The most interesting part of my business is the people I get to meet. In the last couple of weeks I've dined with some movers and shakers in business, and had coffee with a local TV celebrity.
I am amazed at the depth of talent that is right here in the Houston area and I expect to see all of these people taking on a larger stage over time.
Ed Schipul is one of the leading authorities on Internet marketing both in Houston and around the country. He has seen his business grow exponentially over the last few years. I personally have seen his business grow both in reputation and in size. Recently, he and I had lunch in anticipation of a speaking event that both of our organizations are participating in. Ed is a combination of professor and kid with a new toy. He's the kind of teacher we all wish we had at school. Every time I meet with him, I regret that the length between meetings always seems so long. Ed knows it all and shared it liberally (though he never acts like a "know it all). Rarely does a sentence go by without him saying "Did you know..." and most of the time, I didn't. Furthermore he is always interested in helping people get together with others. He likes to make connections. He's generous with his relationships and that is why people are generous with him. We talked about Rupert Murdoch and his dramatic move towards the Internet (at the tune of $1.5 billion), which further validates the power of this media. (For a great article on this subject see the story about Murdoch in the latest
Wired Magazine). He also told me about blogger program I need to review (you will see it soon, I'm sure), and we discussed the enormous growth of his
Tendenci software which is changing the way organizations manage and promote their membership. Ed is a young man in a hurry. I am keeping an eye out for him in Wired Magazine or maybe even Forbes.
James Stein is one of the most enjoyable people I know in business and is the consummate small town banker with big city skills. I believe he can handle any deal of any size, but do it while making you feel like you are dealing with a friendly neighbor. Jim has a passion for politics and loves to discuss such, he loves his business and his clients. I have only had the opportunity to visit with him a few times, but he seems like an old friend. He's an incredible negotiator, making the difficult to receive, some how very acceptable. He is passionate about what he does and is one person who is doing exactly what he should be doing for a living, in my opinion. If you are looking for a banker, you would serve yourself well by visiting with James Stein and the Bank of Houston.
Darian Ward is well known by Houstonians as the former reporter and weekend anchor for Fox News. She is now working on a national reality TV show and we grabbed coffee recently at a local Starbucks. Ward is articulate, intelligent, and attractive. The networks would do well in bringing her to a larger audience. She is in negotiations with a number of large networks so don't be surprised to see her again on TV soon.
Philip O'Hara and
John Holchin of
DirectoryOne.com and I have been talking about a few projects that have resulted in several meetings. Like Schipul, DirectoryOne is a leader in web marketing and is ranked number one by the
Houston Business Journal. Phil and John are two very different personalities. Phil is some what distracted and is always really for the next business meeting. He has a huge passion for what he does. John and Phil seem, on the outside, like oil and water, they are different in their politics, personalities, and styles. Yet, they seem like a perfect compliment to each other and their different style makes for a great team. That's one of the most important lessons I've learned in business, find the necessary people to help you get your business goals completed, regardless of how odd that team may appear to others.
In the weeks to come I'll be writing more about some of the personalities that make Houston such a great place to do business.
Labels: Darian Ward, Ed Schipul, Jim Stein, Phil O'Hara, Tendenci, Wired Magazine
Regular readers of this blog have seen my remarks regarding our world famous studios (they were actually the old news "closet" in the old KIKK days). Well, I am proud to announce that we have gotten brand new facilities that put us well into the 21st century. We now have top of the line facilities with four microphones and a large studio table. In the photo you will find Houston Business Show Advisor in the information technology area, Richard Sonnier between breaks. Richard is President of Nimble Services and has been an with the program for over four years. I have had some people comment on the old studio and was encouraged to share our good news. That is the exact purpose of this post. I now feel like I'm a part of the media elite.
