Direct Response Marketing

I guess direct response marketing is in my blood. After my dad passed a couple years ago I was sorting through old boxes and I came across this treasure. A magazine from my grandpa’s real estate and insurance business from 1960. I’m pretty sure it was co-op advertising with one of his insurance carriers but I was still excited when I came across it.

It was filled with generic articles on fire safety, driving tips, recipes and comics. There was an ad for a discount on your car insurance policy if you replied by a certain date. There was also the tease for next month's magazine - Coming next issue "10 Ways to Develop Leadership In Your Child" - be sure to see next issue. I guess that’s where my fascination for marketing comes from.

I learned a lot from my grandpa even though I was only 15 when he passed. Hard work, honesty, integrity and probably most importantly was treating people with respect no matter what their status in life is. I remember going places with him when I was young and it seemed that everyone was his friend as he had conversations with everyone he encountered.

Today, If you ask my grandkids, I too have conversations with everyone. They sometimes get embarresed but in the back of my mind I'm smiling and hoping they pick up this trait as I did from my grandpa.

So that’s where I evolved from, a couple honest, hard working entrepreneurs. Hell even my great grandfather was an entrepreneur, I found his real estate brokers license from 1931 in the box as well.

I started my professional career in the family real estate business as an appraiser which is where I learned the importance of and how to analyze data. It was a great education but after several years I decided real estate was not my calling.

When I was 12 years old I started mowing lawns, delivering newspapers and washing dishes for a local catering company. Who would have thought that washing dishes would set me on a career path in the restaurant business. I started as a line cook and worked my way up to the chef position at a popular French restaurant on the west coast of Florida.

After 10 years I moved on and opened my own restaurant and the beginning my entrepreneurial journey. I knew the restaurant business well however I didn't know much about marketing. It actually came down to a do or die situation for me. Either get a grasp on the marketing or loose my ass on the restaurant.

The bottom line is it all worked out and in the process I discovered I enjoyed the marketing a hell of a lot more than standing in a hot kitchen 12 hours a day… and that my friend is the short story of how I got to where I am today.