Hey there fellow Entrepreneurs! This is the Entrepreneur Social Club, and I DO warn everyone that Social is in the heart of our name and attitude. Yes we are super productive and helpful. Yes we have lightbulb moments each Thursday night during our meetings. Yes we provide real, honest constructive feedback, starting with your pitch and business card. Yes we create a ton of real value and new business, plus global connections and new friendships. Yes this is a business social club. However, as previously aforementioned, this IS a SOCIAL CLUB and we will get completely dark alley, sideways now and again. Watching a gorgeous downtown St. Pete sunrise on Friday morning, after a hilarious and SAFE uber ride home across the Howard Frankenstein Bridge, enjoying a morning-cap of apples, cheeses, gourmet organic pickles, super hydrating coconut waters and such is the way to complete a night FULL of tom foolery. Especially when we “promised” ourselves that at Ruby’s Elixir, we’d be “Just One and Done” HaHaHahaaaa!! Just One and Done, really, just one and done…. that’s Hilarious!
things to do downtown st. pete
Our Summer 2016 Community Cafe Visit
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.
No Religion No Politics No Liars No Bullies No Thieves and No Racists
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)…
When the Cat was away the mice did play
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
Sushi Night at Souzou Downtown St. Pete
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!!
Why we should not discount our pricing
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.
Stay Authentic to Yourself
Another beautiful Thursday night here in Downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, aka DTSP, as we gather once again for the ESC. It’s a great evening to Stay Authentic to Yourself, while learning and growing. The Entrepreneur Social Club, meets every Thursday since 2009 – except when colliding with a major holiday like Thanksgiving – most always at historic DTSP venue NOVA 535. Tonight, Thursday April 21, 2016, NOVA was booked all day for a film shoot with the fabulous Sullivan Productions, So around 6pm, Team NOVA just finishing up and heading out as we Entrepreneurs, business owners, investors, start-ups and students strolled in. My NOVA 535 Unique Event Space project, now 10+ years in the works, allows me the opportunity to give back a bit each week, gathering like-minded humans who want some fun, time to unwind, plus a chance to earn, grow and evolve.
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Word of Mouth leads into the Tastiest of Ports
Word of Mouth leads into the Tastiest of Ports! Huh? Read on my fellow Entrepreneurs, business owners, startups, students and mentors! Welcome to another chapter of the wild, crazy and always fun and productive Entrepreneur Social Club, held every Thursday night, 6:00 pm to 8:30 pm, most always at downtown St. Pete historic venue NOVA 535. We had several newcomers tonight, and I always ask them how they heard about the ESC. Tonight, it seemed that there was a magical hot tub experience where the secrets of the ESC were revealed…