Thinking about others isn’t necessarily in our nature. At least human nature. Being selfless–thinking of the other guy first–actually appears elsewhere in nature first. I learned firsthand about selflessness, kindness and unconditional love from the best source. My dog, Lilly. In her short 6 years and from all of her 12 pounds, this Maltese-Poodle mix […]
Selflessness Defined Read More »
My sister just returned from our aunt’s 90th birthday celebration. All of the cousins and extended family were there to reminisce and reconnect. During the conversation recounting the time she had spent with our family, Pat related something that really struck me. “We all inherit some trait from our family, either genetically or by family
When I was kid whenever we would move, my mom would plant a privet hedge in the front yard of our new home. It was her way of helping establish the new house as our home. The care should took in preparing the soil, choosing the individual plants and then putting them into the soil
This discussion never gets old. Business cards are your best and simplest introduction and have staying power. Take that, technology. While there have been a number of people who have tried variations of dumping the traditional little white card (card-sized CDs, Palm-Pilot bumping, et al), nothing seems to replace the original “calling card. So, beyond
Business Cards, Again Read More »
We were all on board for the event early on but it needed a name. And not just any name. It had to: Be timeless (stand the test of time). Reflect the content of the event. Fit with the brand of the North Dallas Chamber. Be able to be translated easily to social media and
Inventing an Event: What’s in a Name? Read More »
In the fall before the initial Big D BBQ Battle (even before it had its name), I was introduced by a friend in the non-profit segment to the development director of the North Texas Food Bank. Little did I realize at the time how important that introduction would become in the formulation of the mission
Inventing an Event: Heartstrings Read More »
When you choose a late April date for an outdoor event in Texas, consider that it might be a warm day. So, for the inaugural Big D BBQ Battle we knew we were going to need to provide water to our guests. And it needs to be iced. Our first avenue was to ask for
Inventing an Event: Water and Ice Read More »
It seems simple enough: the leader should be the voice. The one at the front should have the pipes to voice the organization’s image. Well, for us, it just happened to work out that way. The North Dallas Chamber’s partnership with Radio KAAM 770 for the Big D BBQ Battle meant we had to voice
Inventing an Event: Finding Your Voice Read More »
One critical element of a successful event is beer. All along we’ve been billing this event as “beer, beef and a band.” Let’s explore each of these elements as they relate to The Big D BBQ Battle.” OK, enough of the professorial posturing, this is about finding a good brew, a great brand that matches
Inventing an Event: Beer Read More »
When I signed on to the North Dallas Chamber a year ago, one of my assignments from my new boss was a “BHAG.” BHAG, you say? Well what he really meant was a “Big Hairy Audacious Goal.” I think the term has it’s origin’s in Jim Collins’ book, “Good to Great.” So, over the next
Inventing an Event: The Big D BBQ Saga Read More »
