Alan Weiss’s Monday Morning Memo® – 1/13/2025
I was thinking about a topic other than the LA infernos for today, but realized that would be a cop-out. I know people who have lost homes. My wife and I urged our son to get his family far out of the city suburbs where they live because of the air quality and uncertainty of the winds. He found an Airbnb in San Diego for family, in-laws, friends, and dog.
There is no sense seeking “blame” here, others will do that in ear-shattering volume. But what immediately occurs to me is that in the wake of the 9/11 terror attack, nearly 7,000 people have died of illnesses and diseases directly attributable to the aftereffects as of September, 2024—twice the number who died in the attack itself (Mesothelioma Center).
Then, as will happen now, people breathed fetid air which contained plastics, metals, toxic gases, and other deadly particulates. These settle deep in the lungs and eventually leach into the bloodstream. This is not like breathing in the smoke from a fireplace. It’s like breathing industrial waste. A client of mine returned briefly to his unburned but smoke-stench-saturated home, with masks, and he and his wife had headaches for hours afterward.
This isn’t about climate change. It’s not about some “perfect storm” that’s once in a hundred years. It’s about pragmatics.
Forest management needs vast improvement, with increased thinning and clearing. Overly-congested building with materials that are not at least fire-retardant needs to be changed, and existing housing probably needs to be retrofitted. Evacuation routes have to be clearly established, obvious, and expedited. (Where I live there are clearly marked “escape route” roads in the event of flooding and other disasters.)
Most of the “blame” that has surfaced thus far is unfounded: There were no fish causing the redirection of water; nor was DEI responsible for poor leadership. But there has been resistance to preventive actions in neighborhoods (NIMBY). Due to past disasters and strong probability of recurrence, State Farm Insurance (as just one example) had dropped 70 percent of its customers in the Pacific Palisades (New York Times). Insurance rates will go up nation-wide as the losses have to be overcome. No one will escape the horrors of this tragedy, just as no one did after 9/11, when we went to war in Iraq.
The middle class has been clobbered: Businesses destroyed and jobs lost that may never be reclaimed; air that threatens children, the aged, and those with pre-existing conditions, in particular; insurance claims that will be delayed and disputed; education disrupted, health care compromised, local transportation undermined, and personal resources and family histories lost.
All I know for sure is that such disasters can too easily recur if we learn nothing, or scream about existential climate change and ignore congested homes where sparks can leapfrog within seconds. Firefighters and all first responders are courageous people. But have they been equipped and prepared for disasters of this modern nature? Did we learn nothing from the Maui tragedy?
I don’t want to see stories or hear howls from the likes of Paris Hilton or other “celebrities” who can rent another home, or live in a presidential suite, for whatever it takes until they build their next McMansion. The media should focus on the middle class, not the insulated elite.
Remember “defund the police”? No politician will admit to shouting that today, though many did, and on the record. We need to get our priorities straight. We need to accept accountability and not assess blame. We need to reject political manipulation and focus on societal safety and what the Constitution calls, “the common weal.”
In church this weekend we all prayed for everyone affected.
But we’re also sending money.
I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster. —Catherine the Great
Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to reveal a social disaster. —Jim Wallis
People don’t resist change, they resist the journey. We have to help them see their self-interst in those travels. The refusal to do so can lead to disaster. —Alan Weiss
Zoom Workshops 2025: When you join for the year, you receive the past videos, or you can sign up for indiviudal sessions: February 4: Fearlessness. How to be bold and assertive in any situation. March 4: Conversation with a star. A candid conversation with a success in my community. April 8: Creating unsolicited referrals
An Alan Live Experience: Beyond Success: What happens when you’re meeting your aspirations, when your lifestyle is fabulous, and your prospects are excellent? How much is “enough”? Is there a “retirement”? How do you change (or sell) your business and IP? Are philanthropy, volunteering, and service right for you? Are you able to care for family and important others? What will keep you excited and positive—and “youthful”?
We’ll explore this and more over two days of intense discussion and exercises in a small group. We’ll get together in Los Angeles for two 9-to-4 days, June 11 and 12, including a reception. As you know, you’ll learn a lot from your colleagues and peers in that room. $7,500. https://alanweiss.com/
Master Master Class 2025: I’m happy to once again offer the unique Master Master Class in 2025. It will be in the exquisite Newport area on March 25-27, 2.5 days of learning, experimenting, and building new collegial relationships.
We will achieve:
- New offerings and IP for a volatile, No Normal® world.
- A consistent “voice” of expertise in your market—a “go to” magnetism and attraction.
- The identification and evaluation of your existing “body of work” to be repurposed and exploited for passive income.
- A book idea—commercially published or self-published, hard copy or electronic, written by you or “ghosted”—that will establish and perpetuate your stature. • The HOV lane for advisory work with high fees and low labor.
- The confidence and presence to deal successfully with anyone at any time in any environment. (Very special role plays.)
This will be all new material from prior Master Classes. The fee will be $15,000 which includes lodging and most meals and a reception. (This will probably be the last Master Class I conduct in person, on site. No, I’m not kidding.) I have three people already attending simply by hearing me discuss this informally. My limit is a dozen people. It will not be recorded, but you may attend by Zoom, although I caution you on the intrinsic disadvantages of so doing. Attendees may record the session on their own.
The fee will be $15,000 which includes lodging and most meals and a reception. (This will probably be the last Master Class I conduct in person, on site. No, I’m not kidding.) Write me to apply: https://alanweiss.com/g
Thought Leadership Quarterly: This is a Zoom series based on my popular Thought Leadership Workshops. I’ll be presenting ideas, based on current events and predictions, that will propel you to the forefront of recognition in your “public square.” This will be highly interactive and questions are welcome in advance. This will be 90 minutes and repeated twice to accommodate various time zones, once at 8 US eastern time and once at 5 US eastern time the same day.
March 18 June 17 September 23 December 18 $2,000 for the series. https://alanweiss.com/
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World: I’ve provided 14 modules with videos from me, from your colleagues globally, slides, and text. They include everything from launch to self-esteem, proposals to fees, closing business to creating a brand. No upsells! It’s only $115. What do you think about a 10,000:1 ROI? We have over 500 people from 47 countries. https://milliondoll
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World ADVANCED: The new program contains over 60 videos and has 15 modules focusing on what to do in the buyer’s office, overcoming crises, financial planning, and much, much more. https://alanweiss.com/gr
Million Dollar Consulting® for the World GRADUATE: Another 12 modules with videos by me and your peers on contemporary issues such as Raising Fees Aggressively, How to Be Consistently Interviewed, Maximizing Happiness, and Managing Multiple projects. Join the people from 57 countries who are availing themselves of this inexpensive way to dramatically grow their businesses in any economic times. How does 100:1 ROI sound? https://milliondollarco