Our Summer 2016 Community Cafe Visit

August 21, 2016August 24, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Each Thursday night the Entrepreneur Social Club (ESC) meets in person, most always at my meticulously renovated, historic wedding and event venue NOVA 535 Unique Event Space in beautiful Downtown St. Pete, Florida. Last week, Thursday August 18, 2016, NOVA 535 was booked for a WIFT event, that’s Women In Film and TV. It was hosted by Rose Rosen, of Casting by Rose, she’s fabulous! I wrote a story about it, “I Make Films Like a Girl” , if you’re interested. As to tonight, since I was co-hosting WIFT at NOVA, Nick “I’m You When you Can’t Be” Mazeika and Audrey Jennifer, ESC’s new Hostess (with more than the Mostess!) met Jason (it was his birthday, happy birthday Jason!) and Mandy Keys Owners of Community Cafe at their really cute location at 2444 Central Avenue for our weekly planned ESC gathering.

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No Religion No Politics No Liars No Bullies No Thieves and No Racists

August 14, 2016August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Hi I’m Michael Novilla. As I travel the world connecting with my fellow Entrepreneurs, I found that we all need a help and support, so I created a system called the NOVA Way. In 2005 is used the Nova Way to built my hometown St. Pete our own unique world-class event space called NOVA 535. In 2009 created a charity, the Entrepreneur Social Club, and now I also own and operate DowntownStPete.com, where everyone goes for the Best of what’s Local in DTSP. Again I’m Michael Novilla. So that is my general social pitch, a quick way of describing me and my enterprises. We always spend about 20-30 seconds each pitching the group (always seated here at ESC, it’s a fun casual SOCIAL club, not a boring seminar with people standing up and droning on and on and zzzzz…) after I’ve explained the Entrepreneur Social Club Rules.

No Religion No Politics No Liars No Bullies No Thieves.

Our group is like a big welcoming family. We are TOUGH, but in the kindest of ways. We are here to help and love and support you and your enterprise(s)…

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When the Cat was away the mice did play

July 25, 2016August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Summertime in Florida is hot and sticky, even here in Downtown St. Pete, aka DTSP, with the cooling breezes off the gulf and bay. So when I can, I escape to somewhere else. Not a vacation, which implies NOT working. Traveling is how I describe it. I know, whaaaa poor me! See we created a digital system to run NOVA 535, my historic wedding and event venue, remotely. NOVA is where most every (physical) Entrepreneur Social Club (ESC) meeting is held. So this week, July 21, 2016, When the Cat was away the mice did play. Play, well mainly some “forgot” to show up for our weekly Thursday night ESC meeting. I mean we’ve only been holding these EVERY THURSDAY night since February 2009. Some habits take longer to sink in I guess…haha! Though some of my favorite meetings have been when there are under 20 guests; it allows for much deeper discussions than where our table is overflowing with 50 and more. Tonight big

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Athen’s Surprising Street Art Scene

July 23, 2016August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Athen’s Surprising Street Art Scene.

So I arrived late into Athens Saturday night, about 11pm, and “Tubered” to my AirBnB apartment. “Tubered” meaning using the Uber app but riding in a taxi. See many cities around the globe caved into the taxi union’s pressure and don’t allow Ubering they only allow “Tubering” with taxi (new word =Tubering). It DOES make the shitty taxi service better, less chance to sit around waiting, getting “lost” and being ripped off. (Props to all our fellow Entrepreneurs for making traveling in the 21st Century SO MUCH EASIER!! AirBnB, Uber, Expedia, Google Flights, etc. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!!) Anyhoo, so after skipping dinner, and finally getting an excellent night’s sleep (check out my previous blog’s as to why), I awoke to a spectacularly gorgeous 1st day in Athens. Time to go out sightseeing! I was having some stomach issues, likely from

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Lovely Vilnius Strange Little Uzupis

July 14, 2016July 18, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Lovely Vilnius Strange Little Uzupis.

Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and was chosen as my post Riga next stop on my Summer 2016 Entrepreneur Social Club travel adventures. I didn’t know exactly what to expect, which, when you plan weddings and complex events for a living (NOVA 535 Unique Event Space) it’s nice to just let things happen as they happen. Minimal planning involved. So I took the 3.5 hour bus ride from Riga, easy peasy, and landed here in lovely Vilnius, on a beautifully sunny day. And Sunny night as this part of the world seems to enjoy looooooong days. Let’s explore!

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Just the Fax Ma’am

July 13, 2016August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Just the Fax Ma’am. Fax? Don’t you mean Facts? Er, nope. Read on… Spending a day experiencing the Belarus Consul (and their delightful 1950’s style of customer service, brought to you by Stalin.Inc) to a modern, friendly, tech savvy Latvian Entrepreneur named Dovainis Sinkevičius, owner of a new, really cute cafe, Localt. End to end of the spectrum here ladies and gents. See while traveling through the delightful Latvia and Lithuania, I decided to pop over to neighbor Belarus, into the capital Minsk….but not before a few days here in lovely Vilnius!

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Design and Decisions. Good Bad Ugly Beautiful.

July 5, 2016August 25, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Design and Decisions. Good Bad Ugly Beautiful.

What goes into decision making? Does it feel good or bad? Is it beautiful or ugly? Would you do it again? Ultimately, for me, it’s would I do it again? Yes or No. It’s a binary answer to a complex set of questions. Would I go back to a restaurant? Take someone out for date #2? Watch a film again? Buy a 2nd bottle of that same wine? Take a 2nd or last bite??

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entrepreneur social club lietains riga retains kool

Lietains Riga Retains it’s Vess

July 4, 2016July 4, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Lietains Riga Retains it’s Vess.

Day two in Riga, the capital of Latvia, sandwiched between Lithuania to the south and Estonia to the north. As recently as 1991, all formerly controlled by Russia. Lietains, in Latvian, is rainy, and Vess means cool. Today Sunday July 3, 2016 it rained (lija) all day, yet the charm and vess of Riga, Latvia never diminished! Just like while under Russian authority, the sparkle of Riga remained strong, even when soaking wet. Better, brighter and more beautiful days are here for this gem of a city. So after a hearty (and included) breakfast in the swanky cellar of this renovated, historic structure, the Royal Square Hotel, I borrowed an umbrella and headed off for my Lietains Riga adventure!

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2016 Entrepreneur Social Club at Souzou DTSP

Sushi Night at Souzou Downtown St. Pete

June 17, 2016June 17, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Sushi Night at Souzou Fusion Restaurant Downtown St. Pete

Tonight, Thursday June 16, 2016 we are off-site at Souzou Fusion Restaurant, located at 435 5th Ave N, St. Petersburg, FL 33701. Call (727) 823-4050 for reservations. Typically we are at my historic wedding and event venue NOVA 535, but tonight NOVA is booked for a private affaire, a glamourous wedding ceremony and reception. So we’ve ventured out to my pal Mike Harting’s (owner of 3 Daughter’s Brewing) swanky spot Souzou for our meeting, dinner and drinks. A night filled with sushi and sake! Compi!!

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Why we should not discount our pricing

June 10, 2016June 11, 2016 Michael Scott Novilla Leave a comment

Tonight we are delving into “Why we should not discount our pricing when asked by a prospective client.” Aside from the fact that it’s irritating – like when you’re in Outback Steakhouse and you offer them $15 for their $23 Ribeye. Huh? My mortgage holder, tax collector and insurance men would laugh in my face if I suggested 15% off. When you agree to give a client a discount, you are undermining your business, value and reputation. You are now open to negotiating everything, including the value you place on your time and efforts. Once you know, really know your costs and value, then you set your pricing to where it needs to be at and that’s that.

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