A lesson from ZARA What can health club executives learn from leading Spanish clothing retailer ZARA? Despite having a completely different business model from that of health clubs, ZARA can teach us a thing or two about creating a competitive advantage through innovation. Predicting Fashion Trends ZARA has managed to develop a strong competitive advantage by staying ahead of …

Finally… After 5 Years!   Life of the speaker  When I set out to become a professional speaker after finishing grad school I knew I would have to pay my dues. Because I was starting from scratch, I could not rely on reputation, or best-selling books to get my speaking opportunities. Rather, I had to …

First Day in Russia   Russian Flight Attendants Among the first things I noticed when boarding my flight from Los Angeles to Russia was the beautiful bright orange uniforms worn by the flight attendants. It was like taking a trip back to the 1950’s when flight attendants took a great deal of pride in their …

Trip to Russia Day 1   day of departure Sweet Smell of Muffins & Sound of Whispers I woke up to the sweet smell of muffins and the sound of conspiring whispers emanating from the kitchen. The cuteness of the little voices from my boys combined with that of my amazing wife trying to keep …

Rob Speaks in Russia   Your Going Where? When I tell people that I will be speaking in Russia, their eyes open a bit wider with a look of surprise. I believe this reaction is the result of two things; First, anticipation for the seemingly mysterious adventure that awaits me, and second, confusion about what …