The Best Boat on Earth

Since 2007, my wife and I visited Hong Kong, New Zealand, Italy, Turkey, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, England, France, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Greece, Spain, Norway, Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, the U.S.A: Colorado, Utah, California, Nevada, Arizona, New York, Philadelphia, Hawaii, Texas… you get the point. We travel.

When we travel, I make sure to go “all-in” and take on the wildest and most adventurous attractions. Last year, in June, we were in Italy. Southern Italy. The area is called the Amalfi coast and Sorrento region, and it is rated as the most beautiful coastal road year after year by the world’s top travel magazines.

Usually, they exaggerate and use Photoshop to enhance the beauty these days, but it looks like in this case, nature didn’t need any help. There is an island next to the coast, which has become a 2nd Monte Carlo, called Capri. The island is all about riches, so, naturally, we booked the Hotel Weber Ambassador, which captivates the true beauty of the island, and were amazed by the views and the charm of this tiny island of wealth. Well-to-do couples and families from all over the world come to enjoy the incredible beaches (they are spectacular), the shops, restaurants, atmosphere, and the famous Blue Grotto. Now, I will say this: bar none, the best way to experience any island is a private boat that takes you to all the secrets that only the locals know. A big part of the fun in vacations — for me, at least — is to plan them. It takes me many days, and I love it. I plan trips like the U.S. government plans Obama’s schedule –there can be no errors. So, when it came time to book the boat tour, I called a number of boat tour owners, and the way I pick the one I will reserve is by hearing in his voice the passion he has for what he does. Tourism is all about satisfying the customer, and you have to really love the place you represent and the job you have in order to inspire the feeling of kindness and grace that is needed to have a magnificent time to the customer. You will know what I am talking about if you were ever humbled by such a host. That’s why in the business world, SOME COMPANIES SUCCEED MUCH BETTER THAN OTHERS. They have a love and a passion for what they do, and their imagination sparks with new ideas on how to create more shareholder value. You have to realize that CEOs and top management are well-to-do people, and money doesn’t drive them like it did when they got started. When they get to these higher levels, a great leader is motivated by leaving a legacy, making an impact, and making the company rock-solid and poised for growth. You do that by increasing the competitive advantage. On the boat we hired in Capri, the skipper (person running the motor) surprised us when we anchored at a particular point, and he asked us “do you want to go sea orchid hunting?” We were shocked, diving 14 feet to the bottom of the sea with a kitchen knife, separating those beautiful creatures and placing them in a bucket. Well, we hunted probably 20 of them and had a feast on board, the 3 of us. It was an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life. My wife was in heaven. No other tourist boat that day did this (it’s not like it’s in the brochure), and there were probably 40 boats around Capri that day. How lucky! We gave him a very generous tip as we sailed back to the Weber Ambassador’s private lagoon at sunset. It was priceless.

Companies that can do something better than anyone else (Intel) or can do something no one else can (Coca-Cola) are usually dominant in their sector and have the largest volume of sales. We tend to only invest in companies that are the 1st or 2nd in their industry. As I have shown, they are number-one for a reason. There is something in the company culture that is irreplaceable and unmeasurable in monetary value. It’s the winning attitude that will keep every employee strive to please his superior and the customers (Disney).

Where does all this play a part in your everyday life?

You are already a business owner, even if you didn’t know it. 95% of the population are employees, but they are actually business owners. YOU ARE THE BUSINESS, and your sole client is your employer. That is your single biggest opportunity. Bring your love and passion to work, and fire off your imagination for ways to become more efficient. Develop your social abilities, and in no time, you will see the environment adapting to the new you.

Wherever you invest your time, energy, and money in life, make sure you invest with the best. You deserve to.