat to get out to my old North Shore stomping grounds. I was reminded of the peaceful environment and fabulous scenery where I called “home” for 15 years. I confess to having felt the urge to stay.

Great Turnout
Business owners from all over the North Shore turned out for the first North Shore Chamber of Commerce Business Exposition. We enjoyed lunch, information sessions and lots of Aloha.

Many Subjects and Speakers
I was honored to be among a distinquished group of speakers covering helpful subjects such as Grant Writing, SBA Loans, Sustainability Practices, Crime and Loss Prevention, Trademark, Patent and Copyright Law, Marketing/Branding, Business Plan Preperation, and my topic; Customer Service.

Small Groups
The large population was split off into several small and intimate breakout sessions where questions could be asked and we could all get to know each other. I was fortunate enough to speak to two such groups. I spoke on the important, yet often under estimated role that the salesperson plays in the business model.

Selling Books
Masae did her usual great job of selling books, keeping me busy signing them in between my speaking sessions.

No Waiting
My book customers were spotted around the hotel already reading the books they bought.
The day ended with a networking cocktail party where I mingled with my existing North Shore customers, met several new business prospects, sold more books and lined up future speaking engagements. I look forward to the next North Shore Chamber of Commerce Business Exposition. 

Partners in Success
In February of this year I was honored as a small business person by Hawaii Business Magazine and Bank of Hawaii. When David Tumilowicz, Publisher of Hawaii Business Magazine called me last month asking me to speak at the annual small business luncheon on October 9, I was honored again, and of course agreed.

Always Selling
Of course I asked if I could bring along a few books to sign for those interested. Masae was on hand early to set up the book table.

Morton’s Ala Moana
Morton’s Restaurant at Ala Moana was the scene of the event, and set quite a nice table.

All Smiles
I am always smiling when given the opportunity to present my favorite subject; success!

“Excuse Me!”
The Caesar’s Salad was well prepared, and looked delicious, but I was sure I smelled something “fishy”, and as a 40+ year vegetarian I had to question it. As you might imagine, there was “just a little” anchovy paste in the dressing, and the waiter was quick to replace it with a different dressing.

The Perfect Host
My host David Tumilowicz and I chuckled about the misunderstanding and compared a few notes before he introduced me.

The Economy
My message to the 95 or so people in the audience was to stay positive and search for evidence to the contrary of the dismal news being touted by the press. I cited some examples of sensational headlines and how they compared to the facts. Just type the word economy into the search box in this Blog to see the many posts I have written on this subject. This is a time when people need something positive and I can always find it.

The Proof
With the permission of owner Joe Green, I cited the record breaking month that Surf-n-Sea in Haleiwa had in September. While I agreed not to reveal the exact numbers, it was obvious, even from the back of the room that he did better than last year, or any other of the 43 years the store has been in business. Haleiwa is home to dozens of surf shops, mostly selling the same thing, but none of them can cite the level of success seen at Surf-n-Sea. The reason is the attitude and behavior of the salespeople in that store.
I challenged the crowd to be optimistic, and tout the successes around them. I ask everyone to do that. When the media spreads doom and gloom, (and they will) just refuse to participate.

Opening Soon
Thursday October 9th at 9 (or 9:30) AM Brighton Collectibles will open their first company owned store on Oahu. I dropped in on Saturday, and store manager DeAnne Imamura welcomed me and invited me to say a few words to her team.

Team Brighton Ala Moana
It’s rare (never before) that I get to meet a group of Brighton salespeople before a store opens. I didn’t stay long as I was there for other reasons.

Room With a View
My mission was to deliver keys to a condo at Moana Pacific to Brighton District Manager Nikki Wride that I was able to secure for “Jerry’s Angels” to stay in while in Hawaii next week getting ready for the store opening.

Nice Ride
I invited Nikki and “Jerry’s Angel” Leslie McClure from the Pasadena Brighton store to go to dinner in the Uraku 1 limo.

Girl’s Night Out with Ron
On the ride to the restaurant Masae showed Nikki and Leslie some of her newest mini original oil paintings that are selling well in selected galleries.

Mexican Fare
We had a wonderful authentic dinner at Los Chaporros in Honolulu, scene of a recent Dog the Bounty Hunter episode. I told Nikki what’s on my shopping list and that I want to be the first customer at the new store on Thursday morning, and she agreed to have the goods there for me.

Grand Opening 9-27-08
Free T-Shirt for the 1st 1,000 People.
Updated again TODAY 11-14-08 at the end of this Post - Scroll Down   

I didn’t need the T-Shirt, but I decided to go to Waikiki this morning to see how long the line was, to hopefully be able to make another point about the economy and that people are buying.

The Line
Sure enough, the line was several blocks long. Apple had their own security people as well as the Honolulu Police Department on hand to control the crowd, and to be sure that nobody got in without waiting in line. They had their employees at the front door cheering for people entering the store. It was like the finish line at the Honolulu Marathon.

Uh Oh!
Those people not in the line for Apple were forced to walk in a narrow section of the Royal Hawaiian Center sidewalk. One would not think that an unfinished section of the flagstone sidewalk would be there to walk over without some sort of warning cone. At least I didn’t.

Poor Footing
It has been suggested that I warn of some graphic images ahead.

As I stepped into the area shown in the prior photo my ankle twisted and down I went like a ton of bricks. My Apple laptop went one way, my iPhone the other way, and I found myself lying there in pain. Most amazing of all was that no one seemed to notice or care. I looked up at the Apple security and HPD people, and they just looked the other way. People were just walking by me; one guy even stepped over me. I felt like they thought I was a drunk laying there unable to get up. I gathered my computer and iPhone, opened up the phone and took the above photo while still on the ground. After what seemed like a very long time a Japanese man came over and asked if I was alright. I asked him to help me get to my feet, and he did. He had me assure him that I was okay, and then he went on his way.

Skinned Knuckles
I looked down at my knuckles and noticed they were severly skinned by the ragged, sharp edge of the unfinished flagsone. I was able to walk, so I proceeded to get in what I thought was the line for T-Shirts. That’s when the Apple security came to life and told me that the end of the line was down the block. He was doing his job; making sure nobody got out of order in the line. As I started to walk (slowly and painfully) towards the end of the line, I looked down at my hand and saw that it was now covered with blood. I went over to one of the HPD officers, showed him my hand and said, “I think I need some minor medical attention.” He looked at my hand and directed me to the Royal Hawaiian Center restroom on the 2nd floor of the building. I said, “I think I would like to talk with someone in Apple, perhaps they have a closer restroom where I could wash the dirt out of this wound.” He said, “Okay, wait here” and he walked into the Apple Store. 
In a few minutes a man wearing shorts and lei came over and asked me what the problem was. I said, “I stumbled on that hole in the sidewalk over there (pointing to it) and I need to wash this blood from my hand.” He said, “Our property line only goes out for 10 feet. That is Royal Hawaiian Center property.” I told him that I didn’t really care whose property it was, I just wanted to wash the dirt and blood out of my wound. He then called for Royal Hawaiian Center Security.

Ouch!
Royal Hawaiian Center security escorted me to the 2nd floor restroom and told me to wash my hand in the basin. As I did that I was amazed at how much blood can come from three little knuckles. I also removed my shoe and saw that my foot was beginning to swell.

More Blood
That’s when I looked down at my jeans and saw the knee area was blood soaked. I rolled up my pants leg and saw that the damage exteded to both my knee and shin. The security person (David) sprayed some anti bacterial solution on my leg and my knuckles.

Elbow Too?
That’s when I noticed that my left elbow took a beating as well, so he treated it too.

Mummy Wrap
David applied a tourniquet type bandage to my leg to stop the bleeding and some ice to my ankle to slow down the swelling. I commented on the amount of bandaging, and he said something like, “They call me the Mummy Maker”. I must point out here that the three or more Royal Hawaiian Center secuity people were extremely helpful and kind throughout this ordeal.

Not you too?
I thought they might have been even too concerned when I saw the EMS (Emergency Medical Service) show up. They wanted me to come out of the restroom, but I refused, knowing how many tourists were most likely attracted by the ambulance and probably followed them up to the 2nd floor to gawk at someone in trouble. ERS took all of my vital signs, changed the bandage on my leg, and asked me if I wanted to go to the hospital. They emphasized that it would be a free trip. I declined and they made sure that I signed a statement saying that if I decide to go later it might be at my own expense. Expenses were at the bottom of my list of priorities at this time. I just wanted to get out of there, but not until after the curious crowds followed the EMS people back down the escalator. I was disturbed that they were not willing to clean the wounds or apply any medication to them. They told me they didn’t have anything to do that, and to do it myself at home. I got the feeling they were maybe irrtitated that I was not interested in an exciting ambulance ride through Waikiki. I called my dermitologist from the restroom and made an appointment to see him on Monday morning. 
The Royal Hawaiian Center Security staff asked me to complete a written statement as to what happened. I obliged, and asked that a copy be faxed over to me. He said he would, but I did not get it, so I decided to document it all here while it’s fresh in my mind.  

My Hero
With me throughout this entire ordeal was Justin Dradi. Justin sells art in the center and knows me from his days at Wyland Galleries. He just happened to be walking by, and saw me talking with the policemen. Justin not only stuck with me, but he was thoughtful enough to take most of the above photos with my iPhone. At one point, without being asked, he handed money to one of the security people and asked him to go get me a bottle of water. When he thought all was finished he wished me well and left.
I was almost tearful when he reappeared with an Apple T-Shirt that he went back to get for me. I asked if that means they didn’t get to 1,000 people yet, and he said, “No, they were all gone, but I talked to someone.” I’ll bet he did. Someone at one point asked me if he was a friend of mine, and I said, “He’s my lawyer.” I was joking, and Justin laughed, but perhaps I was taken seriously. In any case, I know that he was just there out of the goodness of his heart and I will never forget it.

Two for the Price of PAIN
On my way out of Royal Hawaiian Center I stopped in to see the new Apple Store. The manager (Steve Perry) that I had asked for help from earlier approached, and asked if my iPhone or MacBook Air had been damaged in the fall. I said, “No, just my body.” He told me that he is here from Apple Corporate to open the store and that he will be leaving tomorrow. I opened up my MacBook Air, took him to my Blog and said, “Go here tomorrow and read all about it”. I showed him the photos still on my iPhone, and he said. “The policeman that came in here didn’t tell me you were bleeding.” He then asked me if I wanted a T-Shirt. I said, “My lawyer already came in and got me one, but I’ll take another one for my wife.” Yep I got two.

As I type this I am grateful for the Vicodin I had left over from a past dental surgery, and am hopefull that I will be able to walk in the morning, as I cannot at the moment. I’ll surely keep you posted.

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Follow Up Sunday Morning 9-28

I think I can see most of the colors in the rainbow this morning.
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Follow Up Tuesday 9-30-08

Still Hurting; Still Bleeding; Still Crippled, but Still Working

I want to thank those of you that have posted, called and e-mailed me with your sympathy, wishes for a speedy recovery, and requests for a follow up posting on the status of my unfortunate mishap on Saturday.
Among those that called was Jeanette Castro from Carl Warren & Company.
WHO? Carl Warren is acting as the “Apple Claims Officer.” She said that her company received a copy of the incident report that was sent to them from Royal Hawaiian Center. Her concern was; yep, you got it; if I intend to file a claim against Apple or Royal Hawaiian Center.
While I appreciated the call, I had the feeling that if I had said, “Royal Hawaiian Center” that would have been the end of the call. I told her that I am undecided on this question. She then (very professionally) asked me for details of the accident, and I directed her to this Blog posting. She said that she would be sending me a letter outlining my options, and should I want to file a claim against Apple, to get in touch with Carl Warren & Company.
This call brought to light the fact that I have not heard a word from Royal Hawaiian Center, which is obviously aware of the situation, and are in fact run by people I like to think of as friends.
What I find most disturbing about this whole thing is how our society has become so “litigation fearful” that people are afraid to “get involved” to the point that they “look the other way” when someone is hurting, are hesitant to ask important questions when interviewing job candidates, and afraid to fire employees not doing their jobs.

No Fear Here!
I’m afraid that Donald Trump (Your Fired) would be in constant “deep pilikia” if it were not for television entertainment.

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UPDATE - 10-1-08
I decided to return to the scene of the accident in the “light of day” to see what happened. By “light of day” I mean with a clear mind. The “problem” became crystal clear, and can be seen in the photos below.
The lower sidewalk was seperated by stantions to seperate the Apple participants from the general public. This greatly narrowed the walking space unless you were in line for a free T-Shirt from Apple.
Add that to the design of the flower planter (without flowers) and it is easily seen what happened. In looking at this today I felt fortunate that I did not tumble out into the line of traffic alongside of the lower sidewalk and the planter box.

Mahalo!
I was pleased to finally hear from Sam Shenkus of Royal Hawaiian Center today, showing concern for my welfare and asking what she can do to help me. I asked her whose decision it was to devide the sidewalk with those stantions, and she said it was made by Steve Perry of Apple.
I intend to attempt a trip to Maui today. The good part will be having an excuse to wear slippers, meaning the security experience will be more pleasant.
Stay Tuned…

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Update:
Thursday 10-2-08
I survived the trip to Maui, but realize today that it was a bit too much; lots of walking. I plan to put my foot up for the rest of the day, and watch the VP debate. That should provide an adequate “pain transfer” and a lot of good humor for me.
Here’s the latest… I got a call I got today from Todd Onaka at Kamehameha Schools; owner of Royal Hawaiian Center. He informed me that they are filing a claim with their insurance company regarding my accident. (I wonder how much that is for) He said that the sidewalk, while it’s on city land is definitely Royal Hawaiian Center’s responsibility because they got a city permit to put in the flagstone sidewalk. He said that Apple could not he held accountable for what happened. He said that they (Royal Hawaiian Center) would cover any medical or out of pocket expenses that I incur. He also stated that he thinks the center plans to plant more shrubs in the dirt area where I fell. Now that’s the most constructive comment I have heard yet.
There seems to be a lot of attention being paid to legal responsibilities here by everyone other than me. I don’t know of any way to compensate me for the pain and inconvienance I have gone through. It hasn’t been about money; maybe I am being stupid and should listen to Reality Check’s comments on this blog posting.
My goal here is letting people know what’s going on in my world, that’s what this Blog had been about since it started. The good that I have received from this is the realization that I have an audience out there. I have received many more telephone calls and e-mails than Blog comments from people I didn’t know were paying any attention to my ramblings.

Update:
Friday, 10-3-08
One week ago tomorrow I took this tumble. I don’t know if I was hurt more than I knew, or if healing just takes longer at 67 years old, but things still hurt. The most painful of all is the little finger. Isn’t that the way it is sometimes?

 

Little Finger - Big Pain
I sent this photograph to my dermitologist this morning and asked him if he thinks I have an infection brewing in here. I don’t know the answer yet, but am having dinner with him tonight. We are starting at his house with a martini, and if it’s anything like the last one he made me it should kill any bacteria anywhere in my body, if not me as well.

Update 10-5-08

Little Finger - Healing At Last
My dermitologist replied that I DON’T have an infection brewing in here, invited me to his home for a martini, and we went to dinner that evening. That was Friday; here it is on Sunday. While it is still quite sore, I can see it is healing.

Healing Hands
I had to cancel my weekly massage last week; too much pain, but today we went for it. My back had built up a lot of stress from both the fall and the different muscle usage from favoring the bad ankle, which I am pleased to report seems to be healing also. I still can’t get a shoe on that foot, but the swelling is going down and the pain level (1 to 10 scale) has dropped from a 15 (or higher) to about a 7.

UPDATE 10-11-08

Two Weeks Later
Well, it’s still sore but healing slowly. I cannot bend the little finger, but think I will be able to when healed.  I also went into Waikiki today to see what has been done with the potential ankle buster.

Mulch Filled
I see that they have filled the spot with fresh mulch, but have nor eliminited the hazzard. There is still a sharp edge on the flagstone and still a level difference from the walkway to the lower flower bed. I can think of numerous things that could be done to correct this hazzard. Maybe I am just more sensitive because I have spent the past two weeks inconvienced and suffering as a result of it. I have the feeling that they are no longer concerned since I have stated that I do not intend to file a claim odf any kind. I don’t think that should be the motivation. I got a call from the shopping center’s insurance company saying that he is going to send a very strong letter to Apple about this and that he feels they are at fault. Maybe they are waiting for Apple to repair it. I’m more interested in seeing some future person prevented from an accident than worrying about who’s fault this one was.

UPDATE 11-1-08

5 Weeks Later - 11-2-08 - Foot still Sore and Swollen

I was asked to update this. I visited the doctor and he said that it was a severe strain with muscle tearing and that it’s going to take quite a while before I am back out walking normally, let alone running.

Fingers Badly Scarred, Still Sore and Healing Very Slowly

Finger Disfiguration

The doctor said that the severe scarring has created finger disfiguration. I cannot close my little finger, and it really hurts when trying to. He gave me some medicine to apply twice a day for three weeks to thin out the scarring, with the risk of thinning the skin itself. That’s the latest!

Here I am Again

This Place is Looking TOO Familiar
Seven weeks is a long time to be in pain. I am still not running or power walking on my ankle, but I am getting around okay. The big problem is the little finger. It continues to be very sore to the touch, and has a huge red scar. I returned to my doctor today to see if he thinks that plastic surgery will be required, and he suggested trying some cortisone shots first.

Ouch!
The shots got the bleeding going again, so I am back in “bandage mode.” He said to call him in 5 days to see if the scarring and soreness has subsided any. We take our health for granted until something like this happens, and then it becomes quite apparent how sensitive something like a little finger can be. I suffer most when reaching into my jeans pocket for money. I guess some people find that painful anyway, but I usually enjoy it.

The Next Day
The corisone fluid seems to have made it even worse. I’m hoping this is one of those “looks worse before getting better” things.

Total 1st Class Remembered
When selecting the airline to fly to Atlanta I chose Delta. This was the longest non-stop flight I have had since moving to Hawaii 28 years ago; 9 1/2 hours. I am admittedly spoiled, and only fly 1st Class. Hawaiian Air has always been my airline of choice, but they do not fly any further east than Phoenix. United by way of Chicago was an option, but the last time I flew them I was turned off by both the lack of leg room and the surly flight attendants.
I had not flown Delta before, so I gave them a shot, and I’m glad that I did. The 1st Class cabin was very roomy, even more so than Hawaiian. When the woman in front of me chose to put her seat all of the way back I still had room for my laptop.
The crew was personable, and the individual TV sets were cool. I watched one of the most bizarre movies of all time; Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. It was absolutely ridiculous yet entertaining in some weird way.
I forgot my Bose noise canceling earphones, but found the ones Delta provided to be comfortable on my ears. And, as a real surprise, they even allow special meals. As a vegetarian I have missed that perk since Hawaiian Air eliminated it sometime back, about the same time that Aloha Airlines eliminated 1st Class altogether. We saw where that one went.
My mainland client was thoughtful enough to order me a vegetarian meal, and when the flight attendant described the options, I asked if I could have the pasta rather than the veggie special. She said that she would try. The pasta was so desirous that it was “sold out” leaving me with the veggie dish. I told her that was fine, when she said that she would swap her pasta meal for my veggie one. Wow, I was impressed, and the pasta was great.

Return to Honolulu - No Empty Seats
As I got onto the plane to return to Honolulu I read today’s Honolulu Advertiser where beach boys and other Waikiki retailers were citing how bad business is with so few people coming to Hawaii because of the latest Wall Street news. Here they go again. My flight was full, and that included 24 seats in 1st Class at about $3,000 round trip from Atlanta to Honolulu. Maybe they just didn’t see the paper.

Tight Fit!
My seat mate on the way back to Honolulu reminded me of one of the (biggest) reasons I insist on 1st Class. When flying alone it’s always a game of “Seating Roulette” as to whom you might be seated next to. I lost the gamble this time, as my seat mate coughed, choked, snored, drank and ate throughout the entire 9 and 1/2 hour flight. I was stuck; the flight was fully booked. To add insult to injury, she was traveling with two look alike friends in the seats in front of us, and she carried on loud conversations with them for a good part of the flight. She was very unhappy about the lack of leg room, complaining that she wasn’t getting her 1st class money’s worth. She was expecting a cross continental plane with sleeper beds.

Watch Out!
She moved around a lot and I was constantly protecting my computer from the close calls with beverages between us. And; imagine the inconvenience as she made several trips to the restroom.

Home Sweet Home
It’s always heavenly to land in Honolulu, but the completion of this trip was especially welcome.
Whew!

Four Seasons Resort - Hualalai
This magnificent resort on the Big Island of Hawaii framed the perfect setting for this year’s Kona-Kohala Chamber of Commerce Installation Luncheon. Watch for more photos soon on this this Chamber Web Site link.

Ready… Set… Go
The banquet staff at the Hualalai Resort was on their toes ready to provide the sort of first class service deserved by this organization.

Great Attendance
When the doors to the ballroom opened, more than 200 people streamed in to be treated to a fabulous luncheon.

Mayor Harry Kim
I was honored to be seated with Big Island Mayor Harry Kim, and even more honored to be the keynote speaker for this great event. My topic was:
“Negative News - Positive Results
How to Remain Positive and Immune to the Negative Depressing Media.
This has become a favorite topic for me. The sensational headlines designed to sell newspapers do nothing to bolster the confidence necessary to confront the challenges of today. They in fact make things worse, leading to a negative, self fulfilling prophecy of doom and gloom.
I challenged a cheering crowd to look for evidence to the contrary of what they are being told, and then spread that good news.

April 2008
EASY? Really?
Leaving Hawaii is never really “easy” for me, but I do look forward to seeing many of our great clients on this 11 day tour.
Maybe I can even drop in and see you along the way. If you want me to do that, send an e-mail and I will try to work it in.
As it stands I will be in Phoenix, El Paso, Dallas, Denver, Albuquerque and Temecula.
Just click HERE to see where I am today. I will update this blog post as I go along. Tune in daily and it will be just like going along with me.

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UPDATE:  The End

Oscar’s By the Lake
My mainland tour finished up on a high note with two Brighton Rallies in Temecula, California; both were held at the scenic Pat and Oscar’s by the Lake Restaurant.

Brighton Bags on Display
There is always something distinctive about a gathering of Brighton salespeople.

Yummy
And there is always plenty to eat. This was the evening rally with all kinds of pizza.

Craig Pettit
As always, Craig Pettitt was a great host, and I appreciated his kindly worded introduction.

Up Front
At most functions the front row is the last to fill up, but not with Brighton. These people are always anxious to learn something new, and the closer to the front the better.

Star Search
It was so cool to see printed out copies of the Morning Report brought to the rally and the salespeople eager to see who yesterday’s STARS were. That’s what it’s all about.

Stand Out Visitor
Bob Main from La Masters Fine Jewelry was my guest this morning. I’m sure he found his surroundings to be “just fine”.

Love Em
I’m always delighted to be surrounded by Brighton saleswomen. Hey, it’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.

What A Guy!
Craig is always willing to go the “extra mile” for his salespeople. Today that included jump starting the car for his salespeople from Palm Desert that left the lights on in their car. It must have ben dark when they left home.

Speaking of home… I am headed there tomorrow… Paradise Awaits Me… That being said, this has been a great trip, and I wish to say, “Mahalo” to all of you that I saw along the way. -Ron 

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4/23

When I was sitting at my desk in Honolulu putting together the pieces to this puzzle; arranging rally dates, flights and hotels, I came across Express Jet as an option to go from Albuquerque to Ontario. It didn’t seem possible that they were the only one offering a non-stop flight, at half the price of the others. I booked it with a lot of apprehension; it seemed too good to be true.
I even went to their counter in Albuquerque the day before my flight just to be sure they were real. Not only did they look real, but I found a pleasant (extremely pleasant) employee at the counter who assured me that they were real. I told her that they looked great on the web site and it feels good here. She said, “People love us”.
I got there early this morning, as is my practice. I found two more pleasant people at the counter, and although they had the computer check in capability they were happy to check me in personaly, with smiles the whole time. I went to the gate, still wondering what the deal is here. I kept thinking, “There must be a catch somewhere”.

Express Jet

I looked out the window, and not only was there really a jet there, but it looked pretty cool.
I saw a young gate attendant taking care of a customer in a friendly manner. I stood there a bit astonished for a while just watching, and wondering, “Where have these guys been all my life?” I bought a cup of coffee and took a seat in the lounge to await the flight. To my astonishment, when the gate attendant finished with his customer he walked over to me and said, “I saw you standing there sir, is there something I can do for you?” Am I dreaming here! I told him that I am already checked in. He said, “Can I see your ticket please?” When I handed it to him he said, “The seat you are in is at the bulkhead, and there won’t be any under seat room. We are not full today, so if you like I can give you two seats side by side just a couple rows back so that you can have a lot of room”. I said, “Are you serious?” He said, “Sure, I wouldn’t be able to do this tomorrow though; we are full”. I asked, “Can I take this cup of coffee aboard?”, and he said, “Yes”. As we boarded he invited us to pick up a set of ear buds if we wanted to listen to satellite radio while in flight.

Nice AND Sincere
Once on board I encountered a flight attendant with real charm and personality. While her safety announcements were the same words as I hear on other airlines, there was life in her voice.

FOOD!
She kept bringing food options, carrots, cookies, peanuts, and even peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We were invited to take all we wanted.
With all of the lousy airliner news (and service) these days; bankruptcies’, shut downs, cutbacks in services, and added costs for luggage, I found Express Jet to be a breath of fresh air, When traveling city to city on the mainland they will be my airline of choice, regardless of the price and schedules.

Next Day:

And then, I wake up to this e-mail that came by way of my web site:

first_name: heather

last_name: brenneman

company: expressjet

city: ontario

state: california

zip: 91764

countryName: United States

choose: Word of mouth

comments: this email goes out to Ron Martin…I just wanted to write to say that i saw ur blog…and it was truely great. Is wonderful that someone truely appreciates all our hard work!! We strive to be the best and most caring. Not to mention cheaper nonstop flights…im hoping and praying that we keep expanding…then we will be unstopable! lol kidding…but really..thanku for your sweet words about the job i do…I truely appreciate it…And I hope to see you on another flight real soon…

WOW - Mahalo Heather! I am now more impressed than ever…

Ron 

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4/22

Avila AlbuquerqueMy tour is winding down, with two more Success Rallies today for Avila Retail in Albuquerque.   World Peace AdvocateAfter my rally today Avila Retail owner John Avila challenged everyone to get behind something bigger than he or she is today. John’s personal project is World Peace and he suggested that a good place to start is by having a peaceful coexistence among the 160 or so Avila Retail employees. His talk was very inspiring.Bob Shank, Avila Albuquerque General Manager and Teresa Curl, VP of Retail hosted us for a manager’s luncheon between rallies.   Magic Box On my way out of the airport I saw this Avila Retail employee demonstrating the “Magic box”. When doing this, always be on the lookout for someone watching you (like I was) and be ready to drop the box and sell - Sell -Sell.       PF Chang’s We recapped a great week of rallies for Avila by having dinner at PF Chang’s with John and Kathleen Avila, Teresa Curl, Bob Shank, Bill Pollock (of Relios) and yours truly. 

I am off to Temecula in the morning… stay tuned…

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4/21 Relios Albuquerque

Paula Chows Down

Good Start
The executive planning session at Relios in Albuquerque began with a “light lunch” and great conversation at Sadie’s.

Master Mind Session
Following lunch we got down to business and discussed all sorts of exciting things happening at Relios.

Cool
While walking through the Relios factory at the end of the day, I was really attracted to this fabulous new American Buffalo pendant.

Neat Stuff
Relios owner Bill Pollock was excited to learn about Google Gadgets.

Full Load
Bill was even more excited to see a UPS truck filling up with finished jewelry on the way to hundreds of jewelry stores across the country.

Another “Full Load”
Bill and I recapped a full day while dining at the unique Casa Vieja restaurant outside of town in Corrales.

4/20 - The Mooney Experience

Brick’s Baby
Brick Thompson started dreaming about owning a Mooney Ovation 4 seated airplane when he was 12 years old. This little beauty is the fastest single engine, non turbo plane made. After 25 years of dreaming, studying, working and thinking about success he has the money to get his own Mooney.

Let’s Go!
I had some free time this morning, so when Brick asked me if I wanted to see his airplane, I said, “For sure”. As he pulled it out into the sunshine, he asked me, “Do you want to go for a ride?” My answer was an excited, “Oh yeah, let’s go!”

Total Trust
I have had many employees in my time, but often describe Brick as the only “1″ I ever had. This means that I only had to tell him one time to do anything, and I could consider it done. I was reminded of this as he began his complete inspection of the airplane. I’m sure someone told him that he should do that; once. He flies this plane to work three or four days a week, and to his favorite kite surfing spots with his family when he can.

It’s Easy
Consequently I had no reservations about literally putting my life into Brick’s hands as I enthusiastically climbed into the plane.

Check-Check-Check
When describing my 9-Step Reminder Card and the Sale City Express, I often times give the example of professional airline pilots going over the checklist before taking off, even though they may have flown that plane for 20 years or more. In the private flying sector I would bet that not all pilots bother to do that. After all, no one is looking. 

Step 1… Step 2…
I felt inspired to get out my own check list to review the 9-steps before my next Success rally.

All Clear
After going through the checklist, Brick got on the radio and checked out the wind conditions and announced his take off plans to alert any other planes in the area that we were taking off. He then twisted this little knob on the dashboard, the engines revved up, and down the runway we went.

Fun
I put in a lot of flight hours both in Hawaii and on the mainland, but the take off is never as enjoyable as this was.

Up and Away
It seemed like just a matter of seconds before we were screaming down the runway at about 125 miles per hour and leaving the ground.

Great Seat
I had a full on view from my “co-pilot” seat.

All Business
While I was enjoying the scenery I sensed that Brick’s attention was on what he was doing the entire time.

Company
At one point Brick said, “We have another plane in front of and below us.” I looked down and said, “I can’t see it”, and brick said, “Right there”, pointing to one of the many gauges on the dash board. I never did see it.

Houses and Lakes
All I could see was the many houses and lakes below us.

Next Time
Brick pointed out the mountains in the distance and said that if it wasn’t so windy we could fly up over the Rockies and see some real scenery. Besides that, I had a flight to catch to Albuquerque and time didn’t allow for that, but next time…

Smooth Landing
In spite of the winds, Brick made a smooth landing and rolled his baby back into the garage, I mean “hangar”. We then got in the car and headed for Denver International so that I could catch a boring flight on a big jet to Albuquerque.

Orange Alert
Upon entering Denver International Airport the loudspeakers were blasting away, telling us that the security level has been raised to orange, so we should expect delays going through security. I thought, “What else is new?” Going through security for me is never a pleasant experience. I often get the “long hair treatment”. I hear, “Bag Check”, and they go through my luggage. I always pack my dirty undies on the top. That sometimes keeps them from digging deeper and finding the extra bottle of shampoo that I am smuggling in. I often remind them that this isn’t the sixties and that Bin Laden’s buddies don’t have long hair; long beards maybe, but not pony tails.

Hurry - Hurry and WAIT!
After the ordeal of security we have to climb into a train, packed like cattle, and then go back up another escalator to the gates. No one wants to miss a flight, so it’s rush time; push and shove, and then wait at the gate listening to loud speakers at full volume blasting out orders for boarding the plane.

Packed House
I prefer to fly first class, but when I wind up on Southwest airlines there is no such thing, and I seem to always be in the “B-30 group”, which means sitting in the back and struggling for a place to put my carry on bag. Thank God for the iPhone. Trying to use a computer in those seats is murder and when the person in front of you chooses to put the seat back; forget it!
I wonder how much Brick would charge to run me around on these trips.
So much for complaining; the good news is that business should be booming in Albuquerque. I couldn’t help but wonder where all of these people are going. One thing for sure, they are going to the airport, so Avila Retail better show some good numbers today.

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4/18 PM

Mentorship the Da Max
Tom O’Gwynn ranks up there with my father when it comes to people I have learned from over the years. This is the guy who introduced me to retail in 1981. We worked hand in hand to build Crater Enterprises into a highly successful chain of jewelry stores. In the five years that I worked with Tom I treasured the moments that I was able to spend with him. I look back on our weekly lunches as career molding events.
Tom has lived in Denver for many years since selling Crater Enterprises. I have been here many times in those years and for one reason or another we were unable to get together. We had dinner tonight and will again tomorrow. We see things the same way; we learn from each other; that’s the best form of friendship.

Leid in Denver
It was a real surprise to show up for the Denver Avila Success Rally and get “leid” at the door.

It was also a warm feeling looking out on so many leis in the room. If it was not for the 45 degree temperature outside I might have thought I was back in Hawaii.

This tour is far from over… stay tuned…

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4/18 6:30 AM

I Agree

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The airport at Love Field in Dallas is much less hectic than the one at Dallas Fort Worth, BUT I was warned that it might take me an hour to get here, so I reserved the hotel limo and wound up getting here in 20 minutes; 2 hours before my flight.

Larger Table Please
With all that time to spare, and two rallies to do as soon as I arrive in Denver I decided to “fuel up” at the airport. As the restaraunt hostess guided me to a tiny 2-top table, I said, “Could I have that larger one back in the corner so I can work on my computer?” She said, “No, that’s for three or four only, take this one”, and pointed to this six-top. Go Figure…

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4/17 PM

Southwest Spirit Dallas
Store manager Brandon is all set to promote Mother’s Day shopping. It’s only 23 days away.

Team Southwest Spirit was willing to sit and listen to me for two hours in spite of four Texas tornados forming between the store and their homes. I did my best to make it worthwhile.

I’m hoping for good weather in the morning; I leave here for Denver at 6 AM.

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4/17 AM

Big in Texas
It’s true that everything is Big in Texas. That becomes immediately apparent upon arrival at the Gaylord Texan; my home for two nights.

Big Deal!
On the way to breakfast (big one) this morning I saw this sign. I immediately had the thought that my client from the past, Tom Leppert; now the mayor of Dallas just may be among the guests. I decided to go in for a closer look (Big Mistake).

Big Egos!
As I looked at all of the men dressed in pretty much the same suits, I couldn’t help but think, “I sure don’t miss this”. While trying to figure out if one of them was Tom, a very classy young lady asked if she could help me. Interesting, she wasn’t asking that of anyone else. I told her that I was looking for a friend, Tom Leppert, who is the Dallas mayor. She abruptly said, “He is not here, and you shouldn’t get any closer”. I wanted to ask, “Why, is that look contagious?” I bit my tongue instead. I sent e-mail to Tom telling him that I am in town. Anyone care to place a bet as to if I will hear back from him?  

Big Easy!
I asked myself, “Wow; do I look that much different?” I then asked a passer by to take this picture. In looking at it I realized that I sure do, and quite honestly am quite happy about that. It’s Easy!

Stay tuned for tonight’s Success Rally with the Relios; SouthWest Spirit Store here in the Texan. Yes, I will dress up (some) for that.

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4/16

BAI – Big and Impressive
The Copenhagen Furniture and Accessories store makes a strong impression on anyone driving down North Mesa Street in El Paso. They have a complete line of contemporary furniture by all of the major brands. This was the location for my Success Rally this morning.

SBP – Small But Powerful
I had a terrific time with the sales team from Copenhagen El Paso. A total of seven salespeople handle an extremely large amount of business. They were very enthusiastic and anxious to learn more in order to be even better than they already are.

Anthony – Sales Manager
Anthony has a 10 year history with Copenhagen. In this photo he is helping salesperson, Julia locate an order for a customer.

The Boss
The store owner Flemming Carlsen has had this store in the El Paso market for 29 years. He handles all of the buying, and oversees the running this large business. I was honored to spend some one-on-one time with Flemming today. I always learn a lot when I get to talk with experienced people like this.

Warehouse Team
The warehouse team is also compact, yet they manage to control, assemble, ship and deliver a large amount of furniture to many cities in the US as well as in nearby Mexico.

I am typing this while high in the sky aboard an American Airlines jet heading to Dallas, Texas.

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4/15

I arrived at the Phoenix airport a little after midnight on the 14th. It was nice, but pretty quiet.

Mosaic and Talking Hands

These are just two of the many stores Avila has at the Phoenix Airport.

Reach For It

The stores are nice, but my focus was on the excitable salespeople I had in two different rallies today.

Zoran Does It

Zoran, a Phoenix local, hung around after the rally to share his recent 9-Step experience. He has mastered the system in the stores and is using it so well that his bosses asked him to make a role playing presentation to company executives as well as John and Kathleen Avila. He pulled it off beautifully because that’s what he does with customers. We chatted for quite a while. I found him to be a pretty special person.

Guy Burrell
At the end of the day I met with Phoenix General Manager Guy Burrell and we brainstormed ideas for my next visit. I then hopped on a plane to El Paso, Texas for a rally in the morning with Copenhagen Imports. Stay tuned… This is just getting started.

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4/13

Warm Up Rally
4/13 - I kicked off the tour right here in Hawaii last night with the great staff at Blue Hawaii Lifestyle at Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Michael Zhang
Blue Hawaii Life Style founder and owner Michael Zhang introduced me and we had a wonderful two hour long rally. That’s a bit longer than normal, but this is a new store and I was seeing most of these people for the first time, so there was a lot to cover. The store features made in Hawaii bath and beauty products and gifts as well as a full service coffee and juice bar.