Story time! We’ve been waiting for Silicon Valley Comic Con for so long. Well, more accurately, our lead designer, Ruby Roxanne has been waiting for Silicon Valley Comic Con for so long. Months ago she bought tickets for a meet n’ greet with one of her favorite actors, Jason Momoa. Jason’s bohemian fashion vibes and love for hats has always inspired Ruby, and she wanted to make him a gift to show her appreciation. Ruby set out designing a hat specifically made for Jason, and before it was even done, everyone around the office loved it so much we decided to release it in our 2020 catalog. We’ll get to those details here shortly. Anyways, back to the real story…
Arguably the most important part of a hat is the fit. You can have the coolest hat ever, but if it doesn’t fit then everything is out the window. Designing a hat specially for someone is a daunting task in and of itself, but designing a hat for someone without knowing their head size is a definite risk. Ruby’s husband, Jim, regularly models our hats. Ladies, ladies, I know, he’s married. I’m sorry! Ruby was talking about designing the hat with Jim, and was expressing her concerns about the size, when they decided to brainstorm a bit. Jim wears a 2XL hat, and Jason is about 3 inches taller than Jim, and has a long head of hair. They settled that the best idea was to make the hat in 3XL and cross their fingers because after all, our hats are customizable with the adjustable sized sweatbands.
Fast forward to the big day, and Ruby overlooked the set time that her group was supposed to be in line to meet Jason. She had just got back from a two week vacation and was still jet lagged.
By the time she noticed the set time, she only had 15 minutes to drive an hour and a half to the Silicon Valley Comic Con to get in line and meet Jason! Peeling out of her driveway at speeds that would make Dale Earnhardt’s palms sweat, she slowed down the car just long enough to pick up Leslie and off they went!
They ended up being two hours late to the event, which was absolutely perfect because Jason’s flight to San Jose was delayed. They hopped in line with Ruby carrying the hat, and patiently waited their turn. Around this time, Ruby noticed that there was a huge list of rules to abide by when meeting Jason. No cellphones, no pictures, no personal belongings! Ruby’s heart sank. However, she would not be defeated so easily. Being the rebellious queen that she is, she forked over her wallet and cellphone, but wore Jason’s would-be hat as her own. Even though the hat was entirely too large, she got through security and it was her turn to meet Jason! Ruby had slipped her business card into the sweatliner of the hat, and as she was passing her handmade gift to Jason, it slipped out and fell to the ground. Ruby panicked, as security was rushing everyone through as there was no time for chit-chat, but Jason slowed everyone down and made room to slowly bend down and pick up the business card. Jason then effortlessly flipped the hat onto his head and started to smile. Saying that it fit like a glove would be an understatement. This hat looked like it was made for him, which, well…it was!
Jason looked like he loved it. Although the meet n’ greet lasted only a short while, Ruby was beyond happy that she was able to get Jason his hat. Ruby and Leslie also got a picture with Jason. They high fived each other after they collapsed on the floor and realized the storm they had gone through. Was it worth it, oh hell yes! Starting next year, this hat will be available as the Frontier leather top hat. Ruby hopes to get the opportunity to work with Jason in the future if he is need of design expertise on some handmade leather projects! And also, Jason, if you’re reading this, Ruby forgot the bohemian leather scrunchy she made for you at home! Come stop by and visit our factory if you’re in our neck of the woods!
Originally founded in 1908 in New York City, The Headwear Association is the oldest trade association in the fashion industry, and is dedicated to promoting hats and the headwear industry throughout the world, and to foster goodwill and fellowship among those engaged in the headwear industry.
This year’s dinner is a bit of a special time for not just us here at American Hat Makers, but for everyone at the Headwear Association. Garth’s term as president has come to an end, and at tonight’s dinner we are passing the torch to Gerry Miller Jr.
“Serving as president has been an ultimate honor”, says Garth. “Being able to usher new business relationships and do my part to drive the hat industry to new heights has been such a gift.”
The night went so splendidly. Naturally, we started with the business end of things, and to unwind after that we had a little cocktail hour. After that, we had a wonderful fashion show featuring all of the new styles that everyone is testing out. It was absolutely amazing!
Seeing all the gorgeous outfits made us quite hungry, and we ate a fabulous dinner to prep us for the awards show. Retailer of the Year went to Hatsational!
The Ben Rosenthal Award went to Douglas Highsmith of Dorfman Pacific hat company.
The Lieberman Award went to the one and only Garth Watrous of American Hat Makers.
And finally, the Fit Scholarship went to Marisa Belfiore.
Hannah and Carol Fit Professor Millinery and Accessories Dept
Lovely Millinery Ladies
Flashback pictures of Garth and Hannah Watrous
Annual group photo stay tuned for updated photo from photographer
Socializing at the event
Garth, Don R, BobB
Zack @ Village Hats
Board Meeting
This year the headwear Association provided pedicabs to shuttle us to The Boathouse. On corner of 5th Ave and 72nd and look for the pedicab drivers in the RED KANGOL Hats.
Thank you Ruby Roxanne for designing Hannah’s Hats every year.
Published in over 60 books in 45 languages, Greg Reid is no stranger to success. Filmmaker and keynote speaker, Greg is also a best-selling author, entrepreneur, and CEO of several successful corporations, who has dedicated his life to helping others achieve the ultimate fulfillment of finding and living a life of purpose. Along with these accomplishments, Greg is the founder of Secret Knock, a wildly successful, invitation only seminar that unites influential entrepreneurs and investors in one place to discuss points of business.
Greg is a San Diego native, growing up in the beach town of Del Mar, California.When asked how he defines success, Greg told us that success is the freedom to be able to live the life you desire. If you’re able to live and operate the life you set out for, you are successful. The key to long-term success is surrounding yourself with people you have respect for, rather than influence over. When asked about his ideals, Greg starts off by saying he very freely shares information. He’s got no secrets. Everyone he surrounds himself with is involved with all aspects of his life. He puts emphasis on accentuating your positive aspects, and illuminating the negatives rather than hiding them, thus giving yourself the chance to learn from them. Authenticity is the ability to share the uncomfortable parts about yourself. By focusing attention on the defects, you give yourself the opportunity to make change.
Greg attributes his success to his approach to criticism. Rather than seeking an opinion on his endeavors, he seeks counsel, the difference being that opinions are largely based on ignorance, while counsel is derived from the wisdom of those who have done it before you. He describes that when he climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, he did not go find a surfer from downtown Santa Cruz to guide him, he went and found an experienced guide who had climbed it 800 times. During the ascent, Greg put his feet where the guide had lain his, because he knew that the guide was going to reach the top.
This mindset is exactly how he approaches his business life. He goes directly to the source and surrounds himself with the people who are producing the results he desires. Greg says that while there is a formula or pattern to becoming a successful entrepreneur, each day it changes. The environment you’re in will be ever-changing, but the business fundamentals will stay the same.
When asked about what his motivation was, he said that it also changes daily. What drives you today will change tomorrow. Happiness and success are moving targets, and you’ll need to revamp your approach daily to achieve either.
To visualize all of the little things that help people achieve happiness, Greg started a movement called The Secret of Happiness. This website is a database where anyone can submit what made them happy today, and is just another way Greg is helping to spread goodwill around the world. One of Greg’s inspirations is his dear friend, Frank Shankwitz, founder of the Make-a-Wish foundation. One day, Greg asked Frank, “After granting so many children’s wishes, what is your wish?” Frank said that he very much desired to have his story told in a way that he could share with his grand-kids. After hearing this, Greg took on the responsibility of producing a feature film, titled Wishman, detailing Frank’s life story and his journey creating the Make-a-Wish foundation. Greg believed that it was time to give back to someone who has given so much. Having the resources to organize such an undertaking is Greg’s definition of success. He desires to spread the touching story of Frank, and his lifestyle has given him the freedom to do so.
The most important nugget of wisdom you should take away from this article is about seeking counsel. To get the results you desire, go directly to the source and learn from those who have paved the way before you! Also check out Greg Reid’s other beneficial and lucrative seminar, Prosperity Camp on August 4-5!
We just got back from the most recent Secret Knock seminar and are in awe of the amount of information we received and the connections we made while we were there! For those that don’t know, Secret Knock is an extremely exclusive, invitation only gathering of entrepreneurs and investors. We met so many amazing individuals while we were there, and learned so many invaluable things that we can apply to our business! Here’s some of the amazing people we got to meet with while there…
Gregory Scott Reid shares the same philosophy with other great leaders “To get what you want in life, simply help others get what they want first.” Mr. Reid created his success by applying real life principals he learned from his Mentors over the years and now travels the country passing along the same great wisdoms so that others may prosper from them as well – What separates Gregory from the masses is rather than speaking from hypothetical theory, he shares his messages based on actual experiences that have made a positive impact in both his personal and business environment, as well as in the lives and corporations of many.
Mark Anthony Bates is probably the best-connected man you’ve never heard of; he travels the globe speaking with elite coaching clients, diplomatic organizations, and world leaders. You won’t find him on social media or on his own web site, he doesn’t promote himself yet his name carries tremendous weight in highly influential circles. As someone who coaches other coaches as well as professional speakers, Mark knows what it takes to make people feel at ease and how to create a connection. When he attends an event he goes in with the intention of genuinely connecting with the people there, not to get anything for himself but to know them and see if an organic relationship develops.
Ryan Long is the founder and executive producer at City Summit & Gala. Ryan was not very studious in college, but when he learned he was to become a father, even though he was only 21 years old, Ryan was faced with a difficult choice. Thanks to the guidance of his grandfather and the memory of the sacrifices his mother made as a single mom, he decided to quit school, stop having run ins with the law and focus on being a dad. It’s a decision he’s never regretted. Ryan was inspired by the birth of his new son and wanted to provide him with the best possible upbringing, so he went through personal training certification programs and studied bio-mechanics, kinesiology, and health so that he could become a personal fitness trainer. Ryan started working at LA Fitness and in just two short years he rose to the level of Fitness Director of several LA Fitness locations.
Patrick John “Pat” O’Brien is an American author and radio host, best known for his work as a sportscaster with CBS Sports from 1981 to 1997, as well as his work as the anchor and host of Access Hollywood from 1997 to 2004, and The Insider from 2004 to 2008. O’Brien covered six Olympic Games, two for CBS (1992 Winter and 1994) and four for NBC (2000, 2002, 2004 and 2012). He has also covered the World Series, Super Bowl, NBA Finals, and Final Four as a pregame host while at CBS. He wrote the book Talkin’ Sports: A B.S.-er’s Guide, published in 1998, and released an autobiography, I’ll Be Back Right After This, in 2014.
Tonino Lamborghini is the son of Lamborghini founder Ferruccio Lamborghini. He runs a merchandising company under his name that sells non-automotive Lamborghini-lifestyle luxury products such as clothing apparel, hand-built luggage, model cars, furniture, Bicycles, golf accessories, Watches, pens, eyewear, perfumes, etc. The company has stores worldwide such as Hong Kong and Italy.
Joshua Daniel “Josh” Flagg is an American real estate agent, author and television personality as an original cast member on the show Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles on the Bravo television network. The show follows young real estate agents in Los Angeles as they sell high-end homes. He has been with Rodeo Realty Beverly Hills since 2012. Flagg has authored two books, A Simple Girl: Stories My Grandmother Told Me, published in 2009, and Million Dollar Agent: Brokering the Dream which was published in 2011. Flagg was featured on Forbes‘ 30 Under 30 in 2012 as a top record-breaking real estate agent. He has also been featured on NBC‘s Today Show,ABC‘s Good Morning America and Bravo’s Watch What Happens: Live.
Gene Landrum is a high-tech start-up executive turned educator and writer. As a businessman he originated the Chuck E. Cheese concept of family entertainment among other entrepreneurial ventures. After years of interacting with creative and overachieving personalities he decided to document the inner workings of what made them tick and did his doctoral dissertation on the Jungian Psychology of Success. Dr. Gene lectures extensively on the vagaries of eminence and teaches MBA’s at the Hodges University graduate school in SW, Florida. Robert Toth, a creative genius in sculpturing wrote in 2010, “Dr. Landrum, you have been my inspiration from your first book, Profiles of Genius. Last night I stayed up all night reading The Superman Syndrome. Thank you, thank you thank you for being my inspiration. My family thought I was weird but you have validated my life’s calling.” Author Lee Milteer in an introduction in 2010 said, “Dr. Gene, your books have been the most inspiring of anything I’ve ever read. You are one of the true experts on entrepreneurship and one of the best thinkers of today.”
Clarissa Burt is an Entrepreneur, television/video producer, public speaker, author, writer, award-winning actress and emcee has all the makings of a best selling novel. At 18, Clarissa was a top model with the Wilhelmina Modeling Agency in Manhattan. Soon after she moved to Milan and quickly began appearing on over a hundred magazine covers such as Harper’s Bazaar, Vogue, and Cosmopolitan as well as on most of the major runway shows in Milan, Rome, Paris, New York, and Japan. This led to work for cosmetic houses Revlon, Dior, and Carita’, Helena Rubenstein and her selection as the worldwide “Face” for Orlane Cosmetics.
Steve Sims is the founder of Bluefish, an executive concierge service. The company arranges trips for clients. Previous trips Bluefish has coordinated for clients include diving trips to the Titanic, flight into space, treks to the North Pole, shark diving, fighter jet flights over Moscow, and others. Bluefish arranged a client to be married in the Vatican, one client to sing live on stage with the rock band Journey, and another to have a private dinner at the foot of Michelangelo’s David while being serenaded by Andrea Bocelli. Bluefish Concierge was the official concierge of the 2005-2007 Kentucky Derby. The company opened an office in Australia in 2010. Sims previously worked as a stockbroker in London and Hong Kong, where he went to parties and met their attendees, forming the network that would initially support Bluefish.
Scott Duffy is a TV/Online host, keynote speaker, and business growth expert. He began his career working for best-selling author and speaker, Tony Robbins, and went on to work for several big media brands like CBS Sportsline, NBC Internet, and FOXSports.com. Next, he founded Smart Charter, an online booking tool for private aviation, which was acquired by Richard Branson’s Virgin Group.
Scott is a champion for entrepreneurship. He has been listed as a “Top Keynote Speaker” by Entrepreneur and Forbes. He has spoken at the NYSE and provided commentary in numerous media outlets including CNBC, FOX News, and CBS Radio. He is the Co-Host of Business & Burgers “Presented by Microsoft”, Special Project Editor at Inc.com and Best-Selling Author of Launch!, a roadmap for building great companies.
Mr. Kent Emmons has been Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of New Venture National Lampoon Radio Network of National Lampoon Inc. since January 2006. Mr. Emmons co-founded the ‘all comedy, all the time’ radio network with partner Howard Levine in 2001, growing it since its inception to over 100 affiliates and two major market O&O’s. He and his partner previously formed Comedy World, the precursor of All Comedy Radio, and sold their interest to an internet venture fund in 2000. Prior to this, Mr. Emmons, who has and continues to hold interests in numerous radio stations and television and film production, began his career in the entertainment business at the age of 16 by booking bands at dances in the small farm town he grew up in. Before his radio and television career, he managed and produced several Top 40 and country acts and served as Chief Executive Officer of Atlantis Entertainment, a division of Lowery Music, which was sold to Sony in the late 90’s.
Dan Fleyshman is the youngest founder of a publicly traded company in history. At the age of 23, after selling 15 million dollars worth of clothing in six department store chains and surpassing expectations with his 9.5 million dollar licensing deal with STARTER apparel, Mr. Fleyshman launched the “Who’s Your Daddy” energy drink into 55,000 retail stores and military bases. 10 years after starting his licensing company in high school, Dan went on to launch Victory Poker in 2010, building the third largest team of professional players out of the 550 poker sites on the market.
Mr. Jules A. Haimovitz serves as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer at Global Entertainment & Media Holdings Corporation. Mr. Haimovitz is a Management Affiliate at MidOcean Partners. He serves as President of the Haimovitz Consulting Group. He has 37 years of operating experience in the media and entertainment industry. His experience incorporates all aspects of operating and managing diverse businesses through all their various phases. He served as Special Consultant to the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at MGM Networks, Inc. till 2004. From June 1999 to July 2001, he served as President of MGM Networks, Inc. He joined Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in June of 1999. From 1987 to 1993, Mr. Haimovitz served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Spelling Entertainment Inc. From 1976 to 1987, he served in various senior executive positions with Viacom, Inc., including President of the Viacom Network Group and President of Viacom Entertainment Group. From June 1997 to July 1998, he served as President and Chief Operating Officer at King World Productions, Inc. He served as President and Chief Executive Officer of ITC Entertainment Group from 1993 to 1997. He served as a Consultant to Liberty Media with regard to its evaluation of Universal Studios and its assets during the summer of 2004. Mr. Haimovitz was employed by DIVA Systems Corporation, as an Executive Vice President from Entertainment Inc. He started his career with ABC Television in 1971. From June 1999 to July 2004, he served in various capacities at Metro Goldwyn Mayer Inc., including President of MGM Networks Inc. From July 2002 to July 2007, Mr. Haimovitz served as Vice Chairman and Managing Partner of Dick Clark Productions Inc. From his starting-up the Showtime, Lifetime, Sundance and Smithsonian cable channels, he led and subsequently managed various acquired companies such as MTV Networks, to presiding over ‘turn around’ companies such as Aaron Spelling Productions. He serves as the Chairman of Electus/Engine Distribution and serves as its Member of Advisory Board. He was the Chairman of the Library Task Force. Mr. Haimovitz has been a Director of Imclone Systems LLC since May 10, 2007. He serves as Director of TVN Entertainment and GNet Productions. He serves on the Board of the Brooklyn College Foundation. He has been a Director of Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc. from May 4, 2016 to February 16, 2017. Mr. Haimovitz served as a Director of Blucora, Inc. (formerly Infospace) from October 24, 2005 to May 21, 2014. Mr. Haimovitz served as a Director of Video Jukebox Network and Orion Pictures Corporation, Spelling Entertainment Inc., Showtime, King World Productions, Inc., and The Movie Channel and Lifetime. He served as a Director of Blockbuster Inc. from 2003 to 2009 and BB Liquidating Inc. from May 2006 to April 26, 2011. Mr. Haimovitz served as a Director of DIVA Systems Corporation since December 1996. He served as a Director of Spelling Entertainment Inc. He served as an Independent Director of Westwood One, Inc. (formerly, Dial Global, Inc) since October 21, 2011. He holds a dual B.A. degree in Mathematics and Communications, as well as an M.A. degree in Mathematics from Brooklyn College.
Dr. Srini Pillay is Assistant Professor of Psychiatry (Part-Time) at Harvard Medical School. He is known for combining “head and heart” (figuratively and literally) in an approach to personal development and goal mastery that blends science, spirituality, and horns-grabbing joie de vivre to combat the stresses faced by ambitious and high-achieving people in academia, business, and life. After graduating at the top of his class from medical school in South Africa, he received a Medical Research Council Scholarship to study the neurochemistry of panic. Thereafter, he completed his residency in psychiatry at McLean Hospital—Harvard’s largest freestanding psychiatric hospital—with the most accolades ever given to a single resident.
Devon Harris (born 1964) is a Jamaican retired bobsledder and military officer. He was one of the founding members of the Jamaica national bobsled team, which first competed in the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta. Nicknamed “Pele” after the famous football star, Harris went on to compete in the 1992 Winter Olympics and the 1998 Winter Olympics. Harris grew up in the Kingston ghetto of Sunrise Drive in Olympic Gardens (known as “Waterhouse,” or “Firehouse,” because it was a volatile area). A graduate of Drews Ave Primary School, Ardenne High School, and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Harris had been an avid football player and track and field participant, with his dream being to represent Jamaica in the 1984 Summer Olympics in the 800m and 1500m events. Since the idea for a Jamaican Bobsled Team was pitched to the Jamaica Defence Force, Harris, as a Lieutenant in the Second Battalion, first came across the proposal in a weekly army publication called “Force Orders” in September 1987. The text had called for those who wished to “undergo rigorous and dangerous training” to represent Jamaica in the Winter Olympics. Harris initially thought the idea was ridiculous, but was eventually convinced to participate by his colonel, Lt. Col Eddy Andre . At the team selections, Harris ended up with the fastest push time. Harris returned to the military after Calgary and later became a civilian in 1992 after his second Olympics. He now works as a motivational public speaker and writer. Harris wrote the 2008 children’s book, Yes, I can! : the story of the Jamaican bobsled team, illustrated by Ricardo Cortes.
Scott Edward Parazynski (born July 28, 1961 in Little Rock, Arkansas) is an American physician and a former NASAastronaut. A veteran of five Space Shuttle flights and seven spacewalks, Parazynski’s latest mission was STS-120 in October, 2007 – highlighted by a dramatic, unplanned EVA to repair a live solar array. He retired from NASA in March 2009 to pursue opportunities in the private sector. He is the only person to have both flown in space and summited Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth.
Leah Marie O’Brien-Amico is an American, former All-American, left-handed-hitting softball player from Chino, California. O’Brien-Amico is best known for playing for the Arizona Wildcats (1993–1997, winning three National Championships) and earning gold medals at the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics.
David Meltzer is an American business executive, author, and humanitarian best known for his work in the field of sports marketing. He is also a featured speaker at conferences, corporate meetings, seminars, and other events along with being featured, interviewed or quoted in media including The New York Times, Sporting News, the International Business Times, Fox Business, and Bloomberg News. In 2014, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and honored as a Knight of the Sovereign Order of St. John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta, the world’s oldest humanitarian organization. Meltzer was named a “Top 10 Keynote Speaker” by Forbes magazine in January 2016. In February 2016, Meltzer was awarded the Sports Humanitarian of the Year award at the Variety Unite4:Humanity event in Beverly Hills, California.
Tyson Apostol is an American reality television personality, best known for his appearances on multiple seasons of the CBS reality television show Survivor. Apostol originally competed on Survivor: Tocantins in 2009, returning as a villain on Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains in 2010. In 2013, he returned to the show for his third season, and ultimately went on to win the million dollar prize, on Survivor: Blood vs. Water. Apostol is a former professional cyclist and starred in Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Stars 2 with his then-girlfriend, now-wife, Rachel Foulger. He is a frequent guest on the Reality TV Podcast, Rob Has a Podcast, hosted by fellow Survivor contestant Rob Cesternino, and hosts News AF, a weekly news podcast.
Kerri Courtright is an entrepreneur and small business owner who has built companies, created jobs, and balanced budgets. She founded Today’s Growth Consultant, an Inc. 500/5000 company that was recently recognized by Inc. Magazine as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of St. Francis with a major in Political Science and a minor in History. Kerri is a member of the local Chamber of Commerce and the Grundy County Economic Development Council. She is the Treasurer for her Homeowners Association, sits on the Christian Education Board for her church, and raises money for a number of local charities including serving on the fundraising committee for her children’s school’s annual Jubilate fundraiser. She speaks regularly at area events regarding the importance of the Constitution, voting, local government and business.
Caleb Maddix is a 15 year old entrepreneur, author, social media influencer, and the world’s #1 success and entrepreneurship mentor for kids. He is the author of six books including Keys To Success for Kids and How To Have Unstoppable Confidence.
Cheryl Snapp Conner, founder and managing partner of Snapp Conner PR, has more than 26 years experience in public relations for individuals and organizations ranging from growth and start up organizations to Fortune 500 technology firms. Conner has led four successful PR agencies since 1989 and has been recognized as one of Utah’s 30 Women to Watch. She is a popular columnist for Forbes.com Entrepreneurs and is also a contributor to the OpenView Labs publication for OpenView Partners and for Yahoo Finance. She is a trustee of the Utah Technology Council (UTC) and had directed the UTC Communications Committee since 2004. She detailed the interview with Edward Snowden in this article!
Michelle Tucker is the Founder and President of Seiler Tucker/Capital Business Solutions. Michelle has sold over 350 businesses to date and currently owns and operates several successful businesses. Michelle Seiler-Tucker holds the following professional designations and certifications: The Merger & Acquisition Master Intermediary (M&AMI), Certified Senior Business Analyst (CSBA), Certified Business Broker (CBB), Best-Selling Author, and Panelist for M&A Source.
Dave Austin is a highly sought after “mental performance coach” for elite and professional athletes. His trademark “game ready” visualizations have helped many NFL, MLB, Olympic, and college athletes allow their true talents to rise up and shine. His unique process allows athletes to play “in the zone” and stay there longer. He has worked with professional teams such as the LA Dodgers and Texas Rangers, as well as with World Cup and U.S. Olympic team competitors; and he has also worked extensively with organized youth sports, high school teams and D-I college athletes. All the way from “little league to the big leagues,” his methods are focused and productive; and he has an uncanny knack for bringing out the best in his clients and for getting measurable results.
Dr. Asher Milgrom, is the president and CEO of American Medical Aesthetics. Starting in 1999, Asher founded and funded American Medical Aesthetics Corp. and is the principle architect of AMA-Corp’s business strategies and unique medical protocols. Along with Dr. Alice Pien, Medical Director, Asher developed advanced medical protocols for a wide variety of laser procedures that produce extraordinary clinical results while requiring minimal patient “down-time”. Together, Asher and Alice developed AMA-Corp’s signature laser treatments utilizing their unique understanding of “Multiple-modality holistic laser protocols”.
Edward Snowden was gracious enough to be present for a live video interview.
Hannah with Tyler, Caleb Maddox and his dad!
The cast from the upcoming Wishman movie!
Garth and Hannah with Dan, one of our awesome team members!
Greg Reid’s bestselling book, Climb.
Greg with all of the co-authors of Climb, including Garth and Hannah!
Some awesome key points we picked up while we were there:
“Be your own biggest competitor” –Josh Flagg
“Start from the end and work it backwards, start with value, keep your eyes on opportunities and be aware of what’s going on”-Jules Haimovitz
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough!” –Tonino Lamborghini
“Sell the dream, not the project” –Steve Sims
“Knowledge is power when you put action behind it” –Mark Anthony Bates
“Being criticized is the admission price for creating change” –Greg Reid
“Be daring, don’t be afraid to make mistakes”-Ron Klein
“Don’t talk about it; be about it. I have so many people that just blah, blah, blah and ‘I have this great idea and this great idea,’ and they have that great idea for years, and nothing happens.” –Dan Fleyshman
“I’m gonna write a book, I’m gonna start a business …” and all of a sudden they’re 40 years old and unhappy with their life, all because they thought it was just gonna to work out. They end up killing their dream!” –Caleb Maddix
Overall, the event was a complete blast, and the takeaway was without parallel! The information we learned can not only be applied to our business practices, but in every aspect of our lives. The next Secret Knock events are in March and September of 2018, and if you seriously want to improve the quality of your life and the relationships you make, we seriously recommend applying for an invitation! You won’t regret it!
2017 has already been a big year for American Hat Makers. On top of all of the fun and success we’ve had, our fearless leader Garth Watrous was just elected President of The Headwear Association!
Originally founded in 1908 in New York City, The Headwear Association is the oldest trade association in the fashion industry, and is dedicated to promoting hats and the headwear industry throughout the world, and to foster goodwill and fellowship among those engaged in the headwear industry.
Garth was previously the Vice President of THA, and was nominated for President by Todd Gardner of Dorfman Pacific hat company for his forward thinking ideals and progressive mindset. In his new position, Garth is dedicated to steadily driving the hat industry forward, and uniting the leaders of the Headwear Association.
He plans on revitalizing the hat industry, making it younger, hipper, and more accessible through the use of social media and influential bloggers. The continued partnership with wonderful publicist Jill Hammer of HammerINK will insure that the Headwear Association’s name is at the forefront of fashion outlets and magazines worldwide.
Garth wants it known just how excited he is about the nomination, saying that it feels amazing that people have taken notice of his hard work and commitment to the headwear industry, and that he feels very appreciated. Here’s to a successful term as president!
This year’s WESA show was the best yet! For those that don’t know, the Western-English Sales Association is a trade show dealing with thousands of represented product lines and retailers . The WESA founders launched an initial trade show in Denver in January 1922, with the goal of creating a forum where retailers, manufacturers, and sales representatives could conduct business in an atmosphere of fair trade and fellowship. The resulting Denver International Western/English Apparel & Equipment Markets are the world’s largest trade events for the Equestrian Industry, attracting a constantly growing global audience to Denver’s world-class Markets.
We’ve been attending WESA’s awesome events since the 1980’s. This year, however, was something for the record books! Shortly before the show started, we caught word that the truck we had packed to the brim with all of our show supplies had been totaled in an accident and wouldn’t be making it’s delivery. This meant we would be left without a booth, and without any hats to show! At the last minute, we packed up all the hats we could, and hand carried fourteen boxes onto a plane bound for Denver.
When we arrived at the WESA show and let the staff know what a dire situation we were in, they immediately took us under their wing and turned the whole thing around. They provided us with all the parts necessary to build a booth, and even pointed us in the direction of a retailer that provided us with the exact shelving units we needed to display our hats! After an amazing show of meeting with new customers and reconnecting with old ones, we even won an award for Best Booth! We at American Hat Makers would like to extend a huge thank you to all the astonishing men and women at WESA for turning what could have been a disaster into a positive experience! Without your help, we would not have been able to have the rewarding and fulfilling experience we walked away from this year. We’re all looking forward to next year!
![18670821_10155333710839458_8218418030217550125_n[2]](https://americanhatmakers.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/18670821_10155333710839458_8218418030217550125_n2.jpg?w=634)
![16473687_10154983265514458_8493888114983359090_n[1]](https://americanhatmakers.files.wordpress.com/2017/06/16473687_10154983265514458_8493888114983359090_n1.jpg?w=634)
American Hat Makers 