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A. Ron McGee.
Rest assured that when Pat
brought me on as her partner,
she never in her wildest dreams
would have considered being
in that position. So that’s kind of
humorous in a twisted way.
This is a typical conversation, and
you can guess who is saying what:
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Speaker 1: How are the
mermaids going to get
around Fremont street in
tails?
Speaker 2: I don’t know yet.
Speaker 1: How can we
shoot 12 mermaids in under
2 hours?
Speaker 2: I have a plan…
just working on the math
to verify it will work. I will
have an answer tomorrow.
Speaker 1: We have to have
safety divers, boats, and
all safety precautions
in place…you know that,
right?
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: And we have a
plan?
Speaker 2: Yes.
Speaker 1: Is it locked
down?
Speaker 2: No, working on
it.
Speaker 1: OMG OMG OMG
[+ many expletives].
Charging forward with the belief
that you never know what you
can or cannot do until you try, a
lot of determination, and a splash
of arrogance (just enough to fuel
the determination and belief) we
charged forward.
Having been a start-up CEO many
times over many years, I know
that executing on a good idea
requires good people.
Just that simple. Here was the
plan:
1) We would split between
professional mermaids
and model mermaids,
2) Pat would get the
professional mermaids for
the swim portion,
3) I would handle everything
else with the help of three
secret weapons.
fins-magazine.com
Professional photographer of 50
years and someone I have worked
with on many art shoots. If Ron says
it will get done, it gets done.
b. Kristin Janise.
The kind of person that says very
little and does a lot, quietly and
without the need for any fanfare. If
Kristin says we have the bridge swim
under control, we have the bridge
swim under control.
c. Veronika Valentine.
When Veronika says she has your
back, she has your back. Our
conversation went something like
this:
JW: There will be a lot of
details that are going to That translated into no access for
jump up at the last minute, Pat had gotten a commitment photoshoots.
logistical problems we don’t
even know about yet, and a from our professionals, Smokie,
low level of chaos. Michelle, Suzy, John, Michee, There had to be a solution, even if
VV: You have just defined my Paige, and Jessica. All of whom it was ‘guerilla-style.’ Having done
life. I got this, what do you
need. Let’s get it done. were going to drive or fly in for the the math, I was confident that
JW: Well, in addition to what event. we could shoot all the mermaids
I was just mentioning, all and be done in under 90 minutes.
the Vegas models that want I asked models that I had worked Of course, this idea significantly
to be mermaids need to be
communicated, coordinated with if they were interested in added to Pat’s stress level. But the
and have tails matched to being a part of the mermaid math was easy; if you have four
their measurements. Oh, and shoot and becoming mermaids. photographers and two drones,
here are the tails. The answer was an overwhelming 12 mermaids in tails and four
‘Yes.’ With Veronika leading mertenders, it was very doable.
the charge, our Vegas model
mermaids, Veronika, Miranda, The next issue was Fremont Street
Presley, Karla, Indranee and Janet and what to do about it. With only
were excited and ready to go. a few days until the shoot, we had
little time to develop a solution. So
Kristin brought in Chris, the owner Ron, Veronika, Miranda and I went
of Waterworld Scuba in Henderson, to Fremont to make a plan and I
to coordinate the bridge portion imagined Pat having palpitations
of the swim, where we could do a since we had no idea what, how or
photoshoot and provide everything if we could figure something out,
for safety. Interestingly enough, Chris and we were out of time.
Veronika is awesome, and she is a certified mermaid instructor in
didn’t flinch, even though she had addition to being a certified scuba
no idea what I was talking about, instructor. So both Chris and Kristin
what the tails were or what was are professionals experienced in
entailed (pun) in getting it done. I diving, mermaiding and water
knew this at the time and waited safety. Mermaid count… seven from
to see her reaction. If she got
Las Vegas and seven professionals
scared, I would pull it back and do inbound. So far so good.
it myself, but she didn’t, not at all.
She looked at the rolled-up tails There were a couple of things
and said. “On it… I will get back to that were still hanging loose.
you in a few hours.” She jumped in Apparently, Lake Las Vegas is
her truck and fired up the engine. private and all of the beaches
Yes, that was awesome! that open to the lake are private.
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