April 28, 2025 • 46 mins
Forget everything you think you know about private clubs.
At Monticello Motor Club, the luxury isn’t just on the track, it’s in every detail, every experience, every smile.
And leading the charge is Ionel Porumb, a hospitality powerhouse whose journey from Romania to the C-suite is as inspiring as it gets.
After working his way from cruise ship crew utility to management roles at Mar-A-Lago and Woodway Country Club, Ionel now serves as General Manager and COO of MMC, helping transform it into a full-scale resort destination for racing enthusiast.
In this episode, we explore:
The bold vision behind Monticello Motor Club’s future growth.
How Ionel builds staff culture by combining empathy, excellence, and high expectations.
The real meaning of attention to detail — from landscaping the grounds to designing member experiences.
His incredible path from immigrant to leader, and what chasing the American Dream really looks like.
Plus, what it takes to keep both members and million-dollar race cars safe — without sacrificing fun.
Ionel’s story is a testament to grit, gratitude, and big dreams.
If you’re passionate about leadership, culture, hospitality, or just want to hear from someone who lives and breathes excellence — this is your episode.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, member engagement
secrets, board governance andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteranjust getting your feet wet or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
(00:20):
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In place.
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In thisepisode.
You are all in for a ride punvery much intended as I get to
chat with Yanel Porub, who isthe GM of one of the most unique
clubs I've ever seen or been tothe Monticello Motor Club.
The club is unreal and Yanel'sstory is even more unreal.
(00:45):
We talk about his rise throughthe industry, from H-2B visa
serving back bartending, butoriginally starting off cleaning
crew quarters on a cruise ship,to now managing high-end
hospitality at the MonticelloMotor Club, which is a private
racetrack and luxury autoplayground for some of the most
passionate car lovers in theentire world.
(01:06):
Yenel's journey is all abouthustle, gratitude and heart and
how he's not just managing aclub but helping build a
resort-style experienceresort-level experience for
members who spend their weekendschasing lap times instead of
birdies.
So we talk about how Monticellois turning a motorsport into a
full-service luxury destination,with so much more to come that
(01:29):
he talks about that they'readding to the venue.
Janelle is sharing how he isbringing country club style
service to a racetrack and howhe's building a true team
culture from the ground up.
The club is amazing, butYanel's story is even better and
I am so excited for you all tolisten and dive into it.
(01:49):
He is the definition of earnedleadership.
He's thoughtful, driven anddeeply committed to giving both
his members and his staff thekind of experience that he would
want.
This episode has inspiration,big ideas and just some
hilarious stories you are notgoing to want to miss.
I am so, so, so excited to havehim on and for you to listen.
(02:13):
Before we get to the episode,though, really quick, quick.
Thank you to some of our showpartners.
Always like to give thanks andsupport the people who support
our channel Kennes Member,vetting Members First Club
Capital Group Golf LifeNavigators and Concert Golf
Partners, as well as myself.
Shameless plug the Denny CorbyExperience.
(02:34):
There's excitement, there'smystery.
Also there's magic, mindreading, comedy and crowd work.
One of the most fun member andvet nights you will have,
guaranteed.
Want to learn more?
Head on over to DenDannyCorbycom.
Enough about that, though.
Let's get to the episode.
Private Club Radio listeners.
Let's welcome to the show,yanel Porub.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was good to have an insight of what's going on.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
I want to see how the service levels that you offer
things that people would neverthink of that's correct, and I
think it's more like a resortkind of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
You know, daniel, like when you go to a resort in
vacation with your family andthis is one of our goals it's,
you know, have the members comehere on a Friday and stay Friday
, saturday, sunday and theyspend the whole weekend.
You live in crazy Manhattan andyou drive up here, you relax
and you have a wonderful timewith your family.
(03:31):
I think that will be in thefuture, especially when we're
going to get the spa and thepool and the tennis courts.
It's going to be a vacation faraway from your crazy Manhattan
busy day.
Forget about work, forget abouteverything and just come and
enjoy it here, and that's how wegive as much service as
(03:52):
possible.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
It's like the stuff that people leave places going.
Oh, I wish they would have beencool if they did that.
You guys do that.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's true, but no, I think my favorite part whole
the whole thing, I think so faris the attention to detail where
there's no hard walls or curbsthat a car can run into, like.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I think just that level of detail is like because
again you have members that theyspend so much money not only to
become a member but to buythose beautiful cars, and then
what we want from them is tocome to have a wonderful time,
take their car out of the garageand in the end of the day put
(04:37):
it back and you go home happythat you have a phenomenal job
and nothing happens.
So safety, it's our top, top,top priority.
At the track, you.
So safety, it's our top, top,top priority.
Uh, at the track, you know it's, it's, except the hospitality
and the detail and the food andbeverage and those little tiny
things.
Safety from far away, it's,it's, it's top priority, yeah,
(04:58):
yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And you grew up romania, romania, romania,
romania and then worked on acruise ship yeah, great memory
Cleaning the employees area.
Not even the nice areas.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No, so the name of the job at that time on the
cruise ship it was crew utility.
So I was cleaning the entirearea where the crew members were
actually leaving and shower anddo whatever they have to do, uh
, which you know you have to doit.
So I did it for some time, um,and then after after a while, I
(05:36):
moved my way up into the crewutility staff mess, which, uh,
is where the employees areeating.
So I was just preparing thefood for them and cleaning after
them.
That was another thing.
And then in the end, kind of asa promotion, it was crew bar.
That was my favorite part of theof the working on a cruise ship
was the best part.
(05:56):
It's um, and I think even thesedays every single cruise ship
they have a bar dedicated to thestaff with the best prices, I
mean.
But that was good and wear myway up and become a bar waiter
and after a few years I left thecruise ship industry.
You know it was tough.
Imagine you go to military andyou wear a uniform without days
(06:19):
off, but here you were gettingpaid.
Yeah, it was tough.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
And it was what made you get out, Because it wasn't
there, like.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
To get out of the cruise ship.
Yeah, it wasn't like it was anincident.
Yeah, in 2010, we were goingfrom Barcelona, it was upon
Barcelona, it was.
I think it was from Barcelona.
We're going to france, tomarseille, and there was a big,
(06:49):
big, big wave that hit the ship.
It was like a 20 foot uh tall,uh wave that hit the ship and
crash into and we have a over 20people that they got injured
and we have, uh, um, two peoplethat actually lost their life.
And that's when I say you knowwhat I'm done with this, this is
just too much yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And you're how old at that point?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Oh my God, I was 24, 24, going 25, 25 years old.
Yeah, it was a hell of anexperience, for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
And then what you applied for an H2.
I did and you landed inconnecticut.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
so my sister, uh, was in usa at that time I think she
was working at lost tree clubin palm beach okay gardens,
florida and she told me you aredone with the cruise ships.
This is an application go andapply an H-2B visa with this
company.
And that's exactly what I didand I applied and I got an
(07:50):
interview and you know all thewhole process.
I passed the interview, I gotmy visa and I ended at Woodway
Country Club in Connecticut onMay 7, 2010.
And it was one of the bestdecisions ever.
You remember the exact day.
Yeah, I will never forget it.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
And then what was like the first step in Because
you were at the bar worked yourway up from there.
What was like your first job atthe clubs, at the clubs.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Actually I was a server at that time when I
arrived to my petition for anH-2B visa.
I was a server and I came toWoodway and I just, you know,
show my uh work attic and themanager at that time his name
was Eduardo um, he actually sawme working and he was like, hey,
go behind the bar.
He was kind of testing me tosee if I know things.
(08:40):
But in my mind I just wanted toshow him that, hey, I can do
things.
So then he promoted me to be abartender.
Then one day someone from Trumporganization was there for
recruiting and they saw me andthey offered me a job to go to
work at Mar-a-Lago.
So that's what I was doing.
(09:02):
For two years I was bartenderof Woodway Country Club and then
I would go server at TrumpInternational in Palm Beach.
Go back to Woodway and someonetold me to my sister again,
apply for the green card lottery.
So I did apply for the greencard lottery and I won.
And that's how I got my greencard through the lottery visa.
(09:23):
And once the green card lotteryand I won.
And that's how I got my greencard, yeah, through the lottery
visa.
And once the green card, youknow, came.
I was like this is, you know,opens all the opportunities to
sky's the limit.
I'm going to live the Americandream and just work hard, be
extremely positive, not beingafraid of challenges and asking.
I was always asking like I wouldlike to do something more and
(09:45):
the whole like I would like todo something more and the whole
credit I got to give it to theex-GM of Woodway, steve McVeigh,
which he saw huge potential inme and almost every year he
promoted me from a captain to abar manager, to an assistant
manager and then in 2017, heoffered me a full-time job as a
director of service.
(10:05):
It's when I left Palm Beach andthe Trump organization, when I
was their transportation manager, which was cool, it was a
beautiful job, but I say I wantto have a career path in the
country club industry.
So I accepted Woodway job and Ijust built my way up to you
know, working hard, prove whatwe can do and and put members
(10:29):
first.
You know that was everythingfor me always member
expectations and my staff,because everything I accomplish
100, even now getting this jobit was because of my staff that
used to work with me at Woodway.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah, yeah.
How did you end up with thetransportation position?
Oh my God, what was that?
How do you go from food andbeverage to transportation?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Oh, that's a good one , it's a funny one actually.
So I was a server at the TrumpInternational and my dream was
always to become an FBI agent.
You believe it or not, it'scrazy, don't even ask.
And I went.
After I got my green card I saylike, yes, my dream is going to
come true.
And I went and I studiedcriminal justice and I graduate.
(11:15):
I have a bachelor's degree incriminal justice.
So then I say to the managementof Trump International hey, I'm
in school, the money that I makeright now as a server is not
enough.
I want to do something extra.
So they give me an opportunityto do valet.
And I start being valet, youknow, driving fancy cars and all
(11:35):
that.
And one time Donald Trump,president Trump, was coming and
I say, hey, you know what I wantto drive you around.
One time Donald Trump, presidentTrump, was coming and I say,
hey, you know what I want todrive you around.
One time, like my jokes andjust speaking out, being open to
talk about those things.
And actually he said go andtalk to Brian was the name of
the guy at that time who was thetransportation manager.
And I asked him and here we go.
(11:57):
I was a server and atransportation guy driving
people around and I think it wasafter a year he quit his job
because he was moving to dosomething else and I'm so ready
to take this opportunity.
You know I'm right here.
So I took it, for I think itwas like two years.
But I was missing the openingthe bottle of wine.
(12:20):
I was missing the opening thebottle of wine.
I was missing the serving, thefood, and you know all those
kind of things you miss thenonce you have that hospitality
that hustle and bustle exactlyso.
That's when I was the manager ofthe transportation department
and Woodway offered me thedirector of service and I was
like you know what?
I know I can grow up big timeif I do that.
So that's how I ended up byasking.
I know I can grow up big timeif I do that.
(12:41):
So that's how I ended up byasking.
The art of asking, ringing atthe right place, the art of the
ask.
It was fun.
It was fun.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
What did that entail?
What's the director oftransportation like for an
organization?
Speaker 2 (12:59):
So at that time it wasn't't that big.
I think we were having like sixor seven cars in our fleet uh,
from escalates to rolls roycephantoms, my back and, um, I
think there were only like threedrivers that they were working
with me while scheduling andpick up of all the trump family
when they were coming in town atthat time and all their guests
(13:22):
and, of course, any other memberin the club, because the
transportation department was apart of the hospitality that
Mar-a-Lago and Trump National,jupiter and Trump International
will offer to their members Avery high end, very high end
service.
Yeah, you know, picking up fromthe airport or any other going
for a dinner.
(13:42):
You know how it's found.
It's all the fancy things.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Yep, that's neat.
And then, how did MonticelloMotor Club come into play?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So I mentioned to you that the employees, they were
the ones that helped me outthrough my whole career.
Yeah, and that's the reality.
Because even when I got thedirector of service at Woodway,
Steve would always ask theemployees and the employees
would say, oh my God, you know,he's just amazing with us, he
does a great job.
So that's when, bless you,that's when he would promote me
(14:17):
and give me differentopportunities and challenges.
So Monticello Motor Clubactually the owner, Paul Quilly,
a funniest man that you canmeet and, of course, very
successful he came for dinner atWoodway Beach Club in I think
it was in June of 2021.
It was a busy evening.
(14:38):
You know, I have my pre-shiftmeeting and I'm like guys.
You know, I always ask you forone thing from 6 o'clock in the
afternoon until 9 o'clock Focuson your stations.
Be at your stations, Be withthe members, Be with your guests
, Provide the best service thatyou can do and after that, you
know, we can chat, we can, youknow, do whatever you want to do
(15:00):
, but please just focus on thecustomers.
Give me three hours.
I see this.
There were a table of fourpeople and I see every single
employee goes to that table.
What's going on in here?
Was he passing out $100 bills?
I didn't even think about thetips.
I thought about okay, you guysknow that that guy.
I didn't even know him at thattime.
(15:21):
I just knew that his brother isa member of Woodway.
So I called all the servers andI called him in the kitchen.
I'm like I want you guys tostop.
I understand that his brotheris a member, but stop bothering
him.
No one told me a word.
So then, you know, time comesin the end and he's approaching
(15:42):
me when on his way out, and he'slike, uh, out of nowhere, I
want you to work for me.
I'm like, okay, thank you, whata good joke.
Everyone's in my head, everyonesays that.
So he gave me his business cardand I was like all right, I
went to the computer, I type theplace, I look and I'm like I
(16:02):
don't know if I want to go inthe middle of nowhere and I like
challenges, I want to havefancy.
You know country clubs.
I want to.
This is what I want to offer.
And then I went and I met himthe second day and he says
listen, I really want to hireyou.
I want you to work for me and Iwant you to build me a country
club there.
So I came here, I saw the place, I saw the potential that is in
(16:27):
the place.
I talked to him about hisvision and what he wants to take
this place and you know I waslike, oh my God, this you know
he's not joking.
I told him what I want, notonly as a financial perspective,
but at the same time, staffculture, staff house that I show
you.
And he accepted everything andI was like, oh my god, this guy
(16:51):
really, really, really want todo the best country club in the
whole world.
So, long story short, how I gothere.
Then I found out the real storythat the owner at Paul Paul was
inviting every singleindividual at the table and
asked them who's your manager?
And they said that guy, how isyour manager?
(17:11):
My manager is the best guy inthe whole world.
And he was like you know what?
At that moment I said I'm goingto hire you, no matter what it
takes, because you have thatspirit, Plus every single server
.
They were like so young, butthey looked like they are in the
military.
They were making such anexcellent service.
So that's how everything camefrom a dinner, from a service
(17:36):
and my hard work.
It paid off by providing towhat I learn to offer to our
members.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah, it must feel good to be in a position to also
help so many others and to getwhat you want to help them.
Oh, yes, absolutely.
Like the housing yes, and it'snice and it's on brand for the
club as well.
It's not just a thrown up, youknow, I forget what they even
(18:06):
call them.
Like pole barns, it's a welldone.
Or the monkey house, it's awell done.
Building yes, and it's on brandwith the whole club itself too.
Like cars and like that yeah,not rusticic.
I don't know what the feel withthe word I'm going for is.
I don't know interior designstuff, but it just all fits, it
all works.
Yeah, it all looks so good.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
so then, in most of the things that I did since I
started working in this industry, um, and all the places that I
run I do two.
One of the things is I putmyself in an employee's shoes
and how I want the employee tobe treated.
And the other thing, I putmyself in a member's shoes and
(18:50):
how I want the members to betreated.
And you combine those twotogether and you give an amazing
service to your members and toyour staff, because you're going
to treat them the way you wantto be treated by a manager and
you're going to treat them theway you want to be treated by a
manager and you're going totreat the members the way you
feel you would like to betreated if you go somewhere to
spend your money or dinner orsomething like that.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
And from this perspective, I put myself now in
three situations the owner, theemployees and the members,
because we are a profit clubthat we got to make also
financial, great financialdecisions, you know, yeah but I
think that all it all just helps, because there's so many places
you go and they'll make theemployee areas or you know what
(19:32):
they're just met and it's likewe have all these people
spending a stupid amount ofmoney.
Yeah, for an experience, butit's like you can't just toss a
little bit over, yeah and that'swhat we did.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
So we uh, when we create a staff house again, I
say I've been in a staff house.
I know what is missing all ouremployees.
They stay alone in their rooms.
They have a lot of showers thatthat they can share.
Nobody's ever, ever gonna waitfor something like that.
A huge laundry room, which noone would ever wait for, a dryer
or washing machine, and eventhe living rooms.
You saw, we have two thatsomeone can go and play games
(20:04):
and the other one can go andstay and watch movies or it's.
It's quiet and at the same time, two uh patios that you don't
have.
Only you know.
So I didn't even notice the twodifferent pads?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
yeah, in the back.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So that's why it's like we thought a lot about, uh,
what would be good?
Because you're going to be faraway from home.
You know we bring people fromSouth Africa, romania.
We have a lot of guys that comefrom Stanford, which is like
two hours and a half away fromhere, and they actually stay in
the staff house.
So it's important too we havetwo suites, because, in case
(20:37):
that we get a married couple, wewant to accommodate them and
stay together.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
So it's all very well thought to make sure they have
a good experience.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, and you really don't have too many people, you
know, 60 full-time and then 160,yes, 160, uh, in season, but as
a full-time off-season we have60 employees.
Yeah, it's not bad.
It's kind of like a, I wouldsay, medium kind of medium
country club, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
We give a lot of time off to our staff.
You know Some of my managementthat they work a lot, especially
food and beverage.
They are off like six months.
I don't bring them in.
We close in November first,first week of november and then
he's off december, january,february, march and the end of
the march I'm thinking back fivemonths off.
I mean you can't be dead butthey're probably.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
It's probably when you're working here.
Oh yes, oh yes oh yes.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Ranking, oh yes, oh yes, especially like I mentioned
the month of july.
Oh yeah, that's gonna be crazy,but yeah, it's a perk.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
It's a perk you know to well, some people have got,
some people don't, and I thinkyou're building just with
everything.
You've built something herethat, like it, creates a culture
of you, either like in it orlike you're not too.
It's like kind of this is whowe like, this is who we are like
you, and you have to almostreally appreciate vehicles yes,
yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
So far, I think everyone who I have, they do
have that.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Yeah, they know, they they appreciate I haven't seen
one, not like somewhatinteresting car.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Yeah, from most of the employees too, it's true,
and especially if you see it'ssummertime when all the
employees are here, even ourhospitality team.
Uh, all of them.
They.
They're just passionate aboutcars.
Yeah, but we hired a lot ofthem from Woodway.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I took some guys that follow me Stealing everybody.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Ah, stealing, like I mentioned to you, wing Food we
got guys, which they do aphenomenal job.
Forget, I think it's AberdeenAberdeen Golf Club in Florida or
something we have also, so it'sa lot of when we hire um,
especially after I joined in2021, we got a lot of country
(22:48):
club mentality so we can shiftit into what the owner wants,
the country club industry andthe white white glove service in
uh in this place.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
So so before you came like, were there like what,
what was missing?
Before you came like like whenyou showed up, what if I?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
have to say one thing attention to detail.
Attention to detail from thegrounds perspective, uh, which
we build a whole landscapingteam.
Attention to detail fromhospitality, which was almost
zero and we brought it to adifferent level, and attention
to detail of everything, ofevery single thing.
(23:27):
That's what I would say.
Attention to detail which youhave it in every single country
club that you go.
Now you know kind of.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I don't know what I've seen here so far.
I don't think I've seen in some.
Everything just feels like onbrand and on point yes, that's,
that's correct.
It's like it's just it'srefreshing it is.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
And again, the owner and his family they have, even
if this is a small part of theirbusiness, but they love this
place and they have a beautifulvision and any great ideas they
go with.
Yeah, you know, they don't.
We all the money that we makewe invest back in the club and
building new, new facilities,new programs to the members.
(24:11):
It's something exceptional.
So it's it's important to havesomeone also with a big vision
and who will support yourdecisions.
You know, because I don't havea board.
Yeah, you know how it is.
Sometimes you have greatdecision and great vision, but
then someone in the board cansay I'm not so sure.
Yes, and it's very hard toplease everyone here, we gotta
please one which is a reallyimportant one.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
It's the most important one.
Well, I just even remember whenI came.
I don't think the I'm gonnahave to go back and look at the
look at came.
I don't think the I'm going tohave to go back and look at the
video.
I don't think the landscapingwas as good, oh impossible.
And it's one of those like youdon't need it to be, but it
helps.
It's perfect Because, like whenyou're driving, you know that
fast it's not, but it's justnice.
(24:56):
Yes, just seeing the line.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
And it's important.
It's important for us asprofessionals that we grow up
like, for example.
For myself, it's extremelyimportant everything to be
perfect.
Yeah, because, again, attentionto detail is the key.
It's important not to have apiece of paper on the floor.
It's important the grass to becut perfect.
So those things are what makesthis place unique.
Yeah, you, frankly yeah, oh,that would have been nice.
(25:21):
You see how she thinks ahead.
No, he's a wonderful guy.
I love him.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
He's the one you stole from, not stole.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
I offered him an opportunity.
So I the opportunity could havebeen Frankie was at the Bedford
and he came to.
I was looking for a chef andwhen he came here, I don't think
he was very, extremely excitedbecause again, you saw a small
kitchen and you're like,seriously, I want to be a chef
here and blah, blah, blah.
(25:51):
So then we talk, we talk and Iwas like, frankie, this it might
not be what you are used to,but guess what?
I'm hiring you to help me outto build a country club, to help
me out to build a culinary team, to help me out to build a food
and beverage team, to help meout to build a program.
I say you want to have achallenge, that's a challenge.
(26:14):
Or if you want to go somewhereelse to be a chef with a big
kitchen, that is alreadyeverything done for you.
This is not the place here,with a big kitchen.
That is already everything donefor you.
This is not the place here iswhere we're going to build
something together and that'swhat we did.
We build, we took it from zeroand we build it to work to, to
where we are today, which is a,you know, spectacular service
that we offer to the members andwe have a wonderful, wonderful
(26:34):
food and beverage team andculinary team.
Now yeah my chef used to be apercent of the the new chef that
we have, which is extremelytalented, yeah.
So it was a little bit of achallenge for him and I say you
help me out to do that and thedoors to big opportunities is
going to be open to you in asecond, and that's why I
(26:56):
clubhouse manager, assistantgeneral manager, and he's just
killing it.
He's on the right path, yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
It seems like he's enjoying it too.
Oh yes, oh yeah, yeah.
What's it like coming over to anew country?
What's it like just uprootingyour life?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
You know it was a challenge.
It can be tough, but I thinkit's all how you take it in
perspective.
Hmm, that's a good question.
I think maybe I'm differentbecause since my day one I fell
(27:34):
in love with the United States.
Since the day one I will neverforget, I say to my
brother-in-law I will never,ever work in Romania again.
I will build my career here.
And he was like oh, never saythat.
You never know when you'regoing to go back home.
And look at me after 15 yearsI'm still here.
So it was a challenge.
I think just because I wasworking in the country club
(27:57):
industry, where the culture isso diverse, where you have so
many different nationalitiesthat work, it was so much easier
to adapt to and not having achallenge.
I personally maybe because ofthe way I think, which I'm
always positive, and because I'malways active, energetic, not
afraid of challenges, not afraidof making mistakes, not afraid
(28:20):
of saying I'm sorry or I don'tunderstand I think that makes my
life a little bit easier.
I can talk that about otherpeople that they moved to the
United States and whatchallenges they have, but for me
I would say Everyone welcomedme in a very, very nice way and
I'm very grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah, Was there something that happened?
Were you in hospitality inRomania?
You?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
ready?
Not at all.
I wanted to come to USA to makemoney, to go back home to pay
to become a police officer.
How crazy is that?
And that's why, also, I went tothe cruise ship first, but then
(29:06):
usa and cruise ship changed myyeah, everything into
hospitality, from the criminaljustice guy into hospitality.
Oh my god, what a difference.
Night and day, night and day,yeah, night and day.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
It's crazy I want to be a police officer too, did you
?
Yep, yep, but I was like Iwould have been horrible because
I go zero to bitch in like halfa second, like I am not, yeah,
the first one to like go into adark room, like oh, I see, I'm
calling backup for everything,like I'm not, I just pulled over
(29:40):
my dad every morning.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
I don't know why.
It was always.
It was always a dream, you know.
I think it's the car, I don'tknow, Maybe maybe the car, maybe
the suits, I don't know.
It is weird.
And I was fascinated bylanguages.
So when I used to work on acruise ship, you know, there was
so many different nationalitiesand I would speak Italian,
Spanish, Romanian, French andEnglish, and even now I can
(30:03):
communicate in those languagesand I always say like, hey, that
can help me out to do somethingin the.
Then it's changed, you know,Changed Woodway, changed my
Woodway and the whole place.
Woodway, Trump, Lostry I workhere at Lostry Club.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It's weird how cars are a weird common theme between
all the bits to lead you tohere.
Like police officers drivingpolice cars.
That's actually true.
And then transportation, andthen you end up at like that's
actually true.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Very strange.
I was talking to the wheelshave always been in motion.
I will show you a picture.
It's crazy.
I was showing them.
The wheels have always been inmotion.
I will show you a picture.
It's.
It's crazy.
I was showing to, uh, to myfriends I was talking the other
day and I was like, can youimagine?
So?
Back in the days when I was 18years old, I used to own a bmw
(30:52):
e30 1989, which is a beautiful,beautiful, beautiful car.
That time was very.
Now it's like over $100,000.
So I used to do drag racing anda lot of like racing with the
cars and we always, sometimeswhen we talk with my friends, we
always joke like, can youimagine you, the guy who used to
love cars and do drag racingand everything else, show up
(31:17):
with your little car?
Now you run a race club?
That's weird.
It is weird because now goesback to what you mentioned.
Maybe the police car was what Ifall in love with, maybe these
cars, then transportationmanager, and now here it's cars,
kind of like bring around.
It all comes full circle.
It's my circle.
Yeah, yeah, but I love cars.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Four-wheel drive.
It's my circle, yeah, yeah, butI love cars Four-wheel drive.
What's your?
Speaker 2 (31:41):
dream car, my dream car.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Don't worry about maintenance costs.
There's a magic genie.
Hey, it's your dream car.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You know, I don't know why Lamborghini, I don't
know why, what kind I think atthis point, it doesn't matter.
Know why Lamborghini, I don'tknow why, what kind I think at
this point doesn't matter, justa Lamborghini.
I will say so seriously yeah, Idon't know, always, always.
But there was things, you know,growing up, I always dreamed to
have an M3, and I got it.
(32:14):
Then I say, when I grow up andI have a good job, I'm going to
get an X5, and I got it.
Then I say, when I grow up andI have a good job, I'm going to
get an X5.
And I got it.
But Lamborghini was alwaysplaying with the toys and say
Lamborghini, aventador, you know.
So that's what I would say.
I make it like nice andbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Which M3 is, or was your dream one?
E30.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
That's the 2000?
The one that I got it?
The 1989.
And guess what's my dream carright now, If I don't have the
Lamborghini?
An E30.
1989, if I can have it.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I think mine is a.
Is it the E92?
Is that from like 2007?
2006, 2004?
Yeah, but it's that body style.
M3 Laguna Seca blue, that ismy… your car, that is that.
Or a matte black Lamborghini,also Lamborghini Murcielago,
(33:09):
gated like manual, just that bigMF-er, just that With the… I
don't know, it's just a machine.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
And what I saw that I like also, it's comfort.
I like comfort like that's.
I like the seven series,because you know you go an hour
and a half just comfort to be,to be, but those, yeah,
lamborghini, lamborghini will bemy, my top one car and then do
you are?
Speaker 1 (33:34):
are they?
Are they a common car here?
A?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
lot-hmm.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
A lot, a lot, a lot.
Out of all the cars, which oneis?
I'm going to say the word let'ssee?
I'm going to say the wordreliable, but you're not buying
the car which one breaks themost.
But reliability isn't really afactor with this situation.
But what car do you see cantake a beating?
(33:58):
Which car do you see on thetrack a beating like?
What car do you see on thetracks like damn they could they
could take, I think, theporsche.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
The porsche, they can take a beating those cars.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Those, those cars are like.
They can take it.
Yeah, yeah, they can.
It was meant for this.
Yeah, I think, and I'm notmistaken, they were the first
who built race cars too.
That I don't know.
I think so.
I'm not sure.
I think they were the first whocame out with like a factory
(34:28):
build.
That's why they're so good.
But don't quote me on that,don't post that.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
No, this guy doesn't know his job.
Get him out of here.
So what's next for you?
Is it trying to build this up?
Do you think this is?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
You know I love challenges.
Of course, I would like to seethis place where we're planning
to take it.
Yeah, I want to see the otherracetrack that we are building.
I want to see the hotel with abeautiful restaurant, with the
spa, with the tennis courts, thepool and all that resort kind
(35:13):
of type of feeling.
I want to work hard and becomethe ceo of the place, uh, but
I'm never close to opportunities.
If something happened andchallenges come around.
You know, uh, I love challenges.
You know I'm not afraid of that.
I love challenges and and thiswas a big challenge and I see,
(35:34):
uh, what a huge impact I make inthis place.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I'm not afraid, afraid of taking any challenges
when you have a good backing.
You have a good support groupbehind you.
That's like sounds good.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yeah, but that will be the next step.
I think the next step is totake this place even further, to
a different level, finalize allthe constructions.
My goal will become to yes, tobe a CEO.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
I feel like there's a lot to challenge here too.
Oh yes, there's a lot.
Oh, yes, there's a lot.
And then, even if you don'tfeel challenged, I feel like you
can just say, hey, what aboutthis?
Like, all right, you can justthrow a challenge in there, and
it would be cool, there isalways something.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
There is always something, I think that lake is
cool.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Just something with power and power sports and water
.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
So back in the days it was very cold here, but now
it's not that crazy cold anymoreClimate change, I don't know
what, but that lake used to geta lot of ice and they used to
drive those little things that Ishow you in the service center,
the things that I show you inthe in the service center.
(36:43):
But maybe you know not sureexactly what the laws are from
the, from from having an engineon the lake in the cat skills,
it might be yes, it might be no,I'm not sure exactly.
Maybe you're allowed to usejust paddle boards or something.
I'm not sure there.
I'm sure there is some laws forthat.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
just because of the well then, at that case, you
just build your own lake exactlyhey boss, I need to build a
lake.
What I need some diggingequipment.
What?
Speaker 2 (37:06):
you're planning to do a lake, sir, where?
Speaker 1 (37:09):
in the middle.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I want to use a jet ski.
It might be shocking to saylike do it?
Oh, wow, that'd be really funny.
Yeah, no, there is, there issomething that, uh, I gotta
figure out here, you see in themiddle.
Yeah, I want to do somethingelse, but I'm not bumper boats,
I'm not sure them.
Yet what bumper boats?
I don't know.
(37:31):
I don't know boats, I don'tknow water, I don't fountains.
You know water and animalsgetting in there and out there.
You know, if you have like afountain and it's a windy day,
water coming on the trackslippery, you know you gotta
again, safety, it's, it's, it'sa huge, huge priority here.
Yeah, so now, just beautifulgreen grass to see, you know,
(37:56):
now it's yellow, it's wintertime, unless you make like a
walking bridge and you put likesomething over it.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, not sure like a little event space, not sure
not sure about that.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You gotta make a time landing the clubhouse to reach
out.
There it is.
It is a huge safety liabilityto do.
I thought I did something thatis crazy and it takes so much
more to yep to make sure yousave someone to use it.
Oh yeah, that's pretty much itwe talk a lot.
Yeah, talk a lot we.
(38:33):
We share a lot of things, youknow, even like the clear it's
so funny, so funny, weird stuff,so weird.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I should have you one time in the.
I should have you one we sharea lot of things, you know.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Yeah, it's so funny, so funny Weird stuff, so weird.
I should have you one time inthe.
I should have you one time inthe summertime to come up here
in a race car and have a podcastwith one of my drivers while in
the car.
You know that would besomething.
Say when that would besomething hilarious.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
I'll wear diapers and no, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I think you like that .
Oh, trust me, you likeadventures, you like speed, you
like all the crazy things.
Yeah, I've gotten, but no, it'sgood.
Like I mentioned to you, it's aphenomenal place that we built.
We're extremely happy with whatwe are doing, extremely happy
um the path that we're taking.
(39:24):
I'm extremely happy with mycareer goal and where I reach in
a I would say, in a shortperiod of time.
And then, um, what you've beenin the american dream.
You know this is for me.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
You know and and I'm you, you know it's there's,
there's, there's people who havean opera, you know who, who
have everything at theirfingertips, and just they don't
want to take it or just you know, I don't know.
I hate to say like their, theirfeelings get hurt, but it's
like you know, everythingcorrect, correct to fight like,
(40:05):
yeah, crazy in what 14 years.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
14 years, crazy, that's so cool.
14 years from an h2b visa to ageneral manager.
In to this place.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
In in for sure, the most amazing place I've seen in
a in a I think, just to havethat, like that much trust in
you to run this as well, Likeit's not just like golf clubs
and you know people who havemoney, it's people who have
money and what they love, likein their toys, like that's.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
That's crazy, that's a whole other level of trust.
Yeah, and again, I have awonderful owner who's so
supportive.
You know, we, we communicatealmost every single day.
He's in florida and his son isin connecticut, in new canaan.
Uh, we talk, we, you know, weshare.
I learn a lot of things fromthem.
Uh, they, they, you know,they're very understandable, but
(40:50):
, yeah, it's, it's a lot oftrust, for sure.
Yeah, and I'm I'm very gratefulfor that.
You know it's.
Yeah, you hire me to dosomething and that's what I'm
going to give you back, you knowit's.
You hire me to do something andthat's what I'm going to give
you back, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
That's amazing and I'm sure that helps, as a leader
, to just having that background, learning at least
understanding little bits of thelanguages and just
understanding the cultures andall of that.
So even if it doesn't matterwho you run into, you have that
ability to chameleonize and justinteract and engage, and it
(41:23):
might not be perfect but atleast people, I think, can
understand and appreciate thegesture of it.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Oh yeah, that's for sure.
Yeah, yeah, that's for sure.
You got to see the tanks inaction.
That's what you got to see.
I saw you were excited withthat.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Don't even that's what you've got to see.
I saw you were excited withthat.
Don't even.
That's a whole other episodetalking about the tanks.
Oh my God, yeah, yeah.
So call back.
He showed there's a wholeoff-roading area and they have
tanks that you can they strapyou in on and you go run over
cars.
It's crazy, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
It's so much fun, that's actually a fun.
Yeah, it's so much fun, that'sactually a fun.
Yeah, it's a fun thing to seeit, but yeah, I think I don't
know if it's something else thatI you know to mention.
You can talk about this all daylong.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Yeah, I know, I know.
No thanks for coming on.
This is going to be one of many, I know for sure.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Yeah, Thank you for coming, danny, and I'm happy you
, you took your time to come andsee here, because the best way
I always say to people there'sme what is that place?
And I'm like, think about themost beautiful golf course,
county cloud, the golf course,with all the amenities, from
ballroom, from pro shop shop torestaurants to whatever, and our
(42:39):
picture instead of the golfcourse, a racetrack Instead of a
golf cart and clubs, a race carInstead of going to 19th hole
and talk about Berdian hole,number three, you talk about how
you build your own time recordwith two seconds or something.
Yeah, so that's the difference.
And I say, but the best way tounderstand what we do here, come
(43:00):
and see it.
Until you don't see it, youdon't realize what is here.
You can just picture yourself,you know like, hey, it might be
a trailer, it might be amechanic, and then you see and
you have state-of-the-artfacilities, top-top service and
the best of things that we canprovide.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Yeah, hope you all enjoyed that episode.
I know I did so many greatstories and lessons and
takeaways and insights and ah,so good, just so good.
And being able to do thatepisode in person was even
better.
So thank you all for listening.
Thanks for being here.
(43:37):
If you're enjoying the content,a like, share, subscribe, costs
nothing and means the world.
That's this episode.
Until next time, I'm your host,danny Corby.
Catch y'all on the flippityflip.
Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club
Radio Show, where we give youthe scoop on all things private
golf and country clubs frommastering leadership and
management, food and beverageexcellence, member engagement
secrets, board governance andeverything in between, all while
keeping it fun and light.
Whether you're a club veteranjust getting your feet wet or
somewhere in the middle, you arein the right place.
(00:20):
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In place.
I'm your host, denny Corby.
Welcome to the show In thisepisode.
You are all in for a ride punvery much intended as I get to
chat with Yanel Porub, who isthe GM of one of the most unique
clubs I've ever seen or been tothe Monticello Motor Club.
The club is unreal and Yanel'sstory is even more unreal.
(00:45):
We talk about his rise throughthe industry, from H-2B visa
serving back bartending, butoriginally starting off cleaning
crew quarters on a cruise ship,to now managing high-end
hospitality at the MonticelloMotor Club, which is a private
racetrack and luxury autoplayground for some of the most
passionate car lovers in theentire world.
(01:06):
Yenel's journey is all abouthustle, gratitude and heart and
how he's not just managing aclub but helping build a
resort-style experienceresort-level experience for
members who spend their weekendschasing lap times instead of
birdies.
So we talk about how Monticellois turning a motorsport into a
full-service luxury destination,with so much more to come that
(01:29):
he talks about that they'readding to the venue.
Janelle is sharing how he isbringing country club style
service to a racetrack and howhe's building a true team
culture from the ground up.
The club is amazing, butYanel's story is even better and
I am so excited for you all tolisten and dive into it.
(01:49):
He is the definition of earnedleadership.
He's thoughtful, driven anddeeply committed to giving both
his members and his staff thekind of experience that he would
want.
This episode has inspiration,big ideas and just some
hilarious stories you are notgoing to want to miss.
I am so, so, so excited to havehim on and for you to listen.
(02:13):
Before we get to the episode,though, really quick, quick.
Thank you to some of our showpartners.
Always like to give thanks andsupport the people who support
our channel Kennes Member,vetting Members First Club
Capital Group Golf LifeNavigators and Concert Golf
Partners, as well as myself.
Shameless plug the Denny CorbyExperience.
(02:34):
There's excitement, there'smystery.
Also there's magic, mindreading, comedy and crowd work.
One of the most fun member andvet nights you will have,
guaranteed.
Want to learn more?
Head on over to DenDannyCorbycom.
Enough about that, though.
Let's get to the episode.
Private Club Radio listeners.
Let's welcome to the show,yanel Porub.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
It was good to have an insight of what's going on.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
I want to see how the service levels that you offer
things that people would neverthink of that's correct, and I
think it's more like a resortkind of thing.
Speaker 2 (03:11):
You know, daniel, like when you go to a resort in
vacation with your family andthis is one of our goals it's,
you know, have the members comehere on a Friday and stay Friday
, saturday, sunday and theyspend the whole weekend.
You live in crazy Manhattan andyou drive up here, you relax
and you have a wonderful timewith your family.
(03:31):
I think that will be in thefuture, especially when we're
going to get the spa and thepool and the tennis courts.
It's going to be a vacation faraway from your crazy Manhattan
busy day.
Forget about work, forget abouteverything and just come and
enjoy it here, and that's how wegive as much service as
(03:52):
possible.
Speaker 1 (03:52):
It's like the stuff that people leave places going.
Oh, I wish they would have beencool if they did that.
You guys do that.
Speaker 2 (03:59):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
That's true, but no, I think my favorite part whole
the whole thing, I think so faris the attention to detail where
there's no hard walls or curbsthat a car can run into, like.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
I think just that level of detail is like because
again you have members that theyspend so much money not only to
become a member but to buythose beautiful cars, and then
what we want from them is tocome to have a wonderful time,
take their car out of the garageand in the end of the day put
(04:37):
it back and you go home happythat you have a phenomenal job
and nothing happens.
So safety, it's our top, top,top priority.
At the track, you.
So safety, it's our top, top,top priority.
Uh, at the track, you know it's, it's, except the hospitality
and the detail and the food andbeverage and those little tiny
things.
Safety from far away, it's,it's, it's top priority, yeah,
(04:58):
yeah.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
And you grew up romania, romania, romania,
romania and then worked on acruise ship yeah, great memory
Cleaning the employees area.
Not even the nice areas.
Speaker 2 (05:12):
No, so the name of the job at that time on the
cruise ship it was crew utility.
So I was cleaning the entirearea where the crew members were
actually leaving and shower anddo whatever they have to do, uh
, which you know you have to doit.
So I did it for some time, um,and then after after a while, I
(05:36):
moved my way up into the crewutility staff mess, which, uh,
is where the employees areeating.
So I was just preparing thefood for them and cleaning after
them.
That was another thing.
And then in the end, kind of asa promotion, it was crew bar.
That was my favorite part of theof the working on a cruise ship
was the best part.
(05:56):
It's um, and I think even thesedays every single cruise ship
they have a bar dedicated to thestaff with the best prices, I
mean.
But that was good and wear myway up and become a bar waiter
and after a few years I left thecruise ship industry.
You know it was tough.
Imagine you go to military andyou wear a uniform without days
(06:19):
off, but here you were gettingpaid.
Yeah, it was tough.
Speaker 1 (06:23):
And it was what made you get out, Because it wasn't
there, like.
Speaker 2 (06:28):
To get out of the cruise ship.
Yeah, it wasn't like it was anincident.
Yeah, in 2010, we were goingfrom Barcelona, it was upon
Barcelona, it was.
I think it was from Barcelona.
We're going to france, tomarseille, and there was a big,
(06:49):
big, big wave that hit the ship.
It was like a 20 foot uh tall,uh wave that hit the ship and
crash into and we have a over 20people that they got injured
and we have, uh, um, two peoplethat actually lost their life.
And that's when I say you knowwhat I'm done with this, this is
just too much yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:11):
And you're how old at that point?
Speaker 2 (07:20):
Oh my God, I was 24, 24, going 25, 25 years old.
Yeah, it was a hell of anexperience, for sure.
Speaker 1 (07:25):
And then what you applied for an H2.
I did and you landed inconnecticut.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
so my sister, uh, was in usa at that time I think she
was working at lost tree clubin palm beach okay gardens,
florida and she told me you aredone with the cruise ships.
This is an application go andapply an H-2B visa with this
company.
And that's exactly what I didand I applied and I got an
(07:50):
interview and you know all thewhole process.
I passed the interview, I gotmy visa and I ended at Woodway
Country Club in Connecticut onMay 7, 2010.
And it was one of the bestdecisions ever.
You remember the exact day.
Yeah, I will never forget it.
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (08:09):
And then what was like the first step in Because
you were at the bar worked yourway up from there.
What was like your first job atthe clubs, at the clubs.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Actually I was a server at that time when I
arrived to my petition for anH-2B visa.
I was a server and I came toWoodway and I just, you know,
show my uh work attic and themanager at that time his name
was Eduardo um, he actually sawme working and he was like, hey,
go behind the bar.
He was kind of testing me tosee if I know things.
(08:40):
But in my mind I just wanted toshow him that, hey, I can do
things.
So then he promoted me to be abartender.
Then one day someone from Trumporganization was there for
recruiting and they saw me andthey offered me a job to go to
work at Mar-a-Lago.
So that's what I was doing.
(09:02):
For two years I was bartenderof Woodway Country Club and then
I would go server at TrumpInternational in Palm Beach.
Go back to Woodway and someonetold me to my sister again,
apply for the green card lottery.
So I did apply for the greencard lottery and I won.
And that's how I got my greencard through the lottery visa.
(09:23):
And once the green card lotteryand I won.
And that's how I got my greencard, yeah, through the lottery
visa.
And once the green card, youknow, came.
I was like this is, you know,opens all the opportunities to
sky's the limit.
I'm going to live the Americandream and just work hard, be
extremely positive, not beingafraid of challenges and asking.
I was always asking like I wouldlike to do something more and
(09:45):
the whole like I would like todo something more and the whole
credit I got to give it to theex-GM of Woodway, steve McVeigh,
which he saw huge potential inme and almost every year he
promoted me from a captain to abar manager, to an assistant
manager and then in 2017, heoffered me a full-time job as a
director of service.
(10:05):
It's when I left Palm Beach andthe Trump organization, when I
was their transportation manager, which was cool, it was a
beautiful job, but I say I wantto have a career path in the
country club industry.
So I accepted Woodway job and Ijust built my way up to you
know, working hard, prove whatwe can do and and put members
(10:29):
first.
You know that was everythingfor me always member
expectations and my staff,because everything I accomplish
100, even now getting this jobit was because of my staff that
used to work with me at Woodway.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Yeah, yeah.
How did you end up with thetransportation position?
Oh my God, what was that?
How do you go from food andbeverage to transportation?
Speaker 2 (10:51):
Oh, that's a good one , it's a funny one actually.
So I was a server at the TrumpInternational and my dream was
always to become an FBI agent.
You believe it or not, it'scrazy, don't even ask.
And I went.
After I got my green card I saylike, yes, my dream is going to
come true.
And I went and I studiedcriminal justice and I graduate.
(11:15):
I have a bachelor's degree incriminal justice.
So then I say to the managementof Trump International hey, I'm
in school, the money that I makeright now as a server is not
enough.
I want to do something extra.
So they give me an opportunityto do valet.
And I start being valet, youknow, driving fancy cars and all
(11:35):
that.
And one time Donald Trump,president Trump, was coming and
I say, hey, you know what I wantto drive you around.
One time Donald Trump, presidentTrump, was coming and I say,
hey, you know what I want todrive you around.
One time, like my jokes andjust speaking out, being open to
talk about those things.
And actually he said go andtalk to Brian was the name of
the guy at that time who was thetransportation manager.
And I asked him and here we go.
(11:57):
I was a server and atransportation guy driving
people around and I think it wasafter a year he quit his job
because he was moving to dosomething else and I'm so ready
to take this opportunity.
You know I'm right here.
So I took it, for I think itwas like two years.
But I was missing the openingthe bottle of wine.
(12:20):
I was missing the opening thebottle of wine.
I was missing the serving, thefood, and you know all those
kind of things you miss thenonce you have that hospitality
that hustle and bustle exactlyso.
That's when I was the manager ofthe transportation department
and Woodway offered me thedirector of service and I was
like you know what?
I know I can grow up big timeif I do that.
So that's how I ended up byasking.
I know I can grow up big timeif I do that.
(12:41):
So that's how I ended up byasking.
The art of asking, ringing atthe right place, the art of the
ask.
It was fun.
It was fun.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
What did that entail?
What's the director oftransportation like for an
organization?
Speaker 2 (12:59):
So at that time it wasn't't that big.
I think we were having like sixor seven cars in our fleet uh,
from escalates to rolls roycephantoms, my back and, um, I
think there were only like threedrivers that they were working
with me while scheduling andpick up of all the trump family
when they were coming in town atthat time and all their guests
(13:22):
and, of course, any other memberin the club, because the
transportation department was apart of the hospitality that
Mar-a-Lago and Trump National,jupiter and Trump International
will offer to their members Avery high end, very high end
service.
Yeah, you know, picking up fromthe airport or any other going
for a dinner.
(13:42):
You know how it's found.
It's all the fancy things.
Speaker 1 (13:46):
Yep, that's neat.
And then, how did MonticelloMotor Club come into play?
Speaker 2 (13:52):
So I mentioned to you that the employees, they were
the ones that helped me outthrough my whole career.
Yeah, and that's the reality.
Because even when I got thedirector of service at Woodway,
Steve would always ask theemployees and the employees
would say, oh my God, you know,he's just amazing with us, he
does a great job.
So that's when, bless you,that's when he would promote me
(14:17):
and give me differentopportunities and challenges.
So Monticello Motor Clubactually the owner, Paul Quilly,
a funniest man that you canmeet and, of course, very
successful he came for dinner atWoodway Beach Club in I think
it was in June of 2021.
It was a busy evening.
(14:38):
You know, I have my pre-shiftmeeting and I'm like guys.
You know, I always ask you forone thing from 6 o'clock in the
afternoon until 9 o'clock Focuson your stations.
Be at your stations, Be withthe members, Be with your guests
, Provide the best service thatyou can do and after that, you
know, we can chat, we can, youknow, do whatever you want to do
(15:00):
, but please just focus on thecustomers.
Give me three hours.
I see this.
There were a table of fourpeople and I see every single
employee goes to that table.
What's going on in here?
Was he passing out $100 bills?
I didn't even think about thetips.
I thought about okay, you guysknow that that guy.
I didn't even know him at thattime.
(15:21):
I just knew that his brother isa member of Woodway.
So I called all the servers andI called him in the kitchen.
I'm like I want you guys tostop.
I understand that his brotheris a member, but stop bothering
him.
No one told me a word.
So then, you know, time comesin the end and he's approaching
(15:42):
me when on his way out, and he'slike, uh, out of nowhere, I
want you to work for me.
I'm like, okay, thank you, whata good joke.
Everyone's in my head, everyonesays that.
So he gave me his business cardand I was like all right, I
went to the computer, I type theplace, I look and I'm like I
(16:02):
don't know if I want to go inthe middle of nowhere and I like
challenges, I want to havefancy.
You know country clubs.
I want to.
This is what I want to offer.
And then I went and I met himthe second day and he says
listen, I really want to hireyou.
I want you to work for me and Iwant you to build me a country
club there.
So I came here, I saw the place, I saw the potential that is in
(16:27):
the place.
I talked to him about hisvision and what he wants to take
this place and you know I waslike, oh my God, this you know
he's not joking.
I told him what I want, notonly as a financial perspective,
but at the same time, staffculture, staff house that I show
you.
And he accepted everything andI was like, oh my god, this guy
(16:51):
really, really, really want todo the best country club in the
whole world.
So, long story short, how I gothere.
Then I found out the real storythat the owner at Paul Paul was
inviting every singleindividual at the table and
asked them who's your manager?
And they said that guy, how isyour manager?
(17:11):
My manager is the best guy inthe whole world.
And he was like you know what?
At that moment I said I'm goingto hire you, no matter what it
takes, because you have thatspirit, Plus every single server
.
They were like so young, butthey looked like they are in the
military.
They were making such anexcellent service.
So that's how everything camefrom a dinner, from a service
(17:36):
and my hard work.
It paid off by providing towhat I learn to offer to our
members.
Speaker 1 (17:43):
Yeah, it must feel good to be in a position to also
help so many others and to getwhat you want to help them.
Oh, yes, absolutely.
Like the housing yes, and it'snice and it's on brand for the
club as well.
It's not just a thrown up, youknow, I forget what they even
(18:06):
call them.
Like pole barns, it's a welldone.
Or the monkey house, it's awell done.
Building yes, and it's on brandwith the whole club itself too.
Like cars and like that yeah,not rusticic.
I don't know what the feel withthe word I'm going for is.
I don't know interior designstuff, but it just all fits, it
all works.
Yeah, it all looks so good.
Speaker 2 (18:27):
so then, in most of the things that I did since I
started working in this industry, um, and all the places that I
run I do two.
One of the things is I putmyself in an employee's shoes
and how I want the employee tobe treated.
And the other thing, I putmyself in a member's shoes and
(18:50):
how I want the members to betreated.
And you combine those twotogether and you give an amazing
service to your members and toyour staff, because you're going
to treat them the way you wantto be treated by a manager and
you're going to treat them theway you want to be treated by a
manager and you're going totreat the members the way you
feel you would like to betreated if you go somewhere to
spend your money or dinner orsomething like that.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
And from this perspective, I put myself now in
three situations the owner, theemployees and the members,
because we are a profit clubthat we got to make also
financial, great financialdecisions, you know, yeah but I
think that all it all just helps, because there's so many places
you go and they'll make theemployee areas or you know what
(19:32):
they're just met and it's likewe have all these people
spending a stupid amount ofmoney.
Yeah, for an experience, butit's like you can't just toss a
little bit over, yeah and that'swhat we did.
Speaker 2 (19:41):
So we uh, when we create a staff house again, I
say I've been in a staff house.
I know what is missing all ouremployees.
They stay alone in their rooms.
They have a lot of showers thatthat they can share.
Nobody's ever, ever gonna waitfor something like that.
A huge laundry room, which noone would ever wait for, a dryer
or washing machine, and eventhe living rooms.
You saw, we have two thatsomeone can go and play games
(20:04):
and the other one can go andstay and watch movies or it's.
It's quiet and at the same time, two uh patios that you don't
have.
Only you know.
So I didn't even notice the twodifferent pads?
Speaker 1 (20:14):
yeah, in the back.
Speaker 2 (20:15):
So that's why it's like we thought a lot about, uh,
what would be good?
Because you're going to be faraway from home.
You know we bring people fromSouth Africa, romania.
We have a lot of guys that comefrom Stanford, which is like
two hours and a half away fromhere, and they actually stay in
the staff house.
So it's important too we havetwo suites, because, in case
(20:37):
that we get a married couple, wewant to accommodate them and
stay together.
Speaker 1 (20:47):
So it's all very well thought to make sure they have
a good experience.
Speaker 2 (20:50):
Yeah, and you really don't have too many people, you
know, 60 full-time and then 160,yes, 160, uh, in season, but as
a full-time off-season we have60 employees.
Yeah, it's not bad.
It's kind of like a, I wouldsay, medium kind of medium
country club, you know.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
We give a lot of time off to our staff.
You know Some of my managementthat they work a lot, especially
food and beverage.
They are off like six months.
I don't bring them in.
We close in November first,first week of november and then
he's off december, january,february, march and the end of
the march I'm thinking back fivemonths off.
I mean you can't be dead butthey're probably.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
It's probably when you're working here.
Oh yes, oh yes oh yes.
Speaker 2 (21:32):
Ranking, oh yes, oh yes, especially like I mentioned
the month of july.
Oh yeah, that's gonna be crazy,but yeah, it's a perk.
Speaker 1 (21:39):
It's a perk you know to well, some people have got,
some people don't, and I thinkyou're building just with
everything.
You've built something herethat, like it, creates a culture
of you, either like in it orlike you're not too.
It's like kind of this is whowe like, this is who we are like
you, and you have to almostreally appreciate vehicles yes,
yes, yes.
Speaker 2 (22:00):
So far, I think everyone who I have, they do
have that.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Yeah, they know, they they appreciate I haven't seen
one, not like somewhatinteresting car.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
Yeah, from most of the employees too, it's true,
and especially if you see it'ssummertime when all the
employees are here, even ourhospitality team.
Uh, all of them.
They.
They're just passionate aboutcars.
Yeah, but we hired a lot ofthem from Woodway.
Speaker 1 (22:26):
I took some guys that follow me Stealing everybody.
Speaker 2 (22:28):
Ah, stealing, like I mentioned to you, wing Food we
got guys, which they do aphenomenal job.
Forget, I think it's AberdeenAberdeen Golf Club in Florida or
something we have also, so it'sa lot of when we hire um,
especially after I joined in2021, we got a lot of country
(22:48):
club mentality so we can shiftit into what the owner wants,
the country club industry andthe white white glove service in
uh in this place.
Speaker 1 (22:56):
So so before you came like, were there like what,
what was missing?
Before you came like like whenyou showed up, what if I?
Speaker 2 (23:04):
have to say one thing attention to detail.
Attention to detail from thegrounds perspective, uh, which
we build a whole landscapingteam.
Attention to detail fromhospitality, which was almost
zero and we brought it to adifferent level, and attention
to detail of everything, ofevery single thing.
(23:27):
That's what I would say.
Attention to detail which youhave it in every single country
club that you go.
Now you know kind of.
Speaker 1 (23:34):
I don't know what I've seen here so far.
I don't think I've seen in some.
Everything just feels like onbrand and on point yes, that's,
that's correct.
It's like it's just it'srefreshing it is.
Speaker 2 (23:48):
And again, the owner and his family they have, even
if this is a small part of theirbusiness, but they love this
place and they have a beautifulvision and any great ideas they
go with.
Yeah, you know, they don't.
We all the money that we makewe invest back in the club and
building new, new facilities,new programs to the members.
(24:11):
It's something exceptional.
So it's it's important to havesomeone also with a big vision
and who will support yourdecisions.
You know, because I don't havea board.
Yeah, you know how it is.
Sometimes you have greatdecision and great vision, but
then someone in the board cansay I'm not so sure.
Yes, and it's very hard toplease everyone here, we gotta
please one which is a reallyimportant one.
Speaker 1 (24:34):
It's the most important one.
Well, I just even remember whenI came.
I don't think the I'm gonnahave to go back and look at the
look at came.
I don't think the I'm going tohave to go back and look at the
video.
I don't think the landscapingwas as good, oh impossible.
And it's one of those like youdon't need it to be, but it
helps.
It's perfect Because, like whenyou're driving, you know that
fast it's not, but it's justnice.
(24:56):
Yes, just seeing the line.
Speaker 2 (24:57):
And it's important.
It's important for us asprofessionals that we grow up
like, for example.
For myself, it's extremelyimportant everything to be
perfect.
Yeah, because, again, attentionto detail is the key.
It's important not to have apiece of paper on the floor.
It's important the grass to becut perfect.
So those things are what makesthis place unique.
Yeah, you, frankly yeah, oh,that would have been nice.
(25:21):
You see how she thinks ahead.
No, he's a wonderful guy.
I love him.
Speaker 1 (25:27):
He's the one you stole from, not stole.
Speaker 2 (25:31):
I offered him an opportunity.
So I the opportunity could havebeen Frankie was at the Bedford
and he came to.
I was looking for a chef andwhen he came here, I don't think
he was very, extremely excitedbecause again, you saw a small
kitchen and you're like,seriously, I want to be a chef
here and blah, blah, blah.
(25:51):
So then we talk, we talk and Iwas like, frankie, this it might
not be what you are used to,but guess what?
I'm hiring you to help me outto build a country club, to help
me out to build a culinary team, to help me out to build a food
and beverage team, to help meout to build a program.
I say you want to have achallenge, that's a challenge.
(26:14):
Or if you want to go somewhereelse to be a chef with a big
kitchen, that is alreadyeverything done for you.
This is not the place here,with a big kitchen.
That is already everything donefor you.
This is not the place here iswhere we're going to build
something together and that'swhat we did.
We build, we took it from zeroand we build it to work to, to
where we are today, which is a,you know, spectacular service
that we offer to the members andwe have a wonderful, wonderful
(26:34):
food and beverage team andculinary team.
Now yeah my chef used to be apercent of the the new chef that
we have, which is extremelytalented, yeah.
So it was a little bit of achallenge for him and I say you
help me out to do that and thedoors to big opportunities is
going to be open to you in asecond, and that's why I
(26:56):
clubhouse manager, assistantgeneral manager, and he's just
killing it.
He's on the right path, yeah.
Speaker 1 (27:02):
It seems like he's enjoying it too.
Oh yes, oh yeah, yeah.
What's it like coming over to anew country?
What's it like just uprootingyour life?
Speaker 2 (27:14):
You know it was a challenge.
It can be tough, but I thinkit's all how you take it in
perspective.
Hmm, that's a good question.
I think maybe I'm differentbecause since my day one I fell
(27:34):
in love with the United States.
Since the day one I will neverforget, I say to my
brother-in-law I will never,ever work in Romania again.
I will build my career here.
And he was like oh, never saythat.
You never know when you'regoing to go back home.
And look at me after 15 yearsI'm still here.
So it was a challenge.
I think just because I wasworking in the country club
(27:57):
industry, where the culture isso diverse, where you have so
many different nationalitiesthat work, it was so much easier
to adapt to and not having achallenge.
I personally maybe because ofthe way I think, which I'm
always positive, and because I'malways active, energetic, not
afraid of challenges, not afraidof making mistakes, not afraid
(28:20):
of saying I'm sorry or I don'tunderstand I think that makes my
life a little bit easier.
I can talk that about otherpeople that they moved to the
United States and whatchallenges they have, but for me
I would say Everyone welcomedme in a very, very nice way and
I'm very grateful for that.
Speaker 1 (28:39):
Yeah, Was there something that happened?
Were you in hospitality inRomania?
You?
Speaker 2 (28:45):
ready?
Not at all.
I wanted to come to USA to makemoney, to go back home to pay
to become a police officer.
How crazy is that?
And that's why, also, I went tothe cruise ship first, but then
(29:06):
usa and cruise ship changed myyeah, everything into
hospitality, from the criminaljustice guy into hospitality.
Oh my god, what a difference.
Night and day, night and day,yeah, night and day.
Speaker 1 (29:18):
It's crazy I want to be a police officer too, did you
?
Yep, yep, but I was like Iwould have been horrible because
I go zero to bitch in like halfa second, like I am not, yeah,
the first one to like go into adark room, like oh, I see, I'm
calling backup for everything,like I'm not, I just pulled over
(29:40):
my dad every morning.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
I don't know why.
It was always.
It was always a dream, you know.
I think it's the car, I don'tknow, Maybe maybe the car, maybe
the suits, I don't know.
It is weird.
And I was fascinated bylanguages.
So when I used to work on acruise ship, you know, there was
so many different nationalitiesand I would speak Italian,
Spanish, Romanian, French andEnglish, and even now I can
(30:03):
communicate in those languagesand I always say like, hey, that
can help me out to do somethingin the.
Then it's changed, you know,Changed Woodway, changed my
Woodway and the whole place.
Woodway, Trump, Lostry I workhere at Lostry Club.
Speaker 1 (30:17):
It's weird how cars are a weird common theme between
all the bits to lead you tohere.
Like police officers drivingpolice cars.
That's actually true.
And then transportation, andthen you end up at like that's
actually true.
Speaker 2 (30:31):
Very strange.
I was talking to the wheelshave always been in motion.
I will show you a picture.
It's crazy.
I was showing them.
The wheels have always been inmotion.
I will show you a picture.
It's.
It's crazy.
I was showing to, uh, to myfriends I was talking the other
day and I was like, can youimagine?
So?
Back in the days when I was 18years old, I used to own a bmw
(30:52):
e30 1989, which is a beautiful,beautiful, beautiful car.
That time was very.
Now it's like over $100,000.
So I used to do drag racing anda lot of like racing with the
cars and we always, sometimeswhen we talk with my friends, we
always joke like, can youimagine you, the guy who used to
love cars and do drag racingand everything else, show up
(31:17):
with your little car?
Now you run a race club?
That's weird.
It is weird because now goesback to what you mentioned.
Maybe the police car was what Ifall in love with, maybe these
cars, then transportationmanager, and now here it's cars,
kind of like bring around.
It all comes full circle.
It's my circle.
Yeah, yeah, but I love cars.
Speaker 1 (31:38):
Four-wheel drive.
It's my circle, yeah, yeah, butI love cars Four-wheel drive.
What's your?
Speaker 2 (31:41):
dream car, my dream car.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Don't worry about maintenance costs.
There's a magic genie.
Hey, it's your dream car.
Speaker 2 (31:54):
You know, I don't know why Lamborghini, I don't
know why, what kind I think atthis point, it doesn't matter.
Know why Lamborghini, I don'tknow why, what kind I think at
this point doesn't matter, justa Lamborghini.
I will say so seriously yeah, Idon't know, always, always.
But there was things, you know,growing up, I always dreamed to
have an M3, and I got it.
(32:14):
Then I say, when I grow up andI have a good job, I'm going to
get an X5, and I got it.
Then I say, when I grow up andI have a good job, I'm going to
get an X5.
And I got it.
But Lamborghini was alwaysplaying with the toys and say
Lamborghini, aventador, you know.
So that's what I would say.
I make it like nice andbeautiful.
Speaker 1 (32:30):
Which M3 is, or was your dream one?
E30.
Speaker 2 (32:36):
That's the 2000?
The one that I got it?
The 1989.
And guess what's my dream carright now, If I don't have the
Lamborghini?
An E30.
1989, if I can have it.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
I think mine is a.
Is it the E92?
Is that from like 2007?
2006, 2004?
Yeah, but it's that body style.
M3 Laguna Seca blue, that ismy… your car, that is that.
Or a matte black Lamborghini,also Lamborghini Murcielago,
(33:09):
gated like manual, just that bigMF-er, just that With the… I
don't know, it's just a machine.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (33:19):
And what I saw that I like also, it's comfort.
I like comfort like that's.
I like the seven series,because you know you go an hour
and a half just comfort to be,to be, but those, yeah,
lamborghini, lamborghini will bemy, my top one car and then do
you are?
Speaker 1 (33:34):
are they?
Are they a common car here?
A?
Speaker 2 (33:36):
lot-hmm.
Speaker 1 (33:37):
A lot, a lot, a lot.
Out of all the cars, which oneis?
I'm going to say the word let'ssee?
I'm going to say the wordreliable, but you're not buying
the car which one breaks themost.
But reliability isn't really afactor with this situation.
But what car do you see cantake a beating?
(33:58):
Which car do you see on thetrack a beating like?
What car do you see on thetracks like damn they could they
could take, I think, theporsche.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
The porsche, they can take a beating those cars.
Yeah, that makes sense.
Those, those cars are like.
They can take it.
Yeah, yeah, they can.
It was meant for this.
Yeah, I think, and I'm notmistaken, they were the first
who built race cars too.
That I don't know.
I think so.
I'm not sure.
I think they were the first whocame out with like a factory
(34:28):
build.
That's why they're so good.
But don't quote me on that,don't post that.
Speaker 1 (34:37):
No, this guy doesn't know his job.
Get him out of here.
So what's next for you?
Is it trying to build this up?
Do you think this is?
Speaker 2 (34:49):
You know I love challenges.
Of course, I would like to seethis place where we're planning
to take it.
Yeah, I want to see the otherracetrack that we are building.
I want to see the hotel with abeautiful restaurant, with the
spa, with the tennis courts, thepool and all that resort kind
(35:13):
of type of feeling.
I want to work hard and becomethe ceo of the place, uh, but
I'm never close to opportunities.
If something happened andchallenges come around.
You know, uh, I love challenges.
You know I'm not afraid of that.
I love challenges and and thiswas a big challenge and I see,
(35:34):
uh, what a huge impact I make inthis place.
Speaker 1 (35:36):
I'm not afraid, afraid of taking any challenges
when you have a good backing.
You have a good support groupbehind you.
That's like sounds good.
Speaker 2 (35:46):
Yeah, but that will be the next step.
I think the next step is totake this place even further, to
a different level, finalize allthe constructions.
My goal will become to yes, tobe a CEO.
Speaker 1 (35:59):
I feel like there's a lot to challenge here too.
Oh yes, there's a lot.
Oh, yes, there's a lot.
And then, even if you don'tfeel challenged, I feel like you
can just say, hey, what aboutthis?
Like, all right, you can justthrow a challenge in there, and
it would be cool, there isalways something.
Speaker 2 (36:14):
There is always something, I think that lake is
cool.
Speaker 1 (36:17):
Just something with power and power sports and water
.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
So back in the days it was very cold here, but now
it's not that crazy cold anymoreClimate change, I don't know
what, but that lake used to geta lot of ice and they used to
drive those little things that Ishow you in the service center,
the things that I show you inthe in the service center.
(36:43):
But maybe you know not sureexactly what the laws are from
the, from from having an engineon the lake in the cat skills,
it might be yes, it might be no,I'm not sure exactly.
Maybe you're allowed to usejust paddle boards or something.
I'm not sure there.
I'm sure there is some laws forthat.
Speaker 1 (36:57):
just because of the well then, at that case, you
just build your own lake exactlyhey boss, I need to build a
lake.
What I need some diggingequipment.
What?
Speaker 2 (37:06):
you're planning to do a lake, sir, where?
Speaker 1 (37:09):
in the middle.
Speaker 2 (37:09):
I want to use a jet ski.
It might be shocking to saylike do it?
Oh, wow, that'd be really funny.
Yeah, no, there is, there issomething that, uh, I gotta
figure out here, you see in themiddle.
Yeah, I want to do somethingelse, but I'm not bumper boats,
I'm not sure them.
Yet what bumper boats?
I don't know.
(37:31):
I don't know boats, I don'tknow water, I don't fountains.
You know water and animalsgetting in there and out there.
You know, if you have like afountain and it's a windy day,
water coming on the trackslippery, you know you gotta
again, safety, it's, it's, it'sa huge, huge priority here.
Yeah, so now, just beautifulgreen grass to see, you know,
(37:56):
now it's yellow, it's wintertime, unless you make like a
walking bridge and you put likesomething over it.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
Yeah, not sure like a little event space, not sure
not sure about that.
Speaker 2 (38:12):
You gotta make a time landing the clubhouse to reach
out.
There it is.
It is a huge safety liabilityto do.
I thought I did something thatis crazy and it takes so much
more to yep to make sure yousave someone to use it.
Oh yeah, that's pretty much itwe talk a lot.
Yeah, talk a lot we.
(38:33):
We share a lot of things, youknow, even like the clear it's
so funny, so funny, weird stuff,so weird.
Speaker 1 (38:36):
I should have you one time in the.
I should have you one we sharea lot of things, you know.
Speaker 2 (38:39):
Yeah, it's so funny, so funny Weird stuff, so weird.
I should have you one time inthe.
I should have you one time inthe summertime to come up here
in a race car and have a podcastwith one of my drivers while in
the car.
You know that would besomething.
Say when that would besomething hilarious.
Speaker 1 (38:59):
I'll wear diapers and no, I don't think.
Speaker 2 (39:02):
I think you like that .
Oh, trust me, you likeadventures, you like speed, you
like all the crazy things.
Yeah, I've gotten, but no, it'sgood.
Like I mentioned to you, it's aphenomenal place that we built.
We're extremely happy with whatwe are doing, extremely happy
um the path that we're taking.
(39:24):
I'm extremely happy with mycareer goal and where I reach in
a I would say, in a shortperiod of time.
And then, um, what you've beenin the american dream.
You know this is for me.
Speaker 1 (39:34):
You know and and I'm you, you know it's there's,
there's, there's people who havean opera, you know who, who
have everything at theirfingertips, and just they don't
want to take it or just you know, I don't know.
I hate to say like their, theirfeelings get hurt, but it's
like you know, everythingcorrect, correct to fight like,
(40:05):
yeah, crazy in what 14 years.
Speaker 2 (40:06):
14 years, crazy, that's so cool.
14 years from an h2b visa to ageneral manager.
In to this place.
Speaker 1 (40:10):
In in for sure, the most amazing place I've seen in
a in a I think, just to havethat, like that much trust in
you to run this as well, Likeit's not just like golf clubs
and you know people who havemoney, it's people who have
money and what they love, likein their toys, like that's.
Speaker 2 (40:28):
That's crazy, that's a whole other level of trust.
Yeah, and again, I have awonderful owner who's so
supportive.
You know, we, we communicatealmost every single day.
He's in florida and his son isin connecticut, in new canaan.
Uh, we talk, we, you know, weshare.
I learn a lot of things fromthem.
Uh, they, they, you know,they're very understandable, but
(40:50):
, yeah, it's, it's a lot oftrust, for sure.
Yeah, and I'm I'm very gratefulfor that.
You know it's.
Yeah, you hire me to dosomething and that's what I'm
going to give you back, you knowit's.
You hire me to do something andthat's what I'm going to give
you back, you know.
Speaker 1 (41:02):
That's amazing and I'm sure that helps, as a leader
, to just having that background, learning at least
understanding little bits of thelanguages and just
understanding the cultures andall of that.
So even if it doesn't matterwho you run into, you have that
ability to chameleonize and justinteract and engage, and it
(41:23):
might not be perfect but atleast people, I think, can
understand and appreciate thegesture of it.
Speaker 2 (41:27):
Oh yeah, that's for sure.
Yeah, yeah, that's for sure.
You got to see the tanks inaction.
That's what you got to see.
I saw you were excited withthat.
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Don't even that's what you've got to see.
I saw you were excited withthat.
Don't even.
That's a whole other episodetalking about the tanks.
Oh my God, yeah, yeah.
So call back.
He showed there's a wholeoff-roading area and they have
tanks that you can they strapyou in on and you go run over
cars.
It's crazy, yeah.
Speaker 2 (41:56):
It's so much fun, that's actually a fun.
Yeah, it's so much fun, that'sactually a fun.
Yeah, it's a fun thing to seeit, but yeah, I think I don't
know if it's something else thatI you know to mention.
You can talk about this all daylong.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
Yeah, I know, I know.
No thanks for coming on.
This is going to be one of many, I know for sure.
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Yeah, Thank you for coming, danny, and I'm happy you
, you took your time to come andsee here, because the best way
I always say to people there'sme what is that place?
And I'm like, think about themost beautiful golf course,
county cloud, the golf course,with all the amenities, from
ballroom, from pro shop shop torestaurants to whatever, and our
(42:39):
picture instead of the golfcourse, a racetrack Instead of a
golf cart and clubs, a race carInstead of going to 19th hole
and talk about Berdian hole,number three, you talk about how
you build your own time recordwith two seconds or something.
Yeah, so that's the difference.
And I say, but the best way tounderstand what we do here, come
(43:00):
and see it.
Until you don't see it, youdon't realize what is here.
You can just picture yourself,you know like, hey, it might be
a trailer, it might be amechanic, and then you see and
you have state-of-the-artfacilities, top-top service and
the best of things that we canprovide.
Speaker 1 (43:17):
Yeah, hope you all enjoyed that episode.
I know I did so many greatstories and lessons and
takeaways and insights and ah,so good, just so good.
And being able to do thatepisode in person was even
better.
So thank you all for listening.
Thanks for being here.
(43:37):
If you're enjoying the content,a like, share, subscribe, costs
nothing and means the world.
That's this episode.
Until next time, I'm your host,danny Corby.
Catch y'all on the flippityflip.
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