Finding The Right People

When I'm at work and I'm overwhelmed I often depend on the employee's that we've hired to step it up. So that got me thinking, how do you find the right person for the job? I mean in every instance in life whether it be at work or in life or love, you have to find the right people to succeed. If I was busy at work and the people I've employed are not good, cannot think on their own, or trust them to make the right decisions on certain matters; I would be bogged down by work all the time. Where as if the people I work with, can work independently towards one goal which is the companies goal or success then I'm set with more free time to do my job better.

Recently we've hired a office assistant/operations coordinator for the nightclub I work for. We've gotten really busy and are developing new ways to promote our venue, and needed more staff to accommodate this new endeavor. The person I hired turned out to be someone that worked out great for us. You know honestly when you hire someone you can never tell during the interview process what he/she will be like during a work day. You cannot judge a persons ethics on work or their ability to adapt to things with a 5 minute interview. But in most cases that's what it is a first impression makes a huge difference in the interview process. I look for certain things while I interview someone to judge the quality of work they will do for us. You know you've hired well when you don't understand how you got by the day without them their to help.

1. personality- I usually see if they are upbeat, and if they are they too over the top with it. Because even though they are great for the interview it might get on your nerves after awhile.

2. appearance- even though I hate to admit, looks are very important to me, it they do not fit the mold or the appearance of what your looking for it just won't work. ( mind you I'm not the typical or expectational either. I'm 6ft about 195 pounds I've let myself go but I want to hire people that I feel as though fit the mold of the Hollywood standard) This is what I look at first before I even interview someone, I know it's shallow but I can't help it I think of the venue and the people we want to attract and that's how I hire.

3. work ethic- sometimes a resume can show you if this person has been at a job for a long time, or has worked for a long period of time over all. Places they have worked is important as well. Now if the person just has the appearance and he/she work ethnic is not up to par, they will be out of this establishment quickly that's why the nightclub scene has such a high turnover ratio in staff. Usually you hire people who think it is one way and find out the club scene isn't what they see on TV. They can also be actors, doing a side job and once they get a TV serious or movie they are out of the rotation. If a person works hard takes his/her job seriously doesn't' complain to much and doesn't mind the weird hours that person is a keeper. Note: you have to make sure a persons resume is valid and not something they just punched up to make themselves look good. bottom on this a persons work ethic shows after the first 3 week, and after the first year of work.

4. smarts- when I say this it's very general but what I mean is being smart isn't just doing things by the book, or know what the cubic squared of 1 billion is. It's a combination of street and knowledge and having common sense. You want to hire someone that can go inside and out the box, and but at least know what this box is and can understand the box as well. I hate to say it but from my experience some people have it other just don't. I don't know if it's a learned quality because I feel as though it was innate in me. Sure my experiences in life have change me into the person I am and has molded me in some views that people at a management level think but it hasn't change a lot of my instinct decision making. So that's why some people make it and some people don't.

5. humble- I know people might debate about this because others might say someone who is vain or materialistic understands the Hollywood scene better. I beg to differ on that one, being humble doesn't me you aren't the best, or that you are not as good. It means you know who you are and can appreciate other people as well without seeming to over the top.

6. eager to learn- someone who wants to learn your trade rather then just doing for the money will work harder for you. With money after awhile every job becomes a duty but if your eager to still learn you are benefiting yourself with something other then just money. It's better to be taught how to obtain water then just to get water from others. That's why internships pay nothing but what you can obtain after the knowledge and connections of a internship will benefit you years later. Take learning seriously. I am constantly trying to learn from others, only that way can I better myself on what I do.

If you can't see why these things shouldn't be what you judge a employee by, let me know what you think they should be judged on or better yet it's probably cause you've never owned or managed something. Now was that humble I'm not quite sure.

Friendships Roles People Play

Friendships and Connections are very important in life, and business overall. If you look at friendships it plays a big role in almost every aspect of your life. I wouldn't of had my job today if I didn't make the connection with a certain person who gave me a chance to prove myself in the nightclub industry in Hollywood California; which is a very cut throat environment driven on introductions rather then performance. If I didn't have the friends I had, I wouldn't of had the connections to be able to do what I do and also keep in touch with them. Even at work I have to realize who my friends are and how they play a role in my work life.

For instance I get into a new job where everyone has worked for the owner for 13 years, they are all pretty set on what they do and they can talk to the owner directly about anything. They have a friendship with the owner, now for me coming in telling them what to do they might feel as though who is this guy. Honestly if they band together they can get me fired, even though I'm doing my job and watching the owners back. So in this scenario what can I do if someone is giving me a hard time. One I can take a stand right off the back, and say do it or else, realistically if the owner will choose does he fire someone that he's been working with for 13 years and who is his friend, Or me? In a idealistic world you would think someone would choose the manager but realistically most people will choose the friend and seniority even though the positions are different and hold different powers. So what can I do, I can't choose to let someone that works for me disrespect me. So I have to choose my alliances and make it where I have the backing of the others before I can take the stand. Once I have more then half of the respect of the others he will be the outsider and his choice will be to conform to my views or quit.

Business is like war, you either do it physically or mentally win your battles. Call it what you want office politics, business management, staff support it is a war zone if you work for someone else who is the boss.

In the Prince by Machiavelli he describes to the prince that alliances are important if you have a chance to never work with the stronger team because they will eat you up, rather work with second best for you will not be eaten up but instead band stronger together. Then in return you will defeat the stronger team and then battle for the top spot. As I get older I see life differently I know it's a skewed way of thinking but in the real world relationships determine rank and power which eventually makes money. Now take that to the bank!

Change Shouldn't Deter Your Dreams

Change is inevitable, it's almost the only constant in life. You can always count on change, the more you want something to stay the same the more it will change. Whether it's gas prices, or your companies rent is going up everything changes. But that shouldn't deter you from making a forward step. There is always ways to go with the change, it's not always easy at first but if you stick around and don't give up you'll find a away. Sometimes a change is good for you in the least way you expect you have to watch for little signs of change. I know everyone is not quite sure why gas going up is a good thing, but tell that to someone who's playing the market and bought crude oil when it wasn't this high. I met a very rich person one time, and he said to me Google happiness and see what you find. After doing so it doesn't say anything about being rich, or getting married, or having kids, but it has a lot to do with yourself. How you will be, how strong your mind set is, how well you deal with change. He also told me if you want to make friends have a great family, and wife, you need to make money. Without money everyone will leave you your woman, your family , your friends. In a sense he might be right or he might be wrong I would hate to think if I was a poor man that even my family would leave me. But in another sense you can think of it like this, if you poorer then your friends you can't do the amount of things they can do. If you are in a relationships your lady will leave you because you can't provide and that can put a strain on your relationship. Whether you like it or not some of these things are true. So deal with change, make more money, and never settle for just average.

Things I Learned From My Mother

Growing up it wasn't easy, but no ones childhood is a easy up bringing. I got into the occasional trouble. I wasn't the best student in my class or even the best athlete, I kinda just averaged my way through everything. But through it all reflecting back, if it wasn't for the teachings of my family especially my mother I'd be somewhere picking trash on the street. When I was a child I thought I knew it all my mother would tell me things and I'd just think she doesn't know whats going on with this world. The older I get the more I realize that she knows a whole lot more then I ever did or maybe ever will. Lets hope I do learn more actually on this one.

My mother in her twenties went to Sydney University to do her undergrad, she told me while going to school she had to work two jobs( waitress in a restaurant, house sitter) to put herself through school and also send money back for me. After that she moved to LA and got her masters from UCLA. She was a curator for the natural history museum and had a short stint in TV promotions. In her late 30's she started her own television company from scratch on very little funding. At times she was the editor, broadcaster and writer before she got any kind of staff. I can still remember her working in the den of our old apartment editing tapes she would be there when I slept and still at the same spot when i went to school. Through it all I've seen her lead conventions, I've seen her give presentations at board meetings with industry executives where she was the only woman in the room. She in my mind has always been a powerful woman. Her television company lasted 15 years, before a long fought out litigation case with her partners where she lost all her money. But to see her rise was a wonderful experience and one day I hope to bring her back into that light again. Below are some of the things my family and especially my mother has taught me.

1. Knowledge is like a vitamin bottle, if you never take off the cap how can you get what you need.

2. Always buy the most expensive item you can find because it usually means its the best, assuming you can't do research on it.

3.Finish one thing before you start doing another thing.

4.Never embarrass your enemies or give them only one choice to live because when it comes to that they will fight back and fight harder. Always give you enemies a way to get out gracefully.

5.It doesn't matter if you read a thousand books or walk a thousand miles you learn the same knowledge.

6.Only way to learn is to travel and find out what other people are doing.

There are so many more I can mention and when I have more time I'll write about what her teachings means to me. For now you can read up and hopefully one of these can help you realized or open something in your life or business.

Elevator Trouble to the Top

Today I had the scare of my life!! I started the day feeling kinda sick and tired. I should of known something was going to happen. So I got dressed ready for work like usual. Driving to work I was feeling stressed, I was wondering how the heck was I going to make it through the night I was so tired and I felt as though I was getting sick. When I arrived I parked and walked to the elevator. Pushed the button, then waited with about 4 other people next to the elevators. One elevator opened up but the up and down lights didn't go off, I was kinda apprehensive about it but decided to go cause I didn't want to walk. We all got in, as the doors closed the scare became a reality.

I've watched movies where people get stuck in the elevator and can't get out, I never thought it would happen to me. As me and the 4 other people got in and pressed the floors we needed to stop the doors closed. As the elevator began to go up, it was grinding along like when you start scraping metal to concrete. It opened up on the next floor then another person came in. As the doors closed this time, the elevator went up grinding away then suddenly fell a floor. As the 5 of us gathered ourselves from the scare, I realized it wasn't over. The elevator was teetering up and down, it felt like we were on a bungee cord. I pushed the emergency call button, the response was quick. I called out and told them that we just dropped a floor and was teetering in the elevator. One of the people in the elevator mentioned that if we fall it'd be 4 floors down. Suddenly I realized how quick your life can change and it can be over. It seemed like a lifetime but as we started to panic the elevator teetered again and the doors opened. I called security to check on the elevator to make sure no one else stepped into it.

Even though it was a scare, I realized something. One when a life threatening ordeal happens to you your cold is gone, you wide awake again. Everything seems to smell better and taste better. So I want to say maybe everything is just in the head cause now I feel great I don't feel sick or tired anymore shows you how much the mind has to play in our everyday life. It is said we only use 10% of our brain capacity wonder what an extra percent will do for you life.

Maneki Neko=Money Cat

Many of you have seen this cat, it's called Maneki Neko(also known as Money Cat). The reason I'm writing about this is because even though I believe in hard work I also believe in a bit of luck. So for my site I wanted to put up a Money Cat to welcome everyone to make lots of money. Also here is an interesting story I've picked up from the web about how Money Cat came along.

This is the legend of the Maneki Neko:

In the 17th century, there was a rundown and poverty-stricken temple in Tokyo. The temple's priest was very poor, but he shared what little food he had with his pet cat, Tama.
One day, a wealthy and important man was caught in a storm while hunting and he took refuge under a big tree near the temple. While he waited for the storm to pass, the man noticed a cat beckoning him to come inside the temple gate. This was so startling that he left the shelter of the tree to have a closer look at this unusual cat. At that moment, the tree was struck by lighting.
As a result, the wealthy man became friends with the poor priest, and the temple became prosperous. The priest and his cat never went hungry again.
When Tama died he was buried in the Goutokuji Temple's cat cemetery with respect and love, and the Maneki Neko was made in honor of him. A Maneki Neko in your place of business, your home or on your website is said to bring in good luck and visitors.
Maneki Neko is Japanese for "beckoning cat." The message he's holding says "Please come in. You are welcome!" and he is beckoning you with his paw . (In Japan, the gesture of beckoning is pretty much the reverse of the gesture used in the West.)

Always Cook Your Meats

Note to self always cook a left over steak on the pan or bake it for goodness sakes because what might happen isn't pretty. I had a left over steak from my all time favorite restaurant Mastro's for my birthday a couple of days ago. My fiancee brought some back, in my haste a few days later I was to lazy to cook it so I just microwaved it for about a minute and in goes the steak. I didn't really feel the effects of it until 5 hours later. What transpired afterwards I will leave it to your imagination but it wasn't pretty. I was trying to make an inspiring ordeal about this but honestly I think it's just a life lesson with meat nothing more. Interesting thing while looking up the website to Mastro's Steak House, everything on the net wasn't Matro's restaraunt website at all. After Googling it for about 5 minutes I really couldn't find anything wonder how many hits the other websites get when people are looking up Mastro's. Now how can I do that with my site? Maximize Google keywords?