Italians, Prohibition, and Internet Strategy
My grandmother, Liza, was born in northern Italy in 1884. She was as tall as I am. I’m not sure, but that might be why she immigrated to this new land.
When Liza arrived here at the turn of the twentieth century, she ended up in a village of about 1000 people. Almost all of them spoke Italian. Most of the men worked in nearby the coal mines. My grandma ran a saloon.
Somewhere along the line, Liza got married and had three children — my father, my uncle, and my aunt. All three grew up speaking two languages. In 1919, two things happened.
- The United States Congress passed the 18th Amendment, which banned the manufacture, sale, and transportation of alcohol.
- My dad — of course he wasn’t my dad yet — turned 12 that summer and left home.
My dad traveled about 7 days to get to the biggest town, two towns over and 30 miles away. He found a job, working as an Italian shoemaker’s helper for 50 cents a week. He found a place to live with a brother and sister who offered a room in their home. They were Italian immigrants … and bootleggers.
My first generation American worked for the shoemaker, worked in a factory, and worked in the 700-degree heat as man who silvered mirrors. He used tell stories about what he learned in every job he took. He also talked business in Italian and English at the dinner table of his landlord every night when he went home.
He never was a bootlegger, but he a learned lot from the guy who was. He used to say that had he been, we’d have been a lot richer when I was growing up. But that’s not my point. He was plenty successful as it was.
At the height of the American Depression — two more things happened.
- The 21st Amendment to the United States Constitution ended Prohibition on December 5, 1933.
- My dad and the bootlegger who became his partner opened a saloon that same day.
You might think that Internet strategy works differently. It doesn’t. The Internet is wider and faster. You don’t have to walk for days, but the people are the same.
Italian or English, Online or offline … strategy is a practical plan to use the conditions and your unique skills and position to act on opportunities as they come.
I’m sure there were lots of folks who talked about building a saloon when prohibition was over. But in that town my dad and his partner were the only ones who didn’t just talk.
Are you doing enough?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Most people are fully occupied and have no extra time. “Are you doing enough” is a reminder that we want to be “effective” – not just be busy.
Good post.
Jim
Liz, I can proudly say that here in West Virginia, the bootleg tradition is alive and well 😉
To the question “Am you doing enough?”:
For me, the answer is in matching my productivity to my passion. And I’m still getting there.
Thanks for the post.
Hey Ben!
I have bootleggers on both sides of my family!!
Bootleggers are the ultimate entrepreneurs. 🙂
Am I doing enough? I always want to be doing more! But I feel like as a stay-at-home mother and wife, I am doing as much as I can. I organize my business around my already busy life and make it work for me. I think the key to “doing enough” is organization.
Hi Terez,
Organization sure helps. It’s such a crucial part of keeping focus! The simple act of doing something rather than just thinking and talking is what moves things. How often we forget that. 🙂
Liz,
What a great story. It is not about opportunity, but about action. That is the challenge in every age.
Thanks for sharing!
Hi tim,
I’m beginning to think that we can create opportunity from almost any situation. It’s all in seeing what we bring and acting in ways that make good things happen. One small step in the right direction starts the process. Yeah!
Great thoughts and particularly this quote: “strategy is a practical plan to use the conditions and your unique skills and position to act on opportunities as they come.” It is amazing how often opportunity is enabled by simply being prepared for it when it comes and being OPEN to see it when it arrives.
One example: healthcare. What opportunities are being created as a result of this new system of insurance and care? Stepping beyond simply seeing these events happen and instead engaging with their deeper meaning and the resulting changes and opportunities is a habit we too often forget.
Thanks
@ideasurge
Hi Kendall,
Great to see you here!
I’m with you … it’s more than being ready, it’s having a world view that allows us to see the opportunity.
Every time a pendulum swings or a change occurs opportunity is in the ways that we could respond but don’t. 🙂