Hillblom, DHL,and Doing Business as (Un)usual on Saipan
Amelia Earhart, Saipan, and Doing Business as Unusual
Amelia Earhart
Recent History Channel investigative documentary “Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence” was enlightening as much for the evolutionary investigative processes and tools used as the conclusion drawn.
“Facial features and body proportions of the two figures” led experts to conclude that they were nearly 100% sure the Caucasian male and female identified in picture were Amelia Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan. Both experts had developed systems based on latest recognition technology.
Over the past 80 years there have been numerous water cooler debates on what happened, cover-ups, myths, facts, and lack of witnesses still living. Use of analytics now allows investigators to be much more confident in drawing conclusions. Not unlike the forensics used today to resolve cold case crimes.
Served as a reminder of another intriguing business experience that rates with my others including fishing for piranha and being on primetime China TV.
Saipan
Saipan was known for its strategic location during WWII. A fierce battle was fought on the island with over 5,000 Americans and over 25,000 Japanese killed. Memorials and even old military equipment are still reminders of the battle. Tinian, an adjoining island, was the place that the Enola Gay embarked to bomb Hiroshima. Tinian served as the forward operational base, but still was 3,000 miles roundtrip to Japan.
Saipan has been a US Commonwealth since 1978. People born there are US citizens. The official currency is the US dollar, and US mail proved to be a low cost way to ship forms.
Saipan was once a sweat shop for “made in America” clothing due to lax immigration, wage, and working conditions. See ABC 20-20 clip https://abcnews.go.com/International/video/archive-video-made-usa-investigation-39762609
Now drawing attention from another unusual business opportunity – “The world's most successful casino ever may be located in a remote American territory, run by a former protégé of President-elect Donald Trump. Chinese high-rollers are increasingly betting on the Pacific island of Saipan, where the staggering numbers have attracted the attention of U.S. anti-money laundering”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF6k0GSoVAg
Saipan weather is tropical running between 80 and 90 year around.
Doing Business as Unusual
After cable system consolidation began in the US, I looked to the international market for growth. A unique opportunity came about from the island of Saipan. The general manager contacted me about our customer care and billing software. His interest came from a marketing postcard sent to all cable systems. The cards were packaged in cellophane, and no doubt most were pitched in the trash.
Saipan located near Guam past the international dateline gave us an opportunity to prove the ease of use and minimal support required to operate our system. At that time a long distance call to the states was $3/minute. I personally made the trip and did the installation. In order to get there you have to fly an additional 8 hours from Hawaii to Guam and then a short flight, less than an hour, from Guam to Saipan. Another time I flew there via Tokyo. A flight path that was used numerous times in WW2, including the dropping of the two atomic bombs. Something that has to come to mind for anyone making the trip.
The island is only 48 square miles with dimensions of approximately 4 by 12 miles. Probably has the biggest ego’s per square mile of any place in the world. Lee Holmes the owner of a TV station in Honolulu also owned Saipan Cable. The population of the island was only 15,000 at that time. Most of the business came from Japanese tourist, who came to play golf and enjoy a little of the US culture. It was cheaper for golfers to fly to Saipan and play golf then play a round in Japan. Now most tourists come from China. There was a top 40 radio station playing American music and the cable system showed tapes from Los Angeles television stations that were delayed about two weeks. Satellites were too expensive at that time and, satellite and live programming came later.
After installing our system at Saipan Cable, we were contacted a few years later by Mariannas Cable who was overbuilding Saipan Cable. It turned out the primary owner of the new system was Larry Hillblom, the “H” in DHL freight. Wall Street Journal reported that the co-founder of the air-courier giant built a business empire valued at more than $600 million before his death in 1995. In most cases when you have an overbuild there is a financial reason, in this case it turned out to be a grudge match. Holmes and Hillblom didn’t like each other. Very unusual that we ended up being the customer care and billing vendor of choice for both systems.
Story is documented in following link – a good read
Excerpt from book - King Larry: The Life and Ruins of a Billionaire Genius
Larry Hillbloom had a dark side. He traveled routinely to the Philippines for sexual encounters.
His story was best told in documentary “Shadow Billionaire” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4HdvCe-vr64
Rotten Tomatoes – “DHL Founder and billionaire Larry Hillblom seemed to have vanished into thin air when he failed to return from a routine flight in his vintage Seabee over the Pacific. After his disappearance, a dark side of Larry emerged. Even before he was officially declared dead, bar girls throughout Southeast Asia came forward claiming to have had children by Larry and seeking a piece of his vast fortune. BILLIONAIRE unravels the secretive and scandalous life of this enigmatic and reclusive tycoon. The battle over his estate took on epic proportions, pitting impoverished, teenage prostitutes against Larry's former business associates and several of the largest law firms in the world. In the end it is a David and Goliath story, as a surprising hero emerges to untangle the web and discover the startling truth.”
Another interesting Saipan resident was the founder of Computerland, who owed the government more than $100 million in taxes hid out for several years and later was found on the Grand Cayman Island.
Business Takeaways
Listen first
Prepare to handle the unexpected, no matter how often you are told everything is normal
Marketing is an art and a science – don’t get over committed to either – can be a card deck, social media, e-mail, direct call, or reference (word of mouth)
Many times in remote locations you’ll find the best operators. Less turnover in key positions, cross-trained, flat organizations, faster decisions, and individual ownership of resolving issues.
Determining what works and what doesn’t work in the global market. Going direct is extremely difficult, as far as installation, training, maintenance, upgrades, and support. When you go past the international dateline you will need 24/7 capabilities.
From that experience I was able to formulate a strategy to successfully take our system to over 50 countries. Required a rigorous process of selecting partners and distributors. A strategy that I now use to assist other companies.
Having a great reference, evangelist, will open up opportunities that you can never get on your own.
International business requires cross-trained specialists (sounds like an oxymoron) but you need people with Swiss Army Knife skills – you can’t afford an entourage of key people traveling or making an abnormal amount of time available for web conferencing.
Do your best job, focus on features and functions. Avoid conflicts between personnel and competitors – yours or theirs.
Take time to smell the roses. Learn the culture, how they differ, and enjoy their favorites – restaurants, food, sports, hobbies, and always show respect to them, and their country.
Doing business as unusual is the normal way of doing business in Saipan.
Even if experts are nearly 100% certain of the Amelia Earhart picture, which indicates she was later taken to Saipan, and executed. You have to remember in Saipan that you never accept the obvious or business as usual.
My contact information to discuss international or national business development opportunities
Herb Lair
Senior Business Development Consultant
Cell (870) 365-5436
Linkedin profile - https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/herb-lair-761445b/
Website - https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home
Podcast Host @ Youtube | Created, Produced, Directed, and Starring People with Parkinson’s
7 年Why that photo of Amelia Earhart might not solve the mystery after all -- https://www.today.com/news/why-photo-amelia-earhart-might-not-solve-mystery-after-all-t113746 A Japanese blogger says that a photo cited by some as proof that Amelia Earhart survived a crash landing in 1937 actually was published in a book two years before the famed aviator vanished. Proving my earlier conclusion. "Even if experts are nearly 100% certain of the Amelia Earhart picture, which indicates she was later taken to Saipan, and executed. You have to remember in Saipan that you never accept the obvious or business as usual."
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7 年I saw that show last night - was pretty interesting