Coming Together To Save A Missing Boy with Victor Shine

human error podcast taking action team building team management Sep 07, 2021

Making mistakes is a crucial part of growth. Sometimes, we don’t learn until we start taking action and slipping up. Some people might see mistakes as failure and never try. Don't let that fear of mistakes stop you — you never know how something ends until you try. And even if you fail, so what? Learn from that loss, and try again. Don't focus on the fact that you fell — instead, pick yourself up and take action to do better.

In this episode, Victor Shine joins us to discuss how he helped find a missing child in Brooklyn and what we can learn from that experience. Victor also draws on his experience and background in business to share his insights and practical advice on taking action to become a better entrepreneur and person.

If you want to hear about Victor Shine story and learn why you should start taking action, then this episode is for you.

Here are three reasons why you should listen to this episode:

Hear about Victor’s experience and lessons from finding the missing child.
Find out the importance of learning from your mistakes and taking action towards everything you set your sights on.
Discover how to set boundaries and treat others.

Resources

Episode Highlights

Finding the Missing Child

Victor Shine didn’t personally find the child who was missing in Brooklyn.

He was among hundreds of people searching in the dark and the rain at the beach under the Belt Parkway.
Apart from that, thousands of people across the globe were praying for the child’s safety.
Everyone who searched and prayed, whether professionals or volunteers, had a hand in saving the child.

A Lesson on Taking Action

Victor Shine wasn’t planning to go on the search. But upon thinking about his own grandson, Victor decided that taking action was the right thing to do. Victor Shine has learned many things from all the businesses that he has started and failed.

We’re sometimes held back from taking action because of our what-ifs.

However, Victor Shine knows the value of taking action and surrounding yourself with people as much as you can.

Victor Shine: “Because we're all connected, and what makes that boy's life any less valuable than my own family?”

Learning from Your Mistakes

Though some people responded negatively against the camp officials, Victor and the child's father were both worried about how the camp officials were feeling. Pointing fingers at other people gets you nowhere.

When asked if he would go on the next search and rescue, Victor Shine encourages people to learn from their mistakes so there doesn’t have to be a next one.

Learning from your mistakes is critical in every aspect of life.
Instead of wasting time on a blame game, focus on learning and taking action to do better.

Moshe: “There's no such thing as failure. The only failure that you can have is not trying in the first place.”

Working as a Team

According to Victor’s understanding, the boy was semi-conscious while hiding under a bush near the beach.

The boy heard people calling for him but didn't respond because he was taught not to talk to strangers.

His friend, Josh Melman, got the higher-ups in the police department involved. While searching, he would stop people and show them a picture of the boy, asking them to call 911 if they find him.

Victor Shine relates this experience to business, saying that it's necessary to get people onto your team.

Victor: “You got to get people on your team, and you got to have a division of labor because no one single person can get anything done, no matter who you are.”

On Finding the Right People

Find people who can think for themselves.
Trust your people. Don't stifle their creativity.
It's critical to allow other people to put their own input into the mix.

He tried putting himself in the boy's shoes when coaxing him to come out.

Victor: “Let them do their thing. And encourage them along the way. Give them the resources they need. And just let them go and never ever second guess them or question them.”

Putting Yourself in Other People’s Shoes

Business is usually about making or saving money.
Balancing your work and life is much more important than financial aspects.

Victor and his wife give their employees a paid 10-week leave every year in addition to regular holidays and sick days.

Learning to end workdays early was a difficult lesson.

He didn't get to spend much time with his family and watch his kids grow up because he was working long hours in the technology industry,

Victor: “There's more to life than money.”

Thinking Outside the Box

When he was working for an Avaya reseller, Victor funded his own project of putting up a website and advertising it on Google AdWords. After setting it up and putting a special direct inward dial number, he received a call from Google.

The lesson: Don’t be afraid of taking action and trying something new.
Go with your gut, and don't let other people sell your stuff.
Listen to the full episode to find out what came of Victor Shine's contact with Google!

Victor: “The guy who has all the experience isn't necessarily the guy who could land [the deal].”

Embracing Competition

Not only is there no such thing as competition, but your competitors might turn out to be your allies.

When Victor's company was invited to walk for the Mercedes Benz small business runway, he found that there was a lack of other inclusive-size designers. And so, he started calling up other inclusive-size designers to walk with them.

Alexandra Waldman from Universal Standard, supporting the idea of collaboration instead of competition, connected them with Macy’s.
Helping others instead of competing with them increases your network of referrals.

Victor: “So don't be afraid of competition. Embrace it and become part of that network.”

Treat Your People Well

Treat everybody with respect.
Stepping on people will destroy your chances of creating friendships and connections.

Taking Action to Create Happy Couples

Victor met his wife through a woman at a party who networked them together. After marrying off their last child on July 25, he and his wife became empty nesters.

He noticed six youngsters in their synagogue wanting to be married, and it’s hard in their community to be single because most of their celebrations revolved around family.
So, he started to keep his eyes and ears open for anyone who might be interested in dating them. Victor even created a Google Sheet to keep track.

Hear all about how Victor Shine is taking action to set up the singles in his community and creating happy couples in the full episode!

Setting Boundaries

His wife, Fiona, told him to make sure the helping singles doesn’t take too much of his time.

Using an app called Calendly, he schedules his 18-minute calls during Mondays and Wednesdays.

Parting Advice

Always try to be the best.
The key to happiness is lowered expectations. That is, don’t be too hard on yourself.
Set a plan and start taking action to do your best to achieve it.

Victor: “Do the best you can, you know, give it the effort that it deserves. And hopefully, everything will work out.”

About the Guest

Victor Shine is an experienced C-level executive with a demonstrated history of working in the apparel and fashion industry. He is currently the CEO of Yona New York, a luxury apparel company. He is also the founder of the disaster relief fund, Solar Generators.

Victor is a strong business development professional skilled in negotiation, retail, sales, team building, and data center. He spent more than 20 years as CIO in IT and wrote the song "Minyan Man." But he is best known for being the one to find little Yosef, who went missing in August 2021.

If you want to know more about Vitor, connect with him on LinkedIn!

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