Looking Up
I went to my doctor’s office the other day. It was 7:30 a.m. and I hadn’t had any coffee yet. I was getting my blood work done at PartnerMD. The nurse said I was getting a CMP to measure my CBC, LDL, HDL, and a whole bunch of other letters of the alphabet. Although this may be TMI, she handed me a JAR and asked me to PEE in it.
On the way out of the elevator, I was looking down and almost walked into a woman who was getting onto the elevator from the second floor. Two problems: (1) I got off the elevator on the wrong floor, and (2) I almost bowled over a little lady (4’10”) who was pushing a medical supply cart. I said, “I’m so sorry, that’s what I get for looking down instead of looking up.”
“We’ve all been looking down over the last six months. I understand completely,” she replied. I could see that her eyes were smiling even though I couldn’t see any teeth underneath her N95 mask. “I think I need to start looking up. Maybe that’s a good lesson for all of us,” I said. “You can say that again, baby,” she replied. Then she reached out and gave me a pat on the back as I exited the first floor.
It was a brief encounter but it changed my disposition for the entire week. On Monday, I was using Google to look up reasons why everyone was in such a bad mood. Was it a full moon? Was Mercury in retrograde? Or is everyone just suffering COVID-19 fatigue? I don’t know, but things got better for me (and the people around me) after I “bumped” into that nice lady in the elevator. She brightened my day and I think I brightened hers. In that moment, we made a connection. The big takeaways for me are that things are looking up and we shouldn’t take making real connections for granted anymore.
Monday, August 24 — Everything’s Golden, Including The Rules
On Monday there was more evidence that things were looking up as Account Executive Andrew Simpson graduated from the first Dale Carnegie Training held in person since the pandemic hit. Andrew and his physically-distanced classmates met at U-Turn Sports Performance Academy for eight weeks. As Weekly Report readers know, I send all of the Madison+Main-iacs through Dale Carnegie Training because it’s a great investment on the most important asset we have as a company — our people. Click here to see upcoming virtual learning opportunities with Dale Carnegie.
Tuesday, August 25 — Coffee & Cartridges
Tuesday morning at 7:30 a.m. sharp I rolled up to Independence Golf Club, the new meeting site for the magnificent Midlothian Rotary Club. I knew things were looking up because more members came to meet in person than attended online. It felt normal again to see my fellow Rotarians in person, even if we awkwardly walked around not knowing how to greet one another. It was a confusing mess of attempted handshakes, fist bumps, or banging elbows. We sat apart, but we were all together. They served coffee in tea bags and this seemed to befuddle and confuse us more than anything. Anyone else seen this yet?
On Tuesday we also launched a new project for Madison+Main’s very first client Wythken Printing. Over the next few months, we are going to be marketing Wythken as a full-service marketing print and collateral resource for small and mid-sized businesses in the Richmond region. Their new website launch is soon and more details are to come in the following weeks.
Wednesday, August 26 — It’s A Wrap
The Madison+Main-iacs recently designed a wow-worthy vehicle wrap for our client All American Mobility. The wrap is bright, beautiful and features their new logo and branding elements that we created. On Wednesday, we were thrilled to see the final product. And along with their friendly Aging-in-Place Specialists, we couldn’t be happier.
Also, for the first time in a long time, our social media feeds didn’t feature COVID-related content. Wednesday was National Dog Day and we posted pictures of our pups instead. I always knew that Gertie would be a Cover Girl. #chowchachowchowchow #boldpupswin
Thursday, August 27 — School Nurses Rock
On Thursday, we hopped on Facebook Live for Episode 11 of Convos with Clients with special guest Gina Bellamy, President of Virginia Association of School Nurses. Gina gave us a great overview of the organization and spoke about Senate Bill 5004, which would require a registered school nurse in every school in the Commonwealth. In the age of COVID, we think this is a no-brainer. You can learn more about the bill and VASN here.
Friday, August 28 — On The Road
Communications Director Kent Brockwell is logging a lot of miles today. He’s taking the company Jeep to Fredericksburg for some PR opportunities for our client A. Smith Bowman Distillery and then dropping by beautiful downtown Irvington, Virginia for the soft opening of Compass Entertainment Complex — the first-ever, all-in-one entertainment complex in the Northern Neck.
I will be hopping in the Jeep this weekend to meet up with fellow members of the River City Wranglers as we salute healthcare heroes in Chesterfield County, culminating in a Jeep Parade around the grounds of Lucy Corr. If you’d like to bring your Jeep and get involved in this fun Sunday event, join our group on Facebook.
A Few of Our Favorite Events
4308 Hermitage Road | Richmond, VA
October 24, 2020 | TBD
Our good friend, Bobby Kelland from Aflac, is gearing up for his second non-profit bike ride this year on behalf of Andrea Starr and the Forward Foundation. This time, it’s a 50-mile ride from Bryan Park to Ashland and back. The ride will raise money to support single mothers and provide them financial assistance for quality childcare, as well as educational workshops. Donate today online or text “Donate” and the amount to 804-352-2820 (ex: Donate $5) to help him reach his $15,000 goal by October 24.
Master Distiller’s Dinner at A. Smith Bowman Distillery
1 Bowman Drive | Fredericksburg, VA
November 14, 2020 | 6-9 p.m.
Smith Bowman Distillery and Earth Apple LLC have partnered to bring you a unique bourbon experience! Master Distiller Brian Prewitt will start the evening off with a guided tasting of rare Abraham Bowman Limited Edition Whiskies, accompanied by delectable small bites specially selected by Chef Jessica Wilkins. Following the tasting, Chef Jessica will treat guests to a 3-course dinner served with carefully crafted bourbon cocktails. Tickets will cost $125 per person and go on sale October 14 at 10 a.m. via Eventbrite.
Got an upcoming event you want to share? Can we come? Send us the deets!
“Keep looking up…that’s the secret of life.“
— Snoopy