Story & Lesson Highlights with Robert Mazzucchelli of Midtown Miami

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Robert Mazzucchelli. Check out our conversation below.

Hi Robert, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up between 5:30 and 6:30. First thing I do is drink some water and read for thirty minutes. Then I head to the gym for an hour or so for weight training and stretching, before returning to read the WSJ and have a coffee. By nine am, I usually start my work day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m an entrepreneur. My fourth company (the one I am growing now) is SportsEdTV, which is now the leader in the online sports instruction industry. After college, I tried the pro tennis tour for a couple of years, before starting a sports and event marketing company (that was company #1). One of my many passions is helping people improve in life by learning to improve in sports. Sports are an incredible training ground for learning life lessons and skills.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
When I was around 11 years old, I played little league baseball. I developed a skill for hitting homeruns, and in my last season I hit a home run in almost every game, including a few multi-homerun games and a grand-slam. This was a powerful feeling, to be completely confident every time I stepped up to bat. I’ve tried to carry that feeling with me throughout my life in all of my endeavors.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Yes. The summer before my senior year in college, I wanted to quit playing tennis (I was on scholarship at the University of Richmond, and hoped to turn pro after graduation). I had had a terrible summer full of loses in multiple tournaments, and I thought my dream was dying. My dad convinced me to bring my racquets to school and not make a rash decision. A great friend on my team convinced me to play one big doubles tournament with him before making a decision to quit or not. We played and won the tournament, beating many great teams in the process. That gave me the confidence to play out my last year and ultimately try to reach the pro level. Today I still play many times a week and I use tennis to restore my spirit when I am facing tough moments.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I’m in the brand building business. With the proliferation of digital media options, with instant clickability, many marketers have come to equate clicks with brand building. They mistakenly believe that popularity and even sales lifts are building a brand. They may, but it’s not necessarily the case. Building brands takes time and consistent storytelling effort. Building brands takes consistent product delivery and user satisfaction. Building brands takes connecting emotionally with consumers over time, so that they become brand advocates. The dopamine blast of clicks feels great, and it may keep your boss or board happy in the short term, but don’t mistake that with building a brand.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people will say that I lived a full and passionate life. I hope they will relay the stories of my sporting and entrepreneurial pursuits. I hope they will say that I always gave 100% and dreamed big, with little fear of failing. I hope they’ll say that I cared about people and treated everyone fairly and with respect. I hope they say I was a good husband, father and grandfather. Finally, I hope they say that I inspired them to live the same way I’ve tried to live, with courage, belief and passion.

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