Episode 037: Mark Zablow

07/17/19 • 59 min

Real Estate REality Check | Real Estate & Business Career Success Education and Training

Introduction:

Today we are fortunate enough to have with us marketing and social media guru to the stars, Mark Zablow. Mark is the founder and CEO of Cogent Entertainment Marketing, a leading influencer and experiential marketing agency that was voted #2 in Ad Age’s Best Places to Work in 2019. Mark and the talented and innovative Cogent team work with such companies as Corona, Snapple, Pepsi, Best Buy, DIRECTV, and AT&T.

Episode Notes:

At 1:50, Mark Zablow touches upon the real value of influence, building trust, and authenticity by association. At 4:00, Mark discusses work ethic, “hustling like an intern,” taking calculated risks, and imagination. At 6:05, Zablow believes that the ability to improvise on your feet is key in the business world. At 7:36, he notes that as the world speeds up, history starts to fall part, while also mentioning the importance of teaching history. At 9:44, Zablow shares a story of the Memory Motel in Montauk, and hitting rock bottom early on in his career. At 12:27, he talks about Cogent’s culture, and managing and leading with empathy. At 14:52, Mark dives into recruiting and retaining talent, the ability to control the experience team members have in their journey at Cogent, and Cogent Palooza. At 18:11, Zablow stresses the importance of being able to communicate with the younger generations and the need “to be 21 years old every day.” At 21:17, he defines Cogent as a nontraditional agency that is an extension of himself (as everything he has done since birth has been unconventional), while noting that being normal is boring. At 24:19, Zablow turns the table and asks Larry Haber his thoughts on an interviewee sending a follow up email post job interview. At 28:04, Larry Haber shares a story from a 1990’s Columbia University graduation ceremony he attended for a former employee where actor Brian Dennehy gave the commencement speech. At 29:56, Mark speaks about leveraging the “gig” and influencer economy, and the younger generations spending in micro-buckets. At 32:03, Zablow dishes on the great conversations he has had with Uber drivers. At 36:05, he relates a few of Eddie Murphy’s lines from his favorite movie “The Distinguished Gentleman” to that of what Cogent does. At 39:23, Mark touches upon being a pawn in the game of life, and the need not to “reinvent the wheel.” At 41:50, Zablow shares a classic line preached at Cogent in that, “we don't have problems, we have challenges.” At 43:20, he talks about his wife being the reason he is able to continue to stay focused and see the big picture in certain situations. At 47:48, Mark speaks to being more receptive to feedback from those he works with compared to early on in his career, and why one must keep people close that aren't afraid to confront you. At 49:52, Zablow explains why he did not have the balance early on his career, and how that changed once he got married and had a kid. At 52:30, he dives into getting his ya-ya's out when he is surrounded by close friends and family and during rare situations where “responsibility drops.” At 57:01, Mark Zablow closes out the podcast by discussing imagination being the secret to life, happiness, and success, along with how his parents helped make the impossible happen.

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Previous Episode

Episode 036: Al Eskanazy

Introduction:

Today we have with us Al Eskanazy, one of the most inspirational men I have ever had the pleasure of sitting on the same side of the negotiating table with. In addition to being the former Co-CEO of one of the nation’s larger insurance intermediaries and now a partner in the award-winning Del Valle Productions Inc., Al is the voluntary CEO for The Ascent School for Autism and a Long Island Volunteer Hall of Fame inductee, whose life mantra is in line with the Muhammad Ali quote “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”

Episode Notes:

At 2:17, Al Eskanazy advises that one must always keep track of his or her economic reality. At 3:06, Al touches upon leadership and teamwork. At 3:50, Eskanazy speaks about taking responsibility at a young age, goal setting, as well as starting from the bottom. At 5:02, he refers to “can’t” and “won’t” as being despicable words. At 6:17, Al dives into the art of listening and the importance of listening more than you speak. At 7:07, Eskanazy believes that one should not approach a negotiation as a war. At 7:37, he discusses patience and creating a sane time table for reaching your goals. At 9:32, Al visits the topic of failure, and using it as a tool in moving forward in your career. At 10:15, Eskanazy points out that muscle is not a tool - people must want to and enjoy following you. At 11:57, he talks about employers wanting its employees to succeed, and on diligence and responsibility. At 13:54, Al notes the impact of hard work, fairness and honesty. At 15:39, Eskanazy touches upon “speaking the facts” and leaving the door cracked open in a negotiation. At 16:54, he speaks about “solving problems” and “looking for problems.” At 17:37, Al recommends the use of “fear” as a positive tool. At 18:08, Eskanazy mentions being a positive confronter that challenges people. At 19:02, he shares taking risks and making a difference in the community. At 20:36, Al Eskanazy closes the podcast with a message on being passionate about family and being a participator, not merely an observer.

Next Episode

Episode 038: Drew Katz

Introduction:

Today we have with us Drew Katz, who aside from being a successful businessman, passionately and relentlessly channels the title of that old Neil Young song “Heart of Gold” when it comes to his family, friends, and all of his philanthropic pursuits. In addition to being an owner of real estate in a few emerging areas, Drew is the CEO of Interstate Outdoor Advertising, whose mission is that of being at the forefront of innovative design, emerging technologies and social purpose. So much of what Drew stands for can be summed up in his quote when he was honored by Oprah Winfrey’s magazine a few years back: “You don’t need incredible resources to impact another human being. You can make a difference by being conscious, [and] by thinking of creative ways to make others feel good about themselves.”

Episode Notes:

At 2:37, Drew Katz discusses his father imparting on him that the most precious asset is time. At 4:15, Drew dives into how he keeps his mind focused on the big picture, along with how to prioritize new responsibility. At 6:48, Katz notes that the way in which one responds to struggle in life dictates the quality of one's life. At 7:57, he shares a story from 1996, when at 25-years-old he entered the billboard world fresh out of Stanford Law School. At 12:20, Drew gives his thoughts on the billboard industry and dealing with local governments for approval. At 16:35, Katz speaks about the 20 Bruckner Boulevard project he and his partners are currently redeveloping into a school. At 19:06, he discusses the projects he is currently working on, including The Lewis, named after his late father Lewis Katz. At 20:29, Drew shares his thoughts on Interstate Outdoor Advertising’s not-for-profit billboard plan with the city of Camden, New Jersey. At 24:59, Katz advises those just starting out in business to seek out mentors. At 26:19, he points out that he does his best to surround himself with those who have a “can do” positive attitude. At 27:37, Drew discusses Newark’s infrastructure, transportation systems, as well as its proximity to New York City. At 28:54, Katz talks about “outkicking your coverage” and his long-time friend and 2020 presidential candidate Cory Booker’s quote “rarely in life has something good not come from something bad.” At 32:32, Drew Katz closes out the podcast with a message in regards to living in a world where people were more open and kind.