Advertisement one, with all the details.
A small business conference was my dear wife Karen’s assignment Thursday afternoon for the Syracuse Media Group, the company that was born from the big daily.
As I was sharpening comments right here, Karen called. She suggested I drive downtown to the Oncenter and take a walk through the aisles. There were plenty of folks I know in the booths, she said.
Indeed. Smart idea from my dear wife again. This was a place filled with people working hard to make sure what they did kept up with what the world wants. Yes, I could relate.
As soon as I entered SOHO The Small Business Show, I shook hands with Steve Becker of Premier Promotions. He’s the guy whose company handles public relations and marketing and fund raising and much more for this networking event and others, similar and not. I’ve known Steve for 30 years. Back in the day, he was a DJ by the name of Stereo Steve who rocked Syracuse on the big station.
A couple aisles over, Kathleen McCormick and Juli Cardinale were packing up banners for the Syracuse Chiefs Triple-A baseball team. I stopped to chat with my two good friends and former colleagues at the big daily. The sales and marketing and group sales director of the Chiefs, respectively, they were both smiling widely as I described my bloggers wager with Beth of Ann Arbor pitting Syracuse against the Toledo Mud Hens.
Kathleen wants to link to posts to the team’s social media page. Please, do.
The Chiefs won Thursday night to take first blood in our series, by the way, Beth. Ha!
Over I went to the booth split between the Syracuse New Times and Spinnaker Custom Products. Appropriate, I thought, since the offices of the alternative weekly newspaper takes the top floor of the Syracuse city building and the clothing and more store takes the bottom.
I introduced myself to the woman in the booth, declaring, “I work with you.”
With a slightly wary look, she asked me whom I might be.
Thankfully, my name and rank as film blogger registered, even though she concentrates on the Spinnaker side of the operation.
And she introduced herself as Lisette Brod, wife of company owner William Brod. And now, having discussed the business of journalism on several occasions with the publisher/owner inside the office and out, I most pleasantly know both Brods.
As I was strolling, a man wearing a martial arts outfit flagged me over to a table. He represented the Cicero Chamber of Commerce, and he gave lessons, he told me. I told him I was a blogger. I gave him my card, and welcomed him to send me notices about Cicero events.
Advertisement two, easier on the eyes.
In one last aisle, I discovered the table for Maria DeSantis Music.
Yes, another name I knew well jumped out at me.
You can see the detailed sign advertising the services for Maria DeSantis Music at the top of this post.
Maria is a singer who’s worked at the side of her father, Mario. He’s directed the Mario DeSantis Orchestra in Syracuse for more than 65 years. Yes, you read that right. The keyboardist and band leader is a Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Famer and true legend. They’ve taught music at the DeSantis schoolhouse and they’ve played music in full orchestra form and many other variations down to small combos.
Just a couple of years ago, Mario and his wife invited me over for lunch in their very nice Syracuse condo, and Mario was there to break bread, too. I loved hearing the stories of how Mario got started, and how he kept the orchestra going, and what he thought of making music for a living.
One little nugget from that lunch. He used to send his staff music arranger, Jay Owen, off to work at a desk all by himself. And therefore, Mario would call Jay, “the Lone Arranger.”
Back to business.
That second sign above is a sleeker advertisement for the music, in my opinion.
Now this is the way to get hired.
After perusing the written words, I had to continue to the sound of music.
Set up against the wall was the quartet, the best advertising for Maria DeSantis Music of all.
Maria sang with her familiar flair. The band was in full swing. Another longtime Syracuse star, Jimmy Johns, nodded at me as he kept the beat. (This Jimmy Johns brought local fame to the double-J long before the guy who got his great business idea of hawking cold sandwiches, by the way.)
I smiled right back at them.
Friends seen. Connections strengthened. Business changes. Business goes on.
Have you had to reinvent the way you work for a living? What strategies have you used to make sure that you keep relevant in today’s work environment?
Mark Bialczak 
This is really interesting, You’re a very skilled blogger.
I’ve joined your feed and look forward to seeking more
of your great post. Also, I’ve shared your web site in my social networks!
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Thank you for sharing.
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From what I’ve seen, I don’t think you are capable of a sharp comment. (that’s meant as a compliment)
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And it is taken as a compliment. Thank you, Cat.
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Sounds like SOHO had a good turnout.
I can see that you struggled to hold back about your breaking bread with Mario DeSantis. Putting a pause on that experience was probably difficult, because it could have led you into a long segue. It would be an entertaining segment, however.
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I wrote a whole feature from it for the big daily, so I just wanted to provide a snippet, Chris.
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🙂
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First of all, I was happy for you in so many ways on this post! I am glad you had ‘first blood’ in the baseball world, between the two rival teams! I bet you really were shouting, as you mentioned! I could almost hear it over here in Ohio!
Next, I am so glad that you chose to go to Karen’s suggested conference situation, where so many important business and personal connections were made and reconnected!
I love the way the one guy became known as the “Lone Arranger!” You are definitely one who everyone enjoys seeing around the musical world, too! The band with its family and warmth, beautiful musicians are really appreciated by me! I feel connected already to both the Mario DeSantis Orchestra and Marie’s band, too. Loved the way you got invited to the lunch at their condo, to enjoy a personal visit, too! Wonderful smiles all around for this special day and all the ways it brought it all home, you belong in the national ranks of journalism, Mark!
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Thank you, Robin. I will do all I can to keep writing to the best of my ability to share with the world.
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i’m so happy you took a trip down connections lane, and karen is one very smart woman, it’s been proven time and again. i like hearing about all of your interactions with the people at the show and my approach to jobs and reinvention, is that the sky is the limit, keep yourself open to all possibilities. as for your bold print declaration, i know it was something about our baseball bet, but i couldn’t read it, because i think you were yelling!! )))
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Not yelling Beth. More like emphatic-ing.
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oh i know mark, i can not even really picture you yelling, just have to keep you on an even keel )
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You always impress me with the amount of fun you seem to have each and every day! As a writer, I’m too new at calling it any kind of “career” to have to reinvent it yet, though as a photographer, I’ve had to reinvent many times as posing trends change as well as wedding trends change. Great post! 😀
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I do have fun every day, Rachel. That’s how I approach life. Thank you for noticing.
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I think it’s great! It makes me want to be your neighbor. 🙂
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As long as you don’t grow over tall pine trees, move on in, Rachel!
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LOL! Frankly, I think I could build a lean-to in between those tall pines and the neighbor would never notice I was squatting on his land!
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The amount of attention paid to those pines, I think you are quite right, Rachel.
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LOL! See? I knew it! (Of course, I’m not really much of an outdoors girl, so I’m afraid living in a lean-to is not really my thing. I’d much rather watch a rerun of Grizzly Adams building his own lean-to!)
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“Necessity is the Mother of Reinvention.” -Margaret McCormick
Stay strong and positive and keep up the good work. Making personal connections really helps.
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On we go, Margaret. Thank you for your support and lunchtime conversation!
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I’ve reinvented myself several times, Mark. When I was in my early 30s I went to Johnson O’Connor in Boston to take a bunch of aptitude tests to ascertain good career matches for me. One of the things they told me was, “No matter what you choose next, chances are that in seven years you’ll want to do something different.” Thanks for the great post.
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Life is like that, Ann. You have hinted at your marketing agency days, and I am quite impressed at how you changed your career direction so completely to become a mental health professional. Although I do expect you to come back with something now about how a a marketing/public relations/communications pro indeed must get inside the head of the client. Would you have hired me for your firm back then? Can I use you for a reference now?
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The career change didn’t seem so drastic to me, because the common thread was communication. So, yes, you anticipated what I was going to say, Mark. I am impressed by you. You can definitely use me for a reference (but you might want to head over to my post today, to maintain your incredible day-to-day loyalty streak).
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Already done, Ann.
I need your post like I need air.
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The feeling is mutual, Mark.
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Hhhhhmmmmmm….there was one oddly out of place comment there….
And no, I’ve never been relevant to the way the world works. 😉
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Oh, that’s a good one, Colleen, and quite relevant.
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Sound like a fun and productive day.
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Great way to get reacquainted with people. I’ve been reinvented so many times I don’t remember who I am most of the time. To make matters worse, I seemingly have a look alike running around in my town leading a life I get blamed for. Might as well live up to my reputation, huh? Fun day you had Mark.
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I hope your look-alike starts doing some Good Samaritan work you can start taking credit for, Angie. Wouldn’t that be sweet?
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Sounds like you had a great time Mark!
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It was a good thing for me, Victoria, for sure.
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That’s awesome!
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