Home: Long Island, NY. Age: 49 and enjoying the ride. Birthplace: Queens, NY. Profession: Executive coaching, leadership development. Organization: Paulson Strategy Group. Title: International Executive Coach. Significant other: My wonderful and supportive wife, Val.
Current project: Building and launching a social enterprise. Recent professional development: Completion and continued learning and practice of Neuro-linguistic programming (NLP), a pseudoscientific approach to communication, personal development, and psychotherapy. What’s been your big (or biggest leap)? Reinventing myself. I used to chase money, now I chase purpose. Hobbies: Hopping on a bike and peddling anywhere. Playing golf, even though it is more like therapy than a sport. Spending time with my favorite people and chilling out on the beaches of eastern Long Island. Practicing yoga and learning Buddhism. Recent travel or adventure: South Florida with my amazing teenage son. Got to be a teen again. Last book read: Peak Performance, by Brad Stulberg and Steve Magness (for the second time). Recent unique acquisition: A hand carved black stone elephant I received from my daughter while visiting Africa. Flattered that my daughter seeks my strength and support as she journeys through life.
Personality profile: Introvert and extrovert; intuitive, curious, enthusiastic, encouraging; risk taker. Moral compass: The Golden Book, by Dale Carnegie. How do you define an ideal business relationship? A purpose driven results focused cooperative. What is your greatest fear? Not living my life to its potential. Also, heights. What is your guilty pleasure? Black Magic Woman ice cream from Snowflake Ice Cream Shoppe in Riverhead. How do you relieve stress? Go for a long walk alone. It’s a form of meditation and sometimes produces my best ideas. What is your go-to workout? Bikram Yoga. I wish I had discovered it sooner.
What book have you repeatedly read? How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie. A must read for anyone wanting to be a better version of themselves. Besides your parents, who has had the greatest influence on your life? For me it’s more about what. That would be my life experiences. What’s the best advice you received in your career? If it’s to be, it’s up to me. What modern technology innovation do you most appreciate? Video conferencing. A lifesaver during the pandemic. What is your go-to source of news and information? Still searching for a good one. What is your go-to source of creative inspiration? This Must Be the Place custom station on Pandora. What company or organization do you most admire? Dale Carnegie. It’s all about being better.
What is your big idea?
Launching a social enterprise enabling people around the world to achieve their dreams.
What change would you like to see in the world? Unified peace and happiness. It’s possible. What message do you want to send out into the world? Keep it simple. Learn from the past. Live in the now. Dream about the future. What widely held belief do you reject? That people can’t change. That’s simply untrue.
Who would you like to spend an evening with, in heaven? My mom. There is more I would like to say. How would you choose to spend tomorrow, if you knew it was your last day on earth? With my favorite people on the beach, someplace warm, laughing, smiling, and enjoying one another. What advice would you give your younger self? It’s ok to live in the moment, so long as you are aware of consequences. What period in your life would you do differently, if you could? Teenage years. I wish I had taken learning more seriously.
Personal mission: Encouraging and supporting others to want more, do more, and be more in life. Personal motto: Enjoy the ride. Favorite quote: “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want” (Zig Ziglar). Desired epitaph: Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave in a well-preserved body. But rather, to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting “holy shit…what a ride!”
