The guys talk to Dan Merkley about his experience organizing and managing the athlete's village for the Olympics.  What does it take to create an organization that exists to put on a single event and then disband? How do you staff hundreds of workers and keep them all engaged and working hard until the end of the games?  How do you keep them from finding another employer two weeks into the event?  The guys find out that culture and chemistry are the secret ingredients.  

Dan Merkley is a professional, diplomatic executive / sub-executive of events and venue operations with 25 years experience in planning and operations management of regional and global entertainment and sports-oriented projects. Cross-functional expertise in client relations, teaching, training, project development, commercial development.  Negotiator and advocate, having represented the interests of the Lima 2019, Rio 2016, Sochi 2014, Vancouver 2010, Beijing 2008, Torino 2006, and Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Villages to scores of internal and external stakeholders, and international clients. Cross-cultural exposure also includes having lived abroad in Rio de Janeiro (15 mo), Russia (2.5 years), Italy (2 years), Romania (2 years), and Qatar (5 mo). 

Learn more about Dan Merkley at: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-merkley/ 
Learn more about Tony "Two Weeks' Notice" Benjamin at: https://www.thegrangellc.com/ 
Learn more about Steven "Big Deal" Smith at: https://thehiringtreebook.com/ 

Additional Links:  https://worldphygital.org/   https://gofuture.games/  https://valkyrierelay.com/

Send translation of the Romanian phrases to thehrlifepodcast@gmail.com.  The first person to do so will receive a free copy of Steve's book, The Hiring Tree.  
Careful listeners will note special guest parakeets Natasha Romanov and Phillipa Sue.  Tony and Steve want to thank their respective talent agents.