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"Everywhere Else, It's Just Tuesday!" Today is Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, here in the New Orleans region, and several other regions around the Gulf South. (And, yes France, and Brazil...) Of course, we firmly believe that no one else does it like New Orleans does it, so that's my perspective... From college forward, that's been the case. Moving here from Jackson, MS, Mardi Gras was a bit of a culture shock, but I loved it! I loved the acceptance of everyone for who they are. I loved the costumes and group t-shirts - the spirit of the day (and the season). And I really loved the people-watching. Observing our audience and paying attention to what matters to them is one of the highest-value activities we can do as business owners. During parades, it's not just "Throw Me Something Mister," human behavior is woven into every interaction on the parade routes throughout the regions. Crowds in the city behave differently than those in the suburbs. Certain parades attract different types of attendees. The personality of the parade attracts its ideal audience. Parade-goers can choose the dates they want to attend parades based on their schedules or they may have favorite parades based on personality and messages that are synonymous with each parade. And this has been happening for centuries (since Iberville in 1699). The city celebrated its TriCentenial in 2019. (source: NewOrleans.com) So, next time you feel out of sync with your audience or you find yourself wringing your hands about attracting ideal clients for your business, just channel a little Mardi Gras spirit. Do a little people-watching, pay attention to what your target audience is saying (and what they avoid saying), and the problems they mention most often. See how you might position your solutions to help them solve those top-of-mind problems. And for extra credit, think about creating your own special celebrations that just don't exist anywhere else so your people want to come hang out with you for these special and exclusive celebrations. And just for today, Happy Mardi Gras! or Happy Tuesday! if you are anywhere else in the world.

This or That: Summer Edition! Beach or Lake? Hat or Sunglasses? Adventure or Rest and Relax? Sweet Tea or Lemonade? Porch Reading or Pool Reading? Strawberries or Watermelon? Drop your choices in the comments and let’s see what your perfect summer day looks like! #SummerVibes #ThisOrThat #BeachLife #SummerFun #RelaxAndUnwind #Refreshment #SummerReading

AD Are you looking to plan the perfect summer party? Then check out these 5 tips for the perfect summer party to start you off on the right foot.

Halloween Horror Nights Premium Scream Night   As much as I sometimes lament the move towards the premiumization of theme parks, I can’t lie - I would be all over this if I was a Halloween Horror Nights fan.   This strikes me as a less dramatic premiumization push as well. Paying through the nose for a one-night VIP experience to see HHN with lower crowds is just that – a one-night event. It has no impact on the normal HHN experience - especially compared to other upcharges such as Express Pass.   So as a one-off, it touches the best of both worlds – VIP ticket revenue for Universal, acting as a de facto paid soft opening, and no impact to the standard Guest experience.   As long as this stays a one-off and doesn’t become the standard practice, this is a nice splurge that I think will see out instantly.   https://lnkd.in/eWf9uPbK #letsmakeplans #themedentertainment #themeparks #universalorlando #halloween #halloweenhorrornights

Next week is Fat Tuesday! Indulge in some tasty tees for Mardi gras that are actually good for the earth at solidthreads.com/nola. The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has been following the same participants for 90 years, found our happiness follows an upside down bell curve of sorts through the course of our lives. Life satisfaction is high in our early 20s, then declines into our mid-40s & 50s, before increasing again... placing me firmly at the bottom of this bell curve. So I find myself asking... How do I carve out more space for joy at the bottom of this bell curve? How can we enhance our well being across all phases of our lives? The answer that keeps coming to this seemingly complicated question, is more simple than I previously ever thought... have more fun. I feel that Mardi gras, the epitome of indulgence ahead of the Lenten fasting, can help us understand what it means to have more fun. It does not have be feast or famine, when it comes to the fun levels in our lives. It does not have to be Mardi gras or Lent. Space for our happiness can be carved throughout our lives, no matter the pressures or obligations we may be feeling at any given time. To learn to revel in those closest to us within our daily routines. To make consistent room for our passions in whatever capacity we can afford at any given time. To let the good times roll, as they say in New Orleans...and have fun with it all... as much as we can. This is how we appreciate the adventure of life amidst the slog of inevitable struggles inherent to our human condition. To root our approach to living in a philosophy of fun is to fully relish this one amazing opportunity at life. Have Fun, Brian ✌️ Head T-shirt Guy

Let’s share all the best of the best… 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆? How do you celebrate? ⠀ Whether you’re staying home, getting together with a small group or bringing together all your friends, this is a great time to acknowledge all the freedoms we Americans cherish as well as our ongoing efforts toward the more perfect union described by our nation’s founding fathers. ⠀ If you're seeking a way to make your 4th of July celebration stand out, boost your #productivity by not recreating the wheel. Consider these "red, white and blue skillet s'mores". Plus, take time now to plan for the necessities you’ll need tomorrow: decor, music, food, drinks, games, sparklers, bug spray and sunscreen. ⠀ #IndependenceDay #4thOfJuly #freedom #holiday #celebrate #PersonalizedProductivity #MakeEveryMinuteMatter #OrganizeForSuccess

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As everyone else is winding down for the Christmas break, in hospitality, we're still going full steam, and gearing up for the busiest time of the year. But at Hetty & Betty, we're a bit different. This year, as with other years, we will again close on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, NYE, and New Years Day. This may seem an unusual business decision for a hospitality business but this is why: 👉 Staff Team - Our staff are our most valuable asset, and so to make sure they get time with their families, we close on the days they most want off. With everyone around you at home and at work, having fun and enjoying the season whilst you are working, it's hard to keep festive. Especially as hospitality staff are often the most undervalued by the public, and the public can be at their most demanding throughout the holiday season. After years of working as a chain hotel manager, working every day of the Festive Season, I get it, and I want to do it differently. We ensure our staff team's family/work/life balance is always considered. Hospitality is suffering from staffing issues across the industry, but we have retained our staff team, and this is one reason why. 👉 Creating demand - Our customers know that if they want to visit us, they will only have the days between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve to do it. So with a well rested, happy team, we can generate a good income from the festive season, without having to work on the holiday days. 👉 Customer Experience - We know that a happy team creates happy customers. We could stay open every day throughout the festive season, but what would the customer experience be like? With a team that's lost its festive cheer, rushing around to meet demand, would the customer really enjoy the experience? Or would the experience be better with a well rested team, who are enjoying the festive season along with everyone else? 👉 We know our market - We are based in Whitby, on the North Yorkshire Coast, and the in-between bit of Christmas and New Year - the festive limbo, when you never quite know what day it is - is a popular time to visit the coast. It's the perfect time to fill your lungs breathing in the fresh sea air, and fill tummies with something other than turkey! Five days of closing, means we will go into 2024 with a happy team, happy customers who will visit us again throughout the year, and give a us boost to start 2024. We think that's a price worth paying! To reserve a table over the festive limbo, you can contact on the website here: https://lnkd.in/em7qgSV4 #whitby #yorkshire #alternativetoturkey #festivelimbo #limbo

As it's heating up outside, the next tutorial we're sharing is "How to Hold a Plate Using a Bionic Hand". We're getting ready for cookouts, barbecues, and summer festivities with our users. 😎☀️🦾 #RedefiningHuman