Good Morning Friends! Here are my 5 Things to Consider this week!
Culture – We’re chasing attention. Isn’t it funny to think that 15 years ago smart phones didn’t even exist?! The world is changing at breakneck speed and people’s attention is the most valuable thing in in it. Never before in history has our attention has been as sought after, demanded, pulled and chased in all directions as it is today. In the future, there will be two types of businesses; those who accepted this fact and are adjusting to the new way of things and those who are out of business. The reality is, our phones are the new reality. We MUST pay attention to where people are paying attention or we’re just going to be another victim of progress. I think a lot about the following question, “if a pizza shop or bar we’re to open in our neighborhood and just destroy us on all levels, what would that company look like?” This helps me focus on where we should be focusing our efforts so we’re always ahead of the game…even if competition isn’t always obvious. And the real competition isn’t going to show up in the form of a new, glitzy pizza shop or sexy new bar opening “just down the block.” It’s going to be an app on a phone or someone being able to say, “Alexa, order my favorite pizza.” If we continue to make technology and progress a priority, then we’ll be that pizza shop and bar of the future. If not, we’ll probably be the pizza shop version of Clint Eastwood yelling at the kids to get off our lawn. Progress always wins. Technology never goes backwards. We’re either riding the wave, or we’re getting beat over the head by it. Grab your boards, we’re going surfing!
Leadership – Step into Conflict. Most of us don’t like conflict. We often associate conflict with the way people respond to it and never see how beneficial conflict can actually be. If someone becomes irate, yells or gets defensive, they’re expressing unhealthy ways of dealing with conflict. Often the conflict itself is not the problem, the way we deal with conflict is what we need to adjust. Conflict can actually be a healthy and productive part of our everyday lives. It helps us to be venerable and to express our true feelings. This can allow us to know someone on a deeper level because we see their true feelings, convictions and morals. It allows us to know what the other person will and will not compromise on. Sometimes it’s necessary to bite our tongue on an issue. Just remember, silence is considered acceptance and saying nothing can often make an issue snowball into something much bigger. Step into conflict, very much like “touch it once” suggests that we don’t avoid conflict when it arises, conversely, we lean in and nip-it-in-the-bud before it has a chance to become a bigger issue. Being PROACTIVE vs. REACTIVE allows us to remove the power from the situation. Picture diffusing a bomb the moment it’s lit, not after it’s exploded. Jason always says, “it’s easier to wipe it up now, than scrub it off later after it’s dried.” I think he was talking about pizza sauce though…
History – The “Mikey” is Mikey’s. I never wanted my name to be attached to Late Night Slice. I just never saw much value in it. But, back in the day when Jason and I had the jobs we had before LNS, we both, albeit briefly for me, worked at a place called EJ’s Canyon Café. It was located in Grandview where 3rd and Hollywood is now. There Jason got to see the power of having the owners name attached to the business and was pretty relentless on convincing me to add “Mikey’s” to Late Night Slice. Again, I wasn’t crazy about the idea, but I relented and that’s why we have the “Mikey’s” in Late Night Slice. Bonus Fact! The other working title for LNS was Pie by Night. I think we made a good choice!
Motivation – “Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” – Ronald Reagan
What I’m Reading or Watching – Rachael and I just started back Succession. It’s an HBO series loosely based around a rich and powerful family that owns a Media Conglomerate. I’m pretty sure it’s inspired by the Murdoch Family. It’s pretty much everything you want in a series. Excessive wealth, power, struggle. Who’s screwing who? Literally and figuratively. What’s their angle? It’s only in its second season, so it’s pretty easy to catch up on.
Baby Update – Will IV is 36 weeks young this week. Month 9. 4 weeks to go till his scheduled world debut. I’m definitely excited about having a son, but I’m super worried about all the attention he’s going to be taking away from me. His nursery is almost finished and I’ll post pictures soon. It’s like if the Sacred Palm and Baby Gap had a, well, baby. It’s like a Pitbull video in a onesie. Ultra-sexy and ready for the party! BYO Breastmilk!
Thanks for reading! Like or hate any part of this? Let me know! I really value your feedback.
Have a great week!
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