Episode 036: Al Eskanazy

Introduction: Today we have with us Al Eskanazy, one of the most inspirational men I have ever had the pleasure of sitting on the same side of the negotiating table with. In addition to being the former Co-CEO of one of the nation's larger insurance intermediaries and now a partner in the award-winning Del Valle Productions Inc., Al is the voluntary CEO for The Ascent School for Autism and a Long Island Volunteer Hall of Fame inductee, whose life mantra is in line with the Muhammad Ali quote "Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth."   Episode Notes: At 2:17, Al Eskanazy advises that one must always keep track of his or her economic reality. At 3:06, Al touches upon leadership and teamwork. At 3:50, Eskanazy speaks about taking responsibility at a young age, goal setting, as well as starting from the bottom. At 5:02, he refers to "can't" and "won't" as being despicable words. At 6:17, Al dives into the art of listening and the importance of listening more than you speak. At 7:07, Eskanazy believes that one should not approach a negotiation as a war. At 7:37, he discusses patience and creating a sane time table for reaching your goals. At 9:32, Al visits the topic of failure, and using it as a tool in moving forward in your career. At 10:15, Eskanazy points out that muscle is not a tool - people must want to and enjoy following you. At 11:57, he talks about employers wanting its employees to succeed, and on diligence and responsibility. At 13:54, Al notes the impact of hard work, fairness and honesty. At 15:39, Eskanazy touches upon "speaking the facts" and leaving the door cracked open in a negotiation. At 16:54, he speaks about "solving problems" and "looking for problems." At 17:37, Al recommends the use of "fear" as a positive tool. At 18:08, Eskanazy mentions being a positive confronter that challenges people. At 19:02, he shares taking risks and making a difference in the community. At 20:36, Al Eskanazy closes the podcast with a message on being passionate about family and being a participator, not merely an observer.