Category Archives: Characters

September 17, 2012 · 4:00 am

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 8

John Jonelis

“A turnaround guy uses the same skillset as an entrepreneur.” – Loop Lonagan

Friday, 4:00 pm

All alone at the office. The hour of the big duel getting near. I’m frantically digging through my cardboard box of files and memorabilia on Ray Markman and find this:

Ray has it good in his dream job at Leo Burnett, but he leaves for a new role at McCann Erickson.

Why does he do a thing like that? Sure, it’s one of top five agencies but he always wanted to work for Leo Burnett. Why does he leave his dream job? Continue reading →

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Filed under Biography, Characters, Conflict, Entrepreneur

Tagged as Advertising, cosmetic, counterculture, dream job, helene curtis, idea, ladies, lady, leo burnette, mad men, madmen, mccann erickson, meat, p & g, P&G, packing, procter & gamble, professional, stock, woman, women

September 10, 2012 · 4:00 am

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 7

by John Jonelis

Friday, 3:45 pm

Loop Lonagan is out somewhere looking for another bottle of $50 scotch and I’m alone with Alexander Harbinger PhD, getting his slant on the Ray Markman story. Alex looks fit—all six foot five of him—but I wonder if he has any real experience boxing.

The match is just a little over an hour away, so I put it to him.

He brings himself even more erect in his chair. “When I vas a boy I attended a special school—what do you call it ven you live at—ah yes—boarding. It vass a boarding school. They taught all ze boys to defend zemselves.”

I squeeze my eyes closed. This is all wrong. The guy hasn’t used his fists since school days, and he’s going into a boxing match with Loop Lonagan? A horrible image comes to mind and I shudder. I picture Lonagan grinning while he cranks the handle of a meat grinder. Continue reading →

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Tagged as Accoung Manager, ad, Advertising, Boxing, butt, cigarette, pall mall, philip morris, smoke, virginia slims

September 3, 2012 · 4:00 am

THE RIGHT WAY TO FAIL

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 6

by John Jonelis

Friday, 3:30 pm

The hour of the duel is closing fast. Can I get the information I want out of these two hotheads before they beat each other senseless? If I prove one or the other right, will that snuff out the fuse? At this point, I can’t be sure of anything.

Continue reading →

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Filed under Biography, Characters, Conflict, Entrepreneur, Relationships

Tagged as Boxing, contacts, Duel, I never worked a day in my life, If you nver lost money you never did anything, losing, losing money, never fall in love with a trade, new product, risk capital, taking a loss, venture

August 27, 2012 · 4:00 am

THE DREAM COME TRUE

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 5

by John Jonelis

Friday, 3:00 pm

Across my desk sit both Alexander Harbinger PhD and Loop Lonagan. So far they haven’t come to outright blows but their big duel is set for 5:00 pm. That leaves two hours to pick their brains.

I realize both men are waiting for my part of the story on Ray Markman, so I report. Continue reading →

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Tagged as Advertising, agency, brand manager, company culture, conglomerate, corporate culture, creative, fire, job interview, Leo Burnett, Mr. Inside, Mr. Outside

August 20, 2012 · 4:00 am

THE SECRET PROTÉGÉ

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 4

by John Jonelis

Friday, 2:30 pm

We’re sitting across my battered WWII Air Force desk digging out the history of Ray Markman. Alexander Harbinger’s argument that Ray isn’t a pure entrepreneur seems pretty well shot to pieces. Loop Lonagan told some amazing stories about risk ventures and I think Alex is squirming a bit, but I want to hear what he’s turned up before these two beat each other senseless at the duel scheduled for five o’clock today. So I put it to him.

“Yess,” he says. “I did find quite ze important story about Mr. Markman. To me, it iss poignant und highly significant. It illustrates not only his personality but ze way he affected people around him.”
Continue reading →

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Tagged as Advertising, boss, Boxing, brand management, cosmetics, Duel, Entrepreneur, German accent, I never worked a day in my life, Leo Burnett, P&G, protege, university

August 13, 2012 · 4:00 am

STARTING COMPANIES WITH STYLE

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 3

by John Jonelis

Friday 2:00 pm

A boxing match! I promise myself to be there to see Loop Lonagan and Alexander Harbinger PhD settle their differences in a modern-day duel. I know Loop as a tough street fighter but he gives away a tremendous advantage in reach to the tall German and at the Union League Club, the Marquess of Queensberry Rules are enforced—way out of character for Lonagan. No gouging, no rabbit punches, no kicks to the groin. And unlike here in my office, nobody can pull a gun and start blazing away. Continue reading →

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Tagged as corporate entrepreneur, making an idea a reality, making it happen, new ideas, new ventures, starting a company, winning with style

August 6, 2012 · 5:00 am

THE DUEL

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 2

by John Jonelis

Friday, 1:30 am

Ray Markman claims, ‘I never worked a day in my life.’ Now I wait for Alexander Harbinger and Loop Lonagan to give their analysis based on boxes of old documents and memories. The clock reads 1:30 when Loop and Alex finally file in. They each carry thick note pads and plunk down in soft chairs across from my desk. From the way Loop pats his belly, I know they’re straight from some heavy lunch spot.

Lonagan is first to speak. “Me and Alex want you should go first.”

“What?” I say. “There’s some problem?”

Harbinger responds in his heavy German accent. “Vee are at a point of disagreement. Perhaps, Yon, you vill set ze right tone for the meeting.” Continue reading →

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Tagged as ABC, Advertising, Biography, Boxing, CBS, Challenge, Duel, Entrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, Erasmus, Everest, Hallmark, I never worked a day in my life, Ivy League, Jacques Cousteau, Jane Goodall, John Allen, Journalism, National Geographic, NBC, Nobel Prize, Polly Bergen, Prime Time, Ray Markman, Thomas Edison, Trading, University of Missouri, Walter Cronkite

July 27, 2012 · 6:57 pm

I NEVER WORKED A DAY IN MY LIFE

The Story of Ray Markman – Part 1

by John Jonelis

“What he says is—” I pause to confront the two men across my battered old WWII Air Force desk. “What he says is this: ‘I never worked a day in my life.’ Far as I can tell, Ray Markman never stopped working a day in his life. Should’ve retired years ago and he’s still working. Day and night he’s working.” Continue reading →

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Filed under Biography, Characters, Conflict

Tagged as Alexander Harbinger, Conflict, Corporate, Creative Non-Fiction, Entrepreneur, Job, Loop Lonagan, Ph.D., PhD, Ray Markman, Thomas Edison

March 24, 2012 · 12:57 pm

ROYA FETOVA – 30

A Crowdsourced Novel
Read it here – Say what comes
next.

“Okay Paul, thanks for the report.” Agent Stan Harris flipped the file closed and moved it to the pile at his left.

Paul’s chair scraped loudly as he stood. “Stan, there’s something I want you to see.”

“What now? Another strangled giant?”

Paul grinned. “Just peek out your door a minute.” Continue reading →

2 Comments

Filed under Characters, Conflict, Crowd Sourced Novel, Crowdsourced Novel, Death, Interactive Story, Living Novel, Mystery, Relationships

Tagged as Chicago, CIA, computers, encryption, FBI, genius, Italian, Las Vegas, Mob, mobile app, mobile apps, New York, optimization, Russian, search, security, servers, smart phone, The Cloud

December 20, 2010 · 6:44 pm

FATHER

This Christmas I want to talk about the concept of “Father.” I don’t know how to do that without getting intensely personal, so that’s what I’m about to do. Some people relate to the word Father with tender feelings of love and warmth. Others find the thought chilling. I hope these few words will have meaning to both groups. Continue reading →

THE NEGATIVE CHARACTER

Drama encompasses human change. The main character is transformed. As a reader, I’d be disappointed if that change turned out for the worse. By definition, that means the main character must start out seriously flawed. Is this logical, so far? If so, then stay with me: Continue reading →

PRAISE

All of us are desperate to have someone believe that we are worthwhile. What if a man believes that kind words stifle improvement? What happens to his children when he hands out criticism, but never praise? He learned this mindset from his own father—will he pass it on to his son? Continue reading →