My take on some people at Mike fest

[Brian R]

If I leave you out...just remind me please.

Mikey...really what I thought he would be because I've spoken to him over the phone and seen too many photos and vids. I consider him a friend. I don't care what everyone else says about him. lol

Crowley...He had me worried. I figured he was a blow hard ready to attack me with words or bear hugs as soon as we met. I was surprised at how friendly and cool he was. I can't get over the accent. I'm mesmerized by it really. The standup routine wouldn't be as good without it. Good job by the way Crowley...takes balls to stand up and try to make people laugh with jokes. Really a classy guy...if you can believe that. :shock:

Vawter.....I swear to God I thought he was going to be the biggest grab ass perv psycho lunatic I'd ever met....but then he turned out to be the Father I wish I had. lol...ok, maybe not quite. But really a good guy to know. Smart and experienced as you can tell by jut BSing with him.

Jeremy....I had no idea. I think he's still in college. The kinda guy who will walk up to you and flick a lighter in crotch and Yell "Brush Fire!"....really? What are we, 12? Cool guy but the gay jokes might lead someone to believe that you are hiding something. lol. Yellow is not your color....but I still had a good time meeting you. You're a good guy.

Bethel....I've yet to ever meet an "Asshole" from Australia....and Jim is no different. Speaking with him was like speaking with a life long friend right off the bat. I've never seen anyone mix Rum with Beer but he assured us that Aussies do what ever the hell they want. Really good guy and his industry knowledge is something to sit down and listen too. Good to meet you.

Eckman....Wow. What a cool guy. I really didn't get to speak with him much but I can tell you he is a guy that would have your back as a friend if needed. Hell of a handshake too....says a lot.

Olson...I figured he would be one of the guys to sock me in the head as soon as he knew who I was. lol. Really friendly guy. I didn't get to hang out with him much but still had a really good feeling about him.

More in the next post.

 

[Becker]

Sounds like you have added a lot of names and addresses to your valentines list.

 

[Brian R]

Hoody.....I felt like I already knew Hoody and after speaking with him it really was no different. He is soft spoken but a smart young man and has a great since of humor and family. Take care of that kid Hoodster or I'll fly wherever the hell you are are give you a good shellacking. lol. Hoody will surely be going places in this industry or in whatever industry he chooses.

Art Kelly...Drunk. lol Have you seen the pics with his shirt off? Really cool guy... seems like the guy everyone likes at the bar. I heard some things after I left the "party" but I won't bring them up second hand. Good to meet you Art.

Adam Hale...Steroids? lol. Really cool guy...didn't get to speak with him much ...but I tend to watch people when I'm not in a conversation.

Big Mike....strange character...the genius usually is. I spoke with him about his business plan and evidently it's working. Nice guy, hard to get a word in edgwise...but he's good to listen too.

Dave Gargan, not what I expected...not sure what I expected. Seems like a smart guy when just speaking with him for a little while. Friendly and personable guy. Good to finally meet you.

Cindy from Full Cicle....super hot girl.....Green Gurl has nothing on this gurl. Cindy is really sweet and as much as I've spoken with her over the phone, her personality really comes out in person. I think Hoody was trying to hit on her but she was probably a little young for him. !gotcha!

Steve Cameron...hands down one of the friendliest guys I've ever met. I figured that much just speaking with him over the phone but in person it really shows. Good guy and good business man. I was proud to be sitting next to him at the round table.

Joey....I didn't spend enough time with this guy but he looks like someone who will end up taking over the world. Evil genius type...but just a little too young to have it figured out yet. Give it time. He was another one that was not what I expected in person.

Les Jones....Laid back, super friendly smart guy...his wife has all the personallity...enough for the both of them. Really nice people.

Mark Cermack....Really not what I expected. Smart guy who looks like he would kick the crap out of you if you pissed him off. He has that scary nice personality with enough confidence to overwhelm you. I didn't officially meet his wife but she seemed really nice. Mark, thanks for the SEO class, really good info and it was a pleasure watching you teach.

Lisa Wagner....ok, so I'll admit. I've had my ups and downs about this girl. I really liked her from the start and supported her and Joe...still do. But she has a way of ..how do I say this? ...a way of turning my skin red with fire more than anyone else I know. Not sure why she bashed me on the board...but she seems like a super nice girl in person. I made it a point to shake her hand and introduce myself. I got the feeling she didn't know what to expect from me but I assure you it was sincere. And I swear I didn't know you were behind me when I was speaking about Groupon in the Jeff Cross class. :shock: .....Pretty cool that Angieslist.com is doing the deal of the day now too.
Good to meet you Lisa.

 

[Brian R]

Sounds like you have added a lot of names and addresses to your valentines list.

Where the hell were you?.....I wanted to see if you really looke like Mick Jagger in person too.
Next time.

 

[Becker]

Come to connections in Vegas.
I have plans to be there. Or maybe next year at mf.
I had plans for this weekend long ago, sounds like it was a good event.

 

[Brian R]

Lee....Lee was a down to earth guy and made me guess who he was. lol...way to put me on the spot like that. I almost said Lee when you asked but I didn't want to look like a dumbass...too late. Good to know you. If I see you at connections or the next Mikefest, I'll pick your brain as much as I can.

Al....Al's back was killing him and that kind of stole his "show". I could tell he was stressed out from all the work. Good to meet you Al, you seem like a really nice guy. Next time hopefully you will be more mobile.

Teri...Odin....Brevick.....You looked like Santa Claus on Chemo Therapy. ....I can't help but like T...even if he does give me a hard time every interaction we have. He was the only guy who STILL gave me hell in real life...I think he tries to bring me down to earth or something. Maybe he's just an ass. Ivebeensold I guess the round table was a snore and he asked me why I didn't bring up the Mary Kay when it was my turn. He has a unique ability to be the nicest guy you know while insulting you ...and somehow...it's "OK"...because he's like a big teddy bear...again, on Chemo Therapy.
Good to meet you finally...take it easy will ya?


I'm drawing a blank....who else did I meet? ADHD is kicking in.

 

[Brian R]

Come to connections in Vegas.
I have plans to be there. Or maybe next year at mf.
I had plans for this weekend long ago, sounds like it was a good event.

I enjoyed it....Jen and I are already talking about connections...maybe summerfest.

Meeting everyone at once sucks sometimes because you don't get to spend as much time as you would like to get to know them.

 

[Brian R]

Jeff Cross....Great Class....I didn't really officially meet him...or Pemberton but I know their reputations...both very classy guys.

Steve T. I know Steve already but it's good to see him whenever and wherever I can. If you don't follow Steve around and learn everything you can from his SFS site, class and everything else..you are really missing out.

Are you going to connections Steve? Maybe we could actually hang out then. lol

 

[Hoody]

I didn't even get a chance to meet Joey :x

 

[joeynbgky]

It was good to meet you briefly. I didnt know who you were till i saw a business card you handed one of my employees.. And i said WHO GAVE THIS TO YOU? lol

 

[LisaWagnerCRS]

Lisa Wagner....ok, so I'll admit. I've had my ups and downs about this girl. I really liked her from the start and supported her and Joe...still do. But she has a way of ..how do I say this? ...a way of turning my skin red with fire more than anyone else I know. Not sure why she bashed me on the board...but she seems like a super nice girl in person. I made it a point to shake her hand and introduce myself. I got the feeling she didn't know what to expect from me but I assure you it was sincere. And I swear I didn't know you were behind me when I was speaking about Groupon in the Jeff Cross class. :shock: .....Pretty cool that Angieslist.com is doing the deal of the day now too.
Good to meet you Lisa.

Sorry Brian... I didn't even realize we actually met until your post here. There were so many new people I met, and no one looks like their avatars, or had their usernames on their name tags. Maybe next time everyone can tattoo their MB names on their foreheads. I'm horrible with names.

And my issues by the way were not with you as a person - but based on using a price-shopper strategy to build a high-quality business. Some of us just approach growing a company differently, and as I shared during my rug presentations, I like to show that there are MANY ways to succeed, and not just one and only way. I like to give people options... and not everyone can do lots of low dollar offers and convert that into future profits. In fact, most can't, so it should not be what they choose to do. Groupon will be financial suicide for many.

Anyway... sorry we did not actually chat.

That said - I do appreciate those of you I did get the chance to talk with and get to know you better, and get to put a face to the MB names. And of course all the other speakers - great to see so many friends in one place.

And I was happy to not lose my voice after two days of talking OVER machines in the warehouse. That was really tough. I guess I pulled the short straw on speaker placement.... or just pissed off enough people - LOL.

I do want to thank the whole Legend Brands crew though, for their hospitality, driving me around, keeping my IV perpetually filled with coffee, and entertaining me with a lot of great stories. A company is only as good as its people... and this company is full of top notch people.

Thanks Mike for another good show,
Lisa

 

[Doug Cox]

"a way of turning my skin red with fire more than anyone else I know".


Welcome to everyome else's world about you, Brian.

 

[dgargan]

I expected Brian to have more hair!

 

[Blue Monarch]

Dammit. I flew into San Jose and drove to Aptos. Thought it was in the same place as the last MF I went to.

 

[Jim Bethel]

Thanks for the nice wrap Brian 8) It was very good to meet you too.

Thats what I love about Fests and Tradeshows etc - getting to meet to people BEHIND the keyboard persona and finding out some people are far nicer in person. Two of the main guys I wanted to meet in person was you Brian, and also Lee Stockwell.

I had Brian pegged for a chihuahua/terrier style personality due to his frequent posting style (I mean that in a nice way dude ). However, in real life and for everyone else on the boad - Brian is a really cool guy. Very passionate about what he does, and is a good bloke to hang out with.

But damn man - if you think Crowley had a set of stones (good job by the way Greg) - I think you getting up singing took a lot more guts. Keep an eye on another post shortly and I will see if I can upload it and post a part of it

 

[joeynbgky]

What's a Bloke? lol

 

[Hoody]

Screw Waldo's list... I have the Corky Seal of Approval! :mrgreen:

 

[Jim Bethel]

What's a Bloke? lol

hahaha - you should have hung out with us a bit more - all the other guys learnt Aussie in a few days....

a bloke is a guy - man - dude...

Funny thing I also learnt (amongst a lot of other stuff) is watching some of the boys faces when I said the word 'fortnight' in reference to time lol

 

[Jeremy]

2 weeks... LOL

 

[Brian R]

Jim...I'll try to stomache the video. lol

David G...I thought I would have more hair as well.

Lisa, and here I thought I was special. lol. Nice to meet you either way.

Hood...Not sure my seal means anything..buy you have it.

Doug....OH, NOW I get it. Thanks. lol...Are you going to connections?

 

[Mikey P]

Dammit. I flew into San Jose and drove to Aptos. Thought it was in the same place as the last MF I went to.

 

[Hoody]

Funny thing I also learnt (amongst a lot of other stuff) is watching some of the boys faces when I said the word 'fortnight' in reference to time lol

LOL!!!

 

[J Scott W]

Well I made as much of an impression on Brian as he did on Lisa.

But my style is low key. Steve T and Jeff Cross were the only two who even knew I was there.

 

[Brian R]

Sometimes....I'm just a dumbass.

 

[Hoody]

Well I made as much of an impression on Brian as he did on Lisa.

But my style is low key. Steve T and Jeff Cross were the only two who even knew I was there.

I said hello Scott.

 

[J Scott W]

Well I made as much of an impression on Brian as he did on Lisa.

But my style is low key. Steve T and Jeff Cross were the only two who even knew I was there.

I said hello Scott.

Actually I had conversations with dozens of MB members, even T. (There will no mountains nearby for skiing and the weather was not conducive to golfing, so he talked to me for over a minute. ) I just ducked out on the night life.

 

[Brian R]

Scott, I didn't even realize it was you. Very low key. There were so many people my head was spinning.

Excuses excuses...my apologies.