I woke up on Saturday to some tragic news. Frank Amadeo, the president of Estefan Enterprises, passed away after suffering a heart attack on Friday night. He was 57 and in good health. When Emilio became a partner at L’ATTITUDE LLC, I became close to the family, but my working relationship was primarily with Frank. He ran everything from their entertainment company to their hotels and restaurants. I never saw Emilio without Frank being there by his side, making sure everything was perfect. He was a nice man and an immensely talented business person. This past Thursday, Frank and I spoke about organizing an intimate dinner at Emilio’s with a select group of Latino influencers. He was energetic and enthusiastic about what we were building together with L’ATTITUDE. The Estefans are devastated and so am I. Frank Amadeo lived an extraordinary life. He was like family to the Estefans, he worked with celebrities, attended the most prestigious events and went places most people could only dream about… and just like that, he is gone. It is a sobering reminder that everything is replaceable except our health. Sol Trujillo and I agreed that we would dedicate 2021 to the memory of Frank Amadeo. Stay safe and please be nice to one another.
Almost everyone, including Democrats, were expecting last Tuesday’s midterm election results to heavily favor Republicans. Many predicted a “red wave” where they would pick up 50-60 seats in the House and 3-4 in the Senate. Joe Rogan said the red wave that is coming will be like the elevator doors opening in the horror film The Shining.
When we invited Gary Vaynerchuk to NAHREP at L’ATTITUDE in 2021, I was mostly relying on input from others. Several members loved his content, but the little I saw online left me underwhelmed. However, I thoroughly enjoyed his presentation at our event, particularly his comments about toxic employees, which he says to dump with impunity.
Selling during a downturn required a more strategic approach, but the opportunities for growth and expansion are available to the savviest of companies. Here are some of the best ideas I’ve read about.
A farmer and his son had a beloved stallion who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away and their neighbors said “Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!”. The farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.” A few days later the horse returned home, leading a few wild mares back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out “Your horse has returned and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!” and the farmer replied, “Maybe so, maybe not. We’ll see.”