Phil Kabler of Bogin, Munns & Munns
1. Tell us about your business; and what is your business philosophy?
My practice at Bogin, Munns & Munns involves business law, real estate, and banking. My business work involves company formations, contracts, transactions, finance, dispositions, inter-owner relations, and human resources management; my real estate work involves both commercial and residential purchases and sales, landlord and tenant side leasing, and finance; and my banking work involves both borrower and lender representation. I also enjoy doing equine industry transaction and negotiation projects. And I teach at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and the Warrington College of Business. All-in-all, a well-rounded and satisfying commercial law practice.
2. Why are you passionate about your commitment to United Way’s Community Investment Fund?
For many years (actually decades), I have been aware of the United Way’s “Main Street” work. In the past, I was once even on a grants panel. And, my Wife works in a public school, which has made me acutely aware of the basic life and education needs facing the students and the teachers who work with them. To demonstrate my commitment, I recently satisfied my initial one-year commitment, and then “re-upped” for another three years.
3. What is something interesting or surprising that most people don’t know about you?
I have played guitar since 1973 and bass guitar since 1975. (“Family” portraits attached. Groups such as Journey, Yes, Kansas, Linkin Park, and other “arena” bands please take note.) I have a number of high school and college friends who went on to become famous actors. (No, I do not still communicate with them given the passage of time.) If I won the lottery, I might go on to write plays and opera librettos. (Except I almost never buy lottery tickets.)
4. What would your older self tell your younger self?
I do not tend towards quotes (see #5 below), but it appears “Don't sweat the small stuff...and it's all small stuff” is one sensible recommendation. (“B-T-W”, that maxim is sourced to author Richard Carlson who wrote a book by the same title…which – by way of proper disclosure -- I have not yet read.) That thought is, of course, difficult to reconcile against the business notion “Time kills deals” (which is unsourced). But, that “yin/yang” tension is what makes life particularly interesting. To me.
5. What is your favorite quote?
I am not naturally a “quotes” person (despite my contradiction in #4 above), but my undergraduate degree is in philosophy (which is still of tremendous and daily interest) so here I go…“To be is to do”—Socrates. “To do is to be”—Jean-Paul Sartre. “Do be do be do”—Frank Sinatra. I will not indicate here towards which of those (if any of them) I tend to lean…