First Commerce Credit Union’s Post

When Ian led this retreat last year, by day two I had to invite him back because it was just so rich. 🍰 I'm now part of Ian's fan club for sure just as Jamie Smart has been for 2+ decades 😍 Highly recommend you joining us for what promises to be a space of lightheartedness, depth, connection and transformation is always a very strong possibility (not promising that because I can't) 😆 Link to book in the first comment.

S and D Oyster Company Recently, I took my wife, Alice, to the S and D Oyster Company in Dallas. It is one of her favorites and, as such, I always make it part of her birthday month package. As we entered the double front doors, a lady with a big smile and sparkling eyes, held the door for us. (Alice is on a walker for balance and I am recovering from a broken back - so we appreciated the help.) When we were seated it turned out that the same lady (Dina we were to discover) was our waitress. As she came to the table, she had that same warm smile and attitude and she maintained that disposition with prompt, courteous, and competent service during our extended stay. We knew from her welcoming smile that we were going to be well attended, and we were. We told her that her approach to her job personified our book we wrote on great service, particularly the sub-title. “At Your Service - The Faces of Service” Available at https://lnkd.in/eJR2evi Here is info on the book. ——————————— AT YOUR SERVICE - THE FACES OF SERVICE We all know when we get good service and when we get bad service, but how do we achieve Great Service in our business, our clubs, our civic organizations, or wherever? That ‘how’ is the subject of this book written by Alice and Clif Holliday. The material is based on their combined 80+ years of providing service in various organizations and circumstances. Real life examples are used to make the points less abstract, and an in-depth ‘how-to’ section is included.

Happy 4th of July! As cities across the nation light up the sky with their fireworks displays, let's also celebrate the meticulous planning, coordination, and execution that went on behind the scenes – using the #Baldrige Excellence Framework! 💥 Criteria 1: Leadership - City officials and event organizers demonstrated visionary leadership by planning a large-scale public event that celebrates a national holiday. 💥 Criteria 2: Customer Focus - The event was designed to entertain and inspire residents, while also keeping them safe. 💥 Criteria 3: Strategic Planning - Organizers developed a strategic plan for the event, considering factors like budget, logistics, safety, and entertainment value. 💥 Criteria 4: Measurement, Analysis, and Knowledge Management - Organizers will gather data on attendance, feedback, and areas for improvement to enhance future events. 💥 Criteria 5: Workforce - A dedicated team with diverse skills planned and now will work together to ensure the smooth execution of the event. 💥 Criteria 6: Operations - Clear processes have been established for everything from firework selection and timing to crowd control and cleanup. 💥 Criteria 7: Results - A successful firework display delivers a positive experience for attendees, showcasing the city's commitment to community engagement. Holiday traditions like today takes hard work from dedicated teams, and this is just one example of how Baldrige can be applied to the nitty gritty along the way! #performanceexcellence #inaction

This Pride Month, every company wants you to think they're inclusive. But have you ever tried to actually *implement* a DEI program at a company? These folks have, and they're sharing the ups and downs, the wins and pitfalls, the good, the bad, and the rainbow-logo-ugly. The facilitator of this panel is one of my oldest friends, and someone who thinks deeply about diversity, equity, and inclusion every single day. She's a DEI trainer, a CEO, and a thoughtful human being with lived experiences that make this very close to her heart. She's gathered a panel of people who have put in the work to implement DEI programs at their companies and have a wealth of experience in actually making this happen. It's not an easy process, and it's not as simple as making your logo a rainbow for Pride Month or posting a black square in support of Black Lives Matter. It's also not a set-it-and-forget-it project. Learn from those who have been there about how to make the most of the process and implement a program that truly has an impact.

"The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." This phrase, often attributed to the philosopher Aristotle, suggests that the total value or effectiveness of a group or system is greater than the sum of its individual components Leading alongside remarkable women such as S. Kathryn Allen, Esq., Theresa Harrison, Keisha L. Mack, PhD, Aimee Griffin, Esq., LLM, and Nic Cober, Esquire, is truly an honor. I consider it an honor to belong to a sisterhood that stands as a representation of the top 1% of Black Women-owned businesses. We've just concluded our third annual conference, The BOW Collective (The Black Owner and Women's Collective), held in Destin, Florida, where we experienced a #paradigmshift. Watch the video below for an inside look at how we BOW! The Focus: capital, contracts, and community. By the numbers:     ⁃    Inducted over 70 new members     ⁃    Total Collective membership of 200+     ⁃    4 countries     ⁃    30 industries     ⁃    1.2 billion dollars in revenue The Bottom Line: We are job creators, innovators, and ready to take action. One of our key priorities is ensuring that Black women business owners receive the necessary support to scale their enterprises, expand their workforce, and maintain their positive impact on their communities. Thank you to our partners MassMutual, JPMorgan Chase & Co. Acuity Events (Acuity International), HR&Co., Potomac Hospitality Group, Life & Legacy Counselors, Answer Title, CJR | Cober Johnson & Romney, GEORGE STREET Services, Inc. The MECCA Group, LLC, Cushman & Wakefield, Cultivate Advisors, Pinnacle Financial Partners, Paramount+, First Financial Group and Pinterest who not only understand the vision but play a special role in it. Thank you to our Founder Nic Cober, Esquire ! There is POWER in the community, and BOW is living proof. #thebowcollective  #businesscommunity #womenempowerment https://lnkd.in/emDMe58C

Az State Fair Opened yesterday... Please Note walk through time on this video 9:51 P.M. Some Notes: #1 First thing to remember everything subject to change...... UNLIMITED RIDE WRISTBANDS Thursdays are for unlimited ride fun. Purchase wristbands on-site only from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. for $50. Wristbands honored until 8:00 pm. *Wristbands purchased outside the Fairgrounds will not be valid. FAST PASSES For just $30, speed up your fun with a Fast Pass. Daily quantities are limited, and must be purchased inside the Fairgrounds. *Fast Passes purchased outside the Fairgrounds will not be valid. More Ride Data: Tickets can be purchased onsite or using the RCS Funpass App. On the app, you can buy 16 tickets for $20, 40 tickets for $50 or 60 tickets for $75. Rides cost 3-14 tickets. Unlimited ride wristbands are only available on Thursdays between noon and 6pm and cost $50. Available for purchase onsite only. Parking Info : NORTH LOT $15 Enter off 19th Ave and Monte Vista or Encanto WEST LOT $15 Between 19th Ave & 20th Ave, enter off Encanto PARK N’ RIDE AT PHOENIX COLLEGE Enter off 15th Ave or Thomas Road. Ride the $2 shuttle to the Fairgrounds. Shuttle runs every 20 mins. PARK N’ RIDE AT STATE CAPITOL LOT Enter off 15th Ave and/or Adams. Ride the $2 shuttle to the Fairgrounds. Shuttle runs every 20 mins. RIDE SHARE PICK UP/DROP OFF Enter off Monte Vista and 19th Ave UPON ENTRY: BAG POLICY – All bags, backpacks, and diaper bags are subject to inspection. All guests will walk through metal detectors and may be subject to pat-down searches/ magnetic-wanding if deemed necessary. Clear bags are encouraged for faster entry. OUTSIDE FOOD/DRINK POLICY – No outside food or drinks will be permitted. One factory sealed water bottle (per person)/ one empty container (per person) are permitted. Free refillable water stations are provided throughout the fairgrounds. ANIMALS/PETS – Service dogs are welcome, provided they are on a leash or maintained at all times. Service animals are not permitted to accompany patrons on rides. A member of your party must remain with the animal at all times.

Tomorrow is the 250th Anniversary of the Boston Tea Party and it's been a thrill to partner with Avalara on their reenactment in Boston Harbor as well as extensive research exploring America's increasingly complex relationship with tax. Today, Avalara CEO Scott McFarlane shared his thoughts in Fortune on this 250-year long tax evolution and how it's impacting businesses today (hint: it's not necessarily for the better). Read here: https://rb.gy/5gnwol

What a great event to be a part of! It was fantastic to see all of our clients in person, ranging from Financial Services to Large Corporations and discussing how our clients are using AlphaSense to DEFY Doubt! Introducing AlphaSense - your gateway to a comprehensive Market Intelligence solution, including over 1,500+ globally recognised brokers and Equity firms & over 40,000 Proprietary expert call interviews. Dive into detailed insights on: 📈 Company Performances 📉 Market Trends 💡 Investment Recommendations 📊 Valuation Models 🌐 Industry Insights 🌍 Emerging market trends 💥 Why AlphaSense? 💥 🔍 Advanced AI Technology: Browse and extract key information effortlessly with our intuitive AI technology to surface insights like never before 📚 Unlimited Access: Thousands of dollars worth of reports included within a subscription 🕵️♂️ Efficient Research: Eliminate blind spots and enhance your decision-making process 📌 Competitive Edge: Whether you're shaping strategies or making investment decisions, AlphaSense equips you with the insights you need to stay ahead. 💼💡 👉 Message me or comment below to find out more. #CorporateStrategy #MarketIntelligence #CorporateDevelopment #InvestmentResearch #FutureTrends #AlphaSense #FinancialInsights #BusinessGrowth #AI #BrokerReports #StayAhead

Houston, we (had a problem) 😬 Our client was a busy professional managing two side hustle businesses and a family. Her plate was full, and her team was facing a lot of challenges. We knew we could help, but how? Here's the nitty gritty of what we did to turn it all around: 📅 We sit down weekly to map out her week, ensuring no detail is overlooked. 📩 No more missed meetings—we handle all appointment confirmations. 📝 Contracts for new events are sent out months in advance, eliminating last-minute rushes. 💻 We created an event page on her website, which is now filling up with profitable events. The result? She’s no longer in reactive mode. With deliberate planning, she even managed to take *three weeks* off this summer without significant impacts on her businesses. Now THAT'S what we call a client success story! 🙌

As a strategy-first communications and visibility firm, my clients and industry colleagues know I have not advised to post a 5min video in today's evolving social media universe. They also know that I advise to break rules when it's worth it. 😉 Please indulge me for a moment. I recently shared my induction into #TheBOWCollective, and have received amazing support and a few questions. While it is difficult for this communications exec to articulate (right?!) what it means for Quest Media Group to be part of a sisterhood of the top 1% Black women owned businesses, this recap of our recent induction ceremony and 3rd annual conference does the job for me, and certainly answers the great questions that have been flowing my way. About BOW Collective:     ⁃      Focus: capital, contracts and community ⁃ Priority: support Black women business owners to scale, create more jobs, and continue community impact         ⁃       Inducted over 70 new members in February 2024         ⁃       Total collective of 200+         ⁃       4 countries         ⁃       30 industries         ⁃       1.2 billion dollars in revenue The Bottom Line: We are poised to take action and support your large organization with varied, scalable solutions. Feel free to reach out to me to see how The BOW Collective can help solve your greatest business challenges, while making your vendor and procurement search the easiest and fastest it has ever been. Thank you to our partners MassMutual, J.P. Morgan, #AcuityEvents, HR&Co. @PotomacHospitalityGroup #PotomacHospitalityGroup, Life & Legacy Counselors, #AnswerTitle, #CoberJohnsonRomney, #GeorgeStreet, #TheMECCAGroup, #FirstFinancialGroup, #CushmanWakefield, #CultivateAdvisors, #PinnacleFinacialPartners, Paramount and Pinterest, who not only understand the vision but play a special role in it. I tip my emerald green hat to our Founder Nic Cober, Esquire for executing on your vision that is shaping a stronger America. Watch the video below for an inside look into the power of community and innovation! It's worth it. 😉 https://lnkd.in/eyPCpDud #breaktherules #theBOWcollective  #businesscommunity #womensempowerment ##womenshistorymonth #womeninbusiness