My Life as a Marketing Maverick...

I walked away from 9th grade at 15... never went back. Funny, they didn't call to see where I was either… don't confuse this with not wanting to learn... it was more - not wanting to be "taught." I spent endless hours in libraries... studying things that interested me. Physics, marketing, and self-improvement topped the list.

I also sought out people who were at the top of their game... often contacting book authors and company presidents to quickly move on to the fast-track. I can tell you from very intense personal experiece - when you can learn from someone who's already gotten to where you want to go - you will shave a decade off the learning curve, and save a bundle of cash. It is by far the most affordable and efficient short-cut you can take.

Wow, I can't even believe how long ago this was… I worked (if you could call it that) as a Disco-Dee-jay for a few years. Started when I was 20. Free booze and lots of girls. Great time.

Working as a Dee-jay… I decided one year to invest every extra dime I could into silver. I bought at around $5 an ounce… sold at $14. That was my "stake." Every thing I did from that point on can be traced back to that year. (Man I'm skinny here… I had quit smoking and started jogging - a lot).

My Cessna 172 and my very young daughter, Kalani. I'm 24 here.

Of course, I quickly realized that the real money was in "owning" the club… not working in one… so that's what I set out to do. I'm standing here in front of the "Maxim (my third club)…"

Inside… $7 a head… adds up fast. But then a friend of mine, Larry Serrin who also owned a nightclub... produced a record by a guy named Anthony Ray (Larry's DJ). It was a huge hit. I figured if Larry could do it - so could I... Oh, Anthony Ray went by the name of "Sir Mix-A-Lot"

Sir-Mix-A-Lot, and my good friend Larry Serrin (Mix's manager) on the left…

I jumped into the record business in 1990 - found a struggling band, managed them, and produced their first record. We sold a quarter-million cds, had videos on MTV and a nationwide tour. Me (on the left) with "Cause & Effect" arriving at the Palladium in New York for a show...

I took this picture of Cause & Effect playing an MTV show in New Jersey in front of 200,000 people...

Tim O'Brien (third from the left produced the song "I Swear" click here which was one of the biggest singles ever… remaining on Billboard at #1for 11 straight weeks. That's me (third from the right)… Tim bailed me out of jail when I was arrested on a felony charge… see below…

Got the band a ton of publicty… Dan Rather even mentioned the story on the "Evening News." The cop was a jackass… and the charges were dropped…

We did well, charting 5 times in Billboard Magazine, 2 videos on MTV and a Nationwide Tour… then the keyboard player, Sean Rowley died from a massive athsma attack during a sound-check in Minneapolis…

Everyone should have one of these at least once… (did 160 miles per hour one day - racing a Porshe for about a minute… whoa)… my airplane only did 120!

Paula Abdul (nice lady)… seems a little spacy today…

Remember Bud Bundy from "Married With Children?"

Then, in 1994, while calling to get tickets to the Rolling Stones… I ended up buying a run-down pizzeria… this picture was taken about a month after I took the place (the thought in my head - "what the hell have I gotten myself into!?")...

Me and Jay Abraham in L.A.

Jim Laube, Big Dave, Jay Siff, Me, and Bill Marvin (party at my house)…

Me, Joe Polish, Gary Halbert, Gary Bencivenga, N.Y.

Las Vegas Mayor, Oscar Goodman…

Over at Jay Cutler's house (right next door to my house) at his party when he won the title of Mr. Olympia… (formerly held by Arnold Schwarzenegger…

My daughters Kalani and Brooke…

Dana Muscato, A great friend… and - the Founder of Pheonix Motor Cars… you'll be seeing them on the road… all electric freeway speed cars that go 150 miles or better - on one charge…

At the Rolling Stones in London… did they say no cameras? It was their last show of a three year tour… what a blast!

Check out the ticket from my first Stone's show in 1981 (I thought $16 was outrageous)… the last ticket is priced in Euros… that translates to $225… (worth every penny).

Ocean-front on the Mexican Riviera… where I get a lot of work done… no kidding, phones aren't ringing off the hook…