The First/Last (Last/First?) Day of School -- at 40

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In this issue: My First/Last (Last/First?) Day of School — at 40

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My “Senior” Back to School Moment This Week

Talk about a week of changes — DAMN!!

Great changes, thank G-d.

We started out the week (Sunday morning) with a well-deserved two days and one night off with my wife for our 12th anniversary eating, drinking, hiking (did I mention eating) our way around the Galilee, staying the night at our favorite little zimmer (retreat) in Lavon.

[By the way, if you want to know the exact one, PM me. We want to keep it a secret among friends].

We REALLLLLLLY needed the R&R. What’s a couple kilos of weight again among friends, LOL.

Amazing time, incredible views, surprisingly inventive cuisine (some of the best we’ve ever had, which is saying something) in the most unusual of places.

A little moshav in the middle of nowhere with the best damn beef carpaccio I’ve ever had.

A vineyard we accidentally went to when the planned one turned out to be in an industrial park (UGH, who opens a wine room for tastings in an industrial park, when you have gorgeous mountains all over?!).

Spectacular wines and cheeses from a store we never heard of in Karmiel.

All happy, accidental discoveries.

And maybe a bit of rediscovery for ourselves and each other. G-d bless the kids, but it’s hard sometimes to find a spark between work, errands and the endless rush.

Speaking quite frankly, it’s been a really stressful few months, with the economy (at least for the HR consulting work) bearing down hard on project flow and the aftermath for business.

Not gonna lie, VERY stressful few months.

But thank G-d, something really awesome happened in the last 2-3 weeks.

I got the amazing opportunity to work with one of the best engineering universities in the world, basically the MIT of Israel - the Technion.

It’s considered the best AI research university in all of Europe (even though it’s in Israel), among other things. You’ll be hearing all about the superlative things happening here soon.

I’ll be running their English language PR, with the opportunity to learn from some of the world’s most incredible and accomplished engineers, scientists and technologists.

Stay tuned - gonna be some incredible content coming from here soon, G-d willing :)

Just started on Tuesday and truly loving both the team, the campus, the energy here.

Never hurts to be among all the young people and the huge brains.

The Hebrew practice is quite useful, as well, even though most people (wrongly) presume I know none and default to English.

And then, there’s the second big change.

Yesterday, I also taught my first college class — on Digital Marketing — for Touro College Israel.

Pretty damn stressful to put a college course together basically from scratch in a couple days.

But where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is 7 hours a week for 6 weeks.

So far, so good :) Raving reviews from the students after the first class.

To say I’m exhausted from this week is a massive understatement.

Not nearly enough sleep. The relaxation was perhaps TOO relaxing.

These are really big changes in schedule, as well. Waking up at 6, while still sleeping at midnight after effectively EST hours.

No complaints here, G-d forbid. These are all huge blessings.

Still adjusting.

Wandering around the campus this week, I have to say, feels kind of surreal.

College was one of the most wonderful periods of my youth.

Being back on campus is a theme of my dreams from time to time, always bringing a smile.

Also, going from a sort of internal exile, where I basically work in English all day, mostly on EST hours, to working for a top Israeli institution, is huge shift in mentality.

[The EST hours and work are still here, worry not, LOL.]

Turns out the big boss’s sister lives in my old hometown, Lexington, Kentucky.

Also, my literal next-door (ok, next-building) American neighbor works in the same department.

Small world.

Anyways, so the first/last day of school thing is real.

Our kids are finishing their school year in a few days.

I just started teaching school for the summer semester and am now working on a campus.

Still kind of feel like an overgrown college kid sometimes, LOL.

Hopping up and down the stairs, stopping to smell the roses.

Taking it all in, for once somewhat slowly.

The work is there and will ramp up quickly over the next week or two.

But for now, I’m just a new student on a big campus.

And it feels amazing.

And more than just a nice feeling, the harsh truth is that…

If I hadn’t had 6-7 of the hardest months of my life just before this…

I would have probably never given myself the chance to either work at such a place or to teach college.

Because I was stuck in a sort of mental trap of trying to spin my wheels faster and faster, while not really getting anywhere.

G-d bless my wife, she’s put up with enough of my constant agita over 12 years.

Sometimes, it takes a shock to the system to come to one’s senses and see the proverbial light.

And while I’ve had to reinvent myself to some degree, the work of PR is not only familiar, but a running theme through everything I’ve built to date.

Storytelling is a key ingredient in success in any industry, in any career or context.

I just get to do it now in part with the most incredible raw material imaginable - cutting edge science, technology and engineering.

The “kids” (early 20-somethings) I’m teaching could be my own kids and are super eager to learn.

They’re all actually young mothers who are finishing their college degrees.

I’m teaching them with a lot of humor and practical examples, including a video of me with my voice dubbed over in an ambulance chaser’s commercial.

We were talking about when traditional marketing works a lot better than digital (LOL, I was a big hit with Russian grandmothers on Brighton Beach for a summer back in the day).

The bottom line is, I love storytelling and I love teaching.

I get to do both now, while continuing my other work, just without the crazy pressure to produce.

As for the rest of my time, I’m still all about building a community of HR people and marketplace for them to monetize their knowledge and expertise.

Life is good, thank G-d. Even as summer usually means some sort of mini-war over here (see Jenin, Jenin), I have a LOT to be thankful for in life and do not take any of it for granted.

Especially my wife, Jennifer. Happy 12th anniversary, Darling!

And as for YOU, my friend, where’s your reinvention hiding in plain sight?

You don’t always need reinvent the wheel to reinvent yourself.

Nu, what are you waiting for?

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IN THE NEWS 

Jonathan Frenkel, CEO of YKC Media, a fellow journalist (Forbes, Israel21C and others) and reader of these humble Commander-in-Chief Briefs, kindly mentioned me in his article for Israel21C as a “top LinkedIN creator in Israel.”

Thanks for the shout-out, brother. By the way, he writes a kick-ass newsletter chock-full of tech happenings in NYC and Tel-Aviv and beyond. Check it out!

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We’ve launched the Commander in Chief Community 

WHAT’S INSIDE?

Basically, this has all my best stuff, coaching and consulting materials, latest tools, my book split into chapters, with a whole bunch of my best trainings, workshops, writing, podcast episodes you name it.

Oh yeah, the premium stuff?

When you subscribe (and help me pay the damn bills, only fair), you’re gonna get:

1) Group coaching - career, business, life, whatevs

2) Private monthly trainings and workshops. Think:

a. getting promoted,

b. getting paid more,

c. building a 6-figure side business,

d. building a brilliant personal brand.

3) Special discounts for 1-on-1 coaching

You’re gonna LOVE this. Yeah, it’s pretty MASSIVE value, amigo/a.

Time to get off the sidelines.

Like, this is basically all the best stuff I’ve ever produced, with weekly updates and a ton of new stuff.

YEP, IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING!! GET EXCITE!

And NOW, I’m gonna make you an offer you can’t refuse…

THE COMMUNITY IS FREE TO JOIN FOR THE NEXT 14 DAYS.

I don’t want to hear any objections. You straight up have ZERO EXCUSE, homie.

Get in there, get active, help me keep building this amazing community.

Seriously, what are you still doing here? LOLZ.

Get in there and make some noise. Intro yourself.

Send this to 5 of your friends. NOW. Seriously. Pretty, please 🙂 

See you on the inside.

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Whether it’s the first time, or if it’s just been a while, let’s connect and get to know each other (better) as humans.

1. If we haven’t connected yet, connect with me on LinkedIN. I post some super useful stuff there, as well :)

2. Put 30 minutes on my calendar to chat. No strings attached, whatsoever.

Let’s get to know each other (in many cases after not chatting for a long time) as humans, friends.

Of course, if there’s something I can help you with, just ask and I’ll do whatever I can to ask.

Here’s my calendar link, again.

Don’t be a stranger, friend.