#we need inspirational leadership to pave the way for change now more than ever | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

oneistoxnetwork · 3 years

Text

5 Reasons You Need to Upskill to be a Better Designer (Be Future Ready)

With the multidisciplinary field that design is, no amount of skills are too many. It is now an established practice to gain knowledge by taking up online design courses or doing individual research. To define this phenomenon, the term ‘Upskilling’ has been frequently used in recent times, but what exactly is it?

To put it simply, Upskilling is getting better at what you do. It is upgrading your knowledge (both theoretical and practical) of the subjects that may be directly or indirectly related to the field you’re working in.

Let’s look back at the past!

The design field is diversifying and merging indistinguishably with other fields, demanding more multi-talented professionals. Looking back at history, the greatest of designers were popular in their times and even now for being skilled in numerous fields and contributing to society at large. Leonardo Da Vinci, one of the most multi-talented people to walk on earth, was a skilful artist, mathematician, sculptor, architect, scientist, and astronomer. His works turned to be an inspiration for the later generation of polymaths, rivalled only by Michelangelo, his contemporary. These figures gave rise to the term ‘Renaissance Men’, with the ideal that said “a man can do all things if he will.”

Even apart from design, there have been several such personnel with an eagerness to be everything at once. Aristotle, the famous Greek Philosopher, was a brilliant writer. His works covered subjects like poetry, music, theatre, rhetoric, politics, ethics and even biology. He was also the teacher of Alexander the Great, who, as we all know, was one of the biggest conquerors of all times.

Issac Newton is not a foreign name to anyone in the field of science. Celebrated for his contributions to physics (theory of gravity and laws of motions), this English scientist was also an astronomer, alchemist, philosopher and theologian. His works laid the foundation for the progress of later generations of scientists, particularly Sir Stephen Hawking.

What’s happening now?

Increasing technology and resources have brought about specialisations in various fields of study. With specialists coming up in every sector, the number of all-rounders have been gradually decreasing.

But we know that history has always admired and valued multi-skilled people. Despite the revolutions taking place, traces of this admiration can still be seen, especially in the field of Film-making and Design. Actors are no longer expected to just act and film-makers are no longer expected to just direct. The best of the rest are those who are not only great at their primary skills but also good at other 21st century skills required in the field. A good example from the modern-day is FarhanAkhtar, an Indian actor, film-maker, producer, playback singer, screenwriter and television host. He is celebrated by the Indian audience for having proved his versatility time and again.

Similarly, design practices that do not adhere to just one type of product are more popular than the rest as they have a wider clientele and user base and strive for continuous experimentation and upgrade. With a complex network of professionals worldwide, multipotentiality is appreciated.

Thus, the need for all-rounders and design upskilling is emerging again.

[Read: The Assets of Success: 13 Golden Skills in Design to Master]

Multipotentiality

Now, what exactly does it mean to have multipotentiality?

It is the trait of a person

having interests in two or more fields of study

and curiosity to learn and excel at them. Such people are called ‘multipotentialites’ which is the opposite of

‘specialists’ and is used interchangeably with ‘polymaths’. They are required in almost every field; science, art, technology, medicine, business, commerce, etc.

Multipotentialites are valued for their fast learning skills and adaptability. Organisations are always keen to acquire individuals who can bring dynamism, novelty, enthusiasm and variety to work-places. Such professionals are also favoured to undertake leadership roles as they are better at empathising and understanding a broader set of situations, people and their perspectives.

It is great to be a specialist, but even better to be good at many other skills along with one. It is time to be the Jack of all trades AND master of one!

The changing times demand multi-faceted individuals to bring in innovative design solutions. Gradually, the need for regular upskilling comes up, whether through online design courses or through experiential learning.

Here are 5 reasons designers needs to upskill themselves:

1. To Fill the Skill Gap

As fellow designers, most of us can collectively agree that there is still a huge gap between our design education system and the practice. The system lacks the capacity to make students industry-ready, leaving them with little to no practical knowledge.

In the current scenario, students opting fordesign upskilling are constantly at an advantage compared to the rest, be it academically or professionally.

A lot of independent platforms have emerged that have recognised this gap and aim to fill it by offering learning to interested individuals, especially in the field of architecture with

1. To Have a Better Career and Job Prospects

It is no mystery that design establishments tend to hire aspirants with a broader range of skills. It is good to master one skill, but is it good enough?

With the increasing competition in the design field, there is more demand for

professionals who are adept at handling a variety of tasks

. For example, someone who is great at 3D modelling should also be able to manage an entire project if needed. The design industry has become experimental and welcomes multi-talented people with open arms. InitiativesWith the increasing competition in the design field, there is more demand for professionals who are adept at handling a variety of tasks. For example, someone who is great at 3D modelling should also be able to manage an entire project if needed. The design industry has become experimental and welcomes multi-talented people with open arms. Initiatives are being taken across the globe to recruit individuals who can perform multiple tasks instead of hiring someone just to perform one task. Naturally, such versatile individuals bring more to the organisation while making more for themselves. 1. To Progress in the Field A broader skill-set gets you better job opportunities, but what happens once you are into the field? Design Upskilling doesn’t stop once you’ve earned a job. You need to keep honing your skills and adding to the existing ones for your professional development. In the design industry, multi-skilled professionals are more likely to be given positions of responsibility and develop trust. Moreover, individuals with a zeal to constantly enhance their skills, adding more value to the team, progress faster than others in their career trajectory. Hence, adding more to your design skill plate will give you an upper hand at any point in your career. If you are a working professional, now is the time to upskill, rise and shine!

(Source: www.giphy.com)https://giphy.com/gifs/l1Kua6X2X3t9bSlNK/html5[Alt Text: GIF of a cartoon show, spongebobsquarepants, with the words “I’m ready”] 2. To Stay Relevant to the Changing Times Modern problems require modern solutions. It is obvious that one cannot run a design practice efficiently with obsolete techniques. Things that were considered awesome in the yesteryears may be completely outdated now. To align with the demands of the current world it is necessary to update,upskill and improve. Globalisation and digitisation have paved the way for several new domains in the field of design. From UI-UX design to Urban Planning, the good designers always have a fair idea of the advances happening in the field. Even clients are now getting more familiar with design as a profession and its importance, with a wide range of resources to facilitate awareness. Being on par with the rapidly altering world and understanding the contemporary necessities will give designers the kind of expertise needed to meet the requirements of today’s user base. Change is the only constant!

(Source: www.quotemaster.org)https://www.quotemaster.org/architecture+students[Alt Text: Image of a sketch with a drafting board and two people standing in front of it, one of them saying “I haven’t much experience of such an early version of autocad”] 3. To Start Out On Your Own It takes a great deal of skill to start practising as an independent designer or going for an entrepreneurial venture. The most difficult part, which is the beginning, can become easier if you have what it takes. The field of design is connected to and borrows from many others. Starting a design practice not only requires field-related knowledge but also inter-disciplinary skills like business management, automation, digital communication, etc. If you aim to eventually start on your own, acquiring know-how and soft skills is essential. Multi-skilled individuals can then collaborate with many different kinds of people to deliver fantastic results. A skilful leader makes a skilful team!

(Source: www.codycameron.com)https://codycameron.com/are-you-my-leader/[GIF showing popular animated character buzz lightyear surrounded by alien midgets] From filling the skill-gaps to practising design independently, we have reached full circle. The current pandemic situation has been harsh on us all. On the bright side, a lot of education platforms have come to light, inspiring individuals to make use of their time at home by taking up online design courses. Thanks to digitisation, it is now easier than ever to connect with individuals across the world! Thus, there has been a boom in the past year in the way people learn new skills. The growing give-and-take of knowledge around the world is turning designers into all-rounders with the skills necessary to tackle modern problems. So, if you are keen on trying something new, expanding your skillset and being future-ready, then check out these avenues for design upskilling and online architecture courses by Oneistox!

3 notes · View notes

mostlysignssomeportents · 4 years

Text

Boing Boing Charitable Giving Guide 2019

Here's a guide to the charities the Boingers support in our own annual giving. Please add the causes and charities you give to in the forums!

Friends of the Merril Collection I'm on the board of the charity that fundraises for Toronto's Merril Collection, a part of the Toronto Public Library system that is also the world's largest public collection of science fiction, fantasy and related works (they archive my papers). Since its founding by Judith Merril, the Merril Collection has been a hub for creators, fans, and scholars. I wouldn't be a writer today if not for the guidance of its Writer in Residence when I was a kid. —CD

The Tor Project The Tor anonymity and privacy tools are vital to resistance struggles around the world, a cooperative network that provides a high degree of security from scrutiny for people who have reasons to fear the powers that be. From our early hominid ancestors until about ten years ago, humans didn't leave behind an exhaust-trail of personally identifying information as they navigated the world -- Tor restores that balance. —CD

Planned Parenthood Because we deserve health care, including reproductive, gender, and sexual health care. Because access to birth control and safe abortion is a human right. Because Trump's regime wants to destroy all of this. —XJ

Software Freedom Conservancy Software Freedom Conservancy does the important, boring, esoteric work of keeping the internet from tearing itself to pieces, playing host organization to free software projects like Git, Selenium and Samba (to name just three). The Conservancy keeps these projects legally sound and gives them a scaffold to hang their institutional structures on them. Without the Conservancy, the software you love and depend on would be in dire peril.

Electronic Frontier Foundation I have been proudly associated with EFF for a decade an a half now and have watched, half-awed, as it grew from a scrappy, brilliant little organization to a powerhouse of enormous scale and power. Every cause, every fight enumerated on this page and in your life and mine will be lost or won on the internet. EFF is the best hope we have of keeping that internet free, fair and open. —CD, MF

Creative Commons Creative Commons is best known as a tool for sharing-friendly artists, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. Since the beginning, and all over the world, CC has provided governments, agencies, research and scholarly institutions and NGOs with the tools to easily share across borders and the bewildering array of copyright laws. We can't beat trumpism without collaboration tools, and that includes legal tools. —CD

Wikimedia Foundation (Wikipedia) For 16 years, Wikipedia has been figuring out how to negotiate truth among diverse and even warring points of view. It's not always pretty and it's not always nice, but no one's yet found a better way to let ideas bash against each other until something everyone agrees upon emerges. It's not pretty, but compared to our democracy, it's a beauty queen. —CD, KS

Human Rights Data Analysis Group For more than twenty-five years, the Human Rights Data Analysis Group (HRDAG) has used data and statistical analysis to hold accountable the perpetrators of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. HRDAG is a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that provides rigorous quantitative evidence for trials, truth commissions, UN Missions, and human rights monitors around the world. In 2019, HRDAG estimated the number of women held as sexual slaves by Japanese authorities in World War Two; the number of people disappeared in the final three days of the Sri Lankan civil war; and the number of people killed in drug-related violence by the police and other perpetrators in the Philippines. In the US, HRDAG critiqued the growing use of machine learning in the US criminal justice system, especially those used in place of bail to determine who should be released while awaiting trial. HRDAG's analysis has shown that machine learning can amplify biases in criminal justice data, for example by worsening racial disparities in policing. Other ongoing HRDAG projects include research on mass violence in the Philippines, Mexico, Sri Lanka, and several confidential projects in the US and abroad . —CD

Institute for the Future There are no facts about the future, only fictions. As we've learned in this crazy political season, nothing is certain about tomorrow. But even as our attention is captured by the present, we can begin to write the story to come. A place to start is the Institute for the Future's Future for Good fellowship. Institute for the Future, where Mark and David are researchers, is a 50-year-old nonprofit that helps the public think about the future to make better decisions in the present. The Fellowship directly supports inspiring social innovators who are working to make tomorrow a better place. You can help too. Make a donation of $100 and you’ll receive IFTF Distinguished Fellow Bob Johansen's new book "The New Leadership Literacies: Thriving in a Future of Extreme Disruption and Distributed Everything." —DP, MF

The National Wildlife Federation National Wildlife Federation is a voice for wildlife, dedicated to protecting wildlife and habitat and inspiring the future generation of conservationists. Now's the time: for the people currently in charge of U.S. policy, the cruelty is the point. —RB

The Marine Mammal Center When seals, sea lion, or many other sea going pals need help, if they get lucky, they may be taken to The Marine Mammal Center, a veterinary hospital just for them. Thousands of heartbreakingly cute, but very wild, animals are rescued, rehabilitated and released on an annual basis. I'm a volunteer. In addition to the hundreds of highly trained volunteers that make the hospital run, the center always needs cash for fish and medicine. —JW

Winn Feline Foundation The Winn Feline Foundation advances feline health by supporting research and education. Winn has funded over $6.4 million in health research for cats at more than 30 partner institutions worldwide. Current campaigns include funding for research on Chronic Kidney Disease, a condition estimated to affect more than 50% of senior cats. —KS

The Southern Poverty Law Center & the Anti-Defamation League The Southern Poverty Law Center and the Anti-Defemation League fight hate, teach tolerance, and help secure justice, and fair treatment for all. "There is no 'them' and 'us.' There is only us." --Greg Boyle —JW

Facing History and Ourselves Facing History and Ourselves is an international educational group that helps young people study issues around racism, antisemitism, and prejudice in history, from the Holocaust to today's immigrant experiences to the killing fields of Cambodia. Their aim is to teach young people "to think critically, to empathize, to recognize moral choices, to make their voices heard, we put in their hands the possibility--and the responsibility--to do the serious work demanded of us all as citizens." —DP

Free Software Foundation/Defective By Design The Free Software Foundation's principled litigation, license creation and campaigning is fierce, uncompromising and has changed the world. You interact with code that they made possible a million times a day, and they never stop working to make sure that the code stays free. —CD

Free Software Foundation Europe Software has eaten the world, and software freedom is increasingly synonymous with human freedom. In Europe, far-right parties and authoritarians are inheriting a constellation of gadgets and devices that are "defective by design," built to allow corporations spy on and control their owners -- and those thugs are contemplating how they can use those companies' extraordinary powers to put whole populations under their thumbs. Free software in Europe, free software everywhere! —CD

The Internet Archive: In an era where the control of information has been weaponized, the Internet Archive's mission -- universal access to all human knowledge -- is a revolutionary manifesto. The Archive has taken on a new mission: to re-decentralize the internet and restore it to its indie, distributed glory. —CD

Open Rights Group The UK's answer to Electronic Frontier Foundation, and never more badly needed than now, with authoritarianism on the rise and the constant battering of the electorate with political misadventures and grandstanding. Brexit could allow the UK to escape the oversight of the European courts, paving the way for even-more-extreme measures. —CD

Amnesty International I just looked up Amnesty's founding principles and found tears rolling down my cheeks: "Only when the last prisoner of conscience has been freed, when the last torture chamber has been closed, when the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a reality for the world’s people, will our work be done." These values need our support more than ever. —CD

ACLU On November 9, 2016 ACLU changed its homepage to a picture of Trump superimposed with the words SEE YOU IN COURT. ACLU's deep bench of kick-ass lawyers has been lately augmented by a much-needed group of freedom-fighting technologists, welded into the fighting force we'll need until the next election and beyond: from voter suppression to free speech, the ACLU is key to the fight. —CD, MF

Liberty With the UK plunging into surveillance dystopia where human rights are an afterthought and racial profiling is becoming official doctrine, it needs Liberty, an organisation with 80+ years' track record fighting for human rights in many incarnations of the British project. The Tories ran on a platform of repealing the Human Rights Act: when the government is officially anti "human rights," you need someone like Liberty to take the "pro" side. —CD

826 National Born in San Francisco’s Mission District in the back room of a pirate supply store, 826 National teaches young people the art and magic of creative writing through classes, DIY publishing projects, in-school programs, and drop-in tutoring at seven centers around the US. And it’s all free for the kids. Help open more 826 locations around the country! —DP

Fight for the Future Some of the Internet's savviest, hard-working-est activists. Fight for the Future has kept hope alive for Net Neutrality, leading the charge to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the FCC's Neutrality-killing sneak attack. —CD

Demand Progress Aaron Swartz co-founded Demand Progress, and as you'd expect from that history, they're relentless in reinventing the activist playbook for the 21st century. —CD

MySociety Software in the public interest -- it's a damned good idea. MySociety produces software like Pledgebank ("I will risk arrest by refusing to register for a UK ID card if 100,000 other Britons will also do it") and TheyWorkForYou (every word and deed by every Member of Parliament). It's plumbing for activists and community organizers. —CD

https://boingboing.net/2019/12/03/charitablegivingguide2019.html

56 notes · View notes

astrxd · 5 years

Text

things we lost in the fire

A/N: somehow, in the span of two hours, after a wild burst of inspiration, this ficlet came to be!! it’s been about three months since i’ve written a word for a fic, so pardon my rustiness -- i hope you still enjoy it, of course!

i started thinking about hiccup when he told grimmel off for sitting in stoick’s chair, which made me think about its significance -- then about the chair we see in the great hall and the chair we see stoick in during HTTYD 2. as such, this is post-HTTYD 3 and it’s more or less some musings on hiccup, stoick, and chief-hood! :-) <3

(yes. i was listening to one bastille song on loop for two hours. also, requests are def open!!)

He’s known, for a long time now, that he wouldn’t be able to fill the shoes of his father. Every step that Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III would take in the name and wake of Stoick the Vast would never quite match up with the path left behind.

He had been told time and time again that it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With changing times came the need for a change in leadership. Still, his chest ached whenever he thought about his late father’s visions for him and their people… But it wasn’t the footsteps or shoes of the greatest chief Berk has ever had that Hiccup was worried about fitting--

It was a chair.

Three chairs, technically: a throne, a dining seat, and a grandstand. (Things lost to the flame, things he’ll never see again.)

The Great Hall.

At the head of the cavernous room was the first chair: sturdy wood, intricate carving, dents and scuffs and nicks along each and every edge. It was the seat of the Chief of Berk; it was the seat that every chieftain, since the beginning of their people, claimed when addressing the public. Somehow, it had lasted through the ages, even in spite of the fire that once ravaged the island on a near-nightly basis. So many life-changing and life-threatening decisions were made in that chair, always with the hope of the better of the people, but no matter how much Hiccup wanted to make the right calls for both Viking and dragon, he struggled to feel right -- about anything.

The chair was too big. Too revered. Too marked up with a rich history of righteous protectors that he was nothing like. When he sat in it, he felt nothing but discomfort with the rigid wood beneath and behind him. He didn’t think he quite fit the sharp, crisp angle of where the base joined with the back; he didn’t think that he looked quite right when he rested his elbows on either arm. He just didn’t think that he had the posture that the chair demanded of its chief.

But gods -- gods, did he try to be what Berk needed -- wanted -- him to be. Hiccup tried squaring his shoulders and raising his chin, he tried relaxing and thinking about every syllable of reassurance that this was his destiny, this was part of who he was supposed to be that he’s ever gotten.

(It didn’t exactly work, but he found comfort in a circle of other chairs placed beside his.)

The Haddock residence.

It… It was more personal than the one in the Great Hall, for it was his father’s chair -- just his father’s and not the chair of every one of Berk’s chieftains past, for that one had been destroyed when he was a baby who still had a mother. It’s where Stoick sat for every meal they shared at home, for conversations, for rest after long days. When Hiccup was young, he was dwarfed by both his father and the seat whenever he clambered onto his lap, and even then -- two decades later -- he still felt small.

(Hiccup remembered being a boy, still too young to be outside as soon as night fell. He remembered pulling himself onto the seat with a fur wrapped around him while a raid took place, squeezing his eyes shut, clutching his old stuffed dragon to his chest, and begging to the gods that his father would come home already. He listened to the roars, the yells and the battle cries, the sound of hard-beating wings that made the walls seem to shake...)

Even after Stoick had passed, Hiccup was reluctant about using the chair, as if his father's ghost still lingered. In his eyes, the chair was more sacred than the Chief of Berk’s wooden throne. While he had to grapple with the difficulty of being a leader in the Great Hall, at home, he had to grapple with… With the absence of not a chief, but his father. His protector, the parent who raised him, the man who comforted his sleepless nights, guided and taught him, supported him, believed in him and his ability to one day lead and protect Berk better than all of the magnanimous Vikings that lead before them both--

For Stoick, Hiccup tried his damnedest to live up to the vision of chief that his father left him with. Hiccup knows, with all his heart, that his dad didn’t expect him to become great in the same way that he became great. Hiccup was to pave his own way.

...For Stoick.

For their people. For Berk.

The Dragon Racing arena.

How many times had his father watched from the edge of that chair, hollering along with the rest of the Berkians, cheering on the competition -- cheering him on? How many times did Stoick glow with pride whenever he and Toothless zipped past with yet another sheep in their basket?

How many times did Hiccup let him down by skipping the scheduled race?

(How many times did he let him down in general?)

Stoick’s investment in Dragon Racing had been one of the many testaments of his open-armed welcome of dragons into their society. His father had been proof that change was possible and peace wasn’t a waste of time. It had taken time and adjustment, surely, but the ultimate outcome had been a paradise for both dragons and Vikings alike.

A lot had changed in the span of five years. There was steady growth, there was prosperity, there was balance -- and Stoick stood at the forefront of it all. Over the course of only one year, with Hiccup at the helm, change came even more rapidly, and it had been difficult. He’d been tested and challenged by the well being of his people (and their dragons) in ways that he could have never anticipated, and in situations that stumped him, he often found himself wondering what his father would do. He almost always came up with a solution.

Three chairs.

One belonged to a brilliant and strong chief, another to an incredible father, and the last to a stubborn Viking who opened his eyes to the beauty of coexistence and peace. He was a solemn protector of two worlds.

They were gone now -- those chairs and those men… That man.

Last they were on Berk, the Great Hall remained standing, but most, if not all, other structures had been trampled and burned -- his home included. The race stands that they built on the edge of the island had been devastated, too, and whether or not the remains had been sacked was beyond him. Was the wooden throne of Berk’s Chiefs still in one piece? Was the Great Hall preserved at all, with Stoick’s statue engraved into its exterior? What of the rest of its interior, and its painted shields and banners that immortalized the young revolutionaries that changed Berk?

...Hiccup supposed that it didn’t quite matter. They were among the things they lost in the fire, but true legends never lived on through the physical -- and it was never a chair, not even three, that made Stoick so Vast. (He only hoped that he could be half as great of a chief, father, and peacekeeper.)

#my writing #fanfiction #httyd #httyd 3 #httyd 3 spoilers #spoilers #it isn't like... angsty?? i'm just rly emotional #gimme that chief!hiccup and dead!stoick achiness tho :-))))

40 notes · View notes

lntensely · 6 years

Text

You are revolutionary: a call to you(th) through the cracks in the stystem, a brief guide to moral outrage

A relative choice is not a free choice. Beware of illusions of power - ours and theirs. When you find you’ve been ingrained with lies do not be angry with yourself. Be angry at them with a capital “T”. Know that this anger will be called unpatriotic. Revel in the hypocricy. Know it is the norm. For we do not all realize that cycles are inflicted upon us deliberately by those in control. Don’t call others paranoid. Aim for awakedness. Force your dissatisfaction to spur you onward for the alternative is to be stunted and that is how we inadvertently serve those who do not have our best interests at heart. Know the difference between what you claim and what you own, what you claim and what you choose. Picture a drug dealer and ask why that’s what he looks like. Picture a rape victim and ask why that’s what she looks like, and then a wealthy businessman and do the same. Picture a thug and ask why that is what he looks like - and always ask “whos interests does this serve?” See crimes of desperation as adaptation to a rigged game, used to affirm the stereotypes that keep people down. See that there is money to be made from this. It is deliberate and not opportunistic. See that recidivism is a cash flow. That the prison-industrial complex is modern slavery. Ask why the victims have no credibility and who’s interests it serves. Never use the few to characterize all - they are proof of an inflicted cycle and not evidence of accurate stereotypes . See that stigma is a weapon. Oppression is systemic. Injustice is institutionalized. Question who you’ve been led to hate and why. Understand the relativity of choice - know that true freedom is not ours and is an illusion. Our freedom is relative to their control. Do not settle for it. And so the saying goes, “if you aren’t angry, you aren’t paying attention”. War isn’t humanitarian and cannot be. Be afraid that it can be believably portrayed for something other than what it is. Know that if it seems too perfectly coincidental, it is not and in fact is masterminded. They will have you believe otherwise. Know yourself and trust yourself. Allow others to call you insane - that means you are onto something. You are doing a good job. Do it quietly. Find other people. Use safe sounding boards. Question your information. Some will attempt to justify history instead of fix things moving forward. Their ego cannot confront the injustice for what it is. They are your opposite. The goal is not your redemption it is progress. Use information to ask more questions. Ask why things are the way things are. And then ask yourself why you have to ask. When you find things you do not like, then act. Differentiate symptoms and problem. Address both. Your altruism is never a fault. Your empathy is never a weakness. Refuse to ever allow someone else to demonize your passion for justice. Never dampen your passions or redirect it where it isn’t deserved. Never engage it less or be embarrassed by it. Their anger is born of insecurity - love in spite of this. You exemplify love. Do not understimate hatred, ignorance, maliciousness, stigma. Be courageous. Be willing to lose friends as you will find that your authenticity frightens people and your moral outrage frightens people. Be willing to be a figurehead if need be, with all the pitfalls. Know you will be called argumentative. Too focused on negativity. Sullen. Belligerent. If you are a woman - hysterical. Know you will be dismissed often. So utterly and deeply know the truth of yourself. Know that these people are controlled, docile, complacent, complicit. Do not be tempted by the pleasures of their ignorance. It is an ultimate failing of self. It is at other people’s expense. It is for their gain. That is what they want, but you are on fire. If they were awake, they would be you. Your awareness is against all odds. You are a product of their failure and so a triumph of humanity. Refuse your own socialization. It was based on oppression. Your dissent is righteous and passionate. You are deeply resilient by right.

Be revolutionary and not reactionary.

Do the things we all assume the other will do so that we do not have to. Change starts with the masses and so change starts with the individual. Create a dialogue whenever you can. Watch every body. Suffer boldly. Accept that some will never change their mindsets but others that might are listening. Make others think about what they believe in. Do this quietly too. Accept that the shadows on the wall are more comforting and that to see the objects as they are requires you to be on the frontier. Try to bring others out of the cave without being resentful of their desire to cling to the familiar. It is their nature. It is your nature, but you are willing to live wildly. Be heroic. Bring attention to ignorance. True racism and misogyny is insidious. Try not to be initially abrasive - you want them to listen. After that, don’t hesitate to be. They are allowed to know you’re angry. Some lives are more rigged for failure than others. See the banana peels and how carefully placed they are. The more they want to keep you down, the more power is intrinsic to you. Their resistance is a sign that your truth is a threat. Stand up for somebody else. Do it every day. Allow yourself to be hated and learn from who hates you. Where the hatred comes from, who it protects, who it hurts. What it is about you that threatens them. Ask them about it. You are speaking the truths that they know in their heads but have buried in their hearts. Refuse to find comfort in ignorance. Refuse to let the pain of reality justify blindness. Learn to revel in your anguish for it makes you work to make it less. Do not forget about the future. Pave the way for other people. Teach your children what you know now and not what you were taught. Know that others watching are learning from you and being inspired. Be known for it. Show other people that it is okay to stand up for what you believe in unapologetically and face to face with those who disagree. Disagree loudly. Ask them the questions you’ve asked. Be informative. Ask them to ask more. Ask yourself to ask more of them. Find your people and talk to them. They exist. Be the vehicle of change. Make a pedestal for yourself and use it. Use your judgement but take risks. Understand that being awake is often called radicalism. Purge yourself of stigma - toward yourself and other people. Take circumstances into consideration. Be careful of where you choose to be arbitrary. Be wary of institutionalized arbitrariness. Read between the lines. Foresee the ways by which we may be oppressed. Be aware of the implications of every choice made and not just those that impact you. Imagine yourself in the shoes of every person you meet and in every news story you here. Know that everyone thinks it cannot happen to them. It can happen to you. Possess a capacity to empathize that staggers you. Don’t turn off the TV. Refuse to be desensitized. Every act against humanity is an act against you. But you have a secret and will change things from the inside out. You will not become embittered, but seasoned and wise. Know both what you stand for and what you are up against. Don’t dehumanize your rivals. Find the roots of their prejudice and hatred. Know fear when you see it. Do not covet notoriety. Go undetected for what you are until you are not able. People will try to stop you, and quickly. You’ve slipped through the cracks of their system. You are emblazoned with rebellious kindness and question their leadership and so they have failed. See the maliciousness in bureaucracy. Refuse to be a robot. Do not think in “good” and “evil”. Decide what you believe to be inexcusable. Ask yourself why. Ask yourself how you’d feel about you if you were in charge. Understand the threat you embody. Then rise to meet it. And be prepared: the abyss you fight will learn your name. And it should - you are one act away from being revolutionary.

#racism #misogyny #writing #poverty #social justice #government #institutions #politics

5 notes · View notes

tenscupcake · 7 years

Text

my first, and possibly only, official statement on the new doctor.

i've honestly been truly and thoroughly baffled, and rather disappointed, by the lack of discussion occurring around this polarizing issue. in fact, in my brief experience on various social media platforms, discussion is rarely, if ever, allowed. the tiniest expression of discontent with the new doctor immediately elicits a slew of insults and accusations of misogyny. i have yet to have an actual conversation with anyone about this, aside from close personal friends who share my views, because those who don't share them will not even engage them. they instead immediately resort to name calling and shut down any attempts at conversation i make. honestly, it has driven a wedge between me and doctor who and its fandom like i've never experienced, not even in all my suffering through the moffat era.

i hesitated for a while about coming back on here at all. but i figured it would be wrong of me to not give my friends and acquaintances here a chance to really hear me out, since before i took a hiatus i hadn't really properly articulated my reasoning (for the aforementioned reasons). so to anyone interested in my thoughts on the matter (and let me explicitly mention here that i am referring only to rational people who are willing to either read silently and go about their day or else engage in a polite discussion with me, not people who are just going to send me vicious anonymous asks), here they are.

i’m sure it’s no surprise to any of my followers that i haven’t been actively watching the show for some time now. in fact, i stepped away indefinitely sometime early season 8, not because i had any issue with capaldi, but because i didn’t feel moffat’s writing had improved any since the last season.

so, it may have come as a surprise to many of you that i even had a strong reaction of any kind, be it positive or negative. and i can certainly see where you’re coming from, if that’s the case.

when it was announced early last year that moffat would finally be leaving, i threw a party. i literally did. i got together with my one other real-life friend who watches the show, watched rtd episodes, and made blue cupcakes (that were supposed to be TARDIS colored but turned out more of a pale teal and baby blue combo). i can’t even explain how happy i was at the mere suggestion of him leaving. because in my eyes, he took my favorite show and turned it into something i resented. it was such a slow and painful process to come to terms with the fact that a show i once loved was causing me so much grief, and finally part ways with it (at least in the sense of following along with the new episodes; i’ve obviously remained active in the rtd sect and continue to devote a significant chunk of my life to the doctor and rose *blush*). but i just couldn’t deal with the constant disappointment and rage anymore. i knew it was for the best.

i liked broadchurch well enough, with the exception of the second season, and i thought there was no way chibnall could be worse than moffat. and best case scenario, he could potentially resurrect the show into something i’d enjoy again. maybe it was foolish to hope for such a thing, but i owe far too much to this show after all it’s done for me to not give it a second chance under new leadership. so when, a few weeks ago, they told us the date they’d be announcing the new doctor, i got properly excited again. to put a face to my renewed hope in the series? it was hard not to get excited. the sound of the tardis still makes my heart swell with joy and gratitude. i’m still invested. just look at my room or my wardrobe. i’m a self-proclaimed doctor who geek through and through. if i wasn’t, i don’t think it would be possible for me to be genuinely upset about anything that happened to the show. the things we love are the things that can hurt us the most.

so, without prolonging the inevitable any longer, i’ll try to explain why i was/am upset by the casting announcement.

i really have three main reasons.

1. the issue of representation.

let me start out by saying i am a passionate advocate for better (i won't say more, because i don't think that's the issue at hand) female representation in media. especially film. i desperately want more intelligent, strong, powerful women in fiction. but what i absolutely do not want is to recycle traditionally male characters into female ones. doesn't this seem counterproductive to anyone else? its almost as though a man always has to pave the way, and only once he's established a character can a woman potentially take over. it’s trite and more than a little insulting.

give me more original female characters who kick ass. give me more natasha romanoffs, more reys, more elle woods, more leslie knopes.

don’t give me more batgirls or supergirls. don’t take a character as prominent and culturally significant as the doctor and morph him into a woman after 50+ years (or 2000+, depending on your perspective).

and you know, i've actually seen people say (addressing people who are upset about the casting): ‘a character’s gender doesn't have to match yours to be a good role model for you.’ you know what? to an extent, i actually agree. as a matter of fact, i strongly identify with and take inspiration from the doctor, even though he's a man. does nobody hear how hypocritical it sounds to say you want a woman to play the doctor purely so girls can have another role model, and then turn around and in the next sentence say gender is irrelevant to role models? yeah, this one really floored me.

but though i do think that one’s role models don’t have to match one’s gender 100% of the time, it is important to have some that do. and i do think there is an imbalance in the number of strong male leads in tv and film versus the number of strong female leads. keyword: strong. i’m tired of sexist stereotyping and failed bechdel tests, too. probably more than most, actually. but i think taking existing male characters and gender bending them is the absolute worst way to go about rectifying this imbalance.

2. the issue of the nature of gender.

i want to preface this by saying that, until fairly recently, i was something of a fundamentalist when it came to gender. but over the years, i’ve realized how problematic such views are. i’ve invested hours upon hours of my free time scouring reddit threads and watching documentaries about trans issues to understand this crucial part of the LGBT community. to learn. and what i’ve gathered from my thorough research, and heard from the many personal experiences of transgender individuals i’ve read, is that gender is something distinct from biological sex that is immutable. the gender you’re born with is the gender you are for life. (and yes, as i understand it this does also apply to genderfluid individuals - they’ve always been genderfluid even if it was not always expressed.) and changes made to physical appearance are merely affirming one’s gender, not changing it.

changing the doctor into a woman flies directly in the face of this very concept. and to me, it really, truly feels like an insult to the trans community.

it’s going back to the regressive fundamentalist view that sex = gender. that because the doctor has a woman’s body now, he must therefore identify as a woman. though this hasn’t been explicitly confirmed in so many words, given the widespread use of feminine pronouns and the term ‘woman’, i think it’s safe to conclude this is the case for the show. and this is so contrary to the whole message the LGBT community is trying to put out.

now. i’ve heard several potential counterarguments to this, so bear with me as i go through them.

first, people say ‘but the doctor is an alien, not a human. our gender expectations don’t apply.’ true. yes. he is an alien. but is the show really about his alienness? i think you’d be hard-pressed to convince me that it is. the truth is, though it’s told through tales of distant planets and creepy aliens, it’s really a show about humanity, and always has been. doctor who has always espoused a meaningful kind of secular humanism. it’s explored what it means to be human in so many impactful ways. and it’s because the doctor looks and acts human much of the time, succumbs to human emotions and has such human flaws, that he is so relatable. yes, it’s a sci-fi show about time travel and regeneration and spaceships, but if the doctor were completely alien and had no human qualities, it wouldn’t have become such a hit. don’t try to deny that. trying to distance the doctor from humanity is a detriment, not a benefit, to the show.

and though some may argue we ought to hope for and potentially work towards a future where gender is irrelevant, the fact is in today’s society gender is exceedingly relevant. and important. transgender people and feminist movements wouldn’t exist - wouldn’t need to exist - if it weren’t.

second, i see people say ‘the doctor has no gender.’ this one admittedly really throws me. no gender? where is the evidence for that?

for one thing, what point would there be to differentiating between time lords and time ladies if gender was not of import on gallifrey?

there is also a plethora of evidence to the contrary: the doctor has in fact consistently identified as a man. starting JUST with ten:

in ‘the christmas invasion’: he says ‘same man, new face. well, new everything.’

also in tci: ‘oh, that's rude. that's the sort of man i am now, am i?

also in tci: ‘no second chances. i’m that sort of man.’

in ‘fear her’: ‘look at my manly hairy hand’

in ‘evolution of the daleks’: ‘the only man in the universe who might show you some compassion’

in ‘utopia’: ‘i was a different man back then.’

in ‘voyage of the damned’: ‘i’m the man who’s going to save your lives’

in ‘the end of time’: ‘even if i change, it feels like dying. everything i am dies. some new man goes sauntering away.’

a couple of these quotes actually indicate that he has an innate sense of being a man that transcends regeneration. depending on his current level of angst, it seems, he sees himself as a different man or the same man, but the ‘man’ part remains the same. he doesn’t say ‘person’ or ‘character’ or anything to that effect. he says ‘man.’

not to mention, the doctor consistently objects to being called a human (or martian), and corrects those who mislabel him as such, but never once objects to being called a man (which is quite often).

and just so that no one accuses me of singling out one doctor too much, here’s a quote from the first doctor from the pilot, an unearthly child: ‘i’m an old man. how can an old man like me harm any of you?’

right off the bat. the doctor has been identifying as a man for literally thousands of years.

sorry for lingering on that sub-point for a while. it’s just so mind-boggling to me because there’s so much freely available evidence to the contrary.

third, i’ve noticed there seems to be some level of collective amnesia of the backlash from when the master made a comeback as missy. given what i’ve observed of people praising the decision retroactively, no one seems to remember the fandom’s response from that revelatory episode anymore. but i remember it vividly. a number of people were furious, the trans community and its allies in particular. and this outrage returned with a vengeance when missy kissed the doctor (12) later on. though i had already given up on watching the show by then (at least as long as moffat’s hellish reign continued), the anger and frustration i was seeing really resonated with me.

i have never forgotten that, and it is undoubtedly a big part of the reason i’m so angry and frustrated now. i am at least consistent, if nothing else. but conversely, there seems to be a lack of consistency among much of the fandom, as i sense none of the widespread ire from the past making a resurgence now, and it’s unclear why. the same issues regarding gender are at play. it’s leading me to assume that many people are embracing this decision purely for perceived representation, while disregarding potential cultural issues it may raise, which i think is dangerously selfish and shallow.

3. the choice of actress.

i’m not going to pull any punches here, since i’m already putting my blog’s reputation in jeopardy by making this post at all. i don’t like jodie whittaker, specifically. i think she’s a terrible actress.

this is based purely off of watching broadchurch, because it’s the only thing i’ve seen her in. but her performance paled miserably next to david’s and olivia’s, and even some minor characters’. i mean, beth’s life thoroughly sucked, and everything in it went from bad to worse for a while, but i didn’t really care. she didn’t make me care. i think that’s a huge red flag for any actor. because, i mean, compare that to olivia’s performance. i mean, SHIT. miller made me feel things every episode. intense things. and beth didn’t. at all. ever.

so, even IF the other two issues were somehow resolved, i still wouldn’t be happy with the casting choice, because i am not at all impressed with this person’s acting ability. the doctor is a huge role. a critical one. and i’m honestly not sure what she did to earn it.

so, that’s it. it’s not every nook and cranny of my position, but it’s the gist of it.

as my final thought, i’ll reiterate what i said at the beginning, to anyone considering responding to this: hostile ad hominem responses will be resolutely ignored, but (time and volume of responses permitting) polite intellectual debate will likely be engaged. but let it be said that though i’m willing to listen to reason, it’s highly unlikely anyone will change my mind.

i don’t want this to widen the chasm between me and the fandom. i already feel so distant from it already, like i’m hanging on by a thread. in all likelihood, i won’t discuss the subject at all any more after this post, save for when responding to others’ comments or questions about it. and even then, i will do so privately whenever i can. because i really don’t want to dwell on it anymore. i’ve finally sunk myself back into ep after an extended hiatus due to surgery and work, and that’s what i’d really like to dedicate my free time to from here on out. that and my other d/r fics. that’s what makes me happy; not bickering with people who don’t agree with me.

so please! feel free not to respond to this at all. it is completely optional and even somewhat discouraged, because i am tired of thinking about it and being yelled at and insulted for it. i’d love to forget about it and move on, at least until i’m forced to confront it again this christmas. i want to get back to what my blog is all about - nine and ten’s era. david. the fun smattering of friends and parks gifs. but above all else, the doctor and rose. the couple i’ve dedicated the past four years of my life to.

no matter what happens, i’m going to stay with them. whether or not i stick around on tumblr, i’ll continue posting my fics on ao3. they’re my happy place. these characters mean the world to me. and doctor who will always be very dear to my heart, regardless of how the future of the show pans out. i hope my followers never doubt that.

#please do not reblog #negativity cw #if you don't want to see it #don't read it #i know it's long #but it's me #i'm nothing if not thorough #meta #hope i don't regret this #there's also a substantial amount of anti moffat talk in here #fair warning for that too

29 notes · View notes

andreacaskey · 5 years

Text

All This Technology is Making Us More Human

Part 2 of 2

I once had the honor of giving a TEDx Talk in San Francisco. I’ll never forget it. Even though I speak for a living, speaking at TED honestly terrified me. There’s something about the TED stage, the big ideas and the iconic personalities who have graced it over the years that has a way of grounding and even intimidating you. The experience was so powerful and life-changing, I sought to subject myself to the jitters and butterflies all over again in 2014.

In 2014, I applied for a special TED event hosted in partnership with IBM. Even though my proposals weren’t accepted, I still wanted to share them with you here after all these years.

Part 2 is below. Part 1 is published here.

Brief outline of the suggested talk (in as much detail as you feel is required):

If you look out onto the horizon, the onslaught of disruptive technology is, at face value, complicated and overwhelming. Technology is having an impact on us…as human beings and also as executives, employees, and strategists. And, we can’t overlook the result of technology’s influence on the behaviors and expectations of a new generation employees too.

But there’s hope. What’s happening now, if you can take enough of a step back to see it for its promise and potential, you’ll realize that all of the technology offers the promise of making things more human again. As crazy as that sounds, it’s simply a matter of perspective.

Why do you believe this talk would be of interest?

In my day job, I’m a digital analyst. I study the impact of disruptive technology on business. I publish research and offer help to focus and expedite digital transformation. But it is my work as a digital anthropologist that allows me to see the human side of change, which helps me pave a more meaningful path toward relevant change. I hope that this human and empathetic approach to technology is as refreshing as it is inspiring.

What is the new and tangible impact or benefit this talk will bring forward or have on the world (as much detail as you feel is required)?

Technology is part of the problem but it is also part of the solution…it’s just not “the” answer.

Existing systems and processes support business as usual. As a result, companies tend to take a technology-first approach toward employee and customer engagement without understanding behavior and psychology.

Because technology is not just affecting business, it’s changing society and how people, in their personal life, communicate, collaborate, and connect. And it’s radically different than how we learned how to work. With the rise of BYOD (bring your own device) and BYOD (bring your own disposition), employees and customers are forcing businesses to change…fast. But politics, aspirations, self-preservation and other very human behaviors form a wall of detainment.

Does management prevail? Does leadership rise?

It’s the latter.

To persevere takes vision to see what others cannot and courage to do what others cannot or will not.

But that’s why I believe this is a magical time. It’s a time when the future is unwritten and in need of visionaries who can see possibilities beyond complacency and uncertainty.

I believe that in its own way, all this technology is making us more human…or it could. We just need a different perspective.

We can learn more about people than ever before if we want to really see them for who they are, what’s important to them and who they want to be.

I hope to, if selected, help those in the audience see change for what it could be not for how they react to it today. They are the leaders of tomorrow. They are the hope for businesses to change in ways that matter. They can use technology to see people for people and to help transform some of our time’s most sophisticated technology to make businesses more human again too.

What is the “one sentence” key takeaway you want the audience to know or feel after hearing the talk?

I finally see that differences behavior, people, and what they do and why they do it as the center of my strategy…it’s more than just technology.

Bonus Question (I added this for fun): How is this talk personally or emotionally relevant to you and/or how can you make it so for the audience?

I’m inspired by putting people, you and me, as everyday human beings, back into the spotlight. Our relationship with brands has become increasingly disingenious with every tech revolution that has come along. It’s still about the funnel. I hope that it becomes about what it is that we (brand and customers) can do together.

I’ve helped businesses. I’ve watched them fail. But once I started to study digital anthropology, I have been moved, impassioned and determined to help expedite change so that the work we do tomorrow matters for our generation and the generation that follows.

If it’s one thing that I learned, and if it’s one thing that I want people to leave believing, is that change is going to happen because of them…not to them. They are the future.

Brian Solis, Author, Keynote Speaker, Futurist

Brian Solis is world-renowned digital analyst, anthropologist and futurist. He is also a sought-after keynote speaker and 8x best-selling author. In his new book, Lifescale: How to live a more creative, productive and happy life, Brian tackles the struggles of living in a world rife with constant digital distractions. His model for “Lifescaling” helps readers overcome the unforeseen consequences of living a digital life to break away from diversions, focus on what’s important, spark newfound creativity and unlock new possibilities. His previous books, X: The Experience When Business Meets Design and What’s the Future of Business explore the future of customer and user experience design and modernizing customer engagement in the four moments of truth.

Invite him to speak at your next event or bring him in to your organization to inspire colleagues, executives and boards of directors.

Follow Brian Solis!

Podcast: WTF (What’s the Future!?) Twitter: @briansolis Facebook: TheBrianSolis LinkedIn: BrianSolis Instagram: BrianSolis Pinterest: BrianSolis Youtube: BrianSolisTV Newsletter: Please Subscribe

Speaking Inquiries: Contact

Photo by Lance Anderson on Unsplash

The post All This Technology is Making Us More Human appeared first on Brian Solis.

All This Technology is Making Us More Human published first on https://likesandfollowersclub.weebly.com/

0 notes

madstars-festival · 5 years

Text

Q&A: TRES COLACION ON THE MAKING OF ‘THE BLANK EDITION’

The LA-born creative director of Impact BBDO talks about 'The Blank Edition', his upcoming move back home with Grey West, and his time in Dubai.

Last month at AD STARS, Impact BBDO won Grand Prix of the Year for ‘The Blank Edition’ – a campaign that brought about political change in Lebanon.

Creative director Tres Colacion was part of the team at Impact BBDO in Dubai that convinced An-Nahar to print an entirely blank edition of its newspaper to send a message to Lebanese politicians.

We recently caught up for a conversation with Colacion, who has been running the Mars account for Impact BBDO in Dubai for the past two years but is relocating to Los Angeles along with creative partner, Giancarlo Rodas, to join Grey West.

The Blank Edition won $10,000 at AD STARS … how will you spend the prize money?!

It’s really amazing that AD STARS can hold a festival without entry fees AND give a cash prize. So respect for that. I don’t believe we’ve ever won a cash prize before and really did not anticipate winning this so as of now there is no concrete plan on what to do with it. We’ll discuss a few different plans/initiatives internally and then decide on what to do.

How did The Blank Edition come about? Can you explain the political context in Lebanon?

Lebanon has an extremely complex power-sharing system that is the result of a very diverse populace and numerous internal conflicts. This has led to a lot of corruption and nepotism that regularly results in the Lebanese people getting short-changed by their elected representatives.

An Nahar, our client, is the nation’s leading independent newspaper. Its former editor-in-chief Gebran Tueini was actually assassinated in 2005 for his outspokenness. So it’s an institution with a long history of standing up for what’s right. The paper was tired of printing the same excuses week after week and came to us wanting to break through the clutter.

What were the client’s concerns and how did you address them?

The situation in Lebanon is not different from that all over the world. The printed press in a difficult situation. Not only do they need to deliver the hard-hitting journalism that they built their name on, but they need to navigate a world full of free “news”, paywalls and social media.

Obviously, printing a blank newspaper, including advertisements, is something that is going to have an effect on the bottom line and in times like these publishers are usually less inclined to rock the boat with advertisers. I say usually because Nayla Tueni, the paper’s editor-in-chief, didn’t flinch. She got the idea ⁠— the intention ⁠— instantly, and from there we worked together to insure that we achieved the desired intention.

Why was this campaign so close to your heart?

It’s a project that’s really close to our hearts because it something that we believe stands on the right side of history. It’s apolitical, and it has scale. It’s more than just a creative idea, it’s a tool for publishers and people the world over. Another Lebanese newspaper has already printed a “blank edition”. It’s amazing to see people adopt it and make it their own.

One of the things the AD STARS judges loved most about The Blank Edition is how you took a traditional medium and made it relevant through digital/social. Can you explain the media strategy?

We’re really interested in the intersection between the traditional and “new” media spaces. From very early on we knew that we wanted to do something that lent itself to spreading quickly and that obviously meant social.

Today everyone is a creator, a publisher. In your pocket you have all the tools you need to create content to push to the world. The front page of a national newspaper is such an iconic physical space that we knew that people would want to use it to express themselves. And that iconic physical paper and the ability to quickly create content was the perfect invitation to engage with the newspaper.

Impact BBDO Dubai also won two Gold awards at AD STARS for ‘Mutilated Words’ and ‘Toxic Flag’. Why do you think the agency has been so successful over the past year?

It’s really been a wild year for Impact BBDO. We’ve gone through a lot of changes in the last 24 months — from creative leadership to a change in MD — and I think these kinds of situations create opportunities for people to get behind good work. We made an active decision that we wanted to use this year to really leave our mark.

There’s a really right crew of people here (from creative to accounts to strategy) who just buckled down and took it upon themselves to achieve this goal. We worked together: I think we had 5 campaigns awarded at Cannes this year, all of which essentially share the same crew.

When you’re not working in Los Angeles, New York or London you need to work differently to stand out. We don’t have the same budgets or access to resources as many other agencies. We choose to do work that is provocative because by nature it elicits an opinion. If people have an opinion about your work, good or bad, I think you’re already ahead of so much of the work that we’re exposed to every day.

You’ve been at Impact BBDO Dubai since 2017. How does Dubai inspire you?

I came to Dubai a little over two years ago from London to join Impact BBDO. Dubai is a place where you have to pave your own way, that’s something that really suits my partner Giancarlo Rodas and myself. We come from the school of DIY and love to get our hands dirty. We really love being in the center of this part of the world. Our inspiration doesn’t necessarily come from Dubai as a place, but more from the people that we meet. Everyone is from somewhere else and there’s something really refreshing about that.

As a creative scene it’s very tight knit. We have friends at every agency and, although we go hard against each other at our local show, we always try to back each other on the international scene. Last year we celebrated TBWA\RAAD’s amazing performance at Cannes and this year they were the first congratulate us when won the region’s first Grand Prix. It’s a great vibe.

I run the Mars (Snickers, Twix, Galaxy, M&Ms, Extra, etc) business here with an amazing team of creative and account people.

What led you to a career in advertising, and what are your goals for the next 12 months?

I’ve had kind of an unorthodox journey. I’m from Los Angeles and studied International Relations with an emphasis in the Middle East. When I was 20 I traveled to Beirut to study Arabic and kind of just never really went back. I started throwing parties and eventually opened a nightclub with a few friends.

Through the party scene, I met a pair of ex-JWT creatives who had just opened their own agency called Interesting Times. I really had no idea about a “career in advertising” or what the job entailed, but I was sick of waking up at 2pm everyday and the next thing I know I was interviewing for a job as a copywriter. My “portfolio” was literally a collection of Facebook event pages and pictures of nights I’d done. But they hired me anyway and for that I’m eternally grateful.

I stayed there for about 5 years and left as an ACD leading on Cadillac. I spent some time freelancing in London, writing a television pilot and watching a lot of Football before taking this job in Dubai about 2 years ago.

My partner, Giancarlo Rodas, and I are moving to the US in October to take on a new challenge at Grey West in Los Angeles. We have the amazing opportunity to work with Rodrigo Jatene and Rafael Gonzaga (Corruption Detector, Colour of Corruption). We’re very excited to continue making famous, culture-bending work. For myself personally, it’s a dream homecoming after over 10 years abroad.

I love creativity because it’s taken me to literally every corner of the world. I’m just a kid from Los Angeles and somehow through a collection of amazing people, I’ve got to see the world. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.

youtube

#impactbbdo

0 notes

bluebookweb · 5 years

Text

MRM Franchise Feed: Jimboy’s Tacos Turns 65 and Dog Haus Commits to Virtual

Modern Restaurant Management (MRM) magazine's Franchise Feed offers a glimpse at what's new in the restaurant franchise environment.

Send news to Barbara Castiglia at [email protected].

Jimboy's Celebrates 65 Years

With humble beginnings as a single beach food trailer, Jimboy’s Tacos, the home of “The Original American Taco,” is celebrating its 65th anniversary by rebranding its restaurants to highlight the brand’s history—while continuing to innovate what it means to create a unique taco experience today. Founded in 1954 by Jim “Jimboy” Knudson in Lake Tahoe, California. Knudson opened up his food trailer on King’s Beach, creating tacos with fresh, premium ingredients cooked in small batches. Jimboy’s Tacos is now operating in more than 40 locations across California and Nevada. The brand recently kicked off the rebrand, which puts a modern spin on a vintage metal trailer look that truly transports customers back to the brand’s first location in 1954. Each revamped Jimboy’s Tacos counter features a photo of the first food trailer, while a large red wall details the brand’s storied history next to a black and white photo of its legendary founder.

“We’re so excited to share this time capsule that celebrates how Jimboy’s Tacos began and narrates the path of how we’ve gotten where we are today,” said CEO Robert Andersen. “We’re putting a modern twist on that original experience the Rat Pack enjoyed when they ate their tacos, and injecting the history of this great brand back into the customer experience.”

So far, nearly 20 Jimboys Tacos restaurants in the Greater Sacramento area have undergone the renovation or are in the process of reimaging, as well as four new Jimboy’s restaurants in Southern California and one new Jimboy’s in Lemmon Valley, Nevada. While menus differ slightly store-to-store, every Jimboy’s Tacos serves the Original Ground Beef Taco, featuring fresh premium ingredients in the restaurant’s signature grilled and crispy stone-ground corn shell dusted with parmesan cheese.

“Throughout our history, Jimboy’s has struck a perfect balance between celebrating ‘the good old days’ and challenging the status quo through innovation,” said Andersen. “Shining a spotlight on our history and values through this exciting rebrand is the best possible way to celebrate our milestone 65th anniversary.”

Dog Haus Goes Virtual

Dog Haus, top photo, is jumping buns-first into the virtual kitchen trend through a systemwide partnership with Kitchen United. Dog Haus is the first brand to commit to the next 25 Kitchen United locations slated to open across the nation by the end of 2020, enabling the brand to nearly double its geographic footprint in this time.

“Kitchen United’s turnkey solution enables popular restaurant brands like Dog Haus to grow by serving today’s consumer, who increasingly wants to enjoy their favorite meal outside the four walls of the restaurant,” said Anthony Green, VP of National Sales for Kitchen United. “We are thrilled to have Dog Haus partner with us as we revolutionize the off-premise experience for restaurants and their guests.”

Dog Haus will open in May at Kitchen United’s Illinois kitchen center in Chicago’s vibrant River North neighborhood and will be the first of 25 shared locations opening in 10 markets, including Atlanta, Austin, Chicago, Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, Phoenix, San Francisco and Washington, DC. Dog Haus currently has more than 30 brick-and-mortar locations nationwide and another 20-plus in development.

“We view our partnership with Kitchen United as not only an enormous growth opportunity for our brand, but as a way for us to stay on the cutting edge of the off-premise dining experience,” said Dog Haus Partner Hagop Giragossian. “We want to be a leader in the delivery space and believe that it’s important to embrace the changes happening in this part of our industry. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity for us to bring our unique chef-driven menu to current and future Dog Haus fanatics in one fell swoop, while also paving the way for us to expand our franchising reach in each of these new markets beyond the virtual kitchen sites.”

Kitchen United assists in getting food quickly to the customer through delivery or pick-up, so that Dog Haus’ main focus can be on preparing its quality food. Everything is designed to enable Dog Haus, and other participating restaurants, to create exceptional experiences for their off-premise customers.

Kitchen United also provides substantial data that allows Dog Haus to optimize its offerings within key markets, creating tailored menus to satisfy the demand in each community. With strategically located off-premise sites, Dog Haus can expand its delivery capabilities and dominate the craft casual space, contributing to its aggressive expansion and success in 2019 and beyond.

“Food delivery and pickup is a growing portion of our business because who doesn’t love enjoying a killer hot dog in the comfort of their own home?” Giragossian said. “We are confident that the gold standard we’ve established for our hot dogs, sausages and burgers will connect with consumers in each of these new markets, just as it has in our existing communities. We’re all-in with Kitchen United, and we can’t wait to grow right along with them.”

Schlotzsky’s Transformation

As Schlotzsky’s restaurants transform to Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery® this year, the brand is celebrating its roots in true Austin style. Over the course of three months, the Schlotzsky’s brand is rolling out the rebrand in all restaurants around the nation. Starting with Atlanta on April 27, the restaurant will bring its hometown tagline, “Keep Austin Weird,” to life in markets across the country. The transition marks an exciting evolution of the brand and will feature new hand crafted food and beverage offerings, an eclectic, purposeful design and a unique dining experience. Select Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery locations will also carry craft beer and wine selections and feature happy hours throughout the week.

The first Schlotzsky’s restaurant opened in Austin, Texas in 1971, serving only one sandwich – The Original® – on baked fresh from scratch sourdough bread and served on a giant Frisbee. While the Schlotzsky’s brand has since expanded its menu and added over 370 locations across the U.S., the brand credits its “Wonderfully Weird” roots and Austin’s spirit of originality as the main inspirations behind its new look and feel.

“The concept is a natural evolution of the brand, tapping into our 47-year heritage while accommodating the ever-changing consumer,” says Schlotzsky’s President Kelly Roddy. “With the new Schlotzsky’s Austin Eatery concept, we’ve combined elements from QSR, fast casual and casual to create a level of quality and guest experience that says, ‘We’re glad you’re here!’.”

To celebrate each market’s official transition, every Schlotzsky’s restaurant in the city will host a grand re-opening event complete with samples, BOGO offers and contests. Select locations will pay tribute to our baked fresh from scratch sourdough and host bread artist events featuring demonstrations, samples and more.

Roy Rogers Adds to Team

Roy Rogers® Restaurants named Frank Cleveland Senior Manager of Information Technology. Based in the company’s Frederick, Maryland, headquarters, he reports to Executive Vice President Jeremy Biser and is responsible for directing all IT operations to meet internal and external customer requirements and developing new technical solutions to meet current and future needs for the brand.

Cleveland previously worked at Marriott International as a senior infrastructure analyst overseeing maintenance and evolution of systems. He also has provided IT support to small to mid-sized companies through PB Networking LLC, a proprietary business he launched in 2011. In his new role with Roy Rogers, he will support the chain’s operations, marketing and other teams and will be responsible for all corporate IT functions and brand technology.

“We continue to invest in building a winning team and evolving the Roy Rogers brand,” said Biser. “Frank is a fantastic addition to our team and will be especially valuable in supporting initiatives such as upgrading our mobile app, testing new digital marketing strategies, enhancing our POS and back office systems, expanding online ordering, rolling out delivery and implementing a new video loss-prevention system. We’re excited to have him on-board to help ensure the success of these and future endeavors.”

Roy Rogers Restaurants celebrated its 50th anniversary with a yearlong campaign featuring baseball great Cal Ripken Jr. and a variety of thematic pricing and product promotions, charitable efforts and special events. The company is kicking off its second half century with a renewed franchise-expansion initiative supported by updates to its menu, marketing efforts, store design, vendor contracts, mobile capabilities and more. Qualified franchise investors are now being sought to develop the brand in markets throughout the MidAtlantic and Northeast. Roy Rogers currently consists of 24 company-owned restaurants and 26 franchise restaurants in six states.

Coolgreens Adds VP of Franchise Development

Kathy Davidson has joined Coolgreens' leadership team as its new VP of Franchise Development. Davidson brings nearly 10 years of foodservice franchise development experience to the role, as well as a personal dedication to the Coolgreens mission of fueling local communities with fresh and natural food.

Davidson first fell in love with the food industry in 2010 after getting tapped by Church’s Chicken to recruit general managers on a short-term contract. At the conclusion of the contract, Church’s re-hired Davidson to its franchising department. After working for a couple of years bringing new franchisees into the Church’s system, Davidson switched gears into the startup world, helping Dallas-based Cowboy Chicken build its franchise system from a few corporate stores to a national presence. After a brief stint at Fazoli’s, Davidson was approached by Coolgreens.

“I was drawn to Coolgreens because of my own personal health goals,” said Davidson. “It’s a brand for people who want to eat healthy food and treat their bodies well. I’ve found exactly what I need here. I want to take the brand all over the U.S. so that people like me don’t have to sacrifice delicious taste for good health. For me, Coolgreens is more of a mission than a job.”

Davidson loved that Coolgreens is a young lifestyle eatery that is making its mark in the franchising world. “I have an entrepreneurial spirit, and I work best in an environment that allows room for creativity and allows me to put myself fully into it—to fall in love. Coolgreens offers that opportunity,” she said.

Since launching franchising in 2017, Coolgreens has ramped up its growth goals considerably. With an initial investment of $296,732 to $482,600, Coolgreens is targeting entrepreneurial-minded business operators to grow the brand in key markets across the U.S. The brand recently signed in the greater Boston, Massachusetts area for the first time, and has kicked off construction on two upcoming restaurants in Waltham and Quincy, both of which will open in late summer. A third Boston location is currently in the works, as well as several new stores under construction in the Dallas market.

“Kathy has a passion and energy for the Coolgreens mission that will translate to a transformative period of growth for this brand,” said Coolgreens CEO Robert Lee. “As Coolgreens gears up for this expansion, our main priority is doing so smartly, based on a wealth of experience, which Kathy is uniquely positioned to provide.”

Davidson has hit the ground running since her appointment. “I’ve put together a whole new vetting process,” said Davidson. “We’re setting up a multiple touchpoint strategy and are refining our approach to prospecting. Because I’ve worked with both small brands and big brands, I can strike a balance to propel Coolgreens to the forefront of franchising enterprises.”

Cult-Fave Ike's Going National

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches, the San Francisco sandwich chain with a cult-like following, launched a national franchise program to expand the concept across the country. The brand currently has 55+ units in operation throughout California, Nevada, Arizona, along with locations opening soon in Texas.

Founded by Ike Shehadeh in 2007, the San Francisco-based concept grew to wide foodie acclaim with lines around the block and has become famous for its popular secret menu and pop culture inspired sandwich selections. Since its inception, the brand has garnered a dedicated and loyal following, offering customers over 700 different varieties of sandwiches to choose from, all of which include “Ike’s Dirty Secret Sauce,” a proprietary blend that is baked directly into the bread. Made with a choice of Dutch, French, San Francisco sourdough, whole wheat or gluten-free breads, unique sandwich combinations have included the “Menage a Trois” built with Halal chicken, barbecue and cheddar; the “Adam Richman,” created with fried chicken, ham and honey; and the vegetarian “Reading Rainbow” or “James and the Giant Peach.”

“The idea behind Ike’s Love & Sandwiches was simple – putting customers’ happiness first while celebrating their unique and individual tastes,” said Ike Shehadeh, founder of Ike’s Love & Sandwiches. “I feel truly humbled by the massive love and support Ike’s has received over the past 12 years, and now I’m excited to bring the brand into its next level of growth with the help of Fransmart. I’m extremely pleased to partner with such a reputable company to help deliver the Ike’s experience to customers across the country.”

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches has partnered with Fransmart, the industry leading franchise development company behind the explosive growth of brands like Five Guys Burgers & Fries, The Halal Guys and Qdoba Mexican Grill, to expand the brand nationwide. Fransmart provides franchise support services such as franchise sales, navigating franchising compliances, and providing guidance on legalities, locations, supply chains, hiring staff, and operations – to name just a few.

“Sandwiches are the most pervasive food in America and one of the most saturated categories in the limited-service restaurant segment. In a sea of innumerable mediocre sandwich shops, Ike’s is a unique concept with a lot of heart and an unparalleled guest experience,” said Dan Rowe, CEO of Fransmart. “We are looking to find the right franchisees who will build a great team that can organically establish Ike’s as the deserved dominant sandwich brand in their market and share the unique Ike’s experience with their communities.”

Ike’s Love & Sandwiches is currently seeking experienced multi-unit operators to join the growing brand and develop franchise territories in major markets across the country. The popular sandwich concept offers strong AUVs and ROI, a proven business model with low labor costs, and immense customer loyalty for their high-quality products.

I Heart Mac & Cheese Completes Sale of Corporate Store, Converting to Franchise Location

I Heart Mac & Cheese, sold its corporate store in Patchogue, New York, as part of a multi-year New York City development deal. A private entity will operate the Patchogue store as a franchise effective immediately and begin executing a plan to expand the I Heart Mac & Cheese brand into all five boroughs of New York City.

“Our first corporate owned restaurant in Patchogue opened in January of this year and has been performing incredibly well, creating a lot of buzz locally and generating a lot of attention from potential partners,” said Stephen Giordanella, I Heart Mac & Cheese, CEO and chairman. “By aligning with this group in Patchogue and opening I Heart Mac & Cheese locations across the five boroughs, we are able to further our mission of bringing our one-of-a-kind concept to as many people as possible.”

I Heart Mac & Cheese is well-known for custom, build-your-own macaroni and cheese bowls, grilled cheese sandwiches and salads. Guests select a pasta, bread, or salad base along with seven different proteins, vegetables, and cheeses. Gluten-free options are also available. In addition to customized options, the menu contains specialty chef items including Baked Chicken Parmesan, Baked Meatball Parmesan, The Cuban, Pepperoni Pizza, and Lobster & White Truffle Mac, among others. Side dishes include Cheesy Broccoli, Balsamic Tomatoes and Tomato Soup; desserts include Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies, Brownies, Marshmallow Treats and Caramel Cookies.

A unique franchise concept in the restaurant industry with no fryers, grease trap systems or hood systems, I Heart Mac & Cheese requires a low investment and can be opened in a small space, such as a mall kiosk or food court. Shopping malls, sports venues, areas close to colleges and universities, and high-traffic pedestrian areas are also ideal locations. With a home office in South Florida, I Heart Mac & Cheese offers franchise owner training, marketing support and ongoing development opportunities to ensure each location’s success. Just this month, I Heart Mac & Cheese was ranked by Entrepreneur Magazineas one of the top new franchise opportunities in 2019.

The first new I Heart Mac & Cheese location to open as part of this New York City development deal will come later this year in Lower Manhattan, near New York University. Several other restaurants have recently been announced as well, with upcoming openings in other areas of New York State, as well as Florida and Georgia.

JUST Egg at Bareburger and Silver Diner

JUST has partnered with Bareburger, the leader in America's "better burger" category. The plant-based, protein-packed JUST Egg is the latest addition to Bareburger’s award-winning menu, reaching all 34 U.S. locations by the end of May.

JUST’s flavorful, filling patty is available all day in the “The Wake-Up Call” and is paired with a Beyond Meat quarter pounder, American cheese, mayo and “vrioche” bun. Breakfast customers can also order the “Get On Up,” which marries JUST Egg, American cheese, home fries, guacamole, black bean salsa, baby spinach and organic garlic aioli in a flour tortilla.

“We’re always on the lookout for innovative, sustainable but above all delicious foods like JUST Egg to enhance our offerings. Vegan options at Bareburger are never an afterthought; we strive to create forward thinking plant-based dishes without sacrificing flavor. Simply put, we always want to do what feels right for our company and our guests," said Euripides Pelekanos, CEO and co-founder of Bareburger.

“Bareburger is leading the way in creating the food system of the future – one that is sustainable, healthier and most importantly, insanely delicious. They represent the kind of restaurant that we founded this company to partner with and I’m excited to try Bareburger’s JUST Egg dishes next time I’m at one of their many locations,” said Josh Tetrick, co-founder and CEO of JUST.

Crafted by Michelin-starred chefs, JUST Egg is made from the 4,400-year-old mung bean and the baked patty version used by Bareburger has more protein than conventional chicken eggs. JUST Egg is free of cholesterol, saturated fat and artificial flavoring and its ingredients require less water and emit fewer carbon emissions than chicken eggs.

The company also partnered with the Mid- Atlantic restaurant chain Silver Diner to bring the plant-based, protein-packed JUST Egg to its menuSilver Diner’s savory “JUST Egg Benedict” rolled out Thursday, April 18 at all 15 locations in Maryland, Virginia and New Jersey. The dish pairs fluffy JUST Egg with baby spinach, roasted tomatoes, chopped tempeh and smoky mayo on toasted sourdough, smothered in a silky-smooth vegan cheese sauce.

JUST Egg’s inclusion on Silver Diner’s menu — first as a benedict and a substitution for conventional eggs in other dishes — is in line with the iconic establishment’s 30-year history of keeping ahead of industry trends and listening to customer input. It’s also part of a series of menu updates that include the addition of a dozen plant-based entrees with the potential for more JUST dishes to come.

“Silver Diner has always focused serving families delicious, high-quality food and offering choices that suit a range of diets and appetites, so we’re thrilled to be among the first restaurant chains in the Mid-Atlantic to add JUST Egg to the menu,” said Silver Diner Executive Chef Ype Von Hengst. “When I tried JUST Egg for the first time, I knew it was something special and I know that many of our 75,000 weekly customers will be eager to try it.”

“Growing up in Alabama, I have fond memories of family meals with my mother and brother at our favorite local diner and I’m sure longtime fans of Silver Diner feel the same. I’m proud that JUST Egg will become part of a breakfast tradition for families in the communities that Silver Diner serves,” said Josh Tetrick, co- founder and CEO of JUST.

Del Taco's Beyond Tacos

Del Taco Restaurants announced the nationwide expansion of the company’s Beyond Tacos, offered in partnership with plant-based leader, Beyond Meat®. Beginning Thursday, April 25th, Del Taco will become the first national Mexican fast food chain to offer Beyond Meat’s 100% plant-based protein option at the company’s 580 restaurants across the country.

“After receiving overwhelmingly positive feedback from fans during our tests in various parts of the country and across social media, we knew it was time to bring our Beyond Tacos to guests nationwide,” said John Cappasola, President and Chief Executive Officer of Del Taco.

“We saw a unique opportunity to develop our own recipe in partnership with Beyond Meat, adding various spices to create a signature Del Taco taste consumers can’t get anywhere else.”

Whether guests are vegan, vegetarian or looking to reduce their meat consumption, Del Taco fans can now try the company’s new Beyond Tacos,** which offer the same amount of protein and flavor as their seasoned beef tacos, but are made with 100 percent plant-based protein.

“We are excited to partner with Del Taco as they become the first national Mexican QSR to offer a plant-based meat option on-menu,” said Ethan Brown, Beyond Meat Founder & CEO. “Our plant-based crumbles offer the delicious taste, texture and satisfaction of ground beef, while offering the added health and sustainability benefits of plant-based meat. I personally love the Beyond Avocado Taco— it’s a great way to fuel up without feeling weighed down.”

In addition to the core Beyond Taco items, Beyond Meat is also being offered as a substitute for any protein in existing Del Taco menu items, such as burritos, nachos and fries. Del Taco’s two initial Beyond Meat menu items will include:

Beyond Avocado Taco (vegan): Del Taco seasoned Beyond Meat plant-based crumbles, hand-sliced avocado, crisp lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes in a crunchy shell.

Beyond Taco (vegetarian): Del Taco seasoned Beyond Meat plant-based crumbles, hand-grated cheddar cheese, crisp lettuce and fresh diced tomatoes in a crunchy shell.

Tropical Smoothie Plans to Grow in Texas

Tropical Smoothie Cafe has aggressive franchise development plans for the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and is currently seeking qualified entrepreneurs to open new restaurants throughout the market. CEO Charles Watson, along with his leadership team, will be hosting an informative event at the franchised Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Dallas-Fort Worth, located at 760 Airport Freeway, Suite 400, Hurst, TX on Tuesday, April 16 at 6:30 pm. The event will welcome interested prospects and offer a chance to learn more about franchising opportunities with the leading fast casual brand, which has achieved compounding success and substantial nationwide growth evidenced by, among other things, increasing average unit volume across the system, recognition amongst top industry awards and seven consecutive years of positive same-store sales growth.

“In the past year alone, our aggressive expansion throughout Texas has proven to be a success, most notably with the celebration of our 700th cafe opening, located right here in Hurst,” said Charles Watson, CEO of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, LLC. “There are many opportunities for local entrepreneurs to build on the existing momentum in the local Dallas-Fort Worth market, and we’re looking forward to meeting with them in-person to talk about the tools and resources Tropical Smoothie Cafe is able to offer our franchisees that position them for success.”

The brand’s development priorities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are fueled by opportunities in the markets and the company’s continued demand for accelerated growth. Currently, franchisees operate nearly 50 Tropical Smoothie Cafe locations across the state of Texas, with 11 cafes open in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and another three expected to open in the market before the end of 2019. The Dallas-Fort Worth area offers a dynamic built-in customer base that enjoys an active and better-for-you lifestyle in flourishing local communities. In addition to Dallas-Fort Worth, the brand is continuing to aggressively develop throughout the state with franchise opportunities in Austin, Houston, and San Antonio.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe’s food and smoothie franchise system experienced an impressive surge in nationwide expansion in 2018, celebrating the opening of 110 cafes, including its milestone 700th opening, and the signing of 191 franchise agreements. With over 730 locations open nationwide, the company is looking to add qualified franchisees to its growing brand and currently has franchise opportunities throughout the U.S. Interested candidates should have business experience, along with $125,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $350,000. Candidates that meet these preliminary qualifications will need to make an initial investment ranging between $222,095 and $569,335. The franchise currently boasts an average unit volume (AUV) of more than $681,000 – the highest in the company’s 21-year-history – with the top 50 percent reporting an AUV of more than $873,000.

JustSalad Teams with Grubhub

Grubhub has an exclusive partnership with Just Salad, where diners can exclusively order delivery wraps, avocado toast, and warm bowls from more than 30 owned-and-operated Just Salad locations in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

"Delivery is a strategically important and natural extension of our business. In looking across all platforms, we recognize Grubhub is the most restaurant-centric partner, and they've already helped us drive considerable order volume on the marketplace and in our Just Salad app," stated Stephen Swartz, Just Salad's director of marketing. "Adding in the technology and agency capabilities gained by Grubhub's acquisition of LevelUp, we knew this was the best choice to further grow our business."

In addition to exclusivity on the Grubhub marketplace, Just Salad has deepened its partnership to leverage Grubhub and LevelUp's POS/ordering integration capabilities. By working with the company's ordering engine and POS system, Par Brink, orders can be sent directly to a location's kitchen, which helps manage kitchen workload, keeps menus up-to-date across channels, and increases order accuracy. Additionally, Just Salad is now able to combine order data across their LevelUp-powered app and the Grubhub marketplace into one Enterprise Dashboard, allowing their team to analyze and dive into data surrounding performance and ordering trends.

"We're excited to work even more closely with such a beloved brand like Just Salad. Partnering on an exclusive basis is an incredible opportunity for both teams to truly optimize the process across orders," said Seth Priebatsch, head of enterprise restaurants at Grubhub. "By building out the most robust partnership possible, we're able to hyper-personalize guest experiences, increase Just Salad's understanding of guest behavior, and most importantly, deliver more healthy options to more hungry people."

Online ordering and delivery from Just Salad via Grubhub and the Just Salad app is now available at select U.S. locations.

Mighty Quinn's Inks Multi-Unit Deal

Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque signed a multi-unit development agreement with franchisees Michael and Paula Dolan to open four locations in and around Queens, New York, with the first to open this year in the neighborhood of Long Island City.

Husband and wife Michael and Paula Dolan have long felt an affinity for the unifying power of food: When she was only a few years old, Paula and her family moved from New York to Italy where she spent several years around the kitchen table sampling her mother’s and northern Italian grandfather’s delectable dishes. Michael’s years-long interest in food led to the purchase of a Big Green Egg charcoal grill a few years back to allow the father-of-two to perfect his smoked creations. As the two have worked in the financial services industry over the last two decades, their love of food has remained constant. The Dolans fell in love with Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque after the flagship store opened near their then-apartment in the East Village in 2013. Drawn in initially by the exceptional quality of Mighty Quinn’s all-natural, slow-smoked meats and sumptuous side dishes, the Dolans knew that franchising with Mighty Quinn’s was the perfect opportunity thanks to the clear expertise of the BBQ brand’s leadership team comprised of co-founder Micha Magid, co-founder Christos Gourmos and pitmaster and co-founder Hugh Mangum. Now, having signed on to ultimately open four Mighty Quinn’s locations, Michael will helm the operation. The Dolans are in the process of securing real estate for their first opening in Long Island City, Queens, NY, targeted for later this year.

“Long Island City is only one stop away from Grand Central in Manhattan, and it’s the fastest growing urban community in the country. So that’s a really exciting opportunity for us,” said Michael Dolan. “Long Island City is desperate for fast-casual dining, and taking a powerful brand from Manhattan that’s rich with Manhattan culture just makes complete sense, especially with the massive development that’s taking place–both residential and commercial–in the Long Island City area. Mighty Quinn’s will be very well-received there.”

Paula Dolan also spoke to the extensive real estate development sweeping the area around Long Island City, and how this positions the Queens neighborhood as a site of growing vibrancy and demand for high-quality eats.

“A lot of new corporate development is going up in Hudson Yards and western Manhattan, which is a quick subway ride from Long Island City. Many notable real estate developers have committed to building luxury residential in Long Island City, making it a desirable place to live,” Paula Dolan said. “It is an optimal location for a Mighty Quinn’s and we know its introduction will benefit the community.”

With the Dolans leading the charge in terms of franchise development, Mighty Quinn’s corporate team is looking to add 10 to 12 additional franchised locations across New York and New Jersey by 2020 and has its sights on partnering with qualified franchise candidates across the country.

“The Dolans demonstrate exceptional business acumen and a commitment to exceeding even our highest brand standards,” said Magid. “As we continue franchising, we look forward to working with additional franchise partners who uphold our total commitment to quality and to enhancing their communities through second-to-none dining.”

The startup costs for a Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque franchise range from $498,250 to $923,000. The franchise fee is $45,000. To learn more about franchising with Mighty Quinn’s Barbeque, visit https://www.mightyquinnsfranchise.com.

Big Whiskey's Expands in Central Misssouri

Adding roots at the state capital is on the horizon for Springfield-based Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant and Bar. H2B Restaurant Group has signed-on for a single-store franchise location in Jefferson City, Missouri.

“This is really exciting for us,” exclaims co-founder and senior vice-president of operations, Paul Sundy. “Making our mark in central Missouri has been a goal for quite a while. And hey, whiskey is bound to make politics a little more fun,” jokes Sundy.

Since opening in Springfield, Missouri, in July 2006, Big Whiskey’s American Restaurant & Bar has become many things to many people. It’s a sports bar for sports enthusiasts, a whiskey bar for whiskey devotees and a friendly, relaxed atmosphere for a family night out. Big Whiskey’s Jefferson City is expected to be one of three franchise locations scheduled to open in 2019. The first of two Las Vegas franchise locations opened in February, just off Las Vegas Boulevard, and Alabamba franchise owners announced their site for the first Big Whiskey’s to be built with the new prototype design in the Birmingham area.

Locally owned and operated, Big Whiskey’s Jefferson City is tentatively scheduled to open later this summer at 627 W. McCarty Street in Jefferson City; on the east end of the former JCD building. Coined as the “River Walk” the renovated property will be home to new retail and office space in addition to the restaurant.

DQ in Charlotte

American Dairy Queen Corporation, franchisor of the DQ® brand, announced its new DQ Grill & Chill® restaurant opening in Charlotte by May 1 at 3389 Highway 48 N. The restaurant is locally owned and operated by full-time farmer Caleb Story.

Striking the perfect balance between yesterday and today, the DQ Grill & Chill® flagship concept modernizes guests’ dining experience by offering soft-serve favorites such as cones, sundaes and the signature Blizzard® Treat. DQ® fans can also enjoy made-to-order lunch and dinner options including GrillBurgers™, Chicken Strip Baskets and delicious hot sandwiches.

A welcoming environment for all, each DQ Grill & Chill® location features a modern, open-air grill, separate “Grill” and “Chill” sections, comfortable booths, large wooden tables, warm lighting and upbeat music.

“For me, the Dairy Queen® brand has always represented comfort and pure joy,” said Caleb Story. “I’m drawn to the brand because of the strong feelings it evokes, and I know my community in Charlotte will feel the same way. I’m thrilled to pursue this new venture and continue the tradition of serving great food and classic frozen treats to DQ fans for years to come.”

A local farmer in the 1,500-person city, Caleb has spent decades in the agriculture industry farming tobacco, corn, soybeans and wheat over a combined 850 acres. He’s been envisioning a career in the restaurant industry for 10-plus years and now is making his dream a reality.

“Looking deeper into the business opportunity, I was impressed by the innovative processes and systems the leadership team has in place to support my business goals,” added Story. “The training and support I’ve received thus far has exceeded my expectations, and I’m confident the ADQ team’s dedication will have a tremendous impact on my team’s success.”

ADQ has more than 7,000 locations worldwide and is initiating a plan to add more than 70 new restaurants in the United States in 2019.

Quickly growing family diner opens new restaurant in El Cajon, following Downey grand opening earlier this month

Black Bear Diner Grows

Black Bear Diner opened its newest diner in El Cajon, California. The opening marks the 64th California unit, and contributes to the company’s nationwide expansion, marking its 130th diner.

The El Cajon Black Bear Diner is located at 1025 Fletcher Pkwy. In addition to this opening, the Company has opened two other diners this month, with another one in Black Bear Diner’s home state of California and the other in Texas. The Downey, CA company-owned unit is located at7900 Florence Ave, while the Beaumont, Texas franchise-owned unit is located at 5405 Walden Rd.

“This month is very exciting for Black Bear Diner, with our continued growth in Texas as well as throughout our home state of California,” said Bruce Dean, CEO & Co-Founder of Black Bear Diner. “We are happy to serve a wide range of authentic and delicious meals and look forward to providing the highest-quality service and food to guests in El Cajon, Downey and Beaumont for years to come.”

The conpany also promoted Anita Adams to President and Chief Financial Officer and Steve Standlea to Chief Operating Officer. Both Adams and Standlea will report directly to Black Bear Diner CEO & Co-Founder Bruce Dean.

“Anita and Steve have been strong members of our leadership team and these promotions signify the importance of their leadership and vision for Black Bear Diner, as we continue to grow and expand,” said Dean. “Anita has played a strong role in growing our business beyond a traditional CFO role. She has become a trusted voice of advice and leadership to myself and others at Black Bear Diner.”

Dean continued, “Steve Standlea’s role as COO echoes his growing responsibility in our business over all aspects of operations. From training and construction to diner operations and administration, Steve plays a crucial role on our Black Bear Diner team.”

Adams joined Black Bear Diner in March 2017 as CFO. Standlea joined the company in September 2017 and most recently served as Senior Vice President Operations Support. As part of a strengthened C-suite leadership team, both individuals will focus on advising Dean and continuing to improve operations and drive sales growth.

Potbelly Sandwich Expands

Potbelly Sandwich Shop (Potbelly) opened a franchise location, in Rochester, Minnesota. It joins the 24 Potbelly locations in the state and marks the second in Rochester. Kim and Kirk Gordon, Sandy and John Rogness and Bill and Erin Nystrom, the owners of the new shop, have a combined 20 years of restaurant industry experience. Kim and Kirk Gordon also own the Potbelly Sandwich Shop on First Avenue SW in Rochester.

“We’re thrilled to add another location in Rochester with other esteemed entrepreneurs,” said Kim Gordon. “It is an honor to be able to bring our tasty sandwiches, salads, shakes and cookies to even more members of the community,” added Kirk Gordon.

“This team’s passion for what makes Potbelly so unique is truly inspiring,” said Jeff Welch, senior vice president of development for Potbelly Sandwich Shop. “We are so excited for Kim and Kirk to add another Potbelly to Rochester and with the addition of Sandy, John, Bill and Erin, we’re confident the shop will quickly become a local favorite.”

Currently, there are more than 450 corporate and franchise Potbelly shops in the United States. The brand plans to continue franchise growth in 2019 and is seeking experienced multi-unit operators who have the drive to grow a great business opportunity.

Craving Garbanzo in Creve Coeur

Garbanzo Mediterranean Fresh opened its first Creve Coeur location at 810 N. New Ballas Road. The new restaurant will kick off its grand opening festivities at 10:30 a.m. with an official ribbon-cutting ceremony hosted by Creve Coeur Mayor Barry Glantz and the Creve Coeur-Olivette Chamber of Commerce.

St. Louis natives, GARBANZO CEO James Park and Director of Marketing Devin Handler will also be in attendance along with prominent St. Louis real estate mogul and chairman of the GARBANZO board, Michael Staenberg.

The new Creve Coeur restaurant marks the second GARBANZO location in the St. Louis area, second in Missouri and 31st system-wide. True to form, Creve Coeur’s GARBANZO will exude a simple, refined fresh aesthetic and will feature brand staples like Teatulia Organic Iced Tea in the beverage station and a bakery area where guests will be able to see their pitas being lovingly kneaded, placed in the oven and puffed to perfection right before their eyes. All in a comfortable casual environment that welcomes guests to find out how delicious nutritious can be.

“St. Louis is a killer market with an incredible food scene that is often overlooked,” Park said. “From Danny Meyer and Shake Shack to world famous BBQ, a lot has originated in St. Louis and we are thrilled to join the charge. The new restaurant is in the perfect location, less than a mile east of Highway 270, we’ve hired a great team and we are looking forward to celebrating with everyone next week!”

“I’m extremely proud to bring GARBANZO’s delicious and nutritious recipes to my hometown and specifically West County,” Handler said. “We are thankful to GARBANZO fans in Clayton that welcomed our first local restaurant with open arms, enabling our expansion into Creve Coeur. Our cuisine is the kind of food that you can feed your kids without worries about preservatives, MSG or trans fats, and it caters to virtually every diet – from vegan and vegetarian to keto and meat eaters. I have no doubt that the Creve Coeur community will love GARBANZO’s scratch-made food.”

Gloria Jean's Signs Development Deal

Gloria Jean’s Coffees – U.S.A. signed a multi-unit development agreement with a new franchise partner, Raed Naser. The agreement will bring at least seven new locations to the Northwest Indiana region and parts of Southern Chicago, beginning with a drive-thru in Crown Point, Indiana slated to open in early June.

This agreement builds upon Gloria Jean’s Midwest presence where there is a growing demand for the unique coffee beverages and high-quality flavored beans the brand is known for. The largest mall-based retailer of specialty coffee in the world, Gloria Jean’s is reinvigorating its growth strategy by exploring a wider scope of real estate opportunities and pursuing middle America markets primed for the unique specialty coffee concept.

“With a refreshed brand image and four decades of experience in the specialty coffee industry, Gloria Jean’s is in growth mode and uniquely positioned to own a larger share of the segment, especially in rising suburban markets like Northwest Indiana and Southern Chicago,” said Laina Sullivan, Gloria Jean’s Coffees’ Director of Franchise Development. “We’re thrilled to welcome passionate franchise partners like Raed to the Gloria Jean’s family during this exciting brand evolution. As we pursue strategic growth outside of malls and move into regions where customer demand for exceptional specialty coffee is high, we see tremendous opportunity to introduce Gloria Jean’s to new guests around the country.”

“When searching for the perfect coffee concept to grow my franchise portfolio, Gloria Jean’s stood out in many ways including providing excellent franchise support, ongoing product innovation and creative consumer marketing,” said Naser. “The entire executive team was very hands-on during my onboarding process and worked closely with me to develop a plan that was tailored to my business goals. I’m confident that Gloria Jean’s and its unique products will do very well in Northwest Indiana where high-quality coffee experiences are lacking; and I’m especially excited to open our drive-thru location in early June.”

Serving gourmet coffee in the United States since 1979, there are currently 58 locations in operation with several scheduled to open by year’s end. Gloria Jean’s sources 100 percent of its coffees directly from exotic locations across the globe, with every bean roasted in its Southern California headquarters which includes a test kitchen for ongoing R&D and a complete roasting and processing facility managed by the company’s fulltime master roaster. The company is currently awarding area development agreements to passionate franchisees interested in growing with an established coffee concept that continues to resonate with today’s consumers. Click here to learn more about Gloria Jean’s Coffees’ franchise opportunities and what makes the brand a standout concept in the competitive specialty coffee segment.

MRM Franchise Feed: Jimboy’s Tacos Turns 65 and Dog Haus Commits to Virtual posted first on happyhourspecialsyum.blogspot.com

0 notes

richardmperry88 · 4 years

Text

15 Absolute Must-Reads for Women Working in Tech

Let’s face it, ladies. The tech industry has been a boy’s club for far too long.

But times are a-changin’!

Even though women have a long history in the industry, it’s taken decades to get a seat at the table. Today we’re developers, team leads, and CEOs. Of course, there are still miles to go in the march for equality. But with women around the world raising their voices to make tech companies more inclusive, it’s hard not to get just a teensy bit excited for the next generation of female go-getters.

If you want to be a part of this positive change — and help other women succeed alongside you — you’ll need a game plan.

We’ve got you covered.

Looking beyond Sheryl Sandburg’s Lean In (required reading for aspiring women in any field), we’ve rounded up 10 must-read books, blogs, and more for women in tech. Add these to your reading list (or blog feed) for a dose of tech news, opinions, career and leadership advice, and solidarity from women like you.

Related: The State of Women in Tech

15 Must-Reads for Women in Tech

1. Innovating Women: The Changing Face of Technology

“Where are all the women?”

This is the question technology and entrepreneurship researcher Vivek Wadhwa considered at the TechCrunch Crunchies Awards in 2009 — at the nudging of his wife, Tavinder, who was the first of the two to notice a deep gender gap at the Oscars of the tech world.

Inspired by that experience, Wadhwa joined forces with journalist Farai Chideya and set out to take a look at women in tech (and the lack thereof), the challenges they face, and why they are needed in the field in their book, Innovating Women.

Yeah, our first women-in-tech book recommendation originated with a man. But don’t worry!

Acknowledging that he wasn’t exactly qualified to speak from the heart on this issue (and wanting to avoid mansplaining), he crowdsourced funding and worked with female contributors, ranging from former Google VP Megan Smith to venture capitalists to startup CEOs to middle managers.

A collection of stories, interviews, and essays from hundreds of leaders around the world in STEM careers, the book shares the experiences of various women in technology and entrepreneurship. It’s also a book about innovation and an exploration of the most creative (female) minds in the field. It shows what women are doing to close the gender gap in the field, what contributions women are making in their fields, offers encouragement and advice to women who want to enter and succeed in tech, and shares how women tackle an unbalanced work environment.

It’s a great read if you’re looking for a feel-good book that shares inspiring stories and ideas.

2. Girl Code: Unlocking the Secrets to Success, Sanity, and Happiness for the Female Entrepreneur

If you’re a lady with an entrepreneurial itch, Girl Code is your book, whether you want to build a side hustle or the next social media empire.

But don’t read for advice on how to start up a startup or how to create and run your business — author Cara Alwill Leyba digs a little deeper into the foundations of what makes a good entrepreneur, and specifically, a good and successful female entrepreneur. She takes a look at how to build confidence, brush yourself off after failure, ignore the haters, and avoid jealousy of other people’s success.

Central to her book is the importance of women supporting other women in their goals and entrepreneurial endeavors.

“In today’s competitive marketplace, the fiercest thing a female entrepreneur can do is to support other women,” Leyba asserts.

The ultimate girl-power guide for entrepreneurs written with a “girlfriend-to-girlfriend” voice, Girl Code is full of helpful advice and support for your entrepreneurial endeavors.

DreamHost Takes Inclusivity Seriously

We regularly report on diversity, accessibility, and representation in the tech industry. Subscribe to our monthly newsletter so you never miss an article.

Sign Me Up

3. The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took Measure of the Stars

You’ve probably seen (or read) Hidden Figures, the story of the Black women who worked as “computers” for NASA, running the math that powered the first rocket launches that sent astronauts to the moon.

The Glass Universe runs in a similar vein: think ladies, space, science, and an unhealthy dose of gender bias. Author Dava Sobel highlights the sadly unknown and under-appreciated role of women in the history of science by exploring the lives and legacies of women who worked in the Harvard College Observatory in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

These students — math whizzes, astronomy buffs, physics majors — were among the few women at the time to have the opportunity to work in science and technology. Their contributions included groundbreaking work in studying, documenting, and photographing the stars in the night sky and lead to the creation of the first academic fellowships and research grants for women in the sciences.

The struggles of these women in a male-dominated field — much more lopsided than it is today — will feel familiar. But more than that, this book will make you immensely grateful for all the brave women who paved the way for your generation and mine.

4. Hardball for Women: Winning at the Game of Business

Hardball for Women is a classic — an oldie-but-goodie updated, as the newest edition boasts, for the “post-Lean In era.” This book asserts that women are not men — duh — and the rules and tactics that help a man get ahead may, sadly, be detrimental to a woman, thanks to subconscious gender biases.

For example, an assertive man may be rewarded, while an assertive woman may be considered lacking in social skills. Because advice given to and by men may not always be helpful to a woman looking to advance in her career, author Tammy Hughes tailors leadership guidance specifically for women.

While not specifically focused on technology fields, Hardball is written for women who work in male-dominated careers — or, at least, a male-dominated office. The author coaches women who want to get ahead in their careers and develop leadership skills to be aware of gender biases and how men and women behave differently in the workplace, and how to use that information to their advantage. Hughes aims to help women promote themselves and use language, verbal and nonverbal to be assertive and effective in communicating.

Overall, this book looks at the challenges men and women face in working with each other and how they can work together to create a balanced workplace culture.

5. SheGeeks.net

Tech entrepreneur and writer Corvida Raven started blogging as a 19-year-old college student and has since drawn attention (and awards) to her blog, SheGeeks.net. She’s known for blogging about social media, tech gadgets, and more — and for her trademark style of writing about tech in “plain English,” which she says draws on her days helping family members with computer problems.

For an introduction to her style and ethos, check out her post about inclusion in technology and browse around her Instagram and Twitter accounts. In 2009 Raven was named one of the 50 Most Influential Women in Technology, and she’s worked in social media and more with General Motors, FastCompany, and TED.

Check out SheGeeks for no-nonsense reviews of new technology, social media how-tos to beef up your online presence, and for easy-to-read articles you can forward to your non-techie friends (and hopefully help another woman spark interest in the field).

Related: 30 Ways to Be an Ally for Women in Tech

6. Women of Silicon Valley

Inspired by the on-the-street photos and meaningful interview snippets of Humans of New York, college student Lea Coligado set out to find the female powerbrokers of Silicon Valley.

On “Women of Silicon Valley,” hosted on both Medium and Facebook, Coligado interviews women professionals in technology, uncovering surprising anecdotes and advice — and sometimes showcasing the good, the bad, and the ugly of the real world of women in tech.

For example: Pinterest’s Tracy Chou described facing “blatant sexism . . . so outright as to be comical,” while Sara Mauskopf of Postmates described becoming the first woman at her company to have a baby: “Now that I’m pregnant, I am more driven than ever to make something of myself, if for no other reason than to prove it can be done . . . working with such awesome and supportive colleagues definitely makes my ‘trailblazing’ easier and enjoyable.”

Quick-to-read Q&A profiles are posted regularly, so be sure to look through the archives and give Women of Silicon Valley a follow — and maybe submit a friend for consideration to be featured on the blog.

7. Women in Tech: Take Your Career to the Next Level with Practical Advice and Inspiring Stories

This book starts readers off with a sad statistic: in 1984, 38 percent of computer science degrees were awarded to women. Not too shabby for the “olden days.”

But fast forward to 2010, and that number dropped to 10 percent. While other fields like law and medicine are attracting more women, the tech field, says author Tarah Wheeler Van Vlack, is failing. She blames (spoiler alert) a cultural unconscious gender bias, and sets out to do her part to make the tech industry more appealing and less mysterious for women.

Women in Tech combines practical career advice and personal stories from female entrepreneurs and tech professionals to motivate, inspire, and show women what a career in the field is like and how to succeed in it. Guest writers include Brianna Wu of Giant Spacekat and Angie Chang of Women 2.0 (another women-in-tech blog worth a follow).

Geared toward women who are considering jumping into tech, this book is a great read if you are just launching your career, or if you are looking for a boost further up the career ladder. Or you may want to get a few copies of this book to pass on to your mentees or women you want to encourage into the field. Bonus: this book started off on a Kickstarter campaign — it doesn’t get too much geekier than that!

8. The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage

Did you know that the world’s first coder was a woman?

Ada Lovelace, born in 1815, was the only legitimate daughter of the poet Lord Byron — and one of the first computer scientists. Her mother, determined to make sure Ada never became a head-in-the-clouds poet like her father, had her tutored solely and extensively in science and math.

At age 17, Lovelace teamed up with Charles Babbage and envisioned a machine that can calculate and envision anything — numbers, music, words — and she even wrote a sample computer program for it. While the machine was never built, her notes were referenced by engineers creating the first computer.

In The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage, author Sydney Padua turns Lovelace’s story into an exciting graphic novel that’s mostly accurate — well, other than envisioning an alternate ending in which the duo succeed in building their computer, which never actually happened.

This steampunk-esque novel is an adventure through the early history of modern tech — and while it takes liberties with reality (ahem), it’s filled with notes that keep you grounded in the “real” history.

Interested in a more straightforward history featuring the pioneering work of Lovelace? Walter Issacson’s The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses, and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution frames a history of the tech world with Lovelace’s story, tracing its influence to the present day.

9. Tech Diversity Files

As a woman, do you ever feel a bit out of place in so-called “tech culture”? Tech Diversity Files is a blog about inclusivity in tech hosted on Medium with a handful of contributors, all looking to expand the vision of a programmer or coder as a twenty-something white male living off Hot Pockets and foosball.

Women in the tech field might start with this article by entrepreneur, professor, and developer Rachel Thomas. The gender disparity in tech is not, she argues, a pipeline problem, but because it’s a field that can be genuinely hostile to women who make it there. She describes how she fell in love with programming — but not with “tech culture,” so much that she considered leaving the field, which “would have been devastating, but staying was tough.”

Thomas continues: “I’m not the stereotypical male programmer in his early 20s looking to ‘work hard, play hard.’ I do work hard, but I’d rather wake up early than stay up late, and I was already thinking ahead to when my husband and I would need to coordinate our schedules with daycare drop-offs and pick-ups.”

“Kegerators and ping pong tables don’t appeal to me. I’m not aggressive enough to thrive in a combative work environment. Talking to other female friends working in tech, I know that I’m not alone in my frustrations,” Thomas says.

Check out Thomas’s article for stats, problems, and solutions for both men and women to help close the gap — and make sure to poke around and follow the rest of Tech Diversity Files for conversation and stories about inclusivity in tech.

Related: 3 Ways to Debug Tech’s Diversity Gap

10. Recode.net

Where do you go for the latest in tech news? Mashable, Gizmodo, and Wired are great sources — and regularly tackle issues of gender and inclusivity in the field, and they feature female writers and bloggers.

But if you haven’t already, add Recode.net to your list.

While not specifically geared just for women, its founder and executive editor, Kara Swisher, is a powerhouse woman in the tech world. Swisher is a longtime tech journalist who previously wrote articles and a tech column for the Wall Street Journal. After leaving the Wall Street Journal, Swisher founded Recode as a source for tech news.

She’s the tech writer most followed by other US techies, so adding her work to your regular reading list would put you in good company. And while not technically the written word, don’t forget to check out Swisher’s podcast, Recode Decode, for more news, interviews, and discussion.

11. Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change

In 2012, Tawainese-American investor and activist Ellen Pao sued Kleiner Perkins, the then-leading Silicon Valley venture capital firm, in a gender discrimination lawsuit. In the lawsuit, she called out her former employer for workplace discrimination and retaliation against women and other minority groups. Pao tells her powerful story in Reset: My Fight for Inclusion and Lasting Change, shining a light on the homogeneity issues in the tech industry.

As the former interim CEO of Reddit, Pao is also credited for forcefully trying to change the company’s status quo, banning revenge porn and unauthorized nude photos on the social platform and shutting down parts of Reddit over online harassment.

Not only that, Pao helped found Project Include, an award-winning nonprofit aimed at promoting more diversity and inclusion in tech. Named “the face of change” by Time magazine, Pao is an author to follow if you want ideas on how to build a more inclusive future in Silicon Valley (and beyond).

Related: The State of Women in Tech

12. Pivot: The Only Move That Matters is Your Next One

If you’re thinking about taking on a new role at your company or maybe even considering an entirely different career path, pick up Jenny Blake’s Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One.

A former career development program manager at Google, Blake uses the Pivot Method to show you how to find new opportunities and use what’s already working for you to guide your next career move.

Want to eventually be your own boss? This book will guide you in transitioning from your current gig to a new, more adventurous opportunity — as long as you’re willing to pivot.

Winner of the Axiom Best Business Books award in the careers category, Pivot led to the Pivot Podcast, listed by CNBC as a top career advice podcast and named one of the top 20 female-hosted business podcasts by Entrepreneur. These days on the podcast, you can find Blake chatting about the COVID-19 crisis in the series “Pivoting Around a Pandemic.”

13. STEMinist.com

Created by software developer Ann Hoang in 2010, STEMinist.com features profiles on women in — you guessed it — Science, Tech, Engineering, and Math. After reading an editorial in Glamour magazine in 1997 entitled “Women, wake up about computers!”, then 21-year-old Hoang registered for Computer Science 101 and taught herself how to build a website.

The intersection of social justice and tech inspired Hoang to take action — STEMinist aggregates stories of women in STEM with the hopes to “increase the visibility of women in STEM; promote and elevate the perspective of women in these traditionally underrepresented fields; encourage younger women and girls to pursue careers in STEM; capture a social media snapshot of what’s trending for women in STEM.”

Although there hasn’t been a new STEMinist profile in a couple of years, it’s still easy to get lost in the multitude of fascinating and insightful interviews with women from all over the country. Featuring everyone from student researchers to data scientists to engineers and entrepreneurs, these profiles highlight women’s top accomplishments, biggest inspirations, advice for future STEMinists, and lots more.

14. BlackWomenTalkTech.com

Black Women Talk Tech was founded in 2017 by Fundr co-founder Lauren Washington, Nexstar co-founder Esosa Ighodaro, and TresseNoire co-founder Regina Gwynn — with the simple goal of connecting Black women in tech. With more than 500 founders of business and tech companies and 10 chapters of national and international “mastermind groups,” this organization actively works to provide Black women the knowledge and tools it takes to build big-business brands.

“Black Women Talk Tech is a collective of Black women tech founders who have a unique understanding of the challenges we face and the advantages we bring in the industry. We’re here to identify, support, and encourage Black women to build the next billion-dollar business.”

Through a variety of events and initiatives, Black Women Talk Tech focuses on supporting Black entrepreneurs looking to grow in tech. In February, they held an immersive three-day conference called “Roadmap to Billions” and are currently offering COVID-19 resources and a relief fund for founders.

Related: What it’s Like to Be a Black Woman in Tech — Q&A with Kaya Thomas

15. Women of Color in Tech: A Blueprint for Inspiring and Mentoring the Next Generation of Technology Innovators

It’s no secret: There needs to be more diversity in tech. In Women of Color in Tech, Susanne Tedrick offers practical advice and inspiring stories that will help you develop the tools and mindset you need if you’re a woman of color — whether you’re simply considering working in the industry for the first time or struggling to get ahead.

By breaking down specific issues that may be challenging for BIPOC women, Tedrick proves that today’s tech careers can be fun — and aren’t limited to coding jobs — if you are able to build a professional network of reliable mentors who understand your goals and struggles. With the right guidance and support, it’s possible to overcome the obstacles that often prevent women of color from pursuing (and sticking with) careers in tech.

Aimed specifically at BIPOC women, this book has great advice for female innovators looking to take their career to the next level. With the right communication, public speaking, and networking skills, Tedrick argues it’s possible to break through barriers and build a rewarding future in tech.

Honorable Mentions

Hungry for even more reads, digital or otherwise? Check these out!

The Secret Loves of Geek Girls: A graphic novel anthology (including contributions from Margaret Atwood and Trina Robbins) about the passions, plights, and love lives of geeky girls who code.

Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy: After the unexpected loss of her husband, Sheryl Sandburg, Facebook COO and author of Lean In, explains how to develop resilience in the face of difficult times.

Melinda Gates on Medium: Melinda Gates, wife of Microsoft guru Bill Gates, focuses her philanthropy (and her blogging) on girl power. Start with her post on five badass women of science.

Femgineer: The blog and digital innovation education platform created by Poornima Vijayashanker, a Mint.com founding engineer, to help techie entrepreneurs from all backgrounds build companies and products.

— Reporting by Sara Atwood and Ellice Soliven

The post 15 Absolute Must-Reads for Women Working in Tech appeared first on Website Guides, Tips and Knowledge.

from Website Guides, Tips and Knowledge https://www.dreamhost.com/blog/must-reads-for-women-in-tech/

0 notes

cathrynstreich · 4 years

Text

Fathom Realty: The Next Evolution of Real Estate Brokerage Copy

Editor’s Note: This is the cover story in the July 2020 issue of RISMedia’s Real Estate magazine. Subscribe today. Founder and CEO Joshua Harley continues to innovate and disrupt the status quo The next evolution of real estate brokerage has arrived. Leading the charge is Joshua Harley, founder and CEO of Fathom Realty—a cloud-based, technology-driven, full-service real estate brokerage, now operating in 24 states. Constantly looking for new ways to innovate and disrupt the status quo, Harley has been perfecting the non-traditional business model for over a decade. What began with a vision to provide agents with the greatest value in the industry has grown into an agent-centric brokerage with a primary focus on serving agents and helping them grow their business while providing the industry’s best commission splits, technology and training, as well as the highest level of support. Having closed nearly 18,000 transactions in 2019 alone, Fathom is poised for significant growth—and continued success—as the future unfolds. Paving the way is their decision to go public in 2020, which will position Fathom as the first 100-percent commission, transaction-fee, non-traditional brokerage to go public on the NASDAQ.

A Powerful Leadership Concept At the center of Fathom’s business model is a servant leadership philosophy that Harley and his entire management team aspire to on a day-to-day basis.

“There’s an age-old saying that we subscribe to, which states that ‘whoever wants to be great, must first become a servant to all,'” explains Harley. “This speaks to servant leadership long before it was ever a catchphrase, and it’s also one of the most powerful leadership concepts in business once you understand why it matters and how it works.”

Deeply ingrained in Fathom’s culture, it’s more than just a core value. It’s a way of life.

“The culture at Fathom is all about servant leadership, and I love that,” says Chief Brokerage Operations Officer Samantha Giuggio. “It’s a catchphrase we hear so often, but what makes it unique at Fathom is that it’s not just a term. Everything we do at the company is focused on the agent and, more importantly, serving the agent at the highest level possible.”

While many companies focus their efforts on recruiting or even their brand, Fathom has turned the narrative upside down—placing the agent at the center of everything. With 4,000-plus agents, this is no easy feat, but by changing the focus, something important has happened.

“By personally helping each agent be their best, Fathom, as a whole, closes more transactions, generates more revenue and attracts more agents,” says Harley, who applies this same principle to his own leadership style.

“Fathom is not about me, which is why I didn’t name the company after myself,” says Harley, who goes on to explain that his role is to serve and inspire each and every leader to be the best versions of themselves. “I strive to be a servant-leader who our agents can look to and say without question that I care about them and place their needs first.”

“We’ve all heard that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care, and I genuinely believe that this is at the heart of servant leadership,” says Giuggio.

Embracing an Entrepreneurial Mindset To truly excel in a non-traditional business model like the one Fathom offers, an entrepreneurial mindset is essential.

True entrepreneurs like Giuggio—who joined Fathom as an agent back in 2010—are attracted to the brand for a variety of reasons. Topping the list? Agents who join the company have the flexibility to be creative when building their brand and growing their business, driving the process in their own unique way.

“As an entrepreneur, I knew that I needed to invest in myself,” says Giuggio, who explains that she started at Fathom for the commission, but ultimately stayed for the culture.

“Once I joined Fathom, I was able to reinvest in my own business, and was thankful for how quickly my business grew,” she adds. Today, Giuggio oversees the state brokers, local market leaders, brokerage operations, training and agent services. As a member of Fathom’s executive team, she is passionate about helping real estate professionals get acclimated with the systems and technology they have access to.

At the center of it all is IntelliAgent, a proprietary technology platform that has been customized to enhance the business so that agents can grow along with it.

“I’m a licensed agent myself, so I try to stay connected with our agents in order to understand how real estate is being conducted, as well as their likes and dislikes,” says Giuggio. “This enables us to grow and expand on things in order to add value to our agents, which is at the heart of having our own proprietary technology.”

Embracing the entrepreneurial mindset even further, Fathom encourages agents to take an active role in building their own personal brand.

“Having the mindset of being a business owner as an independent agent, who partners with the right broker who can support them, is what we’re all about at Fathom,” says Chief Brand Officer Wendy Forsythe.

To that end, balancing the brokerage brand with the agent’s personal brand is mission critical given the evolution within the industry that has placed the agent’s brand front and center among consumers looking for a real estate professional to help guide them through the home-buying or -selling process.

“The advent of social marketing and what we can do online has changed how agents approach the need to build their own personal brand,” explains Forsythe, “and it’s our belief that it’s important for the brokerage to embrace that need in the market.”

Building a Profitable Business As the real estate industry continues to change and evolve, so too, does the traditional brokerage model, which has set the stage for the dramatic growth of Fathom’s 100-percent commission, transaction-fee business model.

In fact, Fathom’s agents enjoy a higher net income through the brokerage’s flat-fee-based commission splits, allowing them to invest more money into growing their business.

“With our commission model, our agents are able to build a more profitable business, as they’re allowed to keep the highest percentage of their commission possible without sacrificing support, technology or training,” says Harley.

By simply joining Fathom, agents who move over from a traditional brand stand to increase their income by over 30 percent, on average, through their commission savings.

“Even in a down market and selling 20 percent fewer homes, an agent who moves over can net 10 percent more income than they did previously,” explains Harley, “which can be life-changing for some agents.”

“In the past, the cost of the broker providing facilities, training and marketing was very different than it is today, and the traditional broker split model reflects that,” says Forsythe.

“By leveraging technology and developing virtual best practices, we’ve been able to take all of the costs that a traditional broker puts into services and facilities that agents don’t use, and put them back into the pockets of agents,” adds Forsythe. “This allows us to support them on their quest to become better entrepreneurs and run a better business so that they can grow their income—and, in turn, their bottom line.”

Officially joining Fathom earlier this year, Forsythe has been a career real estate professional, but her interest in non-traditional business models was piqued when she experienced first-hand the challenges associated with operating a traditional brokerage in a down market.

“I thought there must be a better way for brokerages to be profitable and provide a value proposition to agents that makes sense and is adaptive to the way in which technology, marketing and training have changed,” adds Forsythe. “And that’s where the Fathom business model is, and why I believe it makes sense for today…and the future.”

Living in a Virtual World With a decade of experience operating in a virtual capacity, Fathom has been at the forefront of the evolving shift from brick-and-mortar operations to a more mobile work environment that emphasizes the need for real estate professionals to be out in the field and face-to-face with clients and prospects.

And while no one could have predicted what 2020 would bring, the premise that Fathom was built on allowed the brokerage to be in the best position possible to navigate the challenges associated with the current coronavirus pandemic without missing a beat.

“When the effects of COVID-19 began to take hold on the country and businesses across the board began to shut their doors temporarily, many traditional brokers had to scramble to figure out how to conduct business with a workforce that was no longer in the office,” says Forsythe.

But business continued without interruption at Fathom brokerages, which operate in 24 states today.

“None of our agents experienced a disruption in how Fathom supported their business, which they were very appreciative of—as were we,” adds Forsythe.

While the benefits of a virtual brokerage abound, Harley underscores the importance of bringing agents together on a regular basis for in-person training and social events.

“Companies that are virtual and do not subscribe to building personal relationships will suffer from a lack of culture and higher agent turnover,” says Harley. “That said, being virtual allows us to build a financially solid business.”

Offices typically equate to one of the highest costs for any real estate company, if not the highest cost, and so the difference between having an office or not can be the ultimate differentiator when it comes to a brokerage being profitable or not.

Closing nearly 18,000 transactions with fewer than 25 staff between the brokerage operations and accounting teams in 2019, Fathom takes pride in operational efficiency.

The key to operating efficiently as the brokerage business continues to change, according to Giuggio, is a knowledge of both your customer and your product, in addition to managing change and making sure the correct people are in place to uphold the values upon which the brand was built.

Fathom’s National Leadership Team pictured at their annual Leadership Conference in November 2019.

Looking Toward the Future Having experienced rampant growth over the course of the last decade, the future is looking brighter than ever for Fathom, as agents continue to embrace the non-traditional brokerage concept.

“We’re changing lives,” says Giuggio, who notes that her favorite part of her job is seeing the impact that Fathom has made on others’ lives.

“Dealing with the hypergrowth that we’ve been blessed to experience has taught me many things, the most important being that change is constant,” adds Giuggio. “Fostering that culture so that people aren’t afraid of it is critical.”

Anticipating a high level of consolidation in the industry, Forsythe points to mergers and acquisitions as a key component of the brand’s growth strategy moving forward.

“There are a lot of smaller independent brokerages today that aren’t big enough to leverage the economic elements that result in profitability,” says Forsythe. “We can attract these brokerage owners to Fathom as a leader in the market and take the operational burden off their shoulders so they can focus on working with their agents, helping them grow their business and get transactions done.”

And in true Fathom fashion, agents will be a key resource, thanks in large part to Fathom’s unique stock program. Giving agents stock in Fathom for more than three years, the program provides agents the opportunity to own a piece of the future by earning stock grants for every agent they refer and every sale they close.

“We recognize that our agents are why we exist,” says Harley. “While the majority of our revenue is generated from our agents’ activity, more than 50 percent of our agent growth is from our agents referring other agents, so they deserve to take part in our mutual success—and that can happen best through ownership.”

The firm’s rapid growth has also fueled the decision to go public.

“We’ve spent 18-plus months preparing Fathom to go public on the NASDAQ,” says Harley. “We’re watching the market closely, and it’s our goal to go public this year.”

For more information, please visit www.fathomrealty.com. Paige Tepping is RISMedia’s managing editor. Email her your real estate news ideas to [email protected].

The post Fathom Realty: The Next Evolution of Real Estate Brokerage Copy appeared first on RISMedia.

Fathom Realty: The Next Evolution of Real Estate Brokerage Copy published first on https://thegardenresidences.tumblr.com/

0 notes

samuelpboswell · 4 years

Text

B2B Brands Take a Stand: 5 Examples of Going Beyond Words to Action

It’s never been more important for brands to show purpose and to be connected to what’s important to customers. As our CEO Lee Odden recently observed in Marketers: We Can Do Better Than Words with Action, "We can all agree that there has to be a change and that we can all play a part in some way, large or small," a call to action that is being taken to heart by individuals and brands alike. Here are 5 examples of B2B brands making a difference today by going beyond words and taking action.

1 - Microsoft United For Change

Microsoft’s “United for Change” initiative was announced by company CEO Satya Nadella in an email to the firm’s employees, also made public in a post on its LinkedIn* page. “We all have a role to play. I will do the work. The company will do the work. I am asking each of you to do the work. And together, we will help make the difference we want to see in the world,” Nadella said, while offering solidarity and quarter million dollar donations to the Minnesota Freedom Fund, the Black Lives Matter Foundation, the Equal Justice Initiative, the Innocence Project, The Leadership Conference, and the NAACP Legal Defense & Education Fund. “We have to act. And our actions must reflect the values of our company and be directly informed by the needs of the Black and African American community,” Nadella urged. Microsoft has also publicly taken a stand and shared its purpose on the global health crisis front, from an extensive COVID-19 response resource page detailing numerous ways the company is taking action facing the pandemic, to special messaging on its social media profiles. “At Microsoft, we’re working to do our part by ensuring the safety of our employees, striving to protect the health and well-being of the communities in which we operate, and providing technology, tips, and resources to our customers to help them do their best work while remote,” the company shared front-and-center on its LinkedIn profile. Microsoft turned its pandemic-shuttered headquarters Commons dining facilities and re-purposed them into a hub that’s now made over 120,000 lunches for kids and families through programs including the Boys and Girls Clubs, YMCA, Hopelink, and Northwest Harvest — a move that also helps support the firm’s many local growers and food suppliers, using up to 65 Microsoft volunteers daily. Microsoft-owned LinkedIn also issued a strong statement of support for those calling for change, and followed up with action by making a series of LinkedIn Learning courses on diversity and inclusion available for free. The company is also sharing perspectives from Black employees on its various social media profiles, stating “Being a strong ally begins with listening, so we are sharing stories to amplify perspectives from the Black community.” [bctt tweet="“We have to act. And our actions must reflect the values of our company and be directly informed by the needs of the Black and African American community.” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella @satyanadella" username="toprank"]

2 - IBM Emb(race)

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna sent a letter to Congress on June 8th with a strongly worded offer to work with the Senate and House of Representatives on three key policy areas:

Police reform

Responsible technology policies

Expanding opportunities

The last two are particularly noteworthy. IBM was involved in the development of facial recognition and analysis software, but as Krishna notes, is no longer offering that technology. He states, “IBM firmly opposes and will not condone uses of any technology, including facial recognition technology offered by other vendors, for mass surveillance, racial profiling, violations of basic human rights or freedoms, or any purpose which is not consistent with our values and Principals of Trust and Transparency.” Additionally, he calls for a national dialogue on whether or how the technology should be used by law enforcement and calls for advancement of technology that “brings greater transparency and accountability to policing such as body camera and modern data analytics techniques.” Finally, Krishna urges Congress to support training and education in “new collar” jobs that require specialized skills, but not necessarily a traditional 4-year college degree. He provides as an example P-Tech, a grade 9-14 model developed by IBM, currently at work in 220 schools serving some 150,000 students.

3 - Dropbox Black Lives Matter

Dropbox CEO Drew Houston donated $500,000 to the Black Lives Matter Foundation, praising that organization’s “direct work to eliminate violence and systemic violence against Black people.” He also pledged to match every donation made by a Dropboxer in June to the BLM Foundation, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and the National Urban League. Dropbox has held Town Halls to address issues of racial inequality, and to explore actionable ways individuals can be part of a solution. The company also took a half day pause on June 5th so employees could volunteer, read, and reflect on recent events.

4 - HP Leading With Values

HP has offered up a number of initiatives that focus on turning listening efforts into action for the entirety of the organization, and has also explored how companies can best take this opportunity to build sustainable and scalable future movements. "Don't mistake good communication for action," Karen Kahn, HP's chief brand and communications officer recently said. "There is a really big difference. Writing well on behalf of our companies and executives is very different from corporate policies, procedures and actions on behalf of our brands," Kahn observed. Kahn and Lesley Slaton Brown, HP's chief diversity officer, explored a variety of ways HP is going beyond communication into the realm of action in a recent hour-plus interview with Aarti Shah, executive editor at Provoke.

youtube

By opening up the core values of the company, HP reminds both employees and customers what the company stands for — at a time today when brand purpose is likely more vital than ever before. [bctt tweet="“Don't mistake good communication for action. There is a really big difference.” Karen Kahn of @HP" username="toprank"]

5 - Citrix

In addition to a variety of diversity programs outlined recently by CEO David J. Henshall and on the firm's "You Belong at Citrix" page, Citrix has presented a multi-tiered approach to taking action in light of the global health crisis, including $17 million to support communities, doubling up on the company's employee matching charitable donations to COVID-19 related causes, and two new paid days off annually for employees to volunteer and the non-profit of their choice, including new virtual volunteering options. During the pandemic Citrix has also expanded its partnership with the Girls Who Code program, including matching donations from employees, customers, and other partners in an effort to continue paving the way to a more equal and empowered future for the project, with new "Code at Home" activities for millions of students and educators while schools remain closed. Citrix's COVID-19 resource page includes statements from Henshall, plus a variety of helpful resources for customers wishing to take action.

B2B Brands Benefit From Showing Purpose Now More Than Ever

Now more than ever it's important for brands to have and actionably demonstrate purpose, and to be connected to what’s important to customers. The examples we've looked at from Microsoft, IBM, Dropbox, HP, and Citrix show a small sample of how brands are going beyond words and taking action, and we hope they will serve to inspire you to move beyond words in both your professional and personal lives. * LinkedIn is a TopRank Marketing client.

The post B2B Brands Take a Stand: 5 Examples of Going Beyond Words to Action appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

from The SEO Advantages http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/OnlineMarketingSEOBlog/~3/MywnhoqvVxY/

0 notes

ralphlayton · 4 years

Text

B2B Brands Take a Stand: 5 Examples of Going Beyond Words to Action

1 - Microsoft United For Change

2 - IBM Emb(race)

IBM CEO Arvind Krishna sent a letter to Congress on June 8th with a strongly worded offer to work with the Senate and House of Representatives on three key policy areas:

Police reform

Responsible technology policies

Expanding opportunities

3 - Dropbox Black Lives Matter

4 - HP Leading With Values

youtube

5 - Citrix

In addition to a variety of diversity programs outlined recently by CEO David J. Henshall and on the firm's "You Below at Citrix" page, Citrix has presented a multi-tiered approach to taking action in light of the global health crisis, including $17 million to support communities, doubling up on the company's employee matching charitable donations to COVID-19 related causes, and two new paid days off annually for employees to volunteer and the non-profit of their choice, including new virtual volunteering options. During the pandemic Citrix has also expanded its partnership with the Girls Who Code program, including matching donations from employees, customers, and other partners in an effort to continue paving the way to a more equal and empowered future for the project, with new "Code at Home" activities for millions of students and educators while schools remain closed. Citrix's COVID-19 resource page includes statements from Henshall, plus a variety of helpful resources for customers wishing to take action.

B2B Brands Benefit From Showing Purpose Now More Than Ever

The post B2B Brands Take a Stand: 5 Examples of Going Beyond Words to Action appeared first on Online Marketing Blog - TopRank®.

B2B Brands Take a Stand: 5 Examples of Going Beyond Words to Action published first on yhttps://improfitninja.blogspot.com/

0 notes

hectorpeoples · 4 years

Text

7 Steps to Create a Personal Brand Concept

Do you want to make a name for yourself? Then creating a personal brand is the direction you should take. Of course, this is more easily said than done. You’ve probably thought about million ways that can help you out, but it’s not that easy to decide which ones will be effective.

Any type of idea, plan, or achievement starts from a concept. A well-designed concept can flawlessly lead you through the process of personal branding.

Why You Need Personal Branding?

The competitive job industry demands that you stand out in the crowd. Building a strong personal brand can help you prove that you are worthy of the employer’s time and trust.

The way you present yourself is the funnel that will take you to new business opportunities.

If you are a freelancer or an entrepreneur, you are probably aware of the competition that is affecting the job possibilities.

Upwork, one of the biggest online job marketplaces, has conducted a study which showed that the freelance workforce is growing at a fast rate and it is 3x faster than the overall workforce in the U.S. By 2027, it is expected that freelancers make up the majority of the U.S. workforce.

This tells you enough about the growing competition in the world of business.

You can be a rare talent with incredible ideas, but if you don’t know how to attract the employers’ or investors’ attention, you won’t be able to show your expertise in the act.

That is where personal branding steps onto the scene. Its purpose is to help you set your goals, distinguish you from others, and make a lasting impression.

“Having a personal brand is important for an entrepreneur because now more than ever, it’s important for CEOs and founders of companies/brands to come out to the forefront and connect with their audiences. People connect with people,“ explain Kevin Stimpson, an expert in personal branding.

If you are ready to pave your way to success through personal branding, here are some essential steps you need to take.

1. Find Your Passion

When you think about all the successful people who established a personal brand like Elon Musk, Arianna Huffington, or Gary Vaynerchuck to name a few, which feature do they share? Passion for what they do.

Any person that we admire amazes us with a passion that led them to success.

Potential employers or investors value passion as one of the key elements for successful cooperation and thriving in the industry.

You need to find your passion and use it as a basis for personal branding.

2. Discover What Makes You Unique

Another basis of personal branding is authenticity. Without it, you’ll have nothing to brand.

Therefore, to create a personal brand concept you need to discover and define what makes you different.

Despite some opinions, you don’t need to create a persona. What you need is to find within your originality that you want to present to others.

Don’t try to present yourself as someone you are not. Take your skills, values, and beliefs and try to single out all characteristics and experiences that make you unique.

3. Do Some Research

Whenever you are starting some new project, such as creating a concept for your personal brand, collecting information is a necessity.

You need to be informed about your industry, changes and developments, influential people, and competitors. Absorbing all that information can give you a better representation of how you should form your personal brand.

Do some digging into different niches and try to find the one that fits you best. Adam Smiley Poswolsky, a workplace expert and an author of The Breakthrough Speaker gives some insight into how to find a specific niche: “Carve a niche and then carve a niche within your niche. The best personal brands are very specific.”

4. Define Your Message.

Personal brands demand that you have a message to spread to your target audience. The message needs to be innovative, informative, inspiring, and motivating.

This can be one of the most difficult tasks in the process of creating a personal brand concept. That is exactly why you need to pay special attention to it.

“All the important figures who are successful in personal branding know how to attract and retain people’s attention with a strong message. Your message needs to exude with leadership, trust, and authority to make an impact. Use that as the foundation and inspiration while creating your message,” states Patricia O’Connell, a marketer and personal branding expert at Best Essay Education.

5. Find Your Media

You need to find channels that can help you communicate your personal brand. The modalities you choose will depend on how you want to present yourself.

Start by thinking whose attention you want to reach. Then, identify where your target audience gets together. Is it a certain social media platform, group, podcast, or a blog?

The channels they use to get information should be your channels for promotion.

Besides using social media (which is inevitable) try to get yourself featured in relevant blogs, radio, podcasts, or even magazines.

6. Be Consistent

Whether it is your unique quality, your passion, or your message, you need to be consistent with it.

If you share one message and opinion one day and you express a completely different one another day, you’ll have your followers confused.

You need to have a focus on the whole branding process. Focus on a specific message. Focus on a specific talent. And focus on a specific target audience.

Experts agree that consistency matters. Here’s what Juan Felipe Campos (VP of tech and partner at Manos Accelerator) has to say about it: “Keep your message and content consistent to one niche topic to become memorable within a targeted community.”

7. Put It All on Paper

Once you’ve defined the elements of your personal brand, it is time to see what you’ve got.

You’ll see that some ideas might sound confusing or ridiculous when you write them down, while others can stand out as a potential key message.

A useful trick that you can apply is to perfect your concept and then get it revised. If you look at poorly written ideas you might cast away some great thoughts. What can help you out is using writing services like Trust My Paper or Studicus.

Polish up your ideas quickly and professionally, before you give it a second look and make a final decision about the direction of your personal branding.

Some Final Thoughts

There is one simple thought that you should keep in mind at all times. You can’t have a personal brand without passion, uniqueness, strong message, platforms for distribution of the message, and consistency. These are the elements that must find its place on your checklist.

Working on your personal branding concept is a road you need to take to capture who you are and what you can contribute to the community. Lastly, don’t be scared to step out of your comfort zone, because that’s the only way you can succeed.

7 Steps to Create a Personal Brand Concept Posted first on https://www.creactiveinc.com 7 Steps to Create a Personal Brand Concept posted first on https://www.creactiveinc.com

0 notes

marcusssanderson · 5 years

Text

40 Elon Musk Quotes On Success & The Future of Space

Our latest collection of insightful Elon Musk quotes that will inspire you to live with power.

Elon Musk’s massive success has spanned products, online payment systems, electric cars, energy production and now space adventure. Musk is an icon for start-up success and is paving the way for a new innovative future for social entrepreneurs.

We have had a great time searching the web for some of our favorite Elon Musk quotes and wanted to provide a wide range of insights from one of the worlds most influential billionaires. Elon is defiantly Living with Power!

A Few of Elon’s Accomplishments

Elon Musk is an entrepreneur with a massive edge. At 23, he founded Zip2, his first company and sold it for $300,000,000. From the sale of Zip2, he used $10 000 000 to fund, create and launch Paypal.

SolarCity was the next company he created for the purpose of making solar energy more affordable. Besides, Elon is the founder of SpaceX and co-founder of Tesla Motors, who are driven to make inexpensive (relatively inexpensive, of course) electric cars.

To inspire your success and happiness, below is our collection of inspirational, wise, and thought-provoking Elon Musk quotes and sayings, collected from a variety of sources over the years.

Elon Musk Quotes and Life Lessons About Impact, Innovation and Success

1.) “Failure is an option here. If things are not failing, you are not innovating enough.” – Elon Musk

Elon is defiantly not afraid to fail. With his companies almost going bankrupt in the past, it has caused him to re-evaluate, re-launch and come back 10X stronger.

2.) “If something is important enough, even if the odds are against you, you should still do it.” – Elon Musk

Don’t focus on the odds, focus on what gives you and your life some meaning. Odds are meant to be defied.

3.) “(Physics is) a good framework for thinking. … Boil things down to their fundamental truths and reason up from there.” – Elon Musk

Start with the basics and build from there. You can’t master something by overlooking the fundamentals.

4.) “Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.” – Elon Musk

Focus on who you are and what your creating. Your brand will follow.

5.) “The first step is to establish that something is possible; then – probability will occur.” – Elon Musk

Whether it’s through science, logic or imagination – decide it’s possible. Once you do that, you’ve already increased the odds of the desired outcome.

6.) “You want to be extra rigorous about making the best possible thing you can. Find everything that’s wrong with it and fix it. Seek negative feedback, particularly from friends.” – Elon Musk

Real friends who have your best interest at heart are not giving you negative feedback to crush your dream. Use it to correct the flaws and come back stronger.

7.) “It’s OK to have your eggs in one basket as long as you control what happens to that basket.” – Elon Musk

Yes it might be scary, but if you want something great to happen you have to go ALL IN! In our gut, we know when we are fully committed and when we are not. Don’t just focus on the result, focus on aligning your actions so that each task completed moves you one step closer, even if it’s a baby step.

8.) “Persistence is very important. You should not give up unless you are forced to give up.” – Elon Musk

Many times we quit just before we are about to have a breakthrough, make a new connection or have given appropriate time for the desired results. Be committed for the long haul.

9.) “My biggest mistake is probably weighing too much on someone’s talent and not someone’s personality. I think it matters whether someone has a good heart.” – Elon Musk

Many times the hard skills, such as there skills that are needed for the job are much easier to teach and learn than the soft skills needed for teamwork, leadership and influence. Skills can be learned, but intention comes from within. You can’t teach or train heart.

10.) “You want to have a future where you’re expecting things to be better, not one where you’re expecting things to be worse.” – Elon Musk

Creating a personal and professional culture of optimism and vision is essential for any dynamic and innovative organization.

Elon Musk quotes about being driven

11.) “You have to be pretty driven to make it happen. Otherwise, you will just make yourself miserable.” – Elon Musk

12.) “People work better when they know what the goal is and why. It is important that people look forward to coming to work in the morning and enjoy working.” – Elon Musk

13.) “Patience is a virtue, and I’m learning patience. It’s a tough lesson.” – Elon Musk

14.) “I came to the conclusion that we should aspire to increase the scope and scale of human consciousness in order to better understand what questions to ask. Really, the only thing that makes sense is to strive for greater collective enlightenment.” – Elon Musk

15.) “Starting and growing a business is as much about the innovation, drive and determination of the people who do it as it is about the product they sell.” – Elon Musk

16.) “Really, the only thing that makes sense is to strive for greater collective enlightenment.” – Elon Musk

17.) “If something’s important enough, you should try. Even if the probable outcome is failure.” – Elon Musk

Elon Musk quotes about impacting the world

18.) “When I was in college, I wanted to be involved in things that would change the world. Now I am.” – Elon Musk

19.) “If you’re trying to create a company, it’s like baking a cake. You have to have all the ingredients in the right proportion.” – Elon Musk

20.) “I wouldn’t say I have a lack of fear. In fact, I’d like my fear emotion to be less because it’s very distracting and fries my nervous system.” – Elon Musk

21.) “My motivation for all my companies has been to be involved in something that I thought would have a significant impact on the world.” – Elon Musk

22.) “Life is too short for long-term grudges.” – Elon Musk

23.) “You shouldn’t do things differently just because they’re different. They need to be… better.” – Elon Musk

24.) “I think life on Earth must be about more than just solving problems… It’s got to be something inspiring, even if it is vicarious.” – Elon Musk

25.) “The idea of lying on a beach as my main thing just sounds like the worst. It sounds horrible to me. I would go bonkers. I would have to be on serious drugs. I’d be super-duper bored. I like high intensity.” – Elon Musk

A Conversation with Elon Musk

youtube

Elon Musk quotes about vision and the future

26.) “Going from PayPal, I thought: ‘Well, what are some of the other problems that are likely to most affect the future of humanity?’ Not from the perspective, ‘What’s the best way to make money?” – Elon Musk

27.) “I’m interested in things that change the world or that affect the future and wondrous, new technology where you see it, and you’re like, ‘Wow, how did that even happen? How is that possible?'” – Elon Musk

28.) “Why do you want to live? What’s the point? What inspires you? What do you love about the future? And if the future’s not including being out there among the stars and being a multi-planet species, it’s incredibly depressing if that’s not the future we’re going to have.” – Elon Musk

29.) “If you get up in the morning and think the future is going to be better, it is a bright day. Otherwise, it’s not.” – Elon Musk

30.) “I always have optimism, but I’m realistic. It was not with the expectation of great success that I started Tesla or SpaceX…. It’s just that I thought they were important enough to do anyway.” – Elon Musk

31.) “Don’t delude yourself into thinking something’s working when it’s not, or you’re gonna get fixated on a bad solution.” – Elon Musk

Other motivational Elon Musk quotes

32.) “Some people don’t like change, but you need to embrace change if the alternative is disaster.” – Elon Musk

33.) “There’s a tremendous bias against taking risks. Everyone is trying to optimize their ass-covering.” – Elon Musk

34.) “If you go back a few hundred years, what we take for granted today would seem like magic – being able to talk to people over long distances, to transmit images, flying, accessing vast amounts of data like an oracle. These are all things that would have been considered magic a few hundred years ago.” – Elon Musk

35.) “I think it is possible for ordinary people to choose to be extraordinary.” – Elon Musk

36.) “I think that’s the single best piece of advice: constantly think about how you could be doing things better and questioning yourself.” – Elon Musk

37.) “Don’t be afraid of new arenas.” – Elon Musk

38.) “I could either watch it happen or be a part of it.” – Elon Musk

39.) “Work like hell. I mean you just have to put in 80 to 100 hour weeks every week. [This] improves the odds of success.” – Elon Musk

40.) “As much as possible, avoid hiring MBAs. MBA programs don’t teach people how to create companies.” – Elon Musk

Which Elon Musk quote is your favorite?

At age 12, Elon Musk programmed a computer game and sold it for $500. Since then, he’s founded multiple successful companies and established himself as one of the most brilliant entrepreneurs the world has ever seen.

Through his courage to take great risks to achieve success and bring innovation, Elon has made a massive impact on the universe. Hopefully, these Elon Musk quotes have motivated you to think outside the box.

Did you enjoy these Elon Musk quotes? Which of the quotes was your favorite? Tell us in the comment section below.

The post 40 Elon Musk Quotes On Success & The Future of Space appeared first on Everyday Power.

0 notes