the misconception of mentorship

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So I checked off my 28th major league ballpark in Pittsburgh earlier this week with some friends — and one of those friends was the best man in my wedding, Kenny Ortiz.

Why is this relevant? Well, because Kenny is one smart cookie. And you’ll see why a little deeper into this email.

Now that I’ve set the record for shortest newsletter intro of all time…let’s get into it…

📍 Keepin’ it Local 📍

Orlando-Based Tupperware Battles the New York Stock Exchange

Earlier this month, the iconic kitchenware brand received notice from the NYSE that it was not in compliance with Sections 802.01B and 802.01C of the stock exchange’s operations code, due to low stockholder equity and falling global market capitalization.

Company execs fear that the business might go belly up without a much-needed infusion of cash, telling the SEC that Tupperware has “inadequate liquidity” to fund operating costs and obligations in the very near future.

Patented in 1949 by inventor Earl Tupper, the airtight food containers with the famous “burping seal” were first sold at cocktail parties by bored housewives looking for a lucrative but still home-based side hustle.

Halloween Horror Nights Scores a Big Win with ‘Last of Us’

This year’s HHN at Universal Orlando will have an immersive house based on Naughty Dog’s iconic zombie game, “The Last of Us.”

Unless you’ve been living under a rock in 2023, you know that this is the game that inspired the wildly popular HBO series starring the internet’s favorite daddy — Pedro Pascal.

The game’s storyline is the perfect setting for HHN’s flagship fright zone. Fans will recognize several settings and revel in the dank, dark atmosphere.

Neil Druckmann, co-president of Naughty Dog, is a fan and frequent attendee of the annual scare fest, and believes the horrific house will evoke true terror by bringing the world of the game and show to life in dreadful detail.

Jacksonville Jaguars’ Stadium Dreams Could Mean Big Bank for Orlando

The Jags are eyeing a new stadium project in the heart of Duval County, which means the club would have to find a temporary new host stadium for at least two football seasons.

Orlando’s Camping World Stadium is a strong contender for the replacement venue, thanks to Steve Hogan, president and CEO of Florida Citrus Sports. The company is the primary tenant at the stadium and is the main organizer of the area’s annual college bowl games.

While the city of Orlando hasn’t been in talks with the Jaguar owners, spokesperson Ashley Papagni says they’re open to conversations regarding the city’s many world-class venues and “an opportunity to showcase all that Orlando has to offer as a premier sports destination."

Correction: Last week I mentioned that the new Urban Air in Hamlin had postponed their opening — but I drove by it over the weekend and the parking lot was PACKED. Not sure how I got that wrong, but I whiffed it big time. So if you or your kids wanna get some energy out this weekend — head over to my neck of the woods in Hamlin and check it out (it’s 40% off right now)!

🔥 Hot Take 🔥

We had another episode with Daniel Botero drop this week, and the story he shared was a DOOZY.

You can check out the full episode here, but the short version of the story is that Daniel ended up randomly meeting his father’s best friend at an airport — 30+ years after his father passed away.

Turns out that his father’s best friend is an extremely successful business owner who owns companies all over the world. And in the year since this chance airport encounter went down, this guy has become a mentor to Daniel. The kind of mentor that could potentially have a drastic impact on the trajectory of Daniel’s entrepreneurial success.

My hot take?

If Daniel wants to fully capitalize on the mentorship from his father’s best friend…it’s going to take a lot more TIME than most people are willing to give.

My buddy Kenny — the guy I mentioned in the shortest intro ever — did a phenomenal TedX talk about this topic a few years and it changed the way I think about mentorship.

In Kenny’s talk, he says “If you think you can teach someone a particular skill in 30 minutes a week over the course of a month or two, sadly you’re wrong. It’ll probably take you 2-3 hours a week, and it’ll likely take you a year or two. Mentorship always takes more time, more energy, and more effort…but it’s always worth it.”

Bookmark this talk and watch the entire thing when you can (if you watch on 2x like me, it’ll take you less than 8 minutes).

Kenny lays out 3 simple — not easy — things you can do to become a great mentor.

As for Daniel…he’s well on his way to spending the kind of time it’s gonna take to capitalize on his father’s best friend’s mentorship. He’s already hopped on a plane multiple times to spend extended amounts of time with his new mentor, shadowing how he runs his enterprise up close and personal.

So whether you’re on the giving or receiving end of mentorship…know that it comes at the cost and sacrifice of time. But in my experience…the investment is well worth it.

🥳️ Have Some Fun 🥳

• Presented by the Timucua Arts Foundation, A Streetcar Named Desire will be in our backyard from June 22-25, 7-9pm. Half-price tickets are available for students, teachers, frontline workers, veterans, and seniors.

• Exploria Stadium is hosting a celebrity soccer game — The Beautiful Game — including Brazilian soccer icons, Ronaldinho and Roberto Carlos. It’s going down on Friday, June 23 with kickoff at 7:30pm.

• If you’re up for a little drive, Lights by the Bay (a drone light show) is happening at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium this Saturday, June 24 from 6:30-9:30pm. $35-$55 for kids under 13 and $55-$85 for adults.

That’s a wrap! If you liked this week’s newsletter, forward it to a friend 🙂

Peace, love, and Spindrift fizzy water….

James Carbary
Founder, Orlando Business