How client care shaped this agent’s journey from new recruit to business partner

Business News

Peter Florentzos was recruited into real estate by someone who could see his ability to provide excellent customer care.Florentzos first came to know Peter Crowther as a customer in his fish and chip takeaway shop at Pineland Plaza in Sunnybank Hills. Long displaying an entrepreneurial spirit, Florentzos bought the business at age 20, soon forging strong community ties that would lead him to establish relationships like the one with Crowther.
Now, the two are longtime colleagues – Crowther the director of LJ Hooker Property Partners and Florentzos an agent and partner in the business – but back then, it was a friendship forged over frequent lunchtime conversations that led Crowther to recognise Florentzos’ potential as an agent.
“I was always interested in real estate from a young age, having bought my first home at 18,” Florentzos told REB. But it was Crowther’s assurance in his skills that made him begin to consider it as a career.
“One day I ran into Peter, as I did on numerous occasions, and during our conversation a lot of people were walking past and saying hello to me, and Peter realised that I knew a lot of people within the community,” Florentzos said.

When he decided to close the business in 2001 and find a new career path, Crowther wasn’t the only one who came knocking, with Florentzos’ strong local ties leading to a number of opportunities. But his interest in real estate, coupled with the comfort he felt with the team Crowther had built, convinced him that joining the LJ Hooker team was the right move.
It helped that Crowther told him he’d already ordered the new recruit a tie.
Starting out in the agency, Florentzos recalled that he found the job a change and yet similar to the hospitality business he had been running.

“I have always loved looking after people and for this, real estate was a perfect fit,” he explained.
He said he soon learnt that the job was about more than just good customer service, rather he is now in an industry where success rests on “customer care”.
This skill propelled the agent’s success, leading him to grow from new starter to business partner in the LJ Hooker agency within just six years.
Moving into a leadership position, he soon found that his people-centric focus helped him not only deliver results for clients, but maintain strong community relationships and cultivate the next generation of real estate leaders.
“Just as I love the ‘care’ aspect of real estate, passing on my knowledge and experience to the next generation of agents is something I am just as passionate about. I give back to the network by offering training and mentoring sessions within the industry, and I am always available to talk and offer guidance or advice should anyone within the industry need my help,” he shared.
His dedication to his team as well as the network under which it is housed is apparent to his peers, and led him to be recognised recently with the brand’s highest honour.
Christine Mikhael, CEO of the LJ Hooker Group, noted his collegial generosity specifically when bestowing him with the network’s 2024 Sir Leslie Hooker Award, which is given to an individual who “represents the heart and soul of the organisation”.
“Peter is not just a leader in his office but also a role model within the LJ Hooker Group network as a guest trainer and mentor, generously sharing his expertise, guidance and support to others,” she said.
Mikhael noted that though Florentzos now serves in a leadership role, he is far from being finished with his own educational journey.
“He understands continuous learning, always looking for new ways to expand his knowledge and improve skills,” Mikhael added.
According to the real estate veteran, this dedication to honing his own skill set is part of what keeps him working as an agent, as it’s in “being on the frontline” with clients that still ultimately fuels the passion he discovered on entering the business over two decades ago.
“Helping people to find their next home, whether it be upsizing for the growing family or downsizing to a simpler lifestyle, meeting and assisting people at all stages in their life, was what I found the most rewarding,” he said.

Ex-Wigan reporter’s book charts battle to save his late dad’s classic car

Arts & Culture, Books

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565Visit Shots! nowThe story of a Wigan author’s marathon battle to rescue his late dad’s classic car is set to be published at the end of the month.Maggie, A Lifelong MG Love Affair, chronicles author Tom McCooey’s restoration story, in every sense of the word, as he races against time to resurrect his parents’ wedding car after a 36-year hibernation.And it has proved a therapeutic process for the Billinge-born 37-year-old who admits to taking the death of his father Will from heart failure at the age of just 58 a decade ago very badly.Read MoreSAD: what is seasonal affective disorder, symptoms to look out for this winter a…Author Tom McCooey with his new book, Maggie – A lifelong MG love affair, which details his journey restoring an old MG Magnette, which has been in the family for generations and getting it back on the road. A tale of restoration from love to grief and back again.To celebrate the book’s launch, both the writer and the car will be at The North West Museum of Road Transport in St Helens, on Sunday November 3.The event starts at 10am and copies of the book will be available to buy.Told through the view from the passenger and driver’s seats of the cars throughout Tom’s life, this love affair with the road – and Maggie – has not always been smooth.Tom, a former Wigan Observer and Wigan Today sports reporter, said: “It made no sense to take the project on from a practical point of view, it was too far gone.The front cover of Tom McCooey’s new book, Maggie – A lifelong MG Love Affair“But I was desperate to honour my dad, and this is a story of restoration in more than one sense, as it is about relationships and finding perspective from those around you.“I started writing about the MG as a way of processing losing my dad, never intending to have a book, but we ended up with a lasting tribute.”Special educational needs specialist teacher Will had long been a car enthusiast and the MG was his pride and joy, but it developed a relatively minor fault around the time that Tom was born and it was put away in a garage with the intention of “getting round to the repairs sometime.”But parental duties took precedence for so long that Will never did return to the vehicle and there it sat in the family garage.Tom McCooey under the bonnet of the MG he calls MaggieTom says that while he had always liked cars he had no knowledge of how to repair or restore them.He said: “But the car became symbolic of my dad and I began tinkering and learning, thinking that I can’t make anything worse so long as I didn’t break anything. ”If I really got stuck I would consult friends. (Former Wigan Observer chief photographer) Gary Brunskill has been particularly helping, especially now it’s restored and needs maintaining.”My passion for cars grew as the work continued. It’s sad that my dad hasn’t been around to see that. It stings that I have not been able to share that passion with him.”Now a senior lecturer in journalism at Liverpool John Moores University, Tom has previously penned two books on his beloved Wigan Warriors, and turned his attention to motoring journalism shortly after inheriting his dad’s MG.Will McCooey, Tom’s dad with the MG pictured in 1982And he hopes that his opening up about his emotions and other experiences will be of health benefit to others.Tom said: “I had wondered how far I should go in expressing my feelings but the publisher just said I should write it as if no-one else were there, so quite a lot has come out.”Challenging your emotions as a man is more in vogue – I hope permanently – and deemed more socially acceptable these days. Perhaps some men struggling with bereavement or other issues can find something useful from this, maybe it will help them to speak rather than bottle things up. You do learn to live with those issues.”As far as the 68-year-old car is concerned, Tom gets out in it as much as possible.”You don’t go to all that trouble to restore it then stow it away again. I use any excuse to give it a run-out.”There were some tough points during the restoration when I did consider selling it but I talked my way out of it and there’s no way I would do that now.”It’s part of me, my dad and my family and it turned out to be the ‘vehicle’ for the story’s plot.”David Simister, the editor of Classic Car Weekly, said: “Tom’s resurrection of an MG that’s been in his family for generations is a story that should inspire all budding classic car nuts.“His enthusiasm for Maggie shines through the many highs and lows of this huge undertaking, which he writes about with a deft honesty that chronicles the many challenges of a first-time restorer.”It’s a delight to see this wonderful piece of ‘50s history firmly back on the road, where it belongs.”The book will be available via Scratching Shed Publications from October 31.Scratching Shed co-director Phil Caplan said: “This is more than just a memoir, or a story of restoration of a classic car, something that has become more popular since the advent of programmes like Bangers and Cash.”Combining the two elements, it’s about the diversions of life that get in the way of and delay passion projects, a son paying homage to his father.“It’s about relationships, dealing with grief and finding perspective and true value, not of the monetary kind.“It will appeal to those who love MGs as much as readers who can relate to a project that saw each small victory uncover another seemingly insurmountable problem.”Continue Reading

Strengthening global links: Ajman’s tourism delegation visits China

Travel

Ajman: The Ajman Tourism Development Department (ATDD) has officially kicked off a promotional tour to China. The delegation is led by HE Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi, Director General of the ATDD, and will encompass visits to major cities including Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Beijing. The visit concludes on October 26, 2024.
The primary objective of the tour is to explore and cultivate collaboration opportunities, forge tourism partnerships with industry operators and leaders, and sign agreements and memorandums that will enhance tourism ties between Ajman and China.
The delegation will showcase Ajman’s latest tourist attractions and projects, aiming to position the Emirate as a premier global tourism destination.
HE Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi underscored the Department’s commitment to fostering international cooperation and establishing new communication channels both globally and regionally. Alhashmi highlighted that, “Our promotional tour to China aims to bolster strategic partnerships with key players in the Chinese tourism sector. By exploring new avenues for collaboration and sharing expertise, we aspire to facilitate sustainable economic tourism development.”
Mahmood Khaleel Alhashmi | Image Credits: ATDD| Cropped by ET
Ajman experienced a surge in Chinese tourists in 2024, with international visitors making up 72 percent and resident tourists accounting for 28 percent. This marks a significant increase in visitor numbers compared to 2023.
The Chinese market has emerged as one of the top 10 source markets for Ajman this year, highlighting the growing interest in the Emirate as a travel destination.
The promotional tour is designed to achieve several strategic goals, including enhancing global awareness of Ajman as a unique tourist destination, offering exclusive experiences to the Chinese market, and fostering partnerships with global stakeholders in the tourism sector.
IMPORTANT | UAEREP showcases cloud seeding expertise at ASEAN Regional Seminar 2024

This is the best position to urinate, according to science

Science and Health

Experts confirm that this position is the most suitable for urination – iStock/champja – iStock/champja

We have almost programmedly associated men with urinating standing up. But new research suggests a change in perspective. Researchers at the medical center Leiden Universityin the Netherlands, challenges this idea by pointing out that this may not be the answer for many men Pose healthier.
The study reveals that sitting to urinate may be more effective, allowing the bladder to empty faster and more completely. This will be especially beneficial for men with lower urinary tract problems or an enlarged prostate.
the reason? When men sit, the pelvic muscles and spine relax completely, making urination easier naturally and effortlessly, something that does not happen when standing. In fact, forcing urine can be harmful, as other studies on the topic suggest.
What is the best position to urinate?
The issue goes beyond health. A survey conducted by YouGov, a global data analysis company, showed that the practice of urinating while sitting is increasing in several parts of the world. In at least 13 countries, this has already become a routine for many men.
Germans, for example, are leading the trend: 62% of them said they prefer to sit down to urinate. In Sweden, 50% of men have also adopted the practice. Although the survey did not include any Brazilians, this trend appears to be spreading.
In addition to the clinical benefits, one of the main motivators of this habit change was the hygiene factor. After all, when you urinate while sitting, there’s less chance of leaving stains on the floor, preventing others from having to stand in unwanted puddles.

Scientists say tons of diamond dust in the stratosphere could cool the Earth

Science and Health

Did you read it here? Ulhar Digital About some crazy plan to create shields between the Earth and the Sun in an attempt to cool our planet. The most recent one was a bit extravagant (to say the least), and involves a material that’s very popular here: diamonds. Or rather, its dust.
You can already imagine that this would have a cost as big as your audacity, right? But this procedure has already been analyzed in a study recently published in Geophysical Research Letters. The research not only analyzes the hypothesis but also confirms the quantity required. The conclusion is that dumping 5 million tons of diamond dust into the stratosphere every year could cool the planet by 1.6 degrees Celsius.
This reduction will be sufficient, at least for now, to mitigate the worst consequences of global warming, but it may cost about $200 trillion over the remainder of this century. The cost appears much higher than other measures to reduce emissions, or even other geoengineering schemes involving aerosol materials, but it did not prevent the presence of diamonds in the analysis.
The study also serves as a warning about the importance of taking urgent measures to avoid the catastrophic climate scenario depicted by the current state of the Earth in the future, as research indicates that it may be too late to reverse the situation.
(Photo: Alatis/Shutterstock)
Diamond dust in the stratosphere: what is the effect?
This research is another investigation into the use of so-called geoengineering to inject aerosols into the stratosphere, which involves using the most diverse types of materials to cool the stratosphere.
The dynamics behind this can be found in examples we have already seen in nature, for example, volcanic eruptions. Tons of sulfur thrown into the atmosphere during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 cooled the planet by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius for several years. But sulfur also has environmental consequences, capable of generating acid rain and endangering life on Earth. This could still cause widespread climate disruption.
Therefore, the study analyzed some alternative materials that can cool the Earth without the harm of sulfur. The scientists then built a 3D climate model that analyzed how certain properties behaved in the form of aerosols in the stratosphere, and indicated which would be most efficient, taking into account the processes of deposition and coagulation as well as the time of each impact.
Read more:
They evaluated the effects of each particle over 45 years in the model, with each test taking more than a week in real time on a supercomputer. Ultimately, the most efficient material turned out to be diamond dust, which proved very good at reflecting radiation while remaining airborne and preventing clumping. Other competitors were aluminum and calcite.
However, this does not mean that diamonds have become the new darling of geoengineering. Although more efficient than sulfur, its cost is currently considered completely impractical, making its poorer cousin more viable in this sense.
Image: Edge of Earth visible from space. Credits: Expert/Shutterstock
Sulfur, because it is widely available in nature, will have a lower cost, in addition to being a gas, which makes it easier to use. “I think it’s interesting to explore these other materials,” says Douglas McMartin, an engineer at Cornell University who studies climate science, when asked. sciences. He adds: “But if you ask me today what will be implemented, it will be sulfur.”
This does not mean that sulfur will be used. Geoengineering is rife with controversy and part of the scientific community considers the idea of ​​applying tons of materials into the stratosphere without full awareness of the consequences irresponsible. The most plausible conclusion is that the least harmful way to deal with global warming is to cut emissions. But, as we said at the beginning of the text, time is short.

Scientists say tons of diamond dust in the stratosphere could cool the Earth

Science and Health

Did you read it here? Ulhar Digital About some crazy plan to create shields between the Earth and the Sun in an attempt to cool our planet. The most recent one was a bit extravagant (to say the least), and involves a material that’s very popular here: diamonds. Or rather, its dust.
You can already imagine that this would have a cost as big as your audacity, right? But this procedure has already been analyzed in a study recently published in Geophysical Research Letters. The research not only analyzes the hypothesis but also confirms the quantity required. The conclusion is that dumping 5 million tons of diamond dust into the stratosphere every year could cool the planet by 1.6 degrees Celsius.
This reduction will be sufficient, at least for now, to mitigate the worst consequences of global warming, but it may cost about $200 trillion over the remainder of this century. The cost appears much higher than other measures to reduce emissions, or even other geoengineering schemes involving aerosol materials, but it did not prevent the presence of diamonds in the analysis.
The study also serves as a warning about the importance of taking urgent measures to avoid the catastrophic climate scenario depicted by the current state of the Earth in the future, as research indicates that it may be too late to reverse the situation.
(Photo: Alatis/Shutterstock)
Diamond dust in the stratosphere: what is the effect?
This research is another investigation into the use of so-called geoengineering to inject aerosols into the stratosphere, which involves using the most diverse types of materials to cool the stratosphere.
The dynamics behind this can be found in examples we have already seen in nature, for example, volcanic eruptions. Tons of sulfur thrown into the atmosphere during the eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 cooled the planet by up to 0.5 degrees Celsius for several years. But sulfur also has environmental consequences, capable of generating acid rain and endangering life on Earth. This could still cause widespread climate disruption.
Therefore, the study analyzed some alternative materials that can cool the Earth without the harm of sulfur. The scientists then built a 3D climate model that analyzed how certain properties behaved in the form of aerosols in the stratosphere, and indicated which would be most efficient, taking into account the processes of deposition and coagulation as well as the time of each impact.
Read more:
They evaluated the effects of each particle over 45 years in the model, with each test taking more than a week in real time on a supercomputer. Ultimately, the most efficient material turned out to be diamond dust, which proved very good at reflecting radiation while remaining airborne and preventing clumping. Other competitors were aluminum and calcite.
However, this does not mean that diamonds have become the new darling of geoengineering. Although more efficient than sulfur, its cost is currently considered completely impractical, making its poorer cousin more viable in this sense.
Image: Edge of Earth visible from space. Credits: Expert/Shutterstock
Sulfur, because it is widely available in nature, will have a lower cost, in addition to being a gas, which makes it easier to use. “I think it’s interesting to explore these other materials,” says Douglas McMartin, an engineer at Cornell University who studies climate science, when asked. sciences. He adds: “But if you ask me today what will be implemented, it will be sulfur.”
This does not mean that sulfur will be used. Geoengineering is rife with controversy and part of the scientific community considers the idea of ​​applying tons of materials into the stratosphere without full awareness of the consequences irresponsible. The most plausible conclusion is that the least harmful way to deal with global warming is to cut emissions. But, as we said at the beginning of the text, time is short.

After a month, business owners split on restrictions for East End on Saturdays

Business News

The day’s major News events, business reports, sports updates, Rochester area weather information and tomorrow’s forecast are presented by the News10NBC Team.ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Saturday night marked the fourth week that Rochester Police closed off the East End, home to many popular bars and restaurants, to traffic. On Saturdays between 10 p.m. and 3 a.m., anyone entering the areas around East Avenue and Alexander Street must be 21 or older. RPD is also checking people for weapons. After nearly a month of new safety measures, bar owners in the area seem to be split on that decision.Some are glad to have the extra security, saying it’s nice to have one less thing to worry about. But others say the checkpoints, ID checks, and barriers are driving customers away, saying they’re losing up to half of their usual crowd.Taylor Parmeter, a bartender at Axes & Ales near East and Alexander, says he’s all for making the area safer.“I actually kind of like the idea. I’ve been to other cities where they do this on major blocks. You know, East & Alexander has this kind of legacy as being this spot in Rochester. It’s a very good nightlife spot,” Parmeter said. “If you’re out trying to enjoy yourself, you don’t have to worry about anything. And having that little bit of extra safety never hurt anybody, especially with the craziness that’s going on in the world right now.”RELATED: Businesses and patrons weigh in on age, traffic restrictions in East End district on SaturdaysNot everyone is thrilled with the changes. Bars that are open later are seeing a drop in business, said Donald Swartz, who owns both Veneto Pizza & Pasta and the bar next door, Aqua Vitae. “Over the past three weeks, we are off high 40%. So business has almost dropped in half,” Swartz said.He says while his restaurant is fine, his bar, which is open until 1 a.m., has been struggling.“People don’t want to come down the area. They’re saying they don’t want to be frisked. They don’t want to be wanted,” Swartz said. “They don’t want their personal items gone through just to walk down the street. The bars on the outside of this closure are doing fine. We know owners of bars that are closer to the Liberty Pole on that stretch of East Avenue, which is not affected, and their business has been up every week. So really, all, it’s done was chased away people that would have normally come into our businesses and spend money,” Swartz said.Now, Swartz hopes to find a happy medium.“It’s a bad look for the city and we’re just talking about walking down the road. Maybe keep the road closed to vehicle traffic. But the pat-downs, the metal detectors, the winding, the going through your personal stuff, I think it’s I think it’s overkill. And we’re probably at the point that that needs to stop,” he said.Swartz tells News10NBC that he and other bar owners are meeting with the city every Tuesday to discuss how the restrictions are going. You can see see details on the restrictions on Saturday nights here.A.I. assisted with the formatting of this story. Click here to see how WHEC News 10 uses A.I.
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