The Breakfast Club International

The Breakfast Club International –

The Networking Groups of All Networking Groups

There are many networking and mastermind groups in our community. What is unique about this group are its founders to start with. Steven Wain, local insurance professional and Marc Gagnon, local banker and artist, worked together some 12 years ago on the Davie Chamber of Commerce Membership Committee. They spearheaded the first chamber sponsored networking groups in the area there. The Davie Chamber of Commerce benefitted in a 300% increase in membership at the time. The networking groups grew to five groups, although the Chamber feared to hold the group meetings outside of the building which was their down fall which began the weakening of the chamber. The networking groups spread to Coral Springs Chamber of Commerce through Marc Gagnon, while Steven Wain began them at the Weston Business Chamber.  Ft Lauderdale was the next to entertain these groups.  The Breakfast Club is a combination of both mastermind and business strategic group aimed at gaining more exposure to its members, as well as affecting the bottom line. The Breakfast has only been in existence for 2 months since the end of April and the first group is already maxed out with others in the wing to begin a second group. The group intends to have after hour socials which will combine the 3 groups and will combine its efforts to give aid to the surrounding area for charitable endeavors.

Gagnon believes that this group could extend to New Hampshire and Massachusetts which is where his long time friend has given Gagnon resources to support his artwork. The resources given are some 12 employees that Gagnon has known for the past 25 years. He is also looking to extend the Breakfast Club to Charleston SC which his art supporter also has an array of support there. Charlie Fischer, Certified Financial Planner, Scott Abolafia, CPA, and Ruben Holschauer of PIP Printing are the other visionaries of the organization.

Pictured in this blog is Dr. David Schwartz, Chiropractor , gave a talk of Chiropractic Medicine to the group. The meetings are held every other Tuesday morning at 8AM at the Dunkin Donuts south of 595 on Davie Road Extension in Davie, Florida. The conference room seats 26. Some of the other members include Sabrina Fajardo, known graphic design artist, Jacques Weisel, motivational speaker, coach and writer, Jim Rohr, mortgage broker throughout the last decade, Mike Gainsburg, promotional products designer and distributor, Adam Zipper, energy savings solution consultant, Saul Medina, pest control specialist, Gail Fisher, Attorney, Danny Saunders, P & C Insurance, and others. The purpose of the group is to assemble the best professionals in one room. The group will work on various mastermind challenges such as marketing, branding, social media, customer retention, goal setting, as well as pass business around the table. The group has already began reporting commerce. The main direction of the group is to each other.
Breakfast Club International site created by Michael Resnik

THE WORTH OF A PHOTOGRAPHER/ARTIST IS MEASURED IN EXPOSURE

THE WORTH OF A PHOTOGRAPHER/ARTIST IS MEASURED IN EXPOSURE

I have learned in the beginning that the worth of a photographer and artist is measured in the exposure that they receive. This exposure can be measured in work they have done that has been published for example. Published may be work used for brochures, DVD or CD covers, newspaper advertisements, magazine advertisements, POP displays, and corporate websites. The biggest compliment and type of exposure is to be featured in the news. It may be interviewed on the radio, written about in newspapers and magazines, or interviewed on local or national television news stations, or cable news. Obviously, to be interviewed for the news, the photographer or artist must have subject matter that is involves current events. Some of my most notable art pieces covered in the news have been of the fire fighters of 9/11, support for the troops, breast cancer, healthcare, civil rights, human trafficking and the protection of children.

Recently, I was on a conference call with my agents which included Brian Shires out of Chicago, Michael Resnik out of NYC, Teresa Sullivan out of Nashua, NH, Tom O’Shaughnessy out of Burlington, MA,  Angela Sabatini out of Atlanta, and Brian Nickerson out of San Francisco. They all stressed in the need of continuous press and exposure for my work. Some of my work involves particular social impact issues, and some involve specific times of the year such as Thanksgiving and 4^th of July. All of us have data on all of the consumer magazines in the country and we are putting together a media business plan. One can never be satisfied with the amount of exposure that they have.  There are various attachments of some of the exposure I have received during the years. There are also links to television interviews as well as a website that includes many of my exposure in the past.

NBC News interview
Cable News interview
Media links
Media with reference to the troops

AMY VITALE – THE ONE AND ONLY MODEL I WORK WITH OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA

AMY VITALE – THE ONE AND ONLY MODEL I WORK WITH OUTSIDE OF FLORIDA

I have been living in South Florida for the past 13 years. You would think that because of the migration of people to South Florida that I would have the opportunity in working with a variety of models in South Florida. The truth of the matter is that I only work with one dependable model who is Amy Vitale. I fly models in from New England, New York, Colorado, Georgia, Charleston SC, and Arizona. Models in South Florida seem to be lazy, undependable, and unprofessional. It is not surprising that Florida as a whole has a poor population in terms of economic demographics. I will be working again with Rachelle Ochs who is a model out of Phoenix Arizona on a number of projects. I originally discovered her out of Kingman Arizona on my journey to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Amy Vitale works for various wrestling promotions, not as a wrestler though; but as part of the dramatic act in the matches. She has been in commercials, films, and has been the primary model of Marc Gagnon which the works are marketed by Marc Gagnon Inc. Marc Gagnon Inc., supported by a technology company out of New England and San Francisco, is the marketing machinery out of New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Atlanta, and New England. Amy Vitale has been in such pieces as For Our Troops collage, Breast Cancer collage, Healthcare collage, Eve, Grande Design of a New Nation (Betsy Ross collage), The Secret Garden, Defending Wildlife collage are among some of the acclaimed art pieces. The For Our Troops collage campaign can be viewed through the two links listed on this blog.  She has appeared in Playboy Magazine as well as Wrestling Magazines. These tearsheets can be viewed on the Gagnon site of Amy Vitale. I have created a website about Amy Vitale because she has become a well known commodity in the talent world. I have begun marketing her to NYC and LA based talent and model management companies.

Additionally, Amy’s likeness has been featured in a comic book series titled Red Angel.   Red Angel is now available through Famous Faces & Comics, Action Games & Comics, Acme Superstore, and Tate's Comics and Games! 

What the Flux Comics presents Red Angel, a new full color, steampunk, sci-fi comic by author Erin Pyne and artist Russ Leach. Actress/Model/Pro Wrestling Entertainer Amy Vitale inspires Victoria Angel, the captain of the steam airship Red Angel. The Red Angel crew is tasked with defending New Britain from ARC rebels after the Machine Wars of the late19th century. Capturing an ARC ship after a battle, Victoria and her crew discover there may be more to the insurgent Machine attacks then revealed by Global Transmospheric, the leading company in military technology and defense. A link is also on this blog regarding the comic book series. Below pictured is Amy Vitale at a Comic Book convention, the Red Angel Promo, a Wrestling promo shot, the DVD NBC cover of the Fisher House event, and a sample shot from a Amy Vitale shoot. Obviously, I would love to find more people like Amy Vitale in South Florida. How many pearls though do you find in Oysters?

Amy Vitale Supermodel
What the Flux Comics
For Our Troops collage site

Toast to Our Troops site

It’s About Location, Location, Location

It’s About Location, Location, Location

I have seen many model portfolios that were put together in probably one session. These people actually believe that stardom is in their midst. There are modeling agencies that lure models into their offices where in reality they are actually photography mills rather than representing models for actual advertising campaigns or have actual clients (i.e. corporations, advertising agencies, production companies, etc.). In other words, they make their money by having someone part of their staff take pictures essentially around the block from their office in one afternoon for the model’s portfolio and composite card for a sheer $800. Obviously, the more time and effort you put into, will determine what you will gain out of the experience. Minimum time will produce minimum results. This is a constant behavior in South Florida. This transcends to other areas as well. I have been approached by people to get involved in some 70 multi level marketing opportunities which is a get rich quick type scheme.

It is common sense that before working with a photographer, just like any type of engagement of business activity, that certain things should be verified. The photographer’s portfolio should be reviewed for example. Does the photographer have any tear sheets (published work) or his/her work been featured in the news? Has the photographer ever worked with models part of large model management companies? Obviously, the photographer should have in his possession composite cards, agency books, and head sheets proving this.

An On-Location shoot should be well thought out in bringing together the model, the environment of which the shoot will be done as well as the clothes. Obviously, a swimwear shoot, the place may be a beach, a pool, streams and waterfalls in the mountains, for certain type of swimwear such as the jungle type look, a tropical rainforest may be a good idea. I have seen too many shoots that were thrown together and looked too ordinary. A model is looked at either as serious or serious depending on the time and effort spent on their calling card (composite card) or portfolio. From my experiences in New England as compared to Florida, I met far more models that became successful in New England than in Florida. From models like Susan Gallagher, Nancy Donahoe, Lisa Hale, Sheila Benson, Donna Mills, Heather Black,  Martha Longley, Nancy Travis, Martha Gehman, Rhonda Niles, Pamela Gidley, Tracy Pollan, Isabella, Linda Joyce, Mia Sara, Paige Hall, Andi Waugh, Debra Gilbert, Adriana, Julie Shay, Lori Jeanne, Tom Bergeron (Broadcasting and now on Dancing with the Stars) are all people out of the surrounding New England area that I have met from 1982-1997.  This is a short list off the top of my head. The only one I have met from Florida that has been successful is Nikki Taylor and she became successful because of Jean Renard, a photographer out of Boston. There are a couple of other Florida models that have strong potential such as Amy Vitale and Isobella Jade; and that is it. It is more than just having the look. It requires thought, effort, intelligence, and hard work to become successful in whatever one does.

On Location Image site

Challenger Space Shuttle collage

Challenger Space Shuttle collage

The Challenger Space Shuttle collage is a historical piece dedicated to the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger which lifted off on January 28^th, 1986. Of course what was different from this space shuttle in comparison to the ones prior to, is one of its crew members. Christa McAuliffe, the school teacher who taught at Concord High School in New Hampshire. She was an example for teachers everywhere who inspired her students to learn in her Social Studies classroom. She realized that it is the children who will shape our planet in the future.  The wisest investment we as a society can make is in our children. As she would say, “We should open ourselves to Options we never consider, to chart the unknown possibilities.”

The Challenger Space Shuttle collage was released to the McAuliffe Shepard Discovery Center in Concord, NH on January 28^th, 2011, the 25^th anniversary of the lift off and unfortunately the tragic disaster. Christa McAuliffe was a school teacher in New Hampshire, one of our smallest States of the USA. Yet she was chosen out of teachers nationwide to make this heroic mission. It does not matter the size of New Hampshire but the quality of the people that come from there. I felt privileged to meet so many great people of that State and I was part of it for some 37 years.

The Concord Monitor published an article of the Challenger Space Shuttle collage and NH Magazine featured the piece on its website.Concord Monitor News Story on the Challenger Space Shuttle collage accepted by the State of NH

NH Magazine News Story on the Challenger Space Shuttle collage accepted by the State of NH

Jacques Weisel, Writer, Mentor and Coach

Jacques Weisel, Writer, Mentor and Coach

in a DEAF COMMUNITY

As a photographic artist, I choose a variety of subjects and topics for my collage art pieces. The art pieces range from beauty, historical, social impact, spiritual, mythological, landscapes (geographical), and soon. There is the rare occasion that I pick a topic involving a current person. I chose Jacques Weisel to do a piece on because of his dramatic experience of escaping the Holocaust. The Holocaust has been down played by individuals and has been down played by even groups of cultures. More important, Jacques has dedicated himself to not only bettering himself, but in bettering others through his writing, coaching, and speaking.

What is somewhat a paradox is where Mr. Weisel lives, South Florida. To adequately describe it, it is a large used car lot. People are constantly selling their products to you like no other place. I have been approached some 67 times in various pyramid get rich schemes. In addition, I have met an enormous amount of coaches in South Florida and most of them have no degrees, life experiences and learned their profession in one weekend. These coaches also use strong armed tactics to get people to buy their products. Such groups as Self Discovery, Tony Robbins, and Landmark Forum are all the same. They have no degrees in Psychology or the extensive life experiences to sufficiently impact people’s lives.

Coaches are only as good as the sum of their experiences. How can they be any good if they were trained over a weekend? If a coach has not been published and featured in the news, how well skilled are they? As a former Psychology graduate who met one of the most influential Psychologists of the century, Carl Rogers, listening is the most effective tool to impact someone’s life. Most coaches could not tell you what it means. Such listening techniques as Clarification, Rephrasing, Probing, etc. are done. Florida is a place where very few people actually listen. Many people in Florida approach me and ask me if I am still doing my paintings. There is so much BS here, very few bother to listen as they cannot distinguish what is real and what is not. It was only last week that I was approached for a Ponzi Scheme, another Rothstein. The only reason there are scams in South Florida is because there is a MARKET FOR IT because essentially very few people actually LISTEN. I have seen many people turn themselves off from Jacques Weisel because his major theme is to help others listen. Jacques has been published hundreds of times, has been featured in the news, and has experienced and survived the unthinkable which is why I created the collage JACQUES WEISEL, A PORTRAIT OF A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR. Pictured below is the collage piece, A picture of Weisel and Gagnon. Also below is a picture of former Mayor Scott Brook which Scott tributes his victory to the coaching of Jacques Weisel.

 Jacques Weisel Story

How Marc Gagnon became an Accomplished Photographer

LOOKING BACK – THANK YOU TO MY MENTORS

No one in life is an island. Obviously, there are different mentors for different purposes. I have had mentors with regards to helping me to create a foundation as a person. Obviously, my parents, some specific teachers and particular friends have helped me with respect to this. I have been in the photography field for some 29 years. A girl I almost married, actually motivated me to buy my first camera. On the most part, I stayed within a small area from Nashua, NH. This girl was from England and was visiting the USA. We started making trips far outside my comfort zone, which is where I began my photography.

One year later, a prospective model who was working at the Manor IV in Nashua, NH asked me to take some pictures for her portfolio. I really had no idea what I was doing. I started reading books and started experimenting. She introduced me to 5 other people who believed that they had something to make it a career. Although they gave me a lot of credit in marketing them to NYC based agencies, I think it may have been a lot of luck. I contend that they did far more for me than what I did for them. They introduce me to the top fashion photographers of NYC (See Attached List) and most definitely the world. I met them through their forum which was usually at the RCA Building, The Cadillac Bar, and a number of other places. I began to sit in on sessions and observed. They began putting me on the spot and I would plug in my camera to take a couple of images at their shoots. I even took a couple of images for actually assignments that were published. They included me on their mailings and I was invited to industry events such as the invitation attached to Studio 54.  Some of events were fashion shows, premieres, and just parties. I actually accumulated a huge file of candid images of celebrities and people who were the operators of the business such as Ad Executes, Camera people, Producers, and Music People.

More important, I learned what I see so many photographers lacking in South Florida; which is the ability to take the right model, with the right clothes matching with the right environment. My main area of photography these days is the COLLAGES.  Although the COLLAGES are a series of images that make a story, still, the individual images making up the collages are critical to make it work. Some of these photographers are long since gone, but some of these people are also now educators and give presentations. I recently communicated with Jack Reznicki and expressed my appreciation to him. I now sell me artwork in some 26 stores, with a future one in William, AZ and negotiations with a large store chain that are in all of the commercial airports. Much of my work is tourist based and I sell in many merchandising forms (see attached pictures). I have begun also publishing my own Coffee Table Books.

I have attached a couple of pictures of an Indian shoot which I will be creating a Frontier Collage. In this collage will be images of the Old West (ghost towns), Little Bighorn, and re-enactments of the old west, stage coaches, OK Corral, Log Cabins, and some other historic sites.

Photographers that influenced me:

1. Francisco Scavullo
2. Richard Avedon
3. Jay Maesel
4. Steve Meisel
5. Jack Reznicki
6. Annie Leibowitz
7. Bruce Webber
8. Marco Glaviano
9. Gilles Bensimon
10. Greg Gorman
11. Toscani
12. Albert Mackenzie Watson
13. Jean Renard
14. Douglas Hopkins
15. Tom Hooper
16. Patrick DeMarchelier
17. Peggy Sirota
18. Harry Langdon
19. Joyce Tenneson
20. Lynn Goldsmith
21. Michel Comte
22. Andrea Alperts
23. Peter Lindbergh
24. Herb Ritts
25. Tom Lohman
26. Harry Benson
27. Bill King
28. Jennifer Baumann
29. Andrew Eccles
30. Robert Farber
31. Giacomo Giannini
32. Les Goldberg
33. Lee Page
34. Michael Pateman
35. John Pemberton
36. John McDonough
37. Paul Lange
38. Jacques Silberstein
39. Arthur Algort
40. Eric Bowman
41. Rudolf Von Domele






42. Marc Baptiste