Mark Ferrell's Love Story Workshop - Storytelling That Changes Lives

I am no stranger to the Mark Ferrell series of workshops based on the Marbecca Method. I have blogged about his MC Skills workshops both in March 2010 when I took the Bronze level and then again when I took the Silver Level in October 2011. This time it was my second spin at his Love Story Workshop and it was another out of body experience.

Mark Ferrell in action using both hands and great side bars to explain and exemplify

So what exactly is a Love Story? Mark and Rebecca Ferrell originated it during their years as wedding entertainers (1989-2002) in Southern California. Today the term itself has become a bit of a cliché and used by all kinds of wedding professionals. The Marbecca Love Story is a ten to twenty minute story that normally leads up to the first dance and, if done properly, completely engages everyone in the room. I emphasize "done properly" because a straight read without the proper voice inflections and character acting will make the story flop. We learned quickly that great storytelling really draws on acting skills which is a talent we seldom use in our daily routine.

The impact of a great Love Story can be immense. It is safe to say that most of the wedding guests know either the bride OR the groom really well so very few of them may know the inside story of how they came together. There is always a great story that begins with their first meeting, first date, proposal and concludes with their own version of why they chose each other out of all the other people in the world. The couple is the reason why all of their family and friends are gathering for the celebration so why not share their story with everyone? I always tell my clients that they are the one common denominator among all those attending their wedding. The Love Story when delivered with sincerity, realism and passion touches on just about every human emotion and can evoke tears of both sadness and joy.

We had a spectacular group for this Bronze Level Love Story Workshop. Pictured here in our graduation photo from left to right is our guru Mark Ferrell, Rebecca Ferrell, Norman Anub, Robert Kusters, Stacie Tamaki, Josh Barron and myself.

The Loving Class of Bronze Level Love Story 2011

What made this group dynamic especially fun was having a non-DJ, Stacie Tamaki, who was there to continue stretching herself and improving her speaking skills. We also really enjoyed Josh Barron who, at only 19 years old, is embarking on an incredible career as an entertainer. Josh traveled all the way from Michigan to take both the Love Story and MC Skills Workshop in one week. Josh works under the direction of Mitch Taylor of Taylored Weddings. Mitch feels strong enough about the Marbecca Method to send Josh across the country get training with Mark Ferrell. We send major kudos to Mitch Taylor for taking this kind of care in getting Josh off on the right foot.

What really makes a Mark Ferrell workshop special? It is mostly their intentions. Mark and Rebecca created their wedding entertainment business because they loved being around couples in love. They now travel around North America and soon to the U.K. to help DJ's become better performers but that also means the DJ's have to become better people who truly love their clients as Mark and Rebecca did. Marbecca's motto is "It's all about Love" so love is the foundation of everything they teach and do.

Mark blogged recently about Halloween and how it can be your own "Reality Show." He went on to say that "we have the power to design our lives and hopes your glass is half full." This kind of powerful optimism is central to his workshops and overall philosophy which made the cups at the Hampton Inn and Suites where we gathered seem all the more appropriate.  :-)

But seriously folks we also have a really great time at Mark Ferrell's workshops in addition to working very hard to perfect our performances. I could not resist including this photo of DJ Robert Kusters kicking back. Robert never ceases to improve on his performance skills because he continues to take Mark Ferrell workshops. He simply shined in this latest Love Story workshop.

My parting shot is of me and my good friend, Stacie Tamaki. Stacie really gets it. She instantly realized the value of Mark Ferrell's message at her first workshop in May 2010 and was quick to share her experience on her blog post. Stacie's enthusiasm for these workshops centers on the fact that they are not just for DJ's but for anyone who wants to be a better speaker and improve all of their communication skills. Stacie was also thrilled with this Love Story workshop as she describes the experience in her blog post. It is unique training that you just can't find in too many places and we are grateful to the Ferrells for sharing their special talents with us.

Stacie Tamaki and I ham it up at the Bronze Love Story Workshop conclusion

MC Skills Workshop - Too Much Is Not Enough

There's a notion that experience itself breeds proficiency and practice makes perfect. However, practicing and repeating incorrectly can also result in just the reinforcement of bad habits. I have been the MC at over 4,000 events so I am hardly shy on experience in speaking to audiences. However, when I get the chance to watch myself on video I ALWAYS see room for improvement. Every single time.

So last week when the opportunity came knocking to take the Silver Level Master of Ceremonies Workshop with Mark Ferrell right in San Jose I did not hesitate. This was not my first rodeo at a Marbecca Workshop. I had already taken their Love Story workshop and the MC series twice. I traveled to Las Vegas in February 2010 for the sole purpose of taking the MC Skills Workshop and told that story in my post you can read by clicking here.

There is so much information to cover in his workshops Mark has now split them into three levels, Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each workshop is jam packed with useful information on announcements, introductions, basic mike technique, posture, demeanor, delivery and everything a speaker needs to engage his or her audience. In this more advanced session we spent a lot of time on connecting with our audience to make them feel, not just hear what you are saying.

The best part of this experience is that it is mostly hands-on and not lecture. We all had equal mic time with video capturing every nuance of our speaking skills. It is the only way to really see yourself in action and Mark lends his expert critique from many years of entertainment experience.

So why was I only one of three local mobile DJ's to participate in this invaluable training? Mark and his wife, Rebecca, have spent most of 2011 taking their workshops on the road across America. I feel so fortunate that our area was on their list of stops but I am puzzled as to why more of our local entertainers are not interested in improving their MC skills. Over half of the participants is this workshop traveled from Seattle and Southern California while one of the group, Stacie Tamaki, is neither a DJ nor entertainer but she understands the value of improving her communication and presentation skills.

The bottom line is we can all stand to use a little tune up when it comes to communicating with others. If you have not seen yourself on video lately, I strongly urge you to do so. It might make you squirm a little but it can only lead to improving your people skills and your life.

I encourage you to check out all of the workshops offered by Mark and Rebecca Ferrell. They come from the heart and will improve everything you do. My parting shot is of the Class of 2011 San Jose Silver. From the left: Me, Stacie Tamaki, Ron Grandia, Alan Chitlik from Seattle, Mark Ferrell seated, Robert Kusters, Matt Graumann and Matt Mitchell both from Southern California and Rebecca Ferrell.

Thanks again to Mark and Rebecca Ferrell for sharing their many years of experience in this truly unique learning experience. It is obvious that everything you do is All About Love.

CIA Boot Camp taught by Chef John Ash is really more like a Culinary Fantasy Camp

Most people perk up when they hear the term "CIA" and wonder if someone is secretly watching, recording or tapping their phone line. But anyone who pays any attention to culinary education knows in the foodie world the acronym stands for Culinary Institute of America. They began in Hyde Park, New York and moved southwest adding a campus in San Antonio, Texas. The expansion to the west coast was directly into to the heart of the wine country in Napa, California. My first photo is the front of their incredible Napa facility which was once the Greystone Winery and then later run by the Christian Brothers. This centerpiece of the campus is 117,000 square feet of classrooms, theaters, shops and restaurants. It is premier culinary training in the middle of a wine mecca which is a pairing that makes perfect sense.


In November I had the opportunity and pleasure of enlisting in the CIA Basic Boot Camp at this amazing Greystone campus. I was one of just twelve students who got to spend one week under the guidance of the renowned chef, author and educator, Chef John Ash.

We wasted no time jumping right into the swing of things at the CIA. Chef John Ash is a pioneer of using local, seasonal ingredients to complement the regional wines of the area at his restaurant, John Ash & Co. in Santa Rosa, California. And it didn't get any more local for us than just a few steps across the driveway to the CIA's own herb garden. We toured it on the first day of class and had the luxury of picking from this plethora of fresh herbs all week long.


There were so many varieties of just chives alone that I lost count. As Chef John gave us the tour of this extensive garden we sampled along the way. My personal favorite was called Sanguisorba Minor or more commonly, Salad Burnet. It is absolutely delicious and I'm predicting it to be the next basil.


On our very first night we got off on the right foot with a CIA hosted dinner in the Wine Spectator Greystone Restaurant. It was no surprise that the food was spectacular and nicely paired with wines from the Sauvignon Republic. As an ice breaker Chef Ash asked each of us to share one of our favorite stories at dinner. Comradery blossomed and it was a great start to a great week.


As pleasant as the surroundings were it was still boot camp and that meant starting everyday sharp at 7:00 a.m. We covered everything from basic knife skills to some of the most popular cooking techniques like poaching in oil. It was great to see rigid protocol like dress codes enforced. Our chef's toques were to be worn at all times in the kitchen area. Pictured here is my entry in our knife skills competition.


Every day began with lectures and ended with us preparing enough food for 96 people. We formed four teams and each team made four dishes in quantities of six. The results meant some serious good eats for the dozen students, Chef John and his two assistants. Pictured here is Dan Williams as he tenderizes some meat with the back of a saucepan. Dan lives in Orangevale near Sacramento and was the only other guy in our class. Dan is not only a great cook, but also loves wine and golf which means that he and I will definitely have a few more stories to tell down the road.


Chef John Ash knows a lot about flavors. He also knows a lot about wine and we were treated to a session at The Rudd Center for Professional Wine Studies where he used tiny bits of food to play with our palates. This experiment was part of the greater discussion of flavors to which we dedicated an entire day and was the highlight of my week.


My only complaint of the week was the proverbial "so much information, so little time." The realm of culinary is massive and impossible to squeeze into five days. We had a great group of students. We had our own private kitchen called The Williams Center for Flavor Development separate from the main teaching facility. We had Chef John Ash as our mentor. If we only had some more time. I liken cooking instruction from Chef Ash to taking an art class from Michelangelo because every lesson is augmented by real first hand experience from around the world. If it's tempera, then he has a story to share about cooking with Japan's top chef. Education just doesn't get much better than this. They call it "Boot Camp" but it was truly like living out a fantasy for me.


It's no surprise that I have chalked this one up to a truly great experience. In my parting shot here Chef John Ash is pointing to one very happy boot camper.

MC Skills Workshop - Never Stop Honing

In the culinary world we are taught to hone our knives every time we use them. A quick run across the honing stone enables your knife to easily go right through a ripe tomato. It is really all about maintenance and keeping your tools effective. I feel this same sharpening habit goes for your talents. Last month I had the opportunity to return to school and take a unique MC Skills Workshop in Las Vegas where we learned what makes great speakers and presenters.

Workshops and seminars for self-improvement are quite common. However, emcee/MC/ master of ceremonies skills are often learned innately or stem from acting, film, television or drama disciplines. Fortunately, my good friends, Mark and Rebecca Ferrell, have produced several workshops for disc jockeys who seek to improve their MC skills. The Ferrells are well qualified to teach this workshop because they come from an extensive entertainment background including Disneyland, Knott's Berry Farm, as well as television, radio and voice over work. They created The Love Story concept in 1989 for their wedding clients and have been teaching the Marbecca Method to entertainers all over the United States and Canada. You can follow them on their blog at Mark Ferrell.com.

The Marbecca Method training is both intimate and intense. I was one of only six students in this small meeting room at Hilton Homewood Suites in Henderson, Nevada. The tables were strategically positioned to optimize communication between everyone.


And then there was the dreaded camcorder. Yes, the only way to see your mistakes and watch your improvements is video. It was constantly rolling and revealing every little nuance you want to see and many you'd rather not see. In this shot I am on the hot seat with somewhat of a deer-in-the-headlights look on my face while Mark seems to be chuckling at the footage.


Part of our training included watching many examples of speakers. Time and again the best example of great MC work we witnessed was Marc Summers. Marc is the quintessential Master of Ceremonies. Marc hosts a show called Unwrapped on my favorite channel, The Food Network, where you can enjoy his amazing speaking skills weekly.

An important part of being the Master of Ceremonies is to have a working knowledge of the ceremonies themselves. There is much folklore and history that has made ceremonies endure over hundreds of years. We took turns role playing as bridal couples while each of us explained these traditions in our announcements. It could have been the intensity or just the moment but I decided humor was the best medicine when it was my turn to play the bride so I turned a napkin into a veil for that shabby chic look. I am posing here over the cake cutting with my new "hubby" Glen Bacarro who traveled all the way from Ontario, Canada to take the workshop.


This parting shot is our graduating class. Some came from as far away as Australia and England just to improve their skills. Our sincere thanks goes out to Mark and Rebecca for sharing their many years of experience with us. I learned an awful lot about MC skills from this workshop. It also reminded me just how important it is to never stop learning. Even if you think you've mastered everything, then get outside your comfort zone and take on the challenge of a brand new skill where you are the rookie. The learning curve will be exhilarating and it will jump start your senses. After all, it is never too late to learn and hone your brain cells.

Pioneering Wedding DJ Becomes Marketing Therapist To The Wedding Industry

Andy Ebon is no stranger to the San Francisco Bay Area wedding scene.

But Andy's work in the bridal industry is now spanning the decades and has morphed into national speaker, consultant and web adviser. For the complete nitty gritty on Andy's illustrious entrepreneurial story check out the about page on his really fun wedding marketing website called Wedding Marketing.net.

Andy and I go back to his days in the mid-eighties when he helmed Designer Music which was one of the premier mobile disc jockey operations in the San Francisco area. We had a lot of fun in those days but Andy knew that his calling was speaking to audiences instead of making them dance. So Andy traded in his DJ microphone for one at the podium and hit the speaking circuit. Today his travels have brought him full circle back to the wedding world where he specializes in wedding and hospitality marketing.


Out of all this experience EBS Virtual Communications was born. Andy's strength is speaking in plain terms to help small and medium size companies keep up with their technical marketing efforts in today's fast paced constantly changing web world.

Andy has been a longstanding active member of NACE wherever he has lived so it was no surprise when he stepped up to fill in for the local Silicon Valley NACE chapter after their scheduled speaker had to cancel.

This twist of fate proved to be not only highly educational but also very entertaining for those of us who attended Andy's fantastic presentation last month on blogging at the San Jose Hilton.

I am a self-proclaimed novice when it comes to blogging but sitting right next to me was someone I call the Queen of Blogging, Stacie Tamaki, who actually speaks on the topic of blogging herself to our industry. Stacie and I agreed that Andy gave one of the best presentations we have ever seen. Not only did he field all the questions beautifully but he kept everyone engaged regardless of their level of blogging expertise. I have taken enough technology classes to really appreciate a presenter who can be effective at speaking to an audience with varying levels of expertise. Andy definitely hit the bull's eye. To find out what's always happening on Andy's own blog check it out at The Wedding Marketing Blog.com.

So the next time you need some great one-on-one advice for your web woes or a great speaker for your association meeting, contact Andy Ebon. He is on it.

-That Carl Guy