Your American Flag Store’s Post

Feeling stuck in a rut? Steve Jobs had a legendary speech about ditching the "just get by" mentality and crafting a life that inspires you. Check it out and get ready to break free from limitations! At Brothers Building Blocks, we're all about building a future that's bigger than yourself. We're a Brooklyn-based (#brooklyn #nyc) #blackownedbusiness, #veteranownedbusiness, and #minorityownedbusiness that believes in the power of dreams.

In a recent podcast appearance on Future Hindsight, I was asked to define the public square in light of my campaign calling community leaders and active citizens to reclaim the public square and embrace our capacity as builders and doers. Here's what I said. The public square is where we create our shared lives together. The public square is where we talk to one another, where we argue and debate with one another, where we try to sort things out together. And where, frankly, we're going to disagree on a lot of stuff. But it is where we try to figure out what we can agree on so that we can get moving and create a better life for people. For me, the public square is a noisy place, a messy place, a place filled with innovation and creativity, uncertainty and ambiguity. The public square needs us. Each of us. All of us. So that we can make a go of it as a society together. https://lnkd.in/g7T772Ab

Ever found yourself passionately defending something only to realize you might not have the full picture? This weekend, that was me. I had to check myself as I was getting a little overzealous defending a developer while talking with some of my most creative and social justice-minded friends. I admit I still have so much to learn in terms of gentrification, anti-racism, and how development impacts its residents. I was on the defensive because, over the past ten years, this person has been challenged for their motives and whether these developments have been at the benefit of the existing community. Things that are really important to me as well. Overlall it seems this person has done a better job than most but after sharing more and thinking about it more... I'm more curious and less decided. While commerce drives commercial real estate, it's not what excites me the most. Because on the other end of a great development, design, or construction site is a place where people connect. A container for the community. Ideally, development leads to a growing, thriving community. But the black-and-white definition of growth doesn’t work for me anymore. Growth for one resident might come at the expense of another, and the list goes on. So I'm genuinely curious: what’s the one question worth asking before developers begin to impact an area? How do you determine if this is a net positive or negative for the community? I took this picture about four years ago in the Back Bay of Boston, and while it only captures a fraction of the story, it reminds me that urban environments serve as the backdrop for relationships, community, contemplation, creativity and connection. I'm hungry for more of that. In a sustainable and equitable manner. I'm hopeful and excited for growth in that direction. And asking if and when it's needed.

In a recent The New York Times article highlighting the impact of #OpportunityZone, our co-founder Max Grelier shared that we are in the midst of an incredible project in a Qualified Opportunity Zone: redeveloping a 140-acre former mall into a dynamic affinity district. The #OpportunityZone initiative has truly accelerated growth in Huntsville. We've seen an unprecedented surge in construction, with 24,000 multifamily units added in just three years across the city. At RCP, we're proud to be part of Huntsville's growth story. The Opportunity Zone program has been a catalyst, accelerated by the tax incentive and attracting early on, allowing us to bring ambitious projects to life that contribute to our city's vibrant future. A great example of how policy can shape our urban landscapes. While the effectiveness of Opportunity Zones varies across the country, Huntsville's story demonstrates their potential to catalyze growth in the right conditions. What are your thoughts on Opportunity Zones? Have you seen similar impacts in your area? https://lnkd.in/e4hDYn5y

Since I originally posted this in 2019, it looks like Dave and his team updated the policy's language (probably because the original language is problematic at best, illegal at worst.) You tell me if it's better. "8. Review their personal budget. Can the candidate afford to live on the salary you provide? If not, sooner or later, they’ll blame you for “not paying enough” even though they accepted your offer and should know what they can and can’t live on. When people are worried about their bills, they’re distracted and can’t give their best. So serve your top candidates—before they join you—by making sure they can care for their family and meet their obligations with what you pay. 11. Do a final in-person interview and go on a spousal dinner. This may be the best advice on the list. When you're pretty certain the candidate is a good fit for your business, bring them on site to meet your team and see how things work in your company. That evening, take them to a casual restaurant to get to know them better and share your company story. If they're married, include their spouse and yours. It’s a game changer. As the spouse hears about your culture and the job role, they’re usually eager to share whether they think the position fits. One more bonus: You’ll discover if your candidate is married to crazy. If they are, stay away." https://lnkd.in/gyUBPQhT

We are Just getting started!- Hilary Doe “The key factor driving economic competitiveness today is talent – the capacity to develop, retain and attract talent of every description, from the digital cloud to the production floor.” Those were the words of urbanist Richard Florida and his team that delivered a report on Michigan last year titled, “Michigan Great Inflection: A Strategy for the Age of Technology and Talent.” Florida has long asserted the importance a creative class plays in the economic revitalization of cities. Detroit has been a wellspring of cultural creativity for generations, from music to fashion to art. But its economic vitality was rooted in heavy industry, notably automobiles. While progress is being made, more needs to be done. Detroit, and Michigan’s, shortcomings in education and public transportation come to mind. We must nurture the next generation of critical and creative minds who will lead the way in the economies of the future – and keep them here. To keep them here, we must improve transit to make the urban core more desirable for young professionals. Detroit is making strides when it comes to placemaking, which is critical at a time when many educated workers can choose where they live. These are all building blocks toward developing the vibrancy of the city in an economy where places that leverage knowledge and creativity are rewarded with wealth creation. For Black Tech Saturdays, it’s an exciting moment, one worth watching, and it will be interesting to see if the creative culture that has been established there can continue to develop, grow and find a home in Detroit. #BlackTechSaturdays WE ARE THE PEOPLE WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR! Hilary Doe You Can In Michigan Let's Grow Michigan Michigan Economic Development Corporation Ben Marchionna Quentin Messer, Jr. CEcD Crain's Detroit Business 🎥 Aaron Dawson #keepgoing #togetherwecan #strongertogether #thefutureisbright #blackexcellence #blacklove #blackjoy #blackintech #womenintech #diversityintech #communitytech

Times Square is ready for #PagerDutyOnTour New York City — are you? Register now for this can't-miss afternoon of leading-edge insights and networking, happening on May 22nd! Rethinking operational excellence in the new era of AI and automation. All eyes are on technical leadership to transform the operations of the modern digital enterprise. Join PagerDuty Leadership as we lay out a vision for the future of AI and automation, share our latest product innovations, and hear from customers about how they’re using PagerDuty to unlock efficiency, accelerate productivity, and build operational resilience. #pagerdutyontour #automation #incidentmanagement #aiops #csops

Don't blindly fall into the social media propaganda trap! It promotes polarizing views. My recent visit to San Francisco strengthened this opinion. Before visiting the city, I had encountered a lot of negativity on social media about SF and even heard a few things from friends. That was what I was expecting but after spending some time in the city, I realized we never really know everything until we experience it firsthand. I felt everything I had heard was exaggerated. Sure, there were issues of homelessness, dirt, and drug peddlers on the streets. It did feel unsafe in some parts but for the most part, it wasn't all that negative. In fact, LA felt more unsafe than SF or New York. I visited multiple cities like LA, Seattle, New York, and SF, and most cities felt beautiful bustling with energy. So my visit to the USA was definitely like one of those expectations Vs. reality posts. Only that the reality was better than the expectations in this case. I will share more about my learning from the US trip in the coming days. TDV Partners #SF #ujwalsutaria #tdvpartners

Two recruiters walk into an interview for The Apprentice... ... Oh no wait, that's wrong 😅 Two recruiters, who have known each other for a long time, decide it's time to launch their own agency. That's the one 🚀 9 years to the day, Matt Lowdon & Andrew Welsh decided to leave their safe & stable employed roles & launch Newton Colmore. 9 years ago the idea of starting & developing your own recruitment agency was a little less spoken about than it is now - a little more taboo & a little more risky. Fast forward 9 years "the risk" has clearly paid of 💯 Here's to the next 9 guys 👏🏻 #recruitmentstartup #recruitmentinvestment #recruitmentbusinesssupport #recruitmentbusinesssetup #businesstips #recruitmentstartuptips

@bryceandersonky talks about the importance of building relationships in a place like Lexington. Lexington is more than just a workspace; it's a community built on relationships and trust. Here, the value of connection surpasses any market return, allowing for collaboration and support that fosters growth and innovation. Together, we're building something extraordinary. Listen to the full episode to learn more about it. Link in our bio! #Lexington #LexingtonKY #Kentucky #SharetheLex