Former CPA Turns Successful Magazine Publisher With A Little Help From The Right Mentors

Rob Levin has a lot of letters after his name letting us know he’s a pretty well educated, smart, business savvy guy: CPA, MBA, CFO, CEO. But after years in accounting and business leadership roles, he still didn’t know a thing about publishing a magazine. But that’s what he really wanted to do.

While working at another media company as a short-term CEO, he met Rose Sullivan, a magazine publishing expert. Rob was not shy about reaching out to strangers. He knew it was a wise move to get to know the speakers because they are just the right people to be strong mentors and connectors. While they didn’t work together at that time, he kept in touch with her and when he came up with the idea for a magazine catering to NY’s small business community he made a quick call to Rose that helped Rob learn a lot about the costs, printing, and logistics of producing a magazine.

In 2003, after reading an article by Norm Brodsky, the highly successful entrepreneur and well-known columnist for INC Magazine, Rob reached out and asked Norm for a meeting. He went to visit him in Brooklyn asking for feedback on his business plan for The New York Enterprise Report. The business model, among other things. entailed paid subscriptions.

Although Norm would not tell Rob what he thought about the business idea, he did go through the plan with Rob in detail. After drilling through the numbers and assumptions, he asked Rob why not consider giving the magazine away for FREE!

Rob, stunned, initially balked at the idea. He knew there was going to be such great value in the magazine. Why give this away for nothing?

After a restless night of sleep, Rob saw the wisdom in Norm’s idea, and decided to build a controlled subscriber base (free to qualified readers). It worked! Norm Brodsky was the first cover feature on The New York Enterprise Report. Their relationship of mentor and protoge turned into real friendship, and ultimately Norm invested in the company.

A year after Rob launched the magazine, Norm ‘fessed up and told Rob he hadn’t really wanted to meet with Rob and that he thought his idea for the magazine was “dumb.” Well, even Norm isn’t right 100% of the time. But Rob feels meeting Norm and taking his input was a key ingredient for the magazine’s success. Today, The New York Enterprise Report is a thriving media company.

Rob has turned his acquired knowledge of networking with the right people into a successful business model as well. The New York Enterprise Report now brings together hundreds of entrepreneurs to network with other like-minded entrepreneurs at highly acclaimed events and seminars (including the Small Business Awards).

When Rob started out in his career, he admits he didn’t establish relationships or maintain them successfully. Recognizing his networking and business development skills were lacking, he took training to improve.

Rob says it is easy to be impressed by people initially. So he is careful with whom he develops relationships. (I can vouch for this. It took years for me to gain Rob’s attention and trust) He is strategic about whom he is introduced to and to whom he introduces others. He carefully considers whether value can be brought to both parties.

In Rob’s view, social capital and influence is developed when you can have value for people who are influential themselves. Whose circles would Rob like to be in these days? He realized he now needed to build awareness in certain circles of the venture capital community.

Wanna Meet Paul McCartney & The Boss? Ask 8 Year Old Josh How To Do It

I was at a networking event this morning, and was catching up with my friend Dan. Because we hadn't seen each other since the summer, I was getting the update on the family vacation. He told me they went to the Hamptons for a couple of weeks, and then he said something which stopped me in my tracks.

He said, "Before we left for vacation, my son Josh told me he had three goals."

Goals, from an 8 year old? I couldn't wait to hear this. I asked, "What were they?"

"He wanted to meet Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, and Derek Jeeter."

I smiled. "Really? What happened?"

Dan told me that in the two weeks they were away, Josh accomplished two out of three of his goals.

How did this happen?

One day, they decided to attend the Bridgehampton Classic. Bruce's daughter competes in this event. As fortune would have it, Josh spied Bruce surrounded by autograph seekers, holding a book in his hand. Josh elbowed his way toward The Boss, and asked about the book. Bruce handed him the book, and autographed it for a thrilled Josh.

Then, one evening, the family was out to dinner. Who should they see at a nearby table? Paul McCartney and guests. Not to miss out on reaching his goal and meeting this music icon, Josh approached their table and got Paul's autograph as well.

Coincidence? Chance, you say? Well, maybe. But it is very clear that young Josh has the get-it factor. He knows who he wants to meet and puts himself in the right environments to meet the right people. And he's learned this before the age of 10.

Isn't this what all of us want? To be in the right places to meet the right people? Well, if there's someone on your list, you might want to reach out to Josh. I'd hurry. He's now got his sights set on Bono.

An Overnight Rock Star After 10 Years & Meeting Just The Right Person

Collette McLafferty has been lead singer of edibleRed, a band that has been around for 10 years. There have been many ups and downs for this group. After years of touring, and almost (but not quite) getting signed, edibleRed was actually very close to calling it quits. But one night, Collette decided to attend a staged reading of a musical. Who she met there turned the tide for Collette and everyone in edibleRed.

It was around the holidays and everyone was in a festive mood. Collette attended alone and she happened to be sitting between Fred Munao, president of Select Records and Alan Merrill, who wrote "I Love Rock and Roll". They also came alone to the event. Networking was the furthest thing from her mind. Fred, Alan and Collette had a great conversation, exchanged business cards and everyone went their merry way.

But Collette wasn't going to fall down on followup. A couple pf months later, she got in touch with Fred to get feedback on edibleRed's latest CD. She knew that the bulk of Select Records successes were in the hip hop world, so it never occurred to her that she could actually be signed to the label. He said he liked the recordings and to keep sending him stuff. When she sent him their first music video, he asked if Collette could stop by the office so he could give her some feedback. At this point, it STILL hadn't dawned on Collette what was about to happen.

Collette never told Fred that edibleRed was considering calling it quits when she went to Fred's office. Instead, Fred offered her a record deal that day at his office and extended the deal to the entire band when he came to see them perform. They then released their "debut" album on Select Records titled "Welcome to My Bad Behavior" which received airplay on MTV Latino, X1FM, KROCK2, Maxim Radio,VH1.com, FUSE, Rollingstone.com, MTV.com, "The L Word", The Oxygen Network and over 120 radio stations world wide.

Beyond a label president, Fred became a mentor, a friend and family. In this crazy industry that is the music business, Collette feels so fortunate to be on a label that not only lets her stay true to her artistic identity, but having Fred be there to lend a sympathetic ear if she needs guidance or encouragement. She could not ask for a better record deal.

Collette's story has several messages: Successs requires persistence (How many people would stay committed to a dream for over 10 years?)
The right circles create the right opportunities,
You need to be courageous and willing to talk to the "right" strangers that have the influence and power to help you get heard.

Go to www.myspace.com/ediblered to hear edibleRed and here's the link to their bestseller "Hey Ya":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAkfoRYDEj0&feature=channel_page

Is "SNOB" Networking(c) a Good Thing or Bad Thing?

I'm an avid proponent of people focusing on meeting the "right" people for their business. This means strategically identifying who they need to be meeting as decision makers, target clients and customers, ideal referral sources, etc.

It is even more important to think carefully about upgrading your network. Who you are is who you hang around with. Hang out with leaders and successful people? Surprise! Your life starts to become more successful. Hang out with negative and people resigned to be average and just get by - your life starts to stagnate.

It's up to you if you think this is snobbery or smart strategy.

I choose success. What about you?

How The 3 Second Rule Helped A Shy Guy Help Bill Clinton

In December 2007, PR Week named Richard Strauss to their inaugural "40 Under 40", recognizing and profiling 40 PR pros, nominated by industry peers, who have achieved tremendous feats prior to turning 40.

But how he got here had a lot to do with whom he met along the way.

Richard learned very early in his career that meeting the right people made a huge difference in one’s life. Starting as a reporter for a small newspaper during college at UCLA, he also worked on the college radio station. He interviewed some heavy hitters such as Dusty Baker of the LA Dodgers and Dr. Ruth Westheimer. He even interviewed Larry King during the era when Larry was a radio host. Although Richard wasn’t with a major publication, he was able to get coverage of Magic Johnson’s announcement of his retirement from basketball because a friend of his snuck him into the press conference.

His father, always a proponent of strong connections, suggested that Richard check out a Democratic political candidate gaining a lot of interest. He also suggested that Richard apply as a volunteer for the Bill Clinton campaign effort as they prepared for the Democratic Convention. He was rejected because he applied too late. Undaunted and determined, he dialed 411 in Little Rock, Arkansas and “met” Steven Cohen, Executive Assistant to W.H. Clinton. Steven Cohen greenlit Richard’s interview in New Hampshire because in the conversation Richard mentioned he had radio experience.

He flew to New Hampshire on a $99 certificate he had saved. On the very day of his interview, he found himself shoved into a receiving line where he met none other than the promising candidate himself. He was offered a volunteer position and decided to leave college to work as a volunteer on the campaign.

Working side by side with some of the most brilliant and innovative political strategists and influencers gave him not only the insight and experience of working in the communications and political arena, but relationships that impacted his life forever. He was mentored by some of the outstanding experts of the Clinton era: David Wilhelm, Jeffrey Eller, George Stephanopolus, and then later David Gergan, and Wolf Blitzer. Richard was later invited to be part of the White House staff where he served three years as the first-ever White House Radio Director. In this capacity, Strauss was responsible for coordinating and producing President Clinton’s weekly Saturday morning radio address. On the day of the first Clinton address, he walked into the Oval for the first time. There, sitting behind the famous desk, was Bill. Seeing Richard’s awe at entering the history-filled room, he said to Richard: “You know, Richard, I was a little overwhelmed the first time I came into this room too!”

Richard lived the West Wing life for a while, and credits his relationships with all of the Clinton Administration icons as helping him build a very successful career. He saw being part of this influential community, and one that was willing to mentor and introduce him to others who could help him advance, as being a key element in who he has become today.

As a very young man, Richard had to overcome great shyness to take the steps necessary to converse and interact with experienced and powerful people. He adopted the Nike philosophy: “Just Do It” but advises people use a method which he calls The 3-Second Rule: When you’re nervous about approaching someone, you give yourself 3 seconds and then you just GO!

Meeting The Right People Can Save Your Life - And Many Others'

In 1997, Carol Covin's friend had inoperable stomach cancer. Desperate for a cure, he stumbled across an obscure science library that held the papers from a physicist who had developed a protocol to treat cancer. The physicist died in 1986 without taking the protocol through clinical trials, but before he died, he endowed a private library to hold his papers. These papers,found by Carol's ill friend, gave him a protocol to follow. In six weeks, his 30-pound (yes, that's correct -30 pounds)tumor was gone.

Unfortunately, he died shortly afterwards, not from the cancer, (which was gone) but from the liver damage he had sustained during the five-year growth of his tumor.

Before he died, Carol's friend gave her a copy of the protocol, advising that as all the ingredients were natural, it could never be patented and would never attract the financing necessary to put it through clinical trials. She put it away for 7 years.

But she never forgot about it. Finally,Carol felt compelled to contact the library to find out if the papers were still there. They were.

Four years ago, she was was at a government inaugural parade party, hosted by one of the long-time sponsors of the MIT Forum where she volunteered. A fellow volunteer asked Carol what she was up to. Every other time they had seen each other, they talked about the event they were working on, not their day jobs. As "luck" would have it, this time it was the sponsor’s party, not one of their events, so they started discussing more personal things. Carol decided to share: She told her colleague she was working on bringing a cure for cancer to market and told her story.

Her colleague said, “I have someone you should meet.” She was the President of Women in Bio and knew all the right people in the local biotech community.

She set up an introduction to someone who was currently a pediatric oncologist and who had formerly worked at the FDA, a pharmaceutical company, and was now consulting to specialty pharmas (just the kinds of companies Carol needed if she took her protocal to market). This pediatric oncologist was practically an entire team wrapped up in one person. This oncologist has been guiding Carol through all the right steps to gain permission from the FDA to conduct a clinical trial.

Should she succeed in raising funds, her first clinical trial will start next year.

But,the story doesn't end here.

This writer was telling Carol's story a colleague, and he mentioned he had friends who have started a hedge fund for new cancer treatments. This may turn into a funding possibility for Carol's project.

Carol gained first-hand appreciation of how meeting JUST THE RIGHT PEOPLE can make a difference in the results that are generated.

In order to help fund her project, Carol has also been writing a book. The book, unrelated to her cancer project, is about mothers and grandmothers.

She was telling someone at church about her book. Turns out, this person has her own PR firm and a lot of contacts from her days as a press spokesman for a Congressman on the Hill. One of her contacts there, Michael Cottman, has just started his own radio show and called her to see if she had anyone he could interview. She referred Carol.

Carol has now been interviewed by this host about her cancer project on NPR radio. And it gets even better: This same radio host wants to interview Carol about her book because he's doing a special in September on Granparents Day!

Who knows how many lives Carol's project may save? But this possibility can only become a reality by meeting the right people to help a novice like Carol navigate these unchartered waters.

Keith Ferrazzi on Meeting Jack Welch - Would You Go To These Lengths To Meet The Right People?