Your career spans several fields, from academia to business and aviation. How did your experiences as a university professor and CPA shape your approach to problem-solving in small businesses?
As a CPA the first conversation with a prospective client often starts with” … I have a problem..” and as an international tax compliance expert, they expect me to provide a solution. In my earliest years as an entrepreneurial start up in the accounting field, I was often asked to prepare projections of revenue and costs that were intended to provide the new businessperson some preliminary budget and cash flow expectations. To do that I had to learn to ask a lot of questions about businesses that I had little or no experience in.
As a helicopter pilot you are trained to always be prepared for an emergency… so the situational awareness you develop from scanning instruments, how the aircraft controls feel, what the engine and wind sounds like all give you clues as to whether the aircraft is behaving as intended or not.
Recently getting involved with Equine Therapy and learning about the amazing situational awareness that horses (they are prey animals that have been somebody’s lunch for millions of years) they have to quickly assess whether you are a predator or not, and their sensitivity to the intention of the humans or other animals that approach them has added a whole new dimension to my understanding of situational awareness. And horses can’t ask a question, however, their body language and sounds communicate clearly with you and other equines.
What motivated you to transition from a successful career in accounting and academia to becoming a business problem solver?
As an investor in ‘partnership’ with others I learned that sometimes asking the right questions was fine IF you asked the right people and VERIFIED the reliability of the source of information.
Even then I experienced an expensive financial setback after having asked what I thought and the franchisor thought were very thorough investigation of a potential business site. I learned that the right questions weren’t enough. In that case the highway department was emphatic that no road work was planned on the street in front of a fast-food franchise restaurant. Not three weeks after we opened, the Water and Sewer department began to rip up the street for new sewer lines!
How has living in Panamá influenced your perspective on business and entrepreneurship?
In most Latin American countries there are restrictions on what foreigners are authorized to do, many professions are limited to citizens. As a result, entrepreneurs with experience and great ideas for successful opportunities have to be very selective in who they chose to share their ideas and expertise. That means getting past the double entendré of the language barriers and misunderstandings.
The ambience and attitude of ‘Latinos’ ads a whole new perspective. I have lived in Central America for two decades. Panamá is my adopted home. I’m married to a wonderful Costa Rican. There is a delightful casualness to business greetings and casual relationships instead of the get to the point style of most American businesspeople.
However, I remind my clients that Colombus was hauled back to Spain in chains by the King several times for mishandling and embezzling funds in the territories he was handed the responsibility to manage. It often seems that deceit and slight of hand are engrained in their culture. To avoid that problem, anyone taking the extra challenge of doing business in Latin America needs to do a very thorough background check and verification of the ability, reputation, and capacity of prospective business associates. i.e., Ask the Right Questions. Be a Respectful Skeptic.
Can you describe a particularly challenging problem you’ve encountered while starting your writing career?
As a former professor I had two hours to make my point. I could go off on side bars and still spin the lesson back to the point of the topic. Getting concise and to the point is sometimes a challenge.
Readers don’t need to be taken on sidetracks except in a clarifying footnote or parenthetic explanation, otherwise you disrupt the flow of the narrative, whether in a non-fiction or a novel. Either way you are telling a story. Stay on point as much as possible except to build intrigue and curiosity.
Did you meet or interview any other teacher while writing your book, A Teacher's Guide to Empower Your Children?
Some of the best reviews I got from the first edition of “Blame It on ‘Nam…” were from teachers. I listened to their stories and incorporated one former administrator’s concerns in my lesson plan. Having developed a management training program as part of my master’s in human resources as an intern to the University´s Personnel Manager, I had experience in developing the topics and time limitations for a ten-session operations management program for the staff of the university (the workers, not the faculty, the electricians, carpenters, grounds keepers, plumbers).
I also had a wonderful mentor in my first faculty position at Georgia State University. I was honored to be selected from the graduating doctoral class of accounting PhDs around the US to attend a three day program sponsored by the then-top international CPA firm at their main professional training campus outside of Chicago on how to develop and effectively make a presentation.
How do you balance your professional life with your hobbies, such as flying and trail-riding?
That’s the hardest part. How to justify the costs in time and dollars of an expensive hobby. I just have to accept that there are several months a year that my focus has to be on the paying clients, not my hobby.
What drew you to become a licensed private pilot, and how does flying complement your other interests?
As a young man I watched the Blue Angels and Thunderbird air shows and always wanted to be a pilot. Right after graduating and taking on my first professional job one of the neighbors in the apartment complex was a new pilot for Eastern Airlines. I casually mentioned that I always wanted to learn to fly. His reply was -LETS GO, I have a license to teach and access to a Cessna 150. So off we went to what was then a tiny airport with one runway and one building in the middle of tomato fields in the outskirts of Miami. That airport is now the Miami Executive Airport with dual runways and dozens of regular flights.
There is a special feeling when piloting a small helicopter with the doors off. It’s like riding a motorcycle in the sky.
Who is the first person to read the first draft of your books?
My wife. Having a critique by a non-native English speaker was very helpful in clarifying a point and reducing text to what is appropriate and understandable.
When are you most satisfied with a book or piece of writing? Do you often edit things OUT of your books?
Editing is essential, to get the point across clearly. Satisfaction comes from positive reviews from strangers. The Foreword to my 3rd edition is written by a retired Army colonel who wrote a very nice review of the first edition, and I reached out to compliment a book he had written. We have become friends.
What is the most crucial component when writing a parenting book?
Having to think like a child and all the things we/they would rather be doing than studying and listening to their parents.
How does your background in business problem-solving enhance your ability to provide guidance to small business owners?
See my long explanation to your first questions. Been there, done that. Lost money in the process. That provides a lot of insights to steer potential clients in the right direction, and to Ask the Right Questions.
Who are some of your favorite authors, and what genres do you enjoy reading the most?
Bill O’Reilly and his Killing series of historical figures provides a terrific insight to the personality of the famous individuals who have influenced society. His latest book Confronting the Presidents is among the best American history narratives available.
For fun reading I loved the Wilbur Smith novels about African adventurers settling among often not-so-friendly tribal groups. His novel “Elephant Song” (1991) is a fantastic read for anyone interested in the lives of animals. He draws you in to feel as if you are one of the herd as they traverse their habitat. I think that awareness has piqued my interest in learning and discovering how horses think and feel
Recently my research has been reading as much as I can about horses and their behaviors. It has led to a topic of management training – What we can learn about leadership from horses. There are so many parallels to training a horse and training people. How horses respond to the Alpha Mare provides valuable insights about paying attention to body language and non-verbal communication.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start their writing journey?
Be prepared for frustration and delays. Writing is the easy part. The hard work is marketing. Don’t try to be all things … get help. Hire freelancers to do the things you don’t excel in. Be aware that it requires negotiating and monitoring their work, i.e., management skills.
Looking ahead, what are your future goals or projects, both in your business work and in your personal hobbies?
I want to get on stage and share what I’ve learned from integrating a personal story of building trust with a horse and how that carries over to being an effective leader.
That will provide a bit more balance to my time schedule and permit me to get back to earning my Instrument Rating in both private airplanes and helicopters.
What has your AllAuthor experience been like so far? What are some highlights?
The support and creation of images by your talented team is great. The exposure, even to a self-interested cadre of other authors, is enlightening.
Seeing the creative side of the display options and the process of building a market following has been a positive learning experience.
