2
AGENDA / September 2011
3
AGENDA / September 2011
Committed to our Cause.
A message from new LAAA CEO Gustavo Contreras By Gustavo Contreras
It is with great pride that I address you
to our group. As you may know, Rafael
this month as the newly appointed CEO
stepped down from his role as LAAA
of the Latin American Agents Association.
CEO in July 2011, deciding to pursue
This year has been an incredibly exciting
new opportunities in the industry he has
year for the LAAA. It has been a year of
faithfully served for over 20 years.
positive change and forward progress as our leadership team continues to focus on
I am also happy to announce that my
bringing more value and opportunity to the
executive teammate Greg Mckewen will
group and industry that we have proudly
take over the reins as LAAA President. Greg
served for the past 12 years. I want to
and myself care deeply about the LAAA
publically thank former LAAA CEO Rafael
and we are committed to our cause of
Hurtado for his many years of hard work
providing our membership and supporters
and dedication that he has contributed
with
valuable
training,
information,
AGENDA / September 2011
4 motivation, new technologies, exciting
asked on occasion is the happening s of
and fun events, new idea’s, advocacy,
LAAA founder Andre Urena. Andre was
networking opportunities, and access and
the visionary and driving force behind the
discounts to the products and services that
LAAA for its first 11 years, and provided
are vital to growing your business. We have
a level creativity and innovation that has
been working hard on numerous projects
been rarely seen association industry.
for the association, all with the purpose
For the past year Andre was living and
of building the LAAA foundation bigger,
working in Latin America on a number of
better and stronger than ever before.
interesting business ventures, including
5
AGENDA / September 2011
Picture of the Month!
We encourage you to send us pictures and the story behind them. Send them to info@latinagents.com
the development and launching of a major In addition to bringing you news of our
call-center for a large law firm. Most
leadership updates, I would like to remind
recently, Andre is on living and working in
all agents and brokers that the LAAA
Austin, Texas after taking on an important
will be providing FREE PASSES to our
consulting position with a major insurance
spectacular 12th Annual Trade Show and
firm. Andre will be in charge of opening
Convention taking place December 1-4th
20 new retail locations geared toward the
2011 at the luxurious Renaissance Hotel
Latino/Hispanic marketplace. He commutes
in Long Beach, CA. The LAAA is the ONLY
to Los Angeles frequently, spending time
trade association to offer free attendance
with his family. In his very limited free time,
to our trade show and exhibitor event
Andre will be a contributing author to our
and we have done so for the last 3 years
Agenda Magazine publication, providing
running!
Our free attendance offer is
informative articles designed to make your
available to agents and brokers only, and is
operation more successful and profitable.
another example of the LAAA’s dedication to bringing value and opportunity to our
Well this should provide a good dose of
support base.
updates and information concerning the LAAA! I want to thank you for your support
If you have not already done so, please go
and I look forward to bringing you exciting
to our website www.latinagents.com and
new developments in the very near future
PRE-REGISTER. To qualify and obtain your
that is sure to bring value to all!
free Trade Show Pass you must pre-register NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 30th 2011. For all of our company and vendor members and supporters interested in exhibiting at the Trade Show please get your exhibitor application and fee’s in ASAP as space is limited and we are filling up fast! One of the questions that I have been
Are you committed to your clientele? This guy is, he built a whole wooden frame on his car to promote the causes he believes in. As an insurance professional, you got a captive audience that can help you be involved politically at the local level, the real question is how committed are you to what you believe. Community involvement creates “Neighborhood Affinity” which can translate in referrals. Question is, do you have a plan of action, do you know who your local organizations are and what they stand for. Magazine Staff: Editor in Chief - Greg Mckewen Managing Editor - Gustavo Contreras Managing Editor - Andre Urena Managing Editor - Don Lukenbill Creative Director - Amara Poolswasdi Art Director - Tanya McClain Technical Director - Andree Ochoa
Contributing Writers For This Issue:
Greg McKewen Andre Urena Gustavo Contreras Don Lukenbill Frank Meza, MD,
The opinions expressed by Agenda columnists are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect those of the Latin American Agents Association, its Board of Directors or membership at large.
6
LAAA Membership Benefits:
Are you a Member yet? 1. Market Information. 2. Networking 3. Education & Seminars. 4. Quality Presentations 5. Representation 6. Tradeshow 7. Monthly Meetings 8. Industry Recognition 9. Qualified Vendors. 20. Strong Leadership. 11. Meaningful Discounts. 12. Preferred Positioning.
LAAA Meeting Calendar
AGENDA / September 2011 10.13.11- Meeting Los Angeles Monthly Meeting Stevens Steak House Commerce, CA 12.01.2011 - 12.04.2011 - Convention Convention and Christmas Gala Long Beach Reinassance Hotel Long Beach, CA 12.06.2011 - 12.09.2011 - Convention Convention and Christmas Gala Long Beach Reinassance Hotel Long Beach, CA
For up to date meeting info in your area, go to www.latinagents.com/calendar
L.A.A.A. P.O.Box 4564 Valley Village, CA 91617 (818) 635-4848 rafael@latinagents.com
www.latinagents.com
7
AGENDA / September 2011
Janitorial coverage in a five-minute phone call. Call. Quote. Bind. Using TAPCO’s courteous and prompt call center, Janitorial coverage can be quoted, bound and delivered to your e-mail inbox quickly and accurately during one five-minute phone call. CGL Coverage Available: • Primary limits up to $3 million Occurrence/Aggregate • $5,000 Medical Payments Coverage—included • Blanket Additional Insured Endorsement—available • Lost Key Coverage—$25,000 Limit available • Property Damage Extension available (Care, Custody and Control) Policy Limits up to a maximum of $250,000 Occurrence/Aggregate • Excess or Umbrella Limits up to $5 million No Deductible Required * Available coverages and markets may vary dependent upon risk characteristics.
Property Coverage Available: • Building • Contents • Business Income • Basic, Broad or Special Form • Replacement Cost or Actual Cash Value • Equipment Breakdown • Inland Marine • Computer Equipment • Contractors’ Equipment • Outside Signs
The TAPCO Service Pledge • “A”-rated non-admitted carrier
• Quick claims handling
• Competitive pricing
• $10 credit to your personalized TAPCO EZ Bucks Visa debit card with each policy
• Fast policy turnaround • In-house financing available in most states
1,000 Strong
• Visa, MasterCard and ACH payments accepted
More than 1,000 classes of P&C business written under binding authority.
877-TAPCO-99 www.gotapco.com
insurance professionals, the “business”
women face. It is disheartening to be
for me started off as a summer thing
thought of that way, but women in this
during high school, around 1996. After
industry have begun using it in their
I graduated from college, it became a
favor. The less threatening you appear,
part time thing, inevitably evolving into
the easier it is to grow your power and
a full-time career!
success right in the open.
Q: In the Latino market, some perceive
Q: Would you encourage insurance as a
women as having a more difficult time
career track for other Latinas?
getting established as an insurance
LAAA Q&A – 20 Questions
professional. Is this true? If so, what can
A: Of course, it’s a very rewarding
be done to change the playing field?
career.
A: It isn’t true actually. As a female, getting
Q: You were a marketing rep with
established as an insurance professional
Access for some time. What did you
is the easy part. Being RECOGNIZED as
learn there? Now that you are in retail,
an insurance professional is the hard
describe some of the differences.
part. A common assumption is that your
Vira Magallanes from Fasttrak Insurance, Irvine, CA By Don Lukenbill
spouse/brother is the real professional
A: Allow me to point out one thing: I
and you’re just the “pretty face” of the
have never stopped being in retail. That
agency.
is, I am forever a Sales Person. There is only a slight difference between being a
Q: Describe the challenges you have
marketing rep and a sales agent if you
Many of you reading this will remember
business, it is Vira and Fasttrak. One
faced being in an industry dominated
are doing it right. The key to remember
when insurance was strictly a “boy’s
look at the Fasttrack Insurance website
mainly by men and do you see this
is that you are always SELLING.
club.” Of course, that’s hardly the case
(www.fasttrakins.com)
gender demographic changing in the
anymore, with women playing major
that. Something else you will notice is
roles as agency owners and managers,
various social media links, as well as a
insurance company administrators, and
newsletter sign-up and a blog. So, let’s
A: Well, when I first started coming
and the amount of detail and work
much more. In the LAAA’s Q&A feature,
meet Vira Magallanes.
around the “insurance industry,” I heard
that’s behind running a successful
there was a bet amongst a few insurance
company Gerry Knowles (who needs no
is
proof
of
we have brought our readers profiles on
near future?
What Access did for me is teach the internal side of the insurance industry
professionals,
Q: Let’s start with a little background.
guys (I didn’t consider them men at that
introduction) taught me a tremendous
many of them female. This time around,
How did you get connected with a fun
point) on who would “get to know me
amount about management. Access
we are pleased to speak with Vira
and exciting career like insurance?
first.” This only underscores my point
also taught me not to be afraid to STAND
of being just a “pretty face.” So you can
OUT amongst the insurance crowd.
outstanding
insurance
Magallanes from Fasttrak Insurance. A: My family has been in the insurance
imagine their surprise when I turned out
If there was ever a role model for
business for a very long time. Like many
to be relatively intelligent. This is just a
Q: Your website is outstanding. Tell us
utilizing
other
small example of the type of challenges
about the genesis of Fasttrak’s web
the
latest
technology
for
second-
and
third-generation
10
AGENDA / September 2011
presence and the impact it has had on
Q: How much of your business is
your business.
Internet-based versus telephone/walkin?
A: Thank you. I love our website. Believe it or not, it is still being worked on. We
A: 30% is Internet; the remainder is
linked up with an awesome company
referrals/over the phone.
that has been able to bring Fasttrak’s crazy ideas into fruition and create what
Q: Let’s talk about community outreach
I believe is THE BEST WEBSITE IN THE
for a bit. Do you believe the old adage
WORLD! ;)
that most of your business comes from a ten-mile radius of your agency?
Q: For those agencies who are still
In other words, are you active in your
dragging their feet on developing a
neighborhood?
website, any advice? A: Yes, I do believe that you should A: Well, speaking to the generation that
focus on your backyard, and we are
is still intimidated by technology, you all
quite active in our “neighborhood.” Our
have a niece, nephew, daughter, son, or
staff volunteers at local events, and
someone in your family that is obsessed
we have a definite local presence. We
with technology: computers, Facebook,
don’t plug insurance per se, we just try
Twitter, etc. Give them a couple of bucks
to integrate into the community and be
to help you develop a website. Costs
good neighbors. People do business
can be as low as 30 bucks a month
with those they trust.
to maintain a simple, but very useful website. It is a great start. Our agency
Q: You are based in Orange County,
didn’t begin with our current website on
definitely a Latino population center. How
steroids by any means. It took a long
are you reaching out to that community?
time, money and creativity.
What other ethnic groups encompass
Q: What about those who are late to the
your book of business?
social media party? A: We have a diverse staff, and the A: I guarantee that even your 8 year-
functions we attend reflect that, as does
old niece or daughter knows how to
our book of business.
use Facebook or Twitter. It’s a great way to get the young ones involved in
Q: On your website, you mention that
something productive. Who knows, they
your agency specializes in the motorcycle
me end up in the business as well.
Continues on page 12
AGENDA / September 2011
11
12
AGENDA / September 2011
Continued from page 10
Revitalization is important every couple
and power sports market. In the current
of years. I strongly encourage women to
economy, it seems as though that is a
get involved to find out what is going on
luxury market. Are people cutting down
in the industry and to find out what our
on motorcycles, jet skis, boats, etc.?
“male” competition is doing -- and do it
13
AGENDA / September 2011
Automobile Insurance For California Drivers
even better ;) (I joke). A: People don’t cut down on what they are passionate about.
Q: What’s the secret to your success?
Q: For the longest time, the LAAA
A: Loving what I do. I enjoy getting up
has advocated diversification – be a
and going to “work” every single day. If
community
your heart isn’t in this, you should get
service
resource:
DMV,
notary services, etc. Does Fasttrak
out now.
offer non-insurance services to you customers?
Q: If you could go back ten years and
Partnering with Alliance United provides you one of the best Auto Insurance options to build value and maintain a solid book of business with: Easy Underwriting Competitive Programs User Friendly Systems Multi-lingual Customer and Claims Service
Simply... a better auto insurance company.
talk to Vira, what would you say to her? A: Yes. A: Listen to your dad more. He knows Q: How have LAAA events (meetings, convention,
etc.)
helped
Fasttrak’s
what he’s talking about (he’s the one that got me into insurance).
business? Q: Now fast-forward ten years. What A: It gets our name out there while
would you like to hear from Vira in
letting us know what is going on in
2021?
the insurance community. Attending meetings, conventions, etc. is invaluable
A: I’d like to hear myself telling my
for developing ideas through interacting
friends how great living in my Italian villa
with colleagues who are in the same
is.
boat as you are. Q: What motivates you to succeed, Q: What is your take on the changes
personally and professionally?
in leadership, vision, and philosophy of the new LAAA? Would you encourage women to join the association to better their careers and personal goals? A: I think it has taken a turn for the better.
United with you on the road
Unidos contigo en el camino
A: ME.
For more information, please contact us at: www.allianceunited.com
866-530-5500 Ext 3707
Fax 800-761-8680
Alliance United Insurance Company, Ventura California 93003 NAIC # 10920
14
AGENDA / September 2011
I have to work a double tomorrow. By Andre Urena
I have to work a double tomorrow. Regardless of what anybody says, one of the reasons I stick with the insurance is because after I became an agency owner, I never had to clock in and out. It’s funny because on labor day weekend I was sitting at a rsetaurant in South Padre, Island, TX enjoying the breeze, the fireworks reflection on the gulf and I heard from a table close to me a lady saying, ohh no more for me, I work a double tomorrow. And it hit me, I have not had to “work a double” since college And neither have most of you, agency owners, perhaps that is why you hang in there, because the alternative is grim.
However, in order to stay there, you must change for the better, let’s start with your operation, ask yourself this question: Do I have a niche? What makes my agency and the services that I offer different from what my potential customers might be seeking. Is my service what I would expect from a place I would shop at? If you have no answer for that, you are cooked. Mediocrity will not be tolerated in this competitive enviroment. If you still do not “get it” call your competition listen to the goods and the bads and then call your agency. You will quickly learn what must be addressed first.
AGENDA / September 2011
15
16
AGENDA / September 2011
17
AGENDA / September 2011
Take a shot for good health Honor the past
Celebrate the future
During National Hispanic Heritage Month, we join you in celebrating the vibrant spirit of Latino cultures. You’ll find our commitment to you reflected in our award-winning approach to culturally appropriate care—including bilingual caregivers and certified interpreters. For more information, visit kp.org or contact Carmen Salcido at carmen.p.salcido@kp.org or 562-833-0197.
kp.org
Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles and West Los Angeles Medical Centers By Frank Meza, MD, assistant area medical director With all of the advances in modern medicine, it’s easy to assume that illnesses such as measles, whooping cough, and hepatitis have disappeared. But they still exist-and can lead to hospitalization and serious or fatal complications. Measles is highly contagious and globally is one of the leading causes of death in young children.1 Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, can result in pneumonia and seizures. In the United States alone, there were more than 21,000 cases last year alone.2 And Hispanics are twice as likely as
non-Hispanic whites to be diagnosed with hepatitis A, which causes swelling of the liver.3 But illnesses such as these can easily be prevented with immunizations. Vaccines are safe, effective, and can help employees stay productive and on the job instead of taking take time off to visit the doctor or care for a sick child. Share this information with your clients so they can help protect the health of their employees-and their bottom line. Continues on page 19
19
AGENDA / September 2011 Continued from page 17
How vaccines work
Vaccines use weakened or inactive versions of the germs that cause preventable illnesses to help the body create antibodies-specialized proteins that fight disease. These antibodies make you immune to the disease, protecting you from infection. Most childhood vaccines produce immunities 90 to 100 percent of the time, making them the most effective tool available for preventing infectious diseases.4 Before it can be approved for use, a vaccine goes through a rigorous and extensive testing process by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once it’s approved, the FDA carefully monitors the vaccine for quality-the manufacturer must test each batch for safety and report their findings. The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also keep a close watch for side effects for as long as the vaccine is in use, and work together to address any potential problems. The United States now has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history.5
Get help from Kaiser Permanente
Your clients’ employees can find the help they need to protect their families from preventable illnesses with Kaiser Permanente: • kp.org/ immunizations -employees
can print screening and immunization schedules for both children and adults, get answers to frequently asked questions, and download informative flyers about different types of immunizations
Sponsorship Package Available Now
• Online personal health record-with My Health
Manager, members can keep track of
immunizations and test results, email their doctors’ offices with questions, and manage their children’s health needs online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week • kp.org/healthytravelmembers can learn what shots they need to get and any precautions they should take before traveling abroad on family summer vacations These services are available to members at no charge. To learn more, contact your Kaiser Permanente representative.
About the author
Frank Meza, MD, earned his degree from the University of California, Davis, School of Medicine, and has been a Kaiser Permanente physician since 1978. He serves as a member of Kaiser Permanente’s National Diversity Council and has presented and written extensively on the demographics and health issues of Mexican-Americans. To schedule an appearance by Dr. Meza, contact Carmen Salcido at carmen.p.salcido@kp.org or 562-833-0197. ______________________________________ 1 “Measles,” World Health Organization, who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs286/en, accessed June 7, 2011. 2 “Pertussis (Whooping Cough)-What You Need To Know,” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cdc.gov/features/ pertussis, accessed June 7, 2011. 3 “Hepatitis and Hispanic Americans,” Office of Minority Health, minorityhealth. hhs.gov/templates/content. aspx?lvl=3&lvlid=541&ID=6496, accessed June 7, 2011. 4 “Vaccines Are Effective,” Vaccines. gov, vaccines.gov/basics/effectiveness, accessed June 7, 2011. 5 “Be Informed,” Vaccines.gov, vaccines. gov/basics/safety/informed, accessed June 7, 2011.
22
Insurance & Technology
AGENDA / September 2011
Apple iOS 5 and iCloud to be released this fall. Revolutionizing mobile computing. Again! By Greg McKewen Executive Director, LAAA
Our “Insurance & Technology” segment this month features APPLE’s soon to be released iOS 5 operating system update which will include over 200 new features PLUS their release of iCLOUD, Apple’s revolutionary solution to storing, updating and synching ALL of your Apple devices WIRELESSLY and AUTOMATICALLY. Either of these new features on their own would take mobile computing years ahead of anything else, and the two of them working together is going to shake up the mobile, tablet and pc computing industry once again! For those of you who using the Andriod, Blackberry or Windows mobile platforms, this article will still be a great read as many of the features being released by Apple will surely be included in software updates by the other big players as well.
iOS 5 & Icloud features:
iOS 5 is Apple’s newest operating system update that powers Apple devices like the iPhone, iPad and iPod. This update will released by Apple this fall and will contain a mind-blowing 200+ new features! Notification Center All your alerts. All in one place. You get all kinds of notifications on your iOS device: new email, texts, friend requests, and more. With Notification Center, you can keep track of them all in one convenient location. Just swipe down from the top of any screen to enter Notification Center. Choose which notifications you want to see. Even see a stock ticker and the current weather. New notifications appear briefly at the top of
AGENDA / September 2011
23
your screen, without interrupting what you’re doing. And the Lock screen displays notifications so you can act on them with just a swipe. Notification Center is the best way to stay on top of your life’s breaking news.
reply to a friend? Contacts applies your friends’ Twitter usernames and profile pictures. So you can start typing a name and iOS 5 does the rest. You can even add a location to any tweet, no matter which app you’re tweeting from.
Newsstand A custom newsstand for all your subscriptions. Read all about it. All in one place. iOS 5 organizes your magazine and newspaper app subscriptions in Newsstand: a folder that lets you access your favorite publications quickly and easily. There’s also a new place on the App Store just for newspaper and magazine subscriptions. And you can get to it straight from Newsstand. New purchases go directly to your Newsstand folder. Then, as new issues become available, Newsstand automatically updates them in the background — complete with the latest covers. It’s kind of like having the paper delivered to your front door. Only better.
Camera Capture the moment at a moment’s notice. Since your iPhone is always with you, it’s often the best way to capture those unexpected moments. That’s why you’ll love the new camera features in iOS 5. You can open the Camera app right from the Lock screen. Use grid lines, pinch-tozoom gestures, and single-tap focus and exposure locks to compose a picture on the fly. Then press the volume-up button to snap your photo in the nick of time. If you have Photo Stream enabled in iCloud, your photos automatically download to all your other devices.
Reminders A better way to do to-dos. Next time you think to yourself, “Don’t forget to...,” just pull out your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and jot it down. Reminders lets you organize your life in to-do lists — complete with due dates and locations. Say you need to remember to pick up milk during your next grocery trip. Since Reminders can be location based, you’ll get an alert as soon as you pull into the supermarket parking lot. Reminders also works with iCal, Outlook, and iCloud, so changes you make update automatically on all your devices and calendars. Twitter Integrated right into iOS 5. iOS 5 makes it even easier to tweet from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. Sign in once in Settings, and suddenly you can tweet directly from Safari, Photos, Camera, YouTube, or Maps. Want to mention or @
Photos Enhanced photo enhancements. Turn your snapshots into frame-worthy photos in just a few taps. Crop, rotate, enhance, and remove red-eye without leaving the Photos app. Even organize your photos in albums — right on your device. With iCloud, you can push new photos to all your iOS devices. So if you’re taking photos on your iPhone, iCloud automatically sends copies to your iPad, where you can quickly touch them up before showing them off. Safari Even better site-seeing. iOS 5 brings even more web-browsing features to iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Safari Reader displays web articles sans ads or clutter so you can read without distractions. Reading List lets you save interesting articles to peruse later, while iCloud keeps your list updated across all your devices. On iPad, tabbed browsing Continues on page 24
AGENDA / September 2011
25
Continued from page 22
helps you keep track of multiple web pages and switch between them with ease. And iOS 5 improves Safari performance on all your iOS devices.
specific email, you can now search in the body of messages. And with iCloud, you get a free email account that stays up to date on all your devices.
PC Free Independence for all iOS devices. With iOS 5, you no longer need a computer to own an iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch. Activate and set up your device wirelessly, right out of the box. Download free iOS software updates directly on your device. Do more with your apps — like editing your photos or adding new email folders — on your device, without the need for a Mac or PC. And back up and restore your device automatically using iCloud.
Calendar Get more perspective on your schedule with year view on iPad and week view on iPhone and iPod touch. Tap to create an event and drag to adjust the time and duration. Add, rename, and delete calendars directly from your device. And view event attachments without leaving the Calendar app. iCloud lets you share calendars with friends and family, and it keeps your events in sync on all your devices.
Mail Your inbox is about to receive some great new features. Format text using bold, italic, or underlined fonts. Create indents in the text of your message. Drag to rearrange names in address fields. Flag important messages. Even add and delete mailbox folders on the fly. If you’re looking for a
There is much more that will be part of these two amazing releases, for further information or to be notified by Apple of the release date just visit: www.apple. com This is Greg Mckewen signing off for this month’s segment of Insurance & Technology. Have an awesome month and happy computing!
26
AGENDA / September 2011
AGENDA / September 2011
27
We become our parents parent. By Andre Urena
It is no secret that my father passed away. What very few people know is how that affected me. My father was my sounding board, my advisor, my mentor, my friend, my GPS. Almost a year since his death, I miss him terribly and finally I am coming to terms with living without him requires of me. His illness was long, my poor mother had to deal with the brunt of it. Over 8 years of not knowing whether he would be at the hospital, at home, or even make it through the night. Over 8 years of watching his physical abilities and his mind go. Since I was very young, my father made me question everything and always look for alternatives as to how to do things, change and innovation drove him and in turn made me who I am today. Cherish your closest to you as you may never know when they will be away from you. Make your life mean something, at the end is not what you take with you but what you leave behind that matters most. We had 2 services for him, one in L.A. and one in our native Costa Rica. Both were celebrations of his life and I appreciate everybody that attended. But it was the one in Costa Rica that impressed me the most, people I had not seen since my childhood showed up and pay homage to his life. Is the stories of how all these people were helped in a meaninful long lasting way by him. From daughters that he secured a job for, to cousins that admired his success and showing them that all is possible in life.
I find myself at peace with his passing now because his biggest contribution to me was that his communication with me was so open that I did not have to make some of the same mistakes he did. And I learned from his triumphs as well. So I am wiser as I live as if I have lived 2 lifes, his and mine. He made me wise when I was young and he made me care for what is important now that I am older.
28
AGENDA / September 2011
AGENDA / September 2011
RELAX & THINK
29
These quotations are selected each month to offer our readers inspiration to improve their business and personal lives...or at least have a chuckle.
“Find a job you like and you add five days to every week.” - H. Jackson Browne “Every day I get up and look through the Forbes list of the richest people in America. If I’m not there, I go to work.” - Robert Orben “Executive ability is deciding quickly and getting somebody else to do the work.” - John G. Pollard “Many people quit looking for work when they find a job.” - Author Unknown “Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas. If your ideas are any good, you’ll have to ram them down people’s throats.” - Howard Aiken “The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play” - Arnold Toynbee “Researchers at Harvard say that taking a power nap for an hour in the afternoon can totally refresh you. They say that by the time you wake up you’ll feel so good, you’ll be able to start looking for a new job.” - Jay Leno “Don’t waste time learning the “tricks of the trade. Instead, learn the trade.” - Attributed to James Charlton and H. Jackson Brown, Jr. “There’s no business like show business, but there are several businesses like accounting.” - David Letterman “What is it that you like doing? If you don’t like it, get out of it, because you’ll be lousy at it.” - Lee Iacocca
30
AGENDA / September 2011
AGENDA / September 2011
After this great success on his first album, Pau was determined to show that the band would be more than just a one-hit wonder, and with this idea he launched Depende (1998), which was produced by Joe Dworniak in Moody Studios in London over a period of two months. This album featured collaborations with Ketama and continued with Jarabe de Palo’s ironic and ingenious lyrics, which managed to connect with the Hispanic public and even made inroads among Italians.
Nuestra Musica Vol 52 “Jarabe de Palo” Pau Donés born in Aragon, Spain and raised in Barcelona, Spain, worked for various groups before being able to take on his current group, Jarabe de Palo. He began at age 15 with his brother Marc, with whom he formed a group known as J. & Co. Band and later another one named Dentaduras Postizas. During this period he completed his musical tracks in Barcelona with a job at an advertising firm.
I love Jarabe De Palo, because their music is Spanish pop but original enough to stand on its own style. Their lyrics are very contagious. Pau’s greatest success came to him after a trip to Cuba, where he was inspired to write “La flaca” which became the title of his first album in 1996. A year later came the big surprise: millions of albums were sold around the world, and “La flaca” became the song of the summer in 1997. I specially like “La Flaca” song in its acoustic version.
In 2001 they released De vuelta y vuelta, their most conceptual album. It showed a change in the band with the first music video of the album, in which Pau appears shaving his head, shedding his long-haired features. This album featured collaborations with Antonio Vega, Jovanotti, Vico C and Celia Cruz. In 2003 the band tried to show a change to more positive songs with their album Bonito, which featured Los Martires del Compas, the singer-songwriter Elena Andujar and their Italian friend Jovanotti. In autumn of 2004 the band announced that they would go on tour with their new album, 1 m2 (Un metro cuadrado, A Square Metre) featuring Jorge Drexler, Lucrecia, Chrissie Hynde from the Pretenders.
31
Listen to Jarabe de Palo, a great feel good Spanish band. Their album released this year is awesome too, great upbeat driving music that makes you think. Discography • 1996 - La Flaca • 1998 - Depende • 2001 - De Vuelta y Vuelta • 2003 - Grandes ɸitos • 2003 - Bonito • 2004 - 1m2(Un Metro Cuadrado) • 2007 - Adelantando • 2009 - Orquesta Reciclando • 2011 - Y ahora que hacemos?