By Gregg Hollmann, “Party Professional”
In this article, I review Marcello Pedalino’s just-published book “Celebrate Life – How to live it up, discover fulfillment, and experience the joy you deserve.” For those of you unfamiliar with Marcello (pronounced Mar-Chello), he is a marquee event host based in New Jersey. Marcello is well-regarded for his physical fitness, sharp fashion sense, and success in the high-end events industry.
I first met Marcello eight years ago at a New Jersey Disc Jockey Network meeting in Atlantic City that I accidentally stumbled upon. Marcello was on a panel of speakers sharing their success stories. At the time, I was a relatively new DJ who was hungry for knowledge to improve. I was sufficiently inspired by Marcello and the other speakers that day to pursue my DJ business more seriously. Little did I know, that just a couple of years later I would abandon a 17 year career in finance to pursue mobile DJ entertainment on a full-time basis. So even before reading the book, it’s fair to say that Marcello has been a very positive influence on my personal development.
What the Book is Not
Before describing the book, I want to talk about what the book is not. The book is not a platform for Marcello to brag about his career accomplishments in the DJ industry. Rather, the book is written in a humble manner designed to help and inspire readers. The book is not directly about how to become a better DJ or Emcee. You will not find specific tips about how to emcee a Bar Mitzvah or how to book more brides. Rather, this book is targeted to any individual seeking to improve themselves and lead a more fulfilling life. Finally, this book does not present a regimented system or program for success. Rather, it lays out important principles, but leaves scope for the reader to create their own path.
The Layout
Celebrate Life contains seven chapters and is 153 pages long. This hardcover book is incredibly visual with an abundance of color photos interspersed throughout each chapter. Key points are hammered home in text boxes called “Marcello’s Message.” The end of each chapter contains a #CelebrateLife section with specific action steps for the chapter principle. Celebrate Life contains a wealth of inspiring quotes from a wide spectrum of historic and modern intellectuals. The compact and visual nature of the book make it an easy read. I finished the book in a single two hour session. This is a book that I envision re-visiting once or twice a year to re-charge my battery.
Celebrate Life®
About ten years ago while surfing underneath a beautiful sunset, Marcello coined the name of his wellness program as Celebrate Life®. In addition to being a great way to live, Celebrate Life proved to be the ideal slogan for his entertainment company’s brand. Marcello subsequently registered the slogan as a Federal trademark.
There are seven elements to the Celebrate Life® program:
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Health
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Influence
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Lifestyle
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Adventure
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Compassion
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Wisdom
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Evolution
The author devotes a chapter to each element. My favorite chapter was that on health, where Marcello shares some simple diet and exercise tips, and explains why being healthy is important to our personal and professional success. Marcello writes, “If you want to consistently deliver exceptional service and the finest quality product to your clients, ‘success’ and ‘winning’ will ultimately depend on your ability to stay healthy and in the game.” In Chapter Two, Marcello discusses the importance of surrounding yourself with VIPs (“Very Inspiring People”) and lists some of his own personal VIPs from the DJ industry and beyond. Chapter Three explores the idea of living a passionate life, and cautions against settling into an “it is what it is” mindset.
Chapter Four shares the benefits of travel, particularly international travel. Chapter Five explores the benefits of charity, both to the giver and the receiver. In Chapter Six, Marcello shares some of his own personal setbacks and provides counsel on how to overcome adversity. In the final chapter, the author advises readers to “stay humble and stay hungry” and to remain open-minded on the long and winding road of life.
Who Should Read This Book?
Who should read this book? In a nutshell, everybody! While the book will surely resonate with entertainment professionals, any individual interested in improving their health, personal life or business will benefit from “Celebrate Life.” The strength of this book is that it offers an integrated approach for success, where health, family and professional factors all contribute towards a fulfilling life.
While Marcello is a celebrity in the events industry, he is less well-known to the public at large. Please support him as he embarks upon a national roadshow to promote his message to a larger audience. Tell a family member or friend about Marcello. Need a unique gift idea? This book would be perfect, as who wouldn’t be interested in leading a more fulfilling life?
For More Information
To order your copy of “Celebrate Life – How to live it up, discover fulfillment, and experience the joy you deserve” by Marcello Pedalino, visit the link below:
On behalf of all DJs, I’d like to thank Marcello for writing this important book and for representing our industry in such a positive light!
