Stages to Success

Grant Cooper, former Music Director of the West Virginia Symphony, like many entrepreneurs, is a man without a plan, but with a nimble attitude. Hear how a young trumpet virtuoso from New Zealand reached for the stars and ended up on the podium of major orchestras, composing new works, editing and producing in the recording … Continue reading Episode 022 – Conductor Grant Cooper: Mathematics/ Electrician/ Trumpet – Quite a Business Card! →

On Monday morning, April 13, 1992, basements of old downtown Chicago commercial buildings mysteriously began filling with water. Unbeknownst to these building owners, an old underground system of railroad delivery tunnels had been punctured by a crew working on pilings on the Chicago River. Before it was done, an estimated 250 million gallons of water … Continue reading Episode 021 – Honey, I Think We Have Some Water in the Basement →

Charleston, West Virginia Symphony concert-goers of the 1950’s may have been surprised to see a 13 year old boy playing bass clarinet at concerts. Over the next four years, young Larry Combs would gradually graduate to the first chair in the section, at the ripe old age of 17. Larry would go on to Interlochen, … Continue reading Episode 020 – Who the Heck is that Kid in the Clarinet Section? →

Sometimes a gifted individual steps out of the limelight and turns his energies to teaching, and discovering a methodology that leads others to greatness. Joe Torre of the New York Yankees is a prime example in sports. Stanley Hasty was such a clarinetist and teacher. For 2 decades, he worked his way around the country … Continue reading Episode 018 – Stanley Hasty of the Eastman School of Music – One of the Clarinet Jedi Masters →

When you visit the Loop in Chicago, you’ll probably take a picture at the iconic Bean ( actually called Cloud Gate). If you’re watching the business section in the papers, you’ll see a gigantic new sports complex that’s been constructed in the Pullman neighborhood. You’ll also see a new Method factory recently constructed, and Whole … Continue reading Episode 017 – Doing Good, and Doing Quite Well: David Doig →

In 1977, the Chicago Symphony hired its first Asian musician, John Bruce Yeh, in the clarinet section. Twenty-one years later, Robert Chen took over the concertmaster position, arguably the most notable position in a symphony orchestra. Since that time, the CSO, along with orchestras across the U.S., has seen an explosion of numbers of Asian … Continue reading Episode 016 – The Inv-Asian of the American Symphony Orchestra →

Jim Haertel, a modest multi-family investor from Milwaukee, couldn’t forget the beautiful Pabst headquarters he’d seen in his 30’s. Hear the story of Jim’s $50,000 down payment and his obsession with saving a couple structures in the gigantic Pabst Brewery 30-building assemblage. His effort was the genesis of the repositioning of an entire submarket of … Continue reading Episode 015 – Hey Jimmy, Get Me Some Pabst →

If you attended concerts by the Cleveland Orchestra in the early 1950’s, or concerts by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra from the mid-1950’s to the early 2000’s, you undoubtedly were listening to Harry Taub playing in the violin section. In Buffalo, you would have frequently heard him playing the violin solos from the concertmaster’s chair, since … Continue reading Episode 014 – Just Who are the Heroes in a Symphony Orchestra? →

Two men in their early twenties, Jay Michael and Alex Samoylovich, grade school friends and first generation Americans, pooled their resources, moxie, and families to shape the most radical micro-living concepts. Their Chicago company has innovated wholesale changes in how mixed use development, retail, and apartment living fit together. Listen to Alex tell the story … Continue reading Episode 013 – Alex Samoylovich: – An Homage to Jay Michael, An Entrepreneur Who Spurred a Lifestyle Change...

For the last episode of season 1 of Stages to Success, I respond to questions posed by a faithful listener since episode 1, Joe from the Carolinas. Joe wants to go deeper into the mind and motivations of the performer, on the concert stage and in the commercial real estate sales office. Drawing on some … Continue reading Episode 012 – No Average Joe – Questions from a Carolina Listener →

Today’s guest, Chicago real estate attorney Jim Hochman, began his legal career in the Navy, working his way into the J.A.G. Hear how Jim began his legal career before he even attended law school, rose to prominence as an in-house counsel at CBRE, and was pivotal in creating the statutes that protect collection of commission … Continue reading Episode 011 – Hey, That Navy Man Just Made Me $5 Million, and These Bagels are Pretty Good, Too →

Know a little about baseball, and want to learn about Mozart, or vice versa? Jump into the parallel universes of Jim Moffitt, 36-year clarinetist of the Hawaii Symphony and for even longer, a walking encyclopedia of baseball. Join John and Jim as they flit back and forth from two of Jim’s passionate provinces, Wolfgang Amadeus … Continue reading Episode 010 – On Mozart and Baseball →

Ray Volk, of Jenkins and Huntington in Chicago, has one of the most important jobs for high rise commercial buildings, but on a transactional level, you’ll probably never meet him. Just what is it that he does that’s so behind-the-scenes? Listen to Ray talk about his career and projects, and meet yet another kid from … Continue reading Episode 009 – From Corn Shucking in Iowa to Designing in Dubai – Ray Volk of Jenkins and Huntington →

As told by Julien’s first business partner, Mike Solomon, hear how young Julien and his family escape the Nazi blitzkrieg across Europe, and make their way to New York. Hear how this enterprising teenager, without a formal high school education, builds a career and company from a walk up small apartment into the Studley juggernaut … Continue reading Episode 007 – The Birth of a Discipline; Tenant Representation and Julien J. Studley of New York →

Episode 6 of “Stages to Success” is an interview with Susan Slaughter, retired principal trumpet of the St. Louis Symphony and Gail Williams, retired Associate Principal Horn of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Through the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, Gail and Susan reigned imperiously in the brass sections of their respective orchestras. Susan recorded extensively as … Continue reading Episode 006 – From the Barn to the Concert Stage →

Episode 5 of “Stages to Success” is an interview of Jonathan Zimmerman, Managing Broker of Willard Jones Real Estate in Chicago. Jonathan dominates the niche of Class C landlord representation in Chicago. He’s a life-long Chicagoan who started his own company, after decades listing properties for Rubloff. Jonathan’s humble, consistent, and honest brokerage, working with … Continue reading Episode 005 – Jonathan Zimmerman, The King of Class C in Chicago →

Episode 4 of “Stages to Success” is an interview with Doug Prosser, principal trumpet of the Rochester Philharmonic and Chris Wu, from the first violin section of the Pittsburgh Symphony. Doug and Chris both stared down the barrel of a career-ending injury very early in their promising careers. Their returns to the symphony orchestra are … Continue reading Episode 004 – The Six Million Dollar Musicians, Doug Prosser and Chris Wu →

Episode 3 of “Stages to Success” is an interview of Goldie Wolfe-Miller of Millbrook Properties. Follow Goldie’s amazing biographical arc, starting as a refugee to the United States, success in her first career after college, a switch to commercial real estate, and her meteoric rise to prominence in the commercial real estate industry. Hear how … Continue reading Episode 003 – Goldie Wolfe-Miller: The Doyenne of Chicago Real Estate →

Episode 2 of “Stages to Success” is an interview of Don Harry, Principal Tuba of the Buffalo Philharmonic for 44 seasons. Don is one of very few American Indian musicians to ever work in the world’s great orchestras. Hear the story of Don’s career climb, from true outsider in a small Oklahoma town, to the … Continue reading Episode 002 – The Inimitable Don Harry, Tuba Icon of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. →

Episode 1 of “Stages to Success” is an interview of Vern Schultz of Colliers International in Chicago. Vern is a top producer in industrial and office real estate, over a span of 5 decades. He’s a life-long Chicagoan who has led commercial real estate groups for many of the greatest brand brokerages. He’s been developer, … Continue reading Episode 001 – The Venerable Vern Schultz of Colliers International →