Substack’s Post

25 years in the hospitality industry is not easy 👍

There’s a community (nearly)everywhere. And where there’s a community, there’s opportunity. But there's a big difference between having an audience and having a community. An audience listens; a community connects. A community is about people coming together for a cause, something bigger than themselves that binds them. It’s not for everyone. Because if you try to talk to everyone, you end up talking to no one. True communities have rituals, unspoken traditions that make people feel, “I belong here.” The more I run EVOLVE Commerce Club, the more fascinated I become with the power of communities. Today in Odense, there’s an event filling the streets with children, grandparents, parents, trolls, and fairytale characters. After all, Odense is the home of H.C. Andersen. This festival, since 2002, has been dedicated to children aged 8-12, with activities centered around fairy tales and magic. What I find fascinating is how communities shape experiences. Nearly every successful venture you can think of has a community behind it. This festival for example doesn’t just bring fairy tales to life—it boosts local businesses and creates lasting memories for everyone involved. More and more, I believe community will be at the core of sales, marketing, and partnerships in the B2B space and in our case international expansion and partnerships. It’s the present—and the future. What’s your take on community? #community #evolve

I hope you all had a lucky St. Patrick’s Day this past weekend wearing your green! 🍀 A lesson in luck from Mort….the pot belly pig. I got this grand idea that Mort was going to help me with a St. Patrick’s Day celebration picture, but EJ (husband, realist, joy-sucker  and photographer) did not think Mort would cooperate.  And dang it, I hate when he is correct! I put the St. Patty bling on him and he instantly activated “rodeo pig”. You might ask, “what is a rodeo pig?”. Well, it is when the pig runs around as fast as they can while snorting and bucking—it is a sight for sure! So, you might be wondering how I ended up getting this adorable picture? EJ, trying not to bask in the fact that he was right, suggested a treat. In keeping with the St. Patrick’s day theme, he even suggested a green treat of a pear. I noticed that Mort has the same reaction as we do in the workplace when the right incentive is in place. Want a motivated team—find what motivates them. As soon as I had that treat, Mort did an immediate sit, and opened wide for the treat.   When we want more from our teams, or even a different output we need to think about if the right incentive is in place. If we are wanting creativity or ideas on a better process, why not have a contest? Everyone comes to the table with their new idea and whoever wins gets the “treat” plus bragging rights! Check back next week for our March blog that talks more about human behavior, and as always, peoplezest is here to help find the perfect candidate to bring your team the luck of the (pig). https://lnkd.in/ezsq4aVb PS…the pigs are really EJ’s pets—yes all THREE! #peoplezest #multifamily #executiverecruiter #studenthousing #leadership #motivationtools #motivation

"It takes little to be big." - Big Brothers Big Sisters Sparkle Bright, Santa, and everyone here at Twinkle Nights Holiday Lights believes making a big difference in a kid's life doesn't take much, but it's worth a lot. Our latest article includes ways to get involved with local programs and start making a difference in a child's life. https://lnkd.in/gwPA-wmt

What an amazing day ☺️ 3 AM alarm clock. 6 AM flight from NOLA to Newark. 11 AM (EST) team meeting to iterate on noirpress.org & portalx.space 2PM Juneteenth panel on Black (economic) Liberation. 5PM Black Yalie dinner. 6PM Dispensary visit. 8PM Train to NHV. Today was one of those days where you feel uber favored by Divinity and in perfect alignment with your purpose. So many close calls and moments when I thought the day could fall apart. But it just kept getting better. Shoutout to my team. Shoutout to my new friends from Ebony & Louise’s important event. I’m grateful to our hosts and all my co-panelists for all the things you taught us and all the ways you challenged me to sharpen my voice. I’m grateful for all of you who came to engage in some deep and radical conversation post-event. I’m grateful to Maxim Thorne for your constructive feedback. I want those I engaged with today to know: I don’t seek to minimize the level of terror that the white structure has exacted on our communities every time we have built power. I have agitated about that for as long as I can remember. But now, the only thing that excites me is immersing myself in the truth of our infinite collective power. The truth of our incredible capacity to overthrow systems of oppression with love, strategy and unrelenting precision. I do not believe that they are more powerful than us. I can never believe that. They’ve only been able to back us into these corners because of our lack of unity and awareness of our power. They know our power more than we do. And they fear it. Which is why they work so hard—with generations-long strategies—to suppress us. But we have overcome. The very fact that we continue to lead culture just by existing should show us that WE are THEIR North Star. Please, let us continue to have these conversations. Let us continue us continue to build bigger, dream wilder. We owe it to our Ancestors and to our descendants. PS: please send me pics! #15cents #Juneteenth #LiberationfromWithin

A must-read column from our latest issue!

Today's 80th anniversary of D-Day serves as a valuable reminder of the importance of passing down generational wisdom, lest we forget. What are you doing to preserve your family's stories? #generationalwisdom #dday

Happy almost Mother's Day! 💐 Why not make this whole weekend about celebrating Mom? Here are some ideas to show her how much she means to you: 1. Cook her favorite meal or take her out to her favorite restaurant. 2. Plan a fun and relaxing day out - maybe a picnic in the park or a visit to her favorite museum. 3. Give her the gift of quality time - watch a movie together, play a board game, or simply have a heartfelt conversation. 4. Help her with chores or tasks around the house to give her a break. 5. Write her a heartfelt letter or card expressing your love and appreciation. Let's make this weekend all about honoring and cherishing the amazing mothers in our lives! ❤️ #manufacturing #supplychain #solutions

Your VERBOAST word of the day is *GREGARIOUS*. https://lnkd.in/gAz6FhW5 Anyone who can work the word of the day into an incoherent scream from a hang glider, deliciously cheesy pick-up line, unsolicited LinkedIn connection request, or any other multi-party interaction gets four (4) points. Points are forfeit if someone: a) asks if you're playing Verboast, b) challenges you for using the word incorrectly or out of reasonable context, or c) makes you repeat or explain yourself. Double points for commenting in this thread with the story of how you succeeded so we can applaud your ascendant insouciance. Today's winners get a 2-liter bottle of Coke, a pack of Mentos, and a pool noodle.

We celebrate the hard work and incredible impact of our Canopy moms this Mother’s Day and all year through. “Too often we talk about work and life as separate and that’s why the word career never meant much – for me, it’s all the same road.” –Ara Katz, co-founder and CMO at SpringNYC #ConsultingExpert #ConsultingServices #ConsultingFirm #DenverBusiness #CanopyAdvisoryGroup