Every now and again something comes along that is outstanding. I mean not just cool, but OUTSTANDING. I’ve had the pleasure of traveling the world and going to the hottest hotels on the planet. Never have I heard of anything like the Ushuaia Hotel. This place is an adult amusement park. This is one of those things that is almost impossible to fully put into words and explain. The best way to understand this new hotel concept is to hear it directly from the Ushuaia Hotels product director Danny Gonzalez. I just finished a fantastic interview with him live from Ibiza (see below). To make things easier, I have also transcribed the interview and added some amazing photos from the opening party and some really cool You Tube Videos (see below).

Download audio file (Ushuaia-Danny.mp3)
Click here to download audio.

Here are three great resources to help you follow the Ushuaia Hotel
#1 Ushuaia Hotel Website
#2 Ushuaia Hotel Twitter
#3 Ushuaia Hotel Facebook

Rob: Hey everybody and welcome to another edition of Jet Set Live. I am super excited to have Danny Gonzalez, the product director of absolutely the hottest, new hotel concept in Ibiza. The Ushuaia Hotel and I’m hoping I’m saying that correctly…The Ushuaia Hotel, the excitement that’s surrounding the opening of this hotel is like nothing that I’ve ever seen before. I want to jump right into this interview so without further ado, Danny are you there?

Danny: Hi, Robert, I’m here.

Rob: First of all, I want to welcome you to our show and I cannot be happier that you guys have agreed to do this. I’ve been watching your You Tube videos and they’re nothing short of amazing!  I have travelled all over the world and I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this…forget about a hotel like this; I don’t think I have even seen a party like this. So, we’re going to talk about all of that, but first let’s start right at the beginning. Could you explain what this hotel concept is and how it all came to be?

Danny: Well, I can safely say that the Ushuaia Hotel is actually the coolest new place in Ibiza and probably, I would say, also, in the Mediterranean. It’s a complete adult amusement park. We like to say it’s like Disney for adults!  We will introduce you to something really, really huge where everything happens. This is something that you never will find in a hotel. We say it’s like Alice in Wonderland. I mean you can find everything that your mind can imagine here.

Rob: Danny, how did this start? I mean, who came up with this idea? This is unbelievable!

Danny: Well, the project for Ushuaia started one year ago. The location of this hotel is actually on one of the best beaches on the island of Ibiza. We have the coolest beach clubs located on this part of the island. A lot of celebrities visit this section of Ibiza, which makes it really unique. In the past two years Ushuaia was only a beach club. Then we got the idea to turn it into an Alice and Wonderland experience and the Ushuaia Hotel was born.

Rob: Let’s talk about the stage that you have set up in the hotel’s courtyard area. I understand that you have a stage that’s set up as big as something that you would see at a major international concert. Would you describe how you have this all set up and what kind of productions you’re going to be putting on there?

Danny: Well, Robert, the stage, I have to say, is the soul of the hotel. It’s 20 meters long with a really high roof with an incredible light system standing over the artist.  We book big, big named artists and hold 4,000 people! Everyone is focused in the stage. I have to say this stage is something amazing. It truly is incredible to see all the contrast with the projections, the lights, the artist on stage, the atmosphere that moves around; it makes the place huge and very exciting.

Rob: You know, Danny, in America we don’t really have an understanding of international DJs like you do in Europe.  But, we certainly know who David Guetta is.  I understand that he was at your opening party?

Danny: Yes, we just had David Guetta doing his new album presentation and also a press conference. We also had Luciano who is a really  big DJ in Europe. He’s from Chile, but he’s been in Ibiza since 2009.  Luciano plays more electronic music and is not quite as commercial as David Guetta. In fact, every night we play different types of music.

Rob: So, in other words Monday could be Salsa and Tuesday could be House and Wednesday could be Techno?

Danny: Exactly.

Rob: Okay.

Danny: Also, as I said, live concerts are going to be on the stage.

Rob: Alright, so let’s talk about those concerts. There are so many unexpected things going on at these live concerts. For example, you’ve got a gigantic air-filled marshmallow man that walks through the crowd.  You mentioned earlier that it was sort of an Alice in Wonderland theme and that it’s a Disney World for adults. So, is it your idea to take somebody who’s been working hard throughout the year and just wants to let it go and step into a fantasy world. Is that what the goal is here?

http://youtu.be/LUIacd7CV9M

Danny: Absolutely, Robert. When you pass through the lobby area, you pass into another world. Really another dimension. You will find all the facilities that you expect to have in a 5 star hotel, but at the same time you feel like you are in a wonderland. I mean everything is happening at the same time. We play with the sound, we play with the staff, etc. There are so many little details inside when you are there. As you said, it’s unexpected what happens.

Rob: So you have the ability to have 5,000 people partying outside of the hotel, is that right?

Danny: Exactly.

Rob: How many places do you have for people to sleep? How many rooms?

Danny: In total, we have 236 rooms. Every room has a balcony and a view to the stage.  So, during the events we can really say that every balcony is like a VIP location. So we are talking about having 600 people on the balconies watching the events, plus the rest of the people on the pool deck.

Rob: Obviously, if you’ve got 236 rooms divided by 5,000 people, there’s a lot of people who show up to the party that aren’t necessarily staying at The Ushuaia Hotel. Is that correct?

Danny: That is correct, exactly.

Rob: Can people who are not guests of the hotel come out and join the party?

Danny: Yes. There is enough space for everybody inside the Ushuaia. For the events we create a special area on the poolside where we have the Bali beds. We also have  different levels of  service available.   I mean there is enough room for everybody and  the VIP people feel very comfortable as well. Everything is created to have the comfort, service and fun. We even offer all the service you will have in a club, in a VIP area or on a dance floor. It really is the best of both worlds.

Rob: Danny, take me through the different levels and zones that you have available there. How is it set up if somebody wants to upgrade to a VIP status? I know you’ve got levels and zones. How does that work?

Danny: We have 236 rooms, 42 suites; and 2 of our presidential suites. We also have a unique and original  deal with Pioneer. Since Ibiza is a place for  music lovers, we also allow guests to play music inside the room with an amazing sound system.  And then in the pool area, we create, as I said before, a deck where the VIP customer also has his Bali beds during the day to take the sun. He has restaurant service on the pool as well on the beach where we also have this huge, long beach with really, really, nice furniture that we brought from Bali and at night, the VIP customer has the possibility to book one table in the VIP area or to also book the Bali beds.

Rob: Got it. Okay, so let’s talk a little bit about someone who says,”Okay, this year, honey, we’re not going to Disney World, we’re going to Ushuaia.”  What can they expect in terms of a day to day experience? I’m assuming that during the day isn’t going to be like your opening party. It’s not going to be that crazy. Is that right?

Danny: That’s right. We create a program where the customer wake ups in the morning and has a really, really nice breakfast in a really nice area with chill out music.  So, in the morning there is a DJ playing chill music, maybe some jazz. Over the course of the day we increase the energy and the beats per minute of the music. What we want is that at lunch time the atmosphere is at a point where they start to think about the evening. The women start to think what about what they are going to wear that night.  The Champagne begins to flow. I mean we start to push more of a lunch time pool party vibe. Then, at midnight everything calms down. We stop the outside event and allow customers to go inside. We have space for 200 people to continue in a private group until 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning. But the thing is, Ibiza has a big offering of nightclubs. So, guests normally like to go out. That’s also one thing that we offer with the Ushuaia experience. We will handle the booking of all the tables at other clubs and restaurants for you.

Rob: Okay, I got it. So during the day it starts off with some breakfast, some jazz and as the day goes on the energy shifts, the music is a little bit louder. You start moving people into thinking about the night. The beats per minute of the music increase until it peaks at about midnight and then everything shuts down and you can help them coordinate if they still have enough energy to go to space or different clubs in Ibiza.

Danny: Exactly.

Rob: Tell me a little bit about your restaurant. You don’t just have a great spot in Ibiza. You actually are on the beach. You have beachfront property, is that right?

Danny: Yes. We have beachfront property. I have to say that’s a really nice beach club. We have an international kitchen open from 12:30 midday until 1:00 in the morning. You can have the possibility to have lunch on the sand or directly on your sun beds. We have the best cocktails and mojitos on the island. It’s all on the beach. DJ’s, catwalks parties, it’s all happening. We also have a great spot for customers to come in with their own boat or yacht. We will pick them up and bring them to our beach club to have lunch or to have dinner. The beach club is also a really nice place to create private events like birthdays and weddings. Celebrities love to have events at the Ushuaia because of the level of service.

Rob: When do you open and when do you close for the season?

Danny: We start the season May 1 and close the season at the end of October.

Rob: How can people keep up with the Ushuaia hotel?

Danny: Well, I have to suggest to visit the hotel’s website. We have a great website where you can see all the gigs and all our current videos, parties, etc. Soon, we will even have live cameras to show the rest of the world what’s happening in Ushuaia. Our Facebook fan page has an amazing community manager and is very active. We also have fantastic Twitter updates.

Rob: Well, I can tell you that your community manager “Mar” is AMAZING.  In fact she coordinated this interview with us from front to back!

Danny: Thank you, Robert, thank you.

Rob: Well, Danny, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time with us today. This really was a special treat. I know that you are in the middle of a very active season, so I just want to thank you for carving out a half hour with me today.

Danny: My pleasure, Robert!

I have a secret confession to make. I am completely fascinated by DJ’s. Specifically, the kind of DJ’s that clubs pay $10,000 for someone to spin and bring a crowd. I have never understood how they do what they do. How do they take a ballad and turn it into a dance song? How they move us in a hypnotic trance at the flick of a button? How do they bring us up or down at will?

To answer these questions, I convinced that hottest DJ in Atlanta, DJ Mike B, to sit down with me. DJ Mike is the real deal. He’s been at this a long time and is VERY well respected in this world.

Rather then writing a long blog post, I decided to let DJ Mike B do the talking. This is a long- ish video that covers every thing you ever wanted to know about being a DJ. At the very end of the video, DJ Mike takes me in to his inner sanctum, the DJ Booth, and shows me how it’s done.

To get in touch with DJ Mike B:
Facebook
Twitter
Music (Sound Cloud)

##########

On a different note…Kim and I are trying to decide between Punta del Este Uruguay or Buzios for Xmas week vacation. Which would you choose and why?

Download audio file (JSL-Best-Of-All_Worlds.mp3)

INTERVIEW: Erik Wachtmeister (Best of All Worlds)

Rob: Hey everybody! Welcome to a very special edition of Jetsetlife. Today I have the absolute pleasure of having Erik Wachtmeister on the line. Now Erik is one of the few pioneers of social media, having been the founder of the social networking site asmallworld.net 7 years ago in March 2004 but for those of you who don’t know what A Small World is, I’m going to have Erik give us sort of a quick explanation about it. So Erik, are you there?

Erik: Yes Rob. Thanks for having me this morning in the U.S. and this afternoon in Stockholm.

Rob: Yes, okay that’s right, big time change. So tell me a bit, maybe a quick explanation of what ASW (A Small World) is and I’m just going to refer to it as ASW…it’s asmallworld.net.

Erik: Yes. It’s asmallworld.net or asw.com actually. So, anyway, my background is an investment banker but I’ve had an early passion for the internet when the internet began I guess 15 years ago. I started ASW in 2004, basically 2 years before Facebook went outside the student dorms in the United States. And I started A Small World because I realized there is a strong need from a really, heavily inter-connected group people to further connect with each other and to share trusted information and I sort of lived in the middle of this group because I had a great privilege of very early on being connected to a lot of people, my dad was an ambassador in the United States and so on. It’s a long story but anyway at the same time the worldwide web had become very chaotic, too chaotic and with too much commercial bias, I realized there is a need to create an intimate corner of the worldwide web. I’ve lived around the world all my life which is you know, for over 50 years and I felt a part of this community that was not online, it was offline and I realized how incredibly strong the need was for an interactive platform for these people. Although you’ve got to admit that most people in the internet world have developed an extremely sophisticated front leaders at the time had no clue what I was talking about when I was talking about networking back in 1999 to 2001 and 2002. And so today it’s been 7 years since I launched A Small World, my co-founder and wife Louise and I are about to launch our next venture which is called Bestofallworlds.com.

Rob: Okay….which I want to get into. I want to talk a little briefly about how A Small World got started and what A Small World really is and I understand that you have a very particular background that is different from a lot of people. You sort of eluded the fact that you are born into a diplomatic family, actually are a living and breathing count, which for the States we find fascinating. You have lived in 10 countries. Can you explain sort of how that upbringing helped form your vision and becoming an online social network pioneer? Maybe you can explain that a little bit.

Erik: Sure. I guess to start off I was an offline social networker, not a pioneer but I was a strong offline social networker. I’ve been in global network all my life, both professionally as an international banker working in London, New York, Los Angeles and other places; also as I’ve said earlier my father was an ambassador of the United States and he actually became the dean of the diplomatic court of Washington and was close to President Bush Sr. and it gave me the privilege of meeting a lot of fascinating people at a very early age. And also, I have always been a highly socially connected person and then there’s a need to be professionally connected. So I guess I have strong contacts with many diverse groups of people globally and also strong contacts among people who in turn are huge global connectors and also local mavens or experts. So basically the passion that grew from realizing way before anyone else, that there was this incredible potential to recreate and develop a social breath for millions of people online; and also from being so early, it was exciting but lonely at the same time before we launched because people didn’t understand what I was talking about. But once we launched it, it was incredibly satisfying, just the speed of which the interest in a small group and I was literally doing a major interview a week for a leading a global publication for several years.

Rob: So you know…2001, in internet years, it might as well have been the 1800’s. If we go back in 2001, nobody really understood the concept of what is now known as social media. What do you think it was that gave you an idea to be such a pioneer in this area?

Erik: First of all I started working with the concept already in 1998, full time actually for 2 years but I realized it was a bit early but I realized that my own and other people’s needs to handle large networks was a challenge and I constantly was bombarded with questions of what hotels to stay at, where to eat, somebody needs an architect or they need a babysitter that’s trustworthy so I felt like I’m both a connector and a maven and I wanted to sort of create and optimize the process of these needs and I realize that with the internet there was a huge opportunity to do this.

Rob: So the famous author now, the writer from New York Magazine Malcolm Gladwell talks about these 3 million people separated by 3 degrees of separation or maybe he said 6 million by 6 degrees and I know that was a critical part in your thinking in putting this together. Can you explain a little bit about why you factored that philosophy into this?

Erik: Yes. I lived in this network and Malcolm Gladwell probably referred to the 6 billion people connected by 6 degrees of separation; the Pope and you know a cannibal in Papua New Guinea would be connected by 6 degrees. I always thought that being a little bit of a banker and being a little bit of a math whiz, I like to enjoy numerical metaphors and I thought that what’s more interesting really is that there are 3 million people, give or take a million or two, that are connected by 3 degrees of separation and very few people realize that even today and I think it’s a very powerful notion when you realize that there is a very interesting group of people that has this dense network that makes them extremely relevant to each other.

Rob: I’m sure you’ve heard this a million times before but I’m a member of A Small World and I was on the beach a couple of weeks ago in Cartagena and you know, sitting at the beach watching the sunset with a cocktail in my hands, the three of us that were sitting next to each other were all independent A Small World members who had no idea that we are all even there. We didn’t put it in our global, geo-locator part of the site. So you’re right. It really is a small world. I bet you hear things like that all the time.

Erik: Yeah, for sure.

Rob: So why do you think there is such a strong need for members of ASW to share information? It seems that there is a rather irrational passion when it comes to travel? For example, there could be a thread on A Small World that goes on with 500 responses to, “Tell me what’s hot in St. Tropez this summer.” Why do you think that is?

Erik: First of all, I think the thread tends to be a little more interesting than just focusing on St. Tropez. But I think people like to share inside…you know in inside, intimate groups, people like to share with each other. They enjoy being recognized as experts, mavens and in-the-know and I think this particularly holds true if you’re within an intimate network of people where everybody kind of likes to get to know each other better. So it’s a way of communicating and getting to know each other better and is a form of interaction really; it’s a form of chatting but also getting useful information from each other, and really sharing and giving information. And I think that it’s much more prevalent when you have a network that’s intimate. Just like in a wedding party, people are much more open to each other; you know if you meet Madonna in a wedding, that has rather not too many people, you can probably go up and talk to her but if you go up to her in the street or in an airport, she’d probably be offended.

Rob: So let’s sort of go back to the time when you were involved much more aggressively with A Small World. From the outside looking in, people sometimes view that A Small World demographic has perhaps an elitist group. What are your thoughts on how that demographic is viewed?

Erik: I think it is an elitist group. It was when it started. I mean it started with 500 super connectors that I triggered, where it all evolved, you know invited their friends and so on. And I guess you could call it elitist. It was elitist in the initial year or two. I haven’t really been involved in A Small World since 2008 so I can’t comment on the quality of the members today.

Rob: Okay, if there was a fee for people to be a member of A Small World, which you set up to be free, it was invitation only; do you think that if you have done things differently and charge for it that it would change anything?

Erik: It could have been a good idea. I think it’s a better company move because you risk only keeping a small percentage of the members if everybody has to pay. And I think also it’s important to realize that the willingness to pay doesn’t necessarily correlate for the quality of the members; so you may have a lot of cool people who just don’t want to pay and then you may have some aggressive networkers that are paying to be able to network more effectively. And you know, it may be a bad idea and that’s why I’m a big believer in the freemium model where you have a basic, free access but then you convert hopefully the 10% or 15% of your members that is willing to pay for the various features.

Rob: Alright, so we move forward a little bit. Harvey Weinstein of the Weinstein group comes in; he makes a large investment in ASW and becomes a major shareholder. How did things change when that happened?

Erik: Well, looking back, it was definitely not ideal for the company. I found myself suddenly with a partner who I realized did not share or actually understand my vision. Harvey Weinstein is an absolutely brilliant filmmaker but his company and its staff has no experience or skills on online social media which was a great shame. We were a European company with a European soul and suddenly…I love America, I spent half my life in America but we had a hundred American management team, many who did not understand the product, the members or the market and then I also lost control of the company so it wasn’t an ideal situation.

Rob: So when I run into people around the world that are members of A Small World, there is sort of this lament that I hear in their voice, that it’s, “You know it’s not the way it used to be.” And I often wonder what your thoughts having been one of the pioneers in this company, the founder of the company; you know, how do you view that when you hear that? What are your thoughts on that?

Erik:I mean it’s probably true; I mean I was living, breathing, dreaming A Small World between 2003 and 2007 and less of maybe 2008; I haven’t really been involved since then so it’s probably very true and I actually hear the same thing everywhere I go. And as a consequence…it’s a consequence when a company is not adequately focusing on the users and the product and rather kind of promoting itself to the outside and pleasing commercial interest.

Rob: So there were obviously some conflicting views regarding the vision of the company after Weinstein took over which caused you to take on a much lesser role, which I’m assuming is what led you to create something different. Is that right?

Erik: Absolutely. I mean Best of All Worlds, my new company represents a much bigger vision that A Small World ever was. It has a much broader scope, much more relevant, much more interesting technology because we are 2011 today and not 2004.

Rob: Alright, so this is really why I wanted to do this interview with you. I understand that you are now dedicating all of your passion for this new company Bestofallworlds.com. Could you explain how this new company came to be and maybe just tell me a little bit about the company?

Erik: Sure. The best way so people can understand and remember what it is, is I would say it’s really 5 bullet points:

1. It’s a discovery platform for new people, places and things. Facebook is aggregating the social breath and kind of finding everybody what you’ve ever met or you know, it’s kind of your old network. We’re focusing on your future network.
2. A global melting pot that aggregates people 3 degree networks and people who share similar interests. So it doesn’t necessarily mean that it aggregates people who already know each other but it aggregates people who know each other by 3 degrees or are not connected by 3 degrees but who have the same passions.
3. We’re an aggregator of online activities including your activities on Facebook, your activities on Twitter, on Flicke, LinkedIn, Zing, etc. so we will be at hub where you will be able to get all your feats if you want them; 2 ways where you can get your information, your messages from Twitter and Facebook for instance and where you can post and it will post on to those networks.
4. We are a social operating system with very wide ranging search and matching tools. So if you’re in Geneva on business and you don’t know anybody in Geneva and you’re there for two days, you can actually look in your iPhone and look say within 500 meters, who in my friends of friends’ network who plays tennis is here right now? And you will be able to find out immediately in real time.
5. We’re developing and we will be a platform for diverse global interest groups. So everybody talks about niche groups; so rather than people joining 50 different niche communities and with different log-ins and passwords, they can join Best of All Worlds and they can be part of the hunting group or the new mothers group or fashion mavens or golf players travelling around the world or entrepreneurs; so we will be creating global groups that actually don’t exist today on any other platform. So our mission is really to aggregate the best that’s out there and available online and bringing relevant information such as the best iPad apps, the best iPhone apps; you know there are hundreds and thousands of apps and who knows what apps you want to download but if you can get good ideas from people you trust, I think it’s very helpful. Also movies, music, hotels, house rentals, etc.

Rob: Will travel be the thrust?

Erik: I believe so. It will be one of the cores for sure.

Rob: Because that’s the passion that you have?

Erik: Yeah, definitely.

Rob: Will it be invitation only?

Erik: It will be both exclusive and inclusive. People will be able to join a general area but then we will have private groups and then we will have open groups. So it will actually be inclusive so anybody can register on the site but just like in real life, we will have areas that will be limited where the areas will be governed by the members of those ‘inside groups’ so to speak. So we’re really accommodating everyone in that respect.

Rob: So it’s not like it’s going to replace Facebook or Twitter. It’s going to aggregate it all together.

Erik: Yes, exactly.

Rob: Okay. So let’s talk a little bit on how this company will be built in terms of monetizing. Will it be advertising or will it be PPC ads that people can buy like Google does? How will that work?

Erik: If you look at A Small World, it’s a hundred percent banner ads and email shots. And I find that a bit intrusive to just focus on that because they have too many banner ads and that’s where they get all the revenues from and it may be a bit intrusive especially if you send out emails where you get paid and if there’s a conflict of interest because the email may not be welcomed to the recipient. So we will have traditional banner ads for sure and we will do some email campaigns but we will limit it to maybe a quarter of our revenue model. And the other 3 revenue models will be micro campaigns and local listings; you know where are goal is to get thousands of listings and micro campaigns going for hotels, restaurants, lawyers and other professionals, real estate brokers and other services. The 3rd leg will be a freemium model that we talked about before where we hope to convert let’s say 10% or 15% of the most active users who want to subscribe to additional profile matching, etc. and the 4th leg which could be the largest is really e-commerce and lead generation where we’ll be able to partner up with really great services where we will enable them and make them available to our members either on a white label basis or on a direct basis.

Rob: So when do you expect that invitations will be going out and/or when do you expect that you’ll be going live?

Erik: My best guess will be some time around probably early April.

Rob: Okay, and if people want to get an invitation, is that the kind of thing where they’re just going to have to wait and you’re only going to pick certain people? How does that work?

Erik: Well, it will be both but people can actually log in for early access and you can actually go on today at www.bestofallworlds.com and put your basic information and also you can follow me on Twitter. My Twitter address is Erikww.

Rob: Erik, I cannot tell you number 1, how privileged I consider myself to be to do this interview with you and I just want to thank you honestly and sincerely for taking the time to do this. I am so excited about Bestofallworlds.com and if anybody wants to follow Erik like he just said, I’ll mention it again, his Twitter Erikww, the website is www.bestofallworlds.com. Erik thanks again!

Erik: Thank you Rob, my pleasure.

Imagine, having your own place in Florence, Italy.  That’s always been a dream for Kim and I.   So, when we went to Florence last week we tried to find a place that felt like home, but, because we’re on vacation, also feel like a 5 star hotel.  With just a little research, we found it.  It’s called the JK Place Hotel.  After our stay, it was obvious why Travel and Leisure voted it one of the best hotels in 2010.

I don’t often go nuts over hotels, because I spend a lot of time in them and frankly it takes a lot to impress me, but the JK Place Hotel, completely, above and beyond, impressed me.  It impressed me so much that I asked that manager, Claudio Meli, if he’s was willing to go on camera to talk about it (see above video).

So, what’s the big deal, why is this place so unbelievable?  Oh, let me count the ways.  I generally make my decisions about a hotel before I arrive. I judge them based upon what my ‘pre-trip phone calls’ are like.  I sometimes call a hotel, a half  dozen times before I arrive, to sort through restaurants, night life and cool things to do.  Crazy, I know, but remember we are creating videos and guidebooks and our info just has to be right.  This pre-trip research is my first step.  Needless to say, I’m kind of a pain in the ass about these things.

When I called the JK in Florence,  I was greeted by a warm friendly voice (Lorenzo) who knew who I was (and it wasn’t a jet set life thing) and who was genuinely expecting me.  He really was.  It was kind of like having a very cool friend in Florence, who totally ‘gets’ the vibe you’re looking for and has all the connections to make it happen.

Within 24 hours I had the perfect list of restaurants, night life and cool things to do that were broken down by specific categories (like once in a lifetime, stylish, see and be seen and cozy).  The list was very tight and came with website urls and the name of the people that would be expecting us if we selected it.

After I made my picks from Lorenzo’s list, I called the hotel to book everything.  I spoke with Angela, a lovely soft spoken Italian woman  who was totally aware of what Lorenzo sent me and was sitting ‘on ready’ for me to green light our choices.  Twenty-four hours later, I had every detail of my trip handled exactly the way I wanted.  No begging.  No repeated phone calls like ” who are you again”.  I felt like I was Bruce Springsteen coming to stay with them.  Realize, I haven’t even left America yet!

Now, for the moment of truth.  After the long transatlantic flight from the states, I had to know if this place was for real or did I just get lucky with some really cool people on the phone?  We arrived to one of the most beautiful squares in Florence, Piazza Santa Maria Novella, to a building with no ‘obvious’ hotel sign on it (later I noticed a small nameplate on the wall to the side).  In the JK Place, the only way to gain entry, is to ring a bell.

Within seconds, Lorenzo (in Gucci from head to toe) lets us in.  His first words are “you must be Rob and Kim”, second words were “can I get you a glass of wine and some lunch”?  I was like, this isn’t a dream and there really is a Lorenzo!  He brought us in to a sitting room that was totally hip, sexy and baroque all at the same time.  He didn’t ask for a credit card, or for us to sign anything.  He sincerely wanted us to relax and enjoy our first few moments in our new home in Florence.

Out from nowhere comes what can only be described as an apparition.  A young 20 something, in a butlers apron, with a silver platter of wine goblets and a light amazing lunch.  I asked Lorenzo to join us so we could go over his itinerary.  He stopped everything he was doing and explained every single restaurant, club and event that we had scheduled, with the intellect of a historian and the warmth of a best friend.

After lunch, he brought us into what can only be called the non-check in area.  Imagine a private library, like Batman had, but was totally hip and historical all at the same time.  He gave us a brief tour of the hotel and gave us the keys to our room.  Kim and I were escorted in the hidden elevator (you would never know it’s there;  it’s cleverly hidden behind glass) to room 21.

We opened the door to our room and our heart stopped.  There it was, our own private palazzo in Florence!  Our room had two floors, with a window that opened up to the most amazing view of the  ancient piazza (square) below.  Oh yeah, there was a big bowl of fresh fruit waiting for us, with a beautiful hand written note.

I suppose, I could go on and on talking about how there are only 20 rooms and each one is different, or how the ‘pink room’ is the perfect sexy place to have a cocktail or lunch.  Or how the daily torts will make your eye balls pop out (not to mention your belly).  Or how there are more staff members than actual guest rooms. Or how, on a beautiful day you can lounge on the upstairs private deck and listen to the church bells announce the hour.  Or how from the penthouse bathtub you have a stunning view of Florence’s famed Duomo.  I’ll just tell you to get on the plane, right now, and run to the JK Place (if you’re lucky enough to get in).

My next blog will be about the Italian lifestyle concierge Bravo!, that the JK Place dialed us in to.  They totally hooked us up, with a private behind the scenes guided tour of secret hidden shops in Florence and gave us the keys to places in Chianti that almost no outsiders have access to.

Mark Briggs Before & After Photo

1. How did you get involved in P90X and wind up being in a video working out with Tony Horton?

Everything started for me back in 2002.  Being miserably out of shape, I bought the Power 90 program off of the informercial.  From there, Slim in 6 was my next program.  I ended up being selected as one of the success story winners from Slim in 6, and that won me a trip to Hollywood.  My last night there, I met Tony during a dinner party.  He had just finished running his first test group through P90X, and he told me all about the program.  Tony’s and my personalities just clicked, and we became fast friends.  Not long after, P90X came out and I was among the first 100 beach body customers to go through P90X (which gave me some incredible results).  From there, I attended a few of Tony’s fitness camps, and our friendship continued to grow.  Then, in 2007, he called and told me that Beachbody wanted to cast me in the P90X+ series……the rest was history.

2. P90X is really amassing a cult following – why do you think that is?

Quite simply, because it works.  With all the garbage out there being sold on infomercials, it’s refreshing to have products that actually deliver what they promise.  Every program that Beachbody releases is a winner – and they all give people the results that they are looking for.  What sets P90X aside from most other programs is the intensity.  It’s more challenging than anything else out there – so the results are much more dramatic than anything on the market.  You take an average person, provide them with a detailed diet guide and incredible workouts, and the end result is super-fit ripped people!!  Who WOULDN’T want to do P90X?!

3. Is it true that the P90X series that people are buying is now 6  years old and is still selling like gang busters?  What are your thoughts on that?

P90X rolled out to the public in 2004.  Initially, it didn’t do very well in the test market (except for those of us who were dedicated Beachbody customers, and we KNEW it was a hit).  As more and more people started doing the program and getting exceptional results – more and more people started buying it.  Here we are in 2009, and P90X is the number 1 infomercial in the country.  There are Pro Athletes and celebrities clamouring to get their hands on it, and now THEY are enjoying the results of Tony’s in-home boot camp.  I see it continuing to grow in popularity and it makes me anxious to see some other programs that Tony will follow up with (for it).  With the growing number of people who are now hooked on high-intensity workouts, I can see more programs coming to “raise the level”.

4. What was it like shooting the plus series and what is the best way to incorporate that series into the P90X routine?

It was an incredible experience shooting the X+ series with Tony Horton and Traci Morrow.  Once I turned my fitness around and got REALLY fit, it was a goal of mine to be able to one day be in a video workout with Tony.  To be part of something that has such a positive impact in so many lives was an absolute honor.  The P90X+ series comes with a detailed program guide, so all anyone would have to do is follow the instructions.  Just like the original P90X series – P90X+ delivers the “autopilot” guide to success.

5. P90X is obviously a very aggresive program – would you say that it’s primarily for people that are in good shape already and want to get into great shape?

P90X is not really intended for beginners, but Tony and “the kids” did such a great job of providing modifications, someone that is in less than peak shape CAN get through it.  By the end of their 90 days, they’ll look and feel like a whole new person…..and that’s a beautiful thing.

6. What type of workout do you do when traveling (what sort of equip do you bring with you)?

When I’m traveling, I do P90X workouts.  I always bring resistance bands with me, and I’ve worked out in person enough with Tony that I can come up with a strength, cardio, or flexibility workout on the fly – with no equipment at all.  I’m all about thinking outside of the box, and I always reach for the next higher level (of intensity).  Some of the best workouts I’ve had were at times when I was on the road (and with little or no equipment).

7. Your body is shredded.  Would you mind giving us a sample of your daily diet from start to finish for one day?

Let me start by saying that I no longer count calories, and I don’t measure the amount of food I eat, so these are going to be ballpark estimates on quantities.  ;)   Now, this is just a staple of one day, but I eat very close to the same things on a daily basis.  Breakfast, for example, is always the same for me, and ALL of the ingredients are mixed together.  When it comes to fluid intake, I drink either water (1 liter per 50 lbs of bodyweight), green tea, and occasionally (but rarely) 1 cup of coffee.

Breakfast

• Oatmeal (approx. 1.5 cups)
• Whey Protein Powder (varied brands), 2 scoops, 48 grams of protein
• Creatine Ethyl Ester powder (4 grams)
• Flax seed (2 tablespoons)

AM Snack

• Fruit (apple or banana – any fruit is fine)
• Cliff Energy Bar or Cascadian Farms organic granola bar

Lunch

• 1 lbs of vegetables (varies from day to day)
• (2) Morning Star Vegetarian burgers

PM Snack

• Protein Shake (mixed with water/ice), 2 scoops, 48 grams of protein or Greens Plus Protein Bar
• Cascadian Farms Organic Granola Bar

Dinner

• Bag (1 lbs) of Spinach
• 1 can of Albacore tuna or salmon
• 1 cup of diced tomatos
• 1 cup of Black Bean Pico De Gallo
• Salsa or Balsamic Vinegar

PM Snack

• Shakeology
• 2 scoops of Whey Protein Powder (48 grams of protein)

*NOTE*  I would like to point out that quantities above may vary slightly from day to day based on how I’m feeling.  In time, you will learn to read your body and know if you need to increase or decrease your intake slightly.  On days that I train in double sessions (for example), my food intake is almost always higher – simply because of the additional caloric burn.*

On occasion, if I’m really hungry within that 3 hour window of bed time, I’ll have one additional Protein Shake (always mixed with just water and ice).  Because I eat a Pescatarian diet (fish and veggies), and I do not consume dairy, I supplement quite a bit as well.  Without getting too specific, below is a summary of my supplements:

• P90X Multivitamins
• Flax Oil Capsules
• Thermogenic Fat Burners
• Calcium with Vitamin D
• CLA
• Ginko Biloba
• St. John’s Wort
• Alfalfa (for joints – VERY cheap alternative to Glucosamine/Chondroitin)

8. What is your biggest challenge in maintaining your body?

At this point in the game, it’s pretty easy for me to maintain my body.  I always try to improve on my strength, flexibility, and endurance – but as far as appearance, I’m right where I want to be.  I don’t have too many urges for bad foods anymore, so I’m pretty much on autopilot. I’m walking around at about 5% bodyfat year round – and that’s where I feel the best.

9. Do you have a cheat day? If so, would you mind describing it for us.

I may have a cheat meal every now and again, but it’s been about 8 months since my last one – pizza remains my favorite splurge food, but when I have it, it’s always whole wheat thin crust, loaded with veggies, and no cheese.  Does that really count as a splurge meal?

10. What do you wish that people really “got” regarding the P90X program (or perhaps understood better)?

The fact that it is a lifestyle change.  A lot of people do their first round of P90X and tell me that they had pretty good results, but they didn’t really follow the diet guide.  To really reap the full benefits of P90X, you HAVE to follow the diet guide and workout with as much intensity as you can.  Its not just about looking good, its about feeling good as well.  When you workout and eat clean, every aspect of your life will improve.

Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to share my perspective with you.  Fitness has opened more opportunities in my life than you would believe.  My entire life perspective changed once I found health and fitness – all the way down to my career…..which is now full-time fitness coaching for Team Beachbody.

11) Mark what’s the best way  for people to stay in touch with you?

The best way to get in touch with me is through my blog Mark Briggs Fitness.

###########

On another note, the response to our new product Secrets of Succesful Muses has been incredible! In fact, we crashed the server when we launched the video.

Yes, I know it was a bit racy, but we wanted to get your attention :) If you havent seen it yet go here.

If you haven’t added your name to the Early Alert List do it today, because it’s the only way for you to be eligible for the special deeply discounted 24 hour pricing when we launch on July 16th live from St Tropez.

Want even more details? Go here.

Today we have the pleasure of interviewing Keith Wolf from Virtual Appoint (virtualappoint.com). As many of you know I am a HUGE fan of outsourcing. Keith has taken outsourcing to a whole new level. He has identified (and fixed) a problem that most people encounter when they enter the world of outsourcing- making effective sales calls.

Let’s get right to the interview.

1) Keith, would you start out with a little background about you and the types of things that you have done prior to Virtual Appoint?

Sure, after graduating from the University of Texas, I started my career in market research at Procter & Gamble where I designed research studies to understand the market for various household consumer products. From there I joined Invisalign, where I was the second marketing person hired to join what was then a fledging start-up. The company was founded by two Stanford MBA’s and it went on to help revolutionize modern orthodontics by inventing a product category known as invisible orthodontics. It was at Invisalign that I was first exposed to the cost and efficiency benefits of outsourcing. It was 1999 and outsourcing call centers internationally was still a relatively new concept to most US companies. We were in the middle of Silicon Valley, yet through a combination of our company’s own international operations and outsourcing, we had call centers, manufacturing, marketing, and software development operations in Pakistan, Costa Rica, and Eastern Europe.

Following Invisalign, I studied at Harvard Business School. I vividly recall one prominent venture capitalist who guest lectured on campus saying that he would not invest in a company that did not have an outsourcing strategy. Fast forward 5 years – since business school I have been involved in two other companies that have outsourced everything from bookkeeping to manufacturing.

2) Why did you create Virtual Appoint?

My background has given me a unique perspective on what resources are available for companies that are looking to outsource. But the one service that I had never seen done well was cold calling. The argument that cold calling doesn’t work is an absolute myth. For those who have tried it, I would guess that it ranks up there with death and public speaking as an activity that they fear the most. But there’s no arguing that it works. It’s just a time and numbers game. Most people do not have enough time in the day and/or enough resources to engage in a successful cold calling campaign. Just like with direct mail, the success rate is relatively low on a per call basis, but if you’re smart, have great phone skills, and make enough calls, you will find prospects who value your product or service. Part of Virtual Appoint’s value is that we hire only the absolute best of the best in the industry. Our associates are well educated (most have their MBA’s), speak fluent English, and take the time to really understand a client’s business before we start making calls.

3) Why is outsourcing sales calls with your company different?

Virtual Appoint provides our clients with a higher level of personalized service and expertise in the cold calling market. We do this by not only screening for the best talent, but also by being extremely critical of the nuances of language and accents. Unfortunately, lower end international operations have trained US consumers to be leery of the small time delay before someone says “hello”. And we’ve all had the frustration of speaking with someone who we know is thousands of miles away – it’s impersonal and it’s frustrating. Virtual Appoint’s state of the art IT technology eliminates phone delays and our exhaustive hiring and training process removes the language and accent barriers.

But in these economic times, service is not enough – we’re also significantly less expensive than US-based business development companies. Our management team is US-based, so we’re able to engage our clients directly and understand their needs from a business perspective. But, our international operations give us cost advantages that simply cannot be matched domestically. I do not know of another provider anywhere that will help build your business with a graduate degree caliber staff for as little as $16/hour.

4) Would you give me a thumb nail sketch of how the Virtual Appoint process works?

Sure, the process is actually very simple. First, clients visit our website, where they create a profile and sign up for a block of hours for the month. This takes less than 3 minutes. Within 1 hour the client receives a call or email – whichever the client prefers – from a Virtual Appoint associate who will assess their needs. This typically includes a basic education on the client’s business and an introductory assessment of the project. We then set up a meeting for a comprehensive training where we can really dig into a client’s business and help them devise a plan for the cold call project. This can include generating a target list if they don’t already have one, writing a cold call script, and identifying key points to highlight with the target market. Once the calls begin, the client can log-in to their account at any point to view the results of calls that have been made. The goal of most campaigns is to set appointments for our clients so they can meet face to face with prospects. In those cases, we make an appointment in the client’s online calendar – clients can log-in to virtualappoint.com to view their appointments in real time. At the end of each business day we email clients a full report that highlights how many calls were made, the result of every call, and how many hours they have left in their account. If clients run out of hours, they can visit their online account to purchase more hours at any time.

5) What industries do you serve?

We serve a wide variety of industries – entrepreneurs in a variety of industries, advertising and public relations professionals, financial and insurance companies, internet marketing companies, IT companies, small business owners, the list goes on.

6) Who is a typical client?

Most clients come to us because they are looking for new and efficient ways to reach their target market. In a marketplace that’s being flooded every day with more print ads, more TV commercials, more of every form of advertising marketers can dream up, the need to engage customers in a verbal conversation – to really get in front of customers – is becoming exponentially more difficult. Our clients range from medium sized business owners looking to expand their businesses to independent sales reps who use us as their personal business development department. We really cater our services to our customers’ needs. At the end of the day, we’re in the customer service business – if we can help our clients, we will.

7) Does Virtual Appoint offer other services besides cold calling?

We do and while the cold calling aspect of our business seems to get the most attention because of its uniqueness, our virtual assistant services make up about 40% of our business. Our Virtual Appoint associates help clients with competitive and industry research, writing business plans, submitting expense reports, making travel arrangements, and any other service that does not require our physical presence.

8) What’s the oddest request you’ve received to date?

(laughs) Nothing too crazy yet. As long as it’s legal and in good taste, we’ll take it on. Although we did turn down one request from a prospective client who asked us to manage his Internet dating life. Some things just shouldn’t be outsourced!

9) Do you have plans to expand your service to other countries?

The US market is years from being tapped, but we do have our eyes set on UK, Canada, and Australia. As English speaking countries, they’re logical expansion targets.

10) What’s the best way for people to get in touch with you?

Just log on to Virtual Appoint and all our contact details are right there.

################

If your interested in hearing more on outsourcing you can contact Keith at Virtual Appoint here or you can sign up for our Early Alert list here for our newest product Secrets of Successful Muses. We just finished an amazing interview on outsourcing a full time VA from the Philippines (not India) with John Jonas. It is AMAZING! If you want step to the front of the line and find out when that launches sign up below.

Post written by Robert Murgatroyd. Follow me on Twitter.

One of the many perks of what I do for a living is getting amazing access to some really cool people.  Today’s interview is with Jamison Laguardia, the regional event manager for Playboy Golf in South Florida and the Director of Events & Marketing for Passion Nightclub @ the Hard Rock Hotel in Miami.  Long title, I know, but what it really means is he gets to golf and hang out with Playboy bunnies and celebrities for a living.

1) Before we get into Playboy, I have to ask you about how you wound up on the front page of Perez Hilton’s website?

Yeah, that was interesting!  Basically, I got caught in the crossfire of  the paparazzi and the one and only Lindsay Lohan and her girlfriend, Samantha Ronson, as they were being escorted from their room at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino [in Hollywood, Florida].  I am the Director of Events & Marketing at Passion outside in the club district.  It was really something to see how much interest there is from celebrity to celebrity and who is hot at that time and what kind of pull they have in the media.

Rob: That’s Jaime below in the black suit navigating Lindsey and Samantha safely through the paparazzi.

2) Who are some of the more interesting celebrities that you have booked for the Hard Rock?

In the past  four years I have dealt with Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra (and her boyfriend Rob Patterson), Dennis Rodman (on a weekly basis), DJ AM, Diora Baird (Texas Chainsaw Massacre), Brandy Roderick, Steven Tyler (Aerosmith), Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Dave Navaro, Matt Dillon, Lindsay Lohan, Samantha Ronson, Alicia Keyes, John Legend, Tera Patrick & Evan Seinfeld, Ron Jeremy, Tito Ortiz and Jenna Jameson to name a few.

3) Could you describe for us the process that you go through to book someone, like say a Lindsey Lohan, to appear at one of your events (in other words – is there like a celebrity yellow pages that you refer to)?

There are a handful of agencies and celebrity bookers that I deal with out of LA and NY.  In the celebrity booking business, it is a pretty close circle of people who know the right people and how to get in touch with them.  It’s amazing to see how this kind of hosting job has been created and evolved over the past 8 years.  One of the most famous clubs in Miami in the 90′s called Liquid (which was made famous by owners Chris Paciello, Ingrid Casares & Madonna) had celebrity after celebrity in there every night and no one ever payed them to come in.  They just came to be part of the party to see and be seen like everyone else.  Now, everything has changed.

Once you agree upon the celebrity and the date you then begin coordinating their availability with their management.  Their hours are sometimes extremely tight.  For example, they maybe flying back from Europe, or on their way back to LA or NY and they may have to make a stop over [in Miami] first in order to make it happen.  Transportation issues are next.  Booking flights (class of service), limousines, etc. Then, it’s on to booking hotels for the celebrity.  I have to find out if they are willing stay at the Hard Rock or are they insisting on staying in South Beach.  Basically, it’s all about making sure the VIP is comfortable and happy.

On the day of the event I begin the process of physically getting them to the party. Working with local police and security to make sure they get here safely and with out any problems.  Once they are inside, I can finally relax.  They usually start drinking and then they are on their own.

4) Who was your most demanding celebrity to work with and what was that experience like?

The most demanding and most amount of work has been this latest booking of Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson.  We originally had them booked for Valentine’s Day on Saturday, February 14th.  We spent almost a month promoting the event.  We worked really hard and as a result wound up booking a huge crowd.  On the morning of the 14th, I was reading one of the celebrity blogs on the internet and learned that Lindsey and Samantha had a fight in the middle of the street (just a few hours earlier) in New York City.  I actually thought the fight (and it’s publicity) was great for us, because it would add ‘fuel to the fire’ for our promotion.

Then, I get a phone call at 3 p.m., (they were supposed to arrive at 6:30) saying that they were both “sick” and would not be coming.  I  had to immediately go into damage control.  I had a ton of people (as well as press) coming in to see them that night.  I had cancelled all the arrangements (hotel, flights, etc.) that were made on their behalf.  It was  a lot of work unwinding it all.

We wound up rescheduling the event [to last week] Saturday, March 7th.  Both of them came down (as scheduled) and the party went off without a hitch.  It was fantastic event and they were both really nice girls.

5) Give us the official description of what it is that you do for Playboy Golf?

Well, I’m the regional event manager for Playboy Golf in south Florida.  Playboy Golf is a national tournament that has 25 local tournaments all over the country throughout the year.  During the locals, we partner up with some of the best nightclubs, bars, new liquor, hottest car/limo companies, etc.  We find a golf course, bring in a sponsor for each hole and find golfers that want to have a great time.

6) I understand that you have local girls that want to get involved with Playboy Golf.  Would you explain how that process works?

Sure.  We have a casting for “Girls of Golf” where we invite local girls out to the parties and events and give them an opportunity to get involved with playboy.  At the end of each golf tournament we select 2 girls to win the local “Girls of Golf” and send them on to the Finals at the Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, California.

7) What’s the criteria that you look for to select the two girls that go to the finals?

We’re looking for girls that have a personality and are fun to be around.  I have seen some of the most beautiful girls enter the competition that are uptight and boring and it just doesn’t work.  The golfers, sponsors, playmates and playboy golf staff select the girls by a vote.  The judges need to remember you (especially remember your name) in order to vote for you.  If you are forgettable they simply won’t remember to vote for you.

8) Other than the trip to the Playboy mansion what’s in it for the girls who win the finals?

Well, the girl who wins the competition gets two things.  First, she get a test shoot for Playboy magazine and second the possibility to become a playmate (and of course an all expenses paid trip to the Playboy mansion).

9) Describe your first experience visiting the Playboy Mansion (in other words what was it like in relation to what you thought it was going to be like)?

I tell everyone that the only way to describe it is whatever you think it is from what you have seen on TV and read about- double it- it’s so much better.  I’ll say this – every man has a check list (a bucket list) of everything that they want to do in their life – have a motorcycle, go skydiving, bungie jump, GO TO THE PLAYBOY MANSION.  Once you go for the first time, it’s like, OK, I get to check this one off, because I’ll never beat this.

10) What’s the experience like at the Playboy Mansion and are the parties as wild as I think they are?

They don’t let you drive to the mansion.  You have to take a bus from the Hotel Roosevelt.  It takes about 20 minutes to arrive at the mansion gates.  The anticipation is kind of  like when you were a kid in junior high school going to your first party with girls and no parents around.  Only at this party, there are girls walking around naked, with an open bar, and people having sex in front of other people in the grotto while you’re hanging out with celebrities, getting hammered and pretending that they’re your new best friend.

In other words…

It doesn’t suck

###########################################

Follow Rob and Kim in real time here

_

This is the final continuation of Part I where Tim Ferriss called – to wish me a Happy Birthday – a part of my wife, Kim’s, diabolical plan and birthday gift to me.

[Note- This phone call was a total shock and surprise and came completely out of the blue for me. I was caught literally and figuratively with my pants down. I had absolutely nothing at all to write with and as a result I have to rely totally on my memory. That being said- It was kind of hard to forget. I'm going to write this as a dialog between the two of us- it is NOT word for word- and is my best memory -see above.

I'll pick it up where I left off in Part I "Rob, you have a phone call"......

Rob: Hello?

Tim: Hi, is this Robert?

Rob: Yes.

Tim: This is Tim Ferriss. How are you? Your wife has worked very hard and arranged this phone call for your birthday. Happy Birthday!

Rob: Are you kidding me? Is this really you? [I did a lot of that...]

Tim: Yeah, it’s really me.

Rob: This is unbelievable. Thank you so much for calling- I can’t believe my wife was able to pull this off!

Tim: She is very resourceful and she made it happen.

Rob: [Are you ready for the most brilliant thing you ever heard anyone ask...] What are you doing?

Tim: I’m lying on the floor in my house in San Francisco talking with you.

Rob: [At this point I rambled a lot]. It seems that you and I are traveling in the same circles. I was in Punta del Este the same week you were. In fact I was e-mailing your assistant Amy (after reading your post looking for a place to stay in Punta) trying to help you find a place to stay.

Tim: I actually remember that specifically.

Rob: Also, I just got back from Greece filming for Jet Set Life and we where on the same island just a few weeks apart. In fact, I ran into someone who worked with Donnie Deutsch in Manhattan and we were disusing your interview.

Tim: Yeah Greece was a lot of fun.

Rob: [I relayed my story about ASW and his phone call happening at the same time from part I] It’s like synchronicity- my two major goals I set in Punta on New Years eve happen within 5 minutes of each other on Sept 17. Weird.

Tim: Yeah. Carl Jung wrote a great book on synchronicity you should check it out.

Rob: Ok I will.

Tim: Your wife had asked if you could interview me for your blog.  I really don’t do this – but – I will if the following three conditions are met.

1-  You could only ask me three questions.

2-  The questions could not have been asked before and have to be interesting.

3-  The questions have to be asked right now.

Tim: Are you game?

Rob: I’m game- let’s do it!

Tim: What’s your first question?

Rob: Is there anything that you put in your book The Four Hour Work Week that you regret in retrospect?

Tim: [Thinking for a few minutes...] No, I can’t think of anything I regret there are a few typos that need to be corrected but that’s really about it.

Rob: OK next question. What’s the biggest downside to your new found celebrity?

Tim: That’s a good question- I haven’t been asked that one either. Well, I would say getting better at saying NO. I would also say having to filter out false friends.

Rob: Interesting. Ok next question. I saw your interview with Donnie Deutsch on the Today Show and I couldn’t help but notice that he was really intense with you and gave the 4HWW philosophy a real hard time. What do you wish that Donnie would have just ‘gotten’ from you that he just wasn’t ‘getting’? And, as a follow up what was it like when the cameras went off.

Tim: Well, I wish that he understood that growth is not the only measure of the value of a company. There is more than one metric to measure a business other than if it is going up or down. There are many ways (and metrics) that I use to determine a businesses success. Is it serving my life? Am I happier? Is my life better for it etc.  As far as what happened when the camera went off. It actually went very well. Donnie is very supportive of his friends and a really great guy. He was incredibly gracious to me. In fact, the producers of The Big Idea (his show) called me to be on a few weeks later. So it’s all good.

Rob: Well. I guess that’s my three questions.

Tim: Ahhh, that went fast. You can ask me a couple more.

Rob: [Forgive this next one] Have you ever looked at our site Jet Set Life?

Tim: Yes, I have.

Rob: Is there any advise you would give me?

Tim: Yes. I would focus more on offline media. Offline media appearances and PR are excellent for driving traffic online.  It’s less expensive than pay-per-click and adds credibility to anything web-based.

Rob: Which offline media [exactly] do you mean?

Tim: There’s a great book in the Author 101 series by Rick Frishman that spells it out for you very easily.

Rob: [I felt really long winded at this point] Tim, I just want to thank you for doing this, but more for the work that you’re doing to change people’s lives. I’ve seen it not only in my own life, but also in the lives of my friends. You really are making a difference.

Tim: That made this whole phone call for me, Rob. That was really nice for me to hear. Thank you!

Rob: So, there it is. That was kind of the essence of the call. He was everything and more that I hoped he would be. He was very gracious and undeniably intelligent. He continues to inspire and motivate me to eliminate work for works sake, seperate what I do for money and what I do with my life and helps me fill the void in a meaningful way.

##########

Follow Rob in real time here.

Every once in a while something happens that makes you say Holy Sh** Balls! This is the first of a two part post. Part I will cover “You’ve been invited to A Small World” and part II will cover “Tim Ferriss is on the phone”. As you’ll see the two are strangely linked together in some sort of weird cosmic way. Here’s part I:

Kim and I were taking a mini-retirement to Punta Del Este to shoot this video for Jet Set Life. It was New Years Eve morning and we were having our breakfast on the outside veranda of this great Posada on the ocean in La Barra. We were chatting it up with a few people (who were part of a group of 500 that were flown in from Manhattan to attend the wedding of a very wealthy Argentinian business man’s daughter) and they were asking us if we were going to the ‘A Small World‘ private party tonight (they must have thought we were part of the wedding entourage). I said “No, we’re not going but what’s ASW?” After obviously (but unknowingly) outing myself I received sort of vague and cryptic answers from that point on about what ASW was and how it worked. From what I was able to piece together from Wikipedia (after a short and very jealous rage which was followed by a brief pity party) was that ASW was an ‘exclusive-invitation only online social network that included people with large personal networks, frequent travelers, highly active personal lives, royalty, film directors, and musicians to name a few. Also, that only some members have the right to invite others and you are not allowed to discuss the inner goings-on of a small world on any website, and doing so may result in internal exile to “A Big World“.

*My C.Y.A.(cover your ass) Disclaimer- It is NOT the intention of this post to talk any further about this secret society except to say “I wanted in”!

After my privileged new friends had moved on (to presumably some other ‘in the know’ spots in Punta) I sat with my ‘large world’ , the ocean and my thoughts for a few minutes. Then, I decided- why not me? I grabbed a cup of coffee, my favorite pen, my moleskin notebook and listed out my intentions for the coming year. I’m a fan of the Zen Habits site who teaches you to focus on just a few goals you really want and focus on making them happen. So, I set just two clear goals for 2008.

Goal 1- Get invited to A Small World

Goal 2- Meet Author Tim Ferriss

Well,10 months had past since setting those goals and absolutely nothing had happened. I had literally met and asked 10 ASW members (which I’ve met on my travels for Jet Set Life) for an invitation and regularly received the same answer- “wish I could help you but I don’t have any invitations to give”. As far as meeting Tim Ferriss was concerned it seemed that the closest I was getting to him was the 17 copies of his book I had on my desks (home and office), ipod, Amazon Kindle and iPhone (to name a few) and his egg video on you tube. It seemed that no matter how hard I ‘pushed’ – Nothing!

It was “wine Wednesday” (a weekly ritual that Kim and I have to celebrate the middle of the week with a great bottle of wine) and it was also the day after my birthday. My executive assistant had called to let me know that I only had one e-mail to handle that wasn’t covered by my rules (I really do practice what I preach and have a sub assistant in India and an executive assistant in North America to process my in-box). There was one message saying that I received an invitation to a small world. From who, where, why, how???

As it turned out there was a really great guy that had been following Jet Set Life and just thought we should be invited. It was as simple as that. No pushing, no begging, just a nice guy that said ‘I’m happy to do it for you’. Talk about the universe giving you what you ask for. Goal 1- Accomplished. Boom. Just like that! Maybe those crazy hippies in the Secret were on to something. Ok, so you may ask “What’s that got to do with Tim Ferriss?” I’m getting to that- right now.

With my new ASW invitation in my hot little hand- I tucked my daughter Demi in for the night (as is my daily alternating daddy duty- Kim gets the reverse nights) and I hear the phone ringing in the background. Kim answered it and I jumped into the little boy’s room. The next thing I know a swat team opens the bathroom door (it was really just Kim but in my defense there was a lot of commotion) and announces ‘you have a phone call’ (with this sort of sh** eating grin) and hands me the phone. I gave here a weird lingering slow motion eye squint followed by a quizzical stare as if to say this couldn’t wait 8 more seconds for me to come out of the bathroom (did the person on the other end of the phone really need to hear me flush- a fact that later will turn out to be most embarrassing).

I said, “Hello?”… “Robert?” said the voice on the line. “Umm Yes.” I replied. “This is Tim Ferriss Happy Belated Birthday!”…..

Are you F&*%$ kidding me! It seemed that Kim used her magic girl powers to make this happen (which BTW she’s still not telling me- or you- how she did, so don’t bother asking her). Two random goals completely ‘unrelated’ to each other happened in the span of just five minutes. Synchronicity? Who cares! It happened and I am forever grateful to ALL the powers that played a role! What proceeded was an amazing phone call from an incredible man who is truly changing people’s lives. In my next post I’ll tell you how the phone call went.

Part 2 Teaser Alert….Kim had asked if I could interview him for this blog. In true Tim Ferriss fashion he said he doesn’t give interviews to bloggers -but- he would make a special exception, as long as the following three conditions were met:

1-  I could only ask three questions.

2- The questions could never have been asked before and must be interesting.

3- The questions must be asked right now i.e. (I wasn’t allowed to schedule it when I was better prepared- recall the above ‘I was just in the bathroom story’).

Let’s just say it was an experience I’ll never forget….to be continued…..

Now, I’m off to New England for a few days to see what autumn really looks like….

##########

Follow Rob in real time here.

1. Where did you grow up and who influenced you most in your formative years ?

I grew up in a lot of cities around Europe because of my father’s job. My father had a really big influence on me. He taught me how international business has to be managed and all the difficulties that comes with globalization and all the benefits that you can take from it. He also taught me that business is seen and developed differently considering where you live. I learned how important it is to keep that in mind when dealing with world wide clients because the trends that inspire them, their needs and their expectations radically differ from place to place.

2. When Americans think of Monaco we see a fairy tale land of royal families, castles, Grace Kelly and James Bond, how does our view differ from a locals’ perspective of Monaco?

Monaco is a magical world for a lot of people around the globe. It symbolizes a luxurious lifestyle, the jet set, the royal family, the Formula One Grand Prix and of course a great history with Grace Kelly and Prince Albert. The principality attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists throughout the year. Actually, living here all year long these elements become quite normal and just a part of everyday life. The Monegasque experience is totally different if you are a tourist or a local. People living in Monaco have their favorite spots when dining or chilling time comes. We all know each other and visit each other without even paying attention to the glamorous environment that the tourist or foreigners see on TV. As I said, it is totally normal to see a Ferrari or a Bentley at every street corner, meeting Lewis Hamilton or Michael Schumacher or even contemplating the most sumptuous yachts on the port all year long.

[Note from Rob: Monegasque is a romance language and a dialect of the modern Ligurian language, which is spoken in Monaco.]

3. How is living in Monaco different from living elsewhere?

Well, Monaco is located on the edge of Europe and across the Mediterranean and is synonymous with luxury, perfect weather and a certain lifestyle that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It’s just a very special place that attracts a lot of new potential citizens every year, because unlike other tax havens Monaco is associated with a very specific image. Once you’ve lived in Monaco it will never be the same as living in Switzerland or Andorra for example.

[Note from Rob: Monaco attracts high net income people such as movie stars, athletes etc. to become residents of the Principality in order to benefit from personal income tax exemption. Also, you may never have heard of Andorra but it should be on your list of countries to visit. It's located in the North East portion of the Pyrenean mountain range which separates France and Spain. The key attraction is it's tax haven status.]

4. I understand that there are a lot of economic advantages (you mentioned a tax haven) to being a citizen in Monaco, could you explain further?

Sure, Monaco is famous around the world for its image of a tax haven. In effect, the residents of the principality can enjoy no income tax, no tax on large fortunes, no local tax, no housing tax and no tax on property gains.

Moreover, in addition to the strong fiscal advantages, Monaco offers an exceptional living environment thanks to its security (1 policeman for every 100 citizens- the highest rate worldwide) and personal safety features combined with a very well-managed health and educational systems, an outstanding infrastructure for travel and transport and many cultural and sporting events such as the Formula One Grand Prix, the Tennis Master Series and the World Music Awards.

5. How would you describe the Jet Set side of Monaco?

From the beginning, Monaco has known how to mix all the ingredients for an exceptional Jet Set lifestyle; perfect year round weather, safety, famous casinos, 5 stars palaces, world-known nightclubs and last but not least the name Monaco has become a brand in it self that exemplifies Jet Set.

Unlike other well known Jet Set places like Saint Tropez or Sardinia, celebrities can be seen all year long in the principality and that is due once again to the fiscal policy present here. Very wealthy people obviously prefer to live and save their money in a no tax country so it is very common to see the top celebrities and the millionaires from all around the world in the same shopping mall or at the supermarket as you. It is just part of everyday life.

50 shooting his video in Monaco for "Window Shopper".

Hugh Hefner and Playmates in Monaco

6. Would you describe some Jet Set parties and events you have attended in Monaco?

Monaco [as well as the French Riviera] are hosts to numerous jet set parties and events year round. For example, I was invited to the 50 cent pre-party prior to the World Music Awards at Zebra Square (which is a very famous and prestigious lounge bar in Monaco). There were lots of other celebrities in attendance (like Akon and Ciara ) which really made that night very, very special. The after party was fantastic too because most of the performers from the show were invited to “Jimmy’s” (one of the most famous nightclubs in the principality) and I got an opportunity to party with G-Unit, Mika, David Guetta and Avril Lavigne.

I was also invited last summer to the Armand De Brignac Jay-Z  official party organized by the famous Champagne brand  and to the P. Diddy party in Cannes at VIP ROOM during the film festival. I can assure you that these parties are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. The atmosphere, the organization and the people present make them truly unique.

[Rob: Armand de Brignac is the name of an ultra luxury high end Champagne brand that's sold in opaque metallic bottles and is identifiable by a distinctive gold bottle with a pewter Ace of Spades label. You can see it in the climactic scene of Jay Z's video for "Show Me What You Got".]

Mickael with 50- World Music Awards

Mickael with- G-unit DJ

Akon and Ciara-WMA

Mickael and David Guetta

7. There seems to be a certain circle of hot spots that Jet Setters are traveling to around the world- what do you consider to be the 5 hottest destinations now and why?

In my opinion, a hot spot for jet setters has to combine awesome parties where you can see and be seen, a big number of celebrities present, but also a bit of privacy, along with a luxurious environment and outstanding service.

So this would be my ranking :

1)    Saint-Tropez (the choice was very difficult but Saint-Tropez is definitely still number 1: no summer without hearing about Diddy’s or Jay-Z’s famous parties)

2)    Barbados

3)    Santorini

4)    Dubai

5)    Marbella

8. What would you consider to be the next most up and coming jet set destinations that’s all the buzz in your world?

From having heard a lot about it in the past year and having received very positive feedback from my friends who already went there, I would say that Hvar in Croatia is definitely becoming the New Saint Tropez. Celebrities really like this island because it actually manages to keep an authentic landscape with well managed infrastructure and building construction that preserves the fabulous nature present there. In addition, Hvar allows the Jet setter to organize really big and awesome parties in a very private way (in contrast to the French Riveria as an example). My feeling is that celebrities just feel much better in Croatia because of the high privacy the island can procure for them.

9. What is your company Quintessentialife?

Quintessentialife is an ultimate luxury goods finder. We are here to save your precious time by fulfilling your most extravagant luxury goods needs. We know that you are busy men and women, so why not let us take charge of your luxurious lifestyle wishes? The company has built a large web of partners and suppliers all over the world in order to assure that you are receiving your dream goods in the shortest of time possible. We believe you deserve uniqueness, so if your wish is a unique mobile phone, a diamond encrusted car, an exclusive platinum watch or whatever other uncommon luxury good, send us an inquiry on www.quintessentialife.com and we’ll find the one unique piece that best corresponds to you because for us, real luxury is exclusivity.

10. How did you get started as a Jet Set Concierge?

I would call myself more of a luxury goods finder. Being in Monaco and traveling around the world in hot spots like Dubai, meeting wealthy people, talking with them about their needs and wishes and analyzing the worldwide trend showing that the number of millionaires and billionaires keeps increasing year after year. I’ve decided to launch this company because I really saw a market for the services provided. Moreover, in analyzing the competitors already on the market I figured out that most of them were basic concierge services. Quintessentialife is more than that. We are specialized in finding uniqueness, exclusivity, because you surely don’t want to see your neighbor having the same watch or car you just bought for hundreds of thousands dollars.

11. Would you describe how a transaction works with your company?

People who are interested in having unique and exclusive luxury goods send me their inquiries through our website. As an example, they may want a watch encrusted with a special sort of diamond or maybe luxurious designer furniture for their villa or something along those lines. I then consult with my contacts around the world and begin searching for the items that best correspond to my clients needs. The next step is for me to send my propositions to the client (after fully analyzing them) and he just has to tell me if one corresponds to his needs to conclude the deal.

12. Describe your ideal client?

The most important thing for me is to find the goods that will make my client completely happy and satisfied. So, my “ideal client” would be someone who has a clear idea of what he wants. Of course, we can advise him on the current luxury trends around the world but in my experience to have a fully satisfied client you must have a precise and clear inquiry.

13. What is the most difficult request you’ve had from a client (and were you able to fulfill it)?

The most difficult request was definitely a Bentley Continental GTS with a gold roof. The technology was just launched and the suppliers were very difficult to find. Today, in the streets of Moscow or Dubai, you can see a few cars with gold roofs or doors but a couple of months ago these cars were non-existent. We did succeed in finding a supplier in Germany who made it for us and the client was really happy because he was one of the 3 people worldwide to possess this kind of good.

14. Do you have clients worldwide (or just in Monaco)?

Most of my clients are from the BRIC group of emergent countries: Brazil, Russia, India and China and also from the Middle East and Dubai. These countries are the ones that have shown the biggest increase in their number of millionaires in the last decade.

15. What aspects of your business are outsourced and which parts do you handle personally?

Of course, as you understood,  since I cannot be in America, Asia, Middle East and Europe at the same time to search by myself- most of the research is handled by my partners all over the world in order to find the piece that best corresponds to the client’s needs. Also,The IT portion of my business will be very soon outsourced to India.”

16. Would you say that being based out of “Jet Set Monaco” has assisted your company’s growth? If so how?

Definitely.  In this business, the network you build is the most important factor in getting new clients, meeting trusted suppliers and finding new partners- as well as discussing new and emerging luxury trends. So, being based out of Monaco (and the French Riviera in general) gave me the opportunity to meet all these affluent people from all over the world and build important networks. Moreover, when dealing with luxury goods- having a “Monegasque etiquette” definitely gives you a lot of credibility.

17. I understand that you are currently living abroad in Bangkok. What types of technology are you using to leverage your business (for ex. Skype, E-lance, etc)?

I am indeed currently living in Bangkok until January. South East Asia is booming and as you can imagine, the demand for luxury goods keeps increasing. Basically Skype is my best friend to leverage my business from all over the world. I have to spend hours phoning clients and suppliers in order to be sure that the goods will completely match the client’s wishes. Of course, being able to send and receive emails is crucial for me, that’s why I have been using the blackberry services for a couple of years because that gives me the opportunity to be online 24/7.

The accounting side is outsourced in Mumbai, India. I’m planning to also outsource to India the management of my website and email server because as we all know, Indian workers are reputed for their high skills, rapidity to work and perfect results in these domains. I can assure you that these guys are doing a really good job and are available for you and your business day and night.

18. Are you a member of ASMALLWORLD and if so how has it helped you with your company?

I do have an account on ASMALLWORLD. This network has brought and I’m sure will continue to bring, a lot of good things for me and Quintessentialife. Besides the fact that I can obviously talk about the company and find new clients through the network- ASMALLWORLD gives me the chance to find trusted partners and suppliers. I can follow the trends of the luxury industry and check out what business concepts are emerging throughout the world and of course make new friends that will become potential clients.

19. How has ASMALLWORLD helped you with your company?

Just to give you an example, I wanted to find the best way to advertise Quintessentialife in Kazakhstan (which has seen its number of millionaires increasing a lot in the last few years thanks to the petrodollars) having no connections in that country I decided to post a thread on the ASMALLWORLD business forum. The answers I received helped me greatly to set up an advertising strategy. The best thing with this network is that the people are very serious and trusted- so real information can be sought and exchanged and real partnerships can be set up.

20. What do you see for the future of Quintessentialife?

In the business of luxury goods, the satisfaction of the clients is of the utmost importance to me. In fact, if someone is fully satisfied with our services (they will without any doubt) tell their entourage that Quintessentialife is a trustworthy company and by consequence bring the company new clients and markets. So, with the increase of the demand for luxury goods we have noted in the last few years, I’m sure that the company will grow more and more- month after month. I want it to become an unavoidable actor of the luxury goods industry.

########

Feel Free to contact Mickael here.

We all know about outsourcing to India, Croatia etc., but what we don’t know is who is on the other side of the phone, instant message or e-mail. Maybe it’s not that important to some, but after beginning my quest to outsource my muse, I got to thinking- who is this guy in India that’s up at 2a.m. working on my stuff? Where does he hang out? Does he watch Bollywood movies? The following is an interview with Bhupendra Singh Kunwar (yes, I can say it and no, he doesn’t call himself Tom Smith).

Where do you live?
I live in New Delhi, India

Are you married? Kids?
I’m single.

Please describe your background and training?
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Arts and Humanities, as I had a deep interest in web design and programming. I do not hold any degree/certificate in Computer Education. I learned through my experiences over the last 6 years.

Do you own your own company or work for someone else?
I am somewhere between the above two categories. I have been employed (with other companies) for the past 5.5 years but since April of this year, I’m self-employed and plan to open my own company in a couple of months.

Do you use any other companies other than e-lance for work? If so which ones?
No. Apart from e-lance, I work on my own projects.

What type of projects do you enjoy working on?
I enjoy projects related to S.E.O., Web Development (PHP based) and Web Designing.

Would you say that you could earn a better living working through companies like e-lance, than you could by working for Indian companies?
Definitely, workplaces like e-lance certainly give more earnings than working for a typical computer company in India. In addition, you have the choice to do the projects you like [with e-lance].

Do you find yourself working odd hours so you can communicate with those in the US?
Yes, due to different time zones, I have to work odd hours especially with buyers in the US. We can communicate by email to avoid odd-hour working, but at times instant messaging/chat is essential for the quick and smoother delivery of projects. Nonetheless, I feel more comfortable working late at night than I do in the day hours.

Do you work out of your home or in an office building setting?
I work from home.

When a client awards you a job, do you do the work yourself or do you delegate it to other people?
In 90% of the cases I do the job myself. If I feel overloaded, I’ll get some help from others.

Which country provides you with most of your work?
The U.S. and U.K.

When working with Americans what do you like most and what do you like least (be honest)?
Like the most: Clarity in communication and quick payments
Like the least: Not very concerned about quality (perhaps they aren’t aware that things could be done better) and it seems that they are technically less skilled (which sometimes results in me having to explain every bit to the buyer through long emails, charts, diagrams etc.).

What language is spoken in your home?
Hindi.

What languages do you speak?
English & Hindi.

I understand that English is widely spoken in India- what would you say are the biggest obstacles (if any) when communicating in English to Americans?
When it comes to written communication I don’t feel that there are any obstacles, but when it comes to voice communication (like talking with an American over the phone) the different accent of the Americans does influence and cause an obstacle at the early stages.

I notice that Indians adopt American names- what’s your feeling on that practice?
Yes, it’s true that Indians adopt American names. The good part of this practice lies in the fact that Indian names are difficult to pronounce or spell for the American or British people. In fact, the names of several places within India were changed during the British rule for that very reason. I have also observed that many Indians who migrate to the United States adopt similar American sounding names. In principle, I do not favor this practice and never have “changed my name”.

Would you sketch out a typical day (just the every day stuff)?
My day generally begins at 10 am
11 am:           Breakfast at the dining table

11.30 am:      My work hours start

2.30 pm:        Lunch at the dining table

3.30 pm:        Back at my work table

6.00-9pm       Break from work- with family/out for a walk/television

9.30 pm         Dinner at the dining table

10.30pm – 2.30 am      Second work shift

On the last Saturday night out, where did you go? What did you do?
On Saturday [or weekends] I’m generally with friends, out for a movie or maybe at a bar/restaurant. Though, I don’t drink, I do enjoy the company of friends and the chit-chat. If there is any long weekend or holiday, I may trek out on a Himalayan tour.

Trekking on a Himalayan tour?
I love trekking through the Himalayas. Photography being my other passion, it gives me double pleasure to conquer the treks and capture the unspoiled beauty of nature through my camera. Some of the treks I would like to visit again include the world famous Valley of Flowers and Auli (Skiing destination). Other favorite Himalayan encounters include boating in the grand Nainital Lake and rafting over the Holy Ganges. You may find the photos that I collected during my journey at here (Except for the album titled “Member’s Contribution”, I own all other albums to my credit on this website).

Do you get together with friends and watch sports? If so, where do you watch the games? At home? At a bar? Which sports do you like?
I do get together with friends on weekends [I normally avoid watching sports] but when I do- I prefer watching Cricket at a bar.

Do you enjoy watching Bollywood movies and if so what’s your favorite movie and who is your favorite male and female actors?

Yes, I do watch Bollywood movies.

My favorite movie is: “Rang De Basanti”.
Favorite Actor: Aamir Khan
Favorite Actoress: Tabbu

Last year there was a big political controversy when the American actor Richard Gere had a public kiss with an Indian Actress? What was the talk like in India and what are your personal thoughts on it. It’s a silly question I know, but there is just such a broad difference between American and Indian social cultures that I thought it would be interesting to hear thoughts from a local.

This controversy was bricked politically while it hasn’t gathered any special attention from the general public. The issue was highly raised and objected by some of the political/social groups to gather unnecessary attention.

Personally, I see it no more than propaganda to make a mountain out of a molehill. Though, I am also a conservative Indian, but I don’t see it as objectionable to make a controversy out of it. There were times when people used to object to girls wearing jeans and mini skirts in India!

What’s your favorite American import i.e. Hollywood movies, Coca Cola, etc.
My favorite American import is my Intel powered PC.

Are there any other projects you’re working on now (outside of what you do with e-lance) that you would like to share?
I am planning to launch a B2B travel portal in India which will offer services to travel houses, tour operators and the hospitality sector to e-nable them, making the use of Internet to reach directly to their customers/prospects. Currently, the tourism and hospitality sectors in India hugely rely on travel agents (most of whom operate offline).

Besides this, I am the founder of a regional community website euttaranchal which offers information about Uttarakhand (a Himalayan state in India) and connects the people of the state worldwide through this platform. The website has been running since 2003 and offers completely free matrimonial services as well.

Lastly, would you give us a lesson in Hindi and teach us how to properly pronounce your Indian name?
Sure. Bhupendra could be pronounced as:

Bhu as Bhoe (pronounce it similar to Shoe)
pen as “pain”
dra as dra in “hydra”

My Family calls me Bibu (Bi as Bee & bu as boo)
My Friends call me Bhupi (Bhu as Bhu in Bhupendra & pi as pea)

What’s the best way for someone to get in contact with you?
The best way is through my personal website www.bhupendrakunwar.com

#######

I thought you might find this interesting as well. It seems that even Snoop wants “in” on India. Check out his new bollywood video- Snoop goes bollywood…

#######

On another note. We have been receiving a lot of requests for blog interviews. We will be doing only five (as it’s not easily scalable) if you’re interested please send us an email to heyjetset@gmail.com or you can leave a message here.