It's Saturday, July 26. Denise, Aaron (my son) and I are heading to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for Home Video Studio's 8th Annual Convention.

It's Saturday, July 26. Denise, Aaron (my son) and I are heading to Disney World in Orlando, Florida for Home Video Studio's 8th Annual Convention. Studio Owners from across the United States, Canada and Sweden will join us for up to six days of training and fun. I can't wait to meet Mickey Mouse. Attached is a picture of me by Spaceship Earth in EPOCT.

The following is taken directly from an email which I recently received from one of our new studio owners.

Thank you, thank you, and thank you!!!  I cannot begin to tell you what a joy and blessing this business has been to our family.  I have found a renewed sense of happiness that my previous profession has slowly drained from my life.  I have found the majority of people with whom we interact to be mostly happy and friendly.  After a completed project is presented, there are usually tears of joy as the emotional impact of treasured photos coming to life on the TV allows the outpouring of satisfaction with the completed project.  I again want to repeat myself and say, “Thank You!!” for allowing me to be involved with such a dynamic, growing and exciting business.
 
Respectfully,
 
Joseph Rodriguez
 
Home Video Studio - Indio
Joseph and Wendy Rodriguez
Indio, CA  92201
760-347-6688

So we woke up on the fourth, packed up and went to the airport in Orlando. From there we flew to Kansas City, Missouri. We then rented a car and drove to Kirksville, Missouri where we celebrated the 4th of July with my Dad (he is doing a little better), Aunt Lucy, my brother Mark and my sister Marcia Jo.

On the way to Kirksville we took a short detour to Marcelene, Missouri, the boyhood home of Walt Disney. I have visited Marcelene before. Denise and I toured the Walt Disney Museum there several years ago. Many say that Marcelene is where Disney got the idea for Main Street in Disneyland and Disney World.

I wanted to visit the museum again, especially on Independence Day. The museum tour guides were delighted and amazed when they heard  that we had woke up in Disney World and now were standing in their museum. Apparently no one had ever accomplished that feat before.  I love Disney World and I do actually love Marcelene. It is a really cute small town (and I do mean small). We walked around the museum for a while. Then we visited a few of the stores on Main Street. Oh, I didn’t mention that as we arrived in Marcelene their annual 4th of July parade was just starting. It was a simple affair, especially when compared to the Magic Kingdom parades or to the fireworks that we viewed the night before. Still, their parade was charming.

Afterwards, I got to thinking about Indpendence day. Not the patriotic thing but just the idea of being independent -- owning your own business, paddling your own canoe, etc, etc. I thought of Kirk Douglas (not the actor but the HVS studio owner). Kirk, a former Studio Owner of the Year, purchased his studio after 9-11 because he wanted to be independent. As I recall, he made upwards of $100,000.00 a year in salary but he wanted to control his destiny. Call Kirk and ask him about destiny, independence and running his own video studio. I think you will find his comments interesting.

While you are at it, ask him about his sales.  In the months of May and June alone, Kirk Douglas has grossed over $46,000! Kirk is our Studio Owner of the Month for June (celebrated in July) so it is appropriate that I mention his name in conjunction with the 4th of July and independence.

Just look at Walt Disney. What a great vision! From Marcelene, Missouri to Disney World and beyond, it was Disney’s vision that gave him and us (lucky for us) the magic. Kirk followed the HVS plan and then added a little of his own magic. I started Home Video Studio with an idea and a vision. If you follow my plan you may just find the independence and magic in your life that you have been looking for. Instead of working for someone else, focus on your own magic kingdom!