Getting Out of the Weeds and Into the Work

Greetings from the Star City. This week’s edition of the Weekly Report comes to you from the beautifully decorated Hotel Roanoke, where I’ve spent the last few days “working on the business, and not in the business.”
Every six months, I get away from the office and spend quality time with my fellow members of the Virginia Council of CEOs at a retreat. (Although I was advised that CEOs never retreat, we should probably re-name the event as “The Advance.”) We had breakout sessions with subject matter experts and high-caliber speakers, mixed in with a few networking and purely social activities. #drinks #steaks #poker
I got a handy-dandy branded notebook and made lots of plans. I also spent some time in the hotel room and focused my thoughts on the future. What can I improve on? What kinds of factors will affect the company over the next year? How can I recruit and retain great people? How can we become more profitable? The VACEOS Conference gives me the opportunity to focus on the BIG picture stuff; the kinds of things I cannot think about when I’m “in the weeds.”
Leaders of companies need to recharge and refocus once in a while, and the best way to do that is by simply getting out of the workplace. It’s easy if you’re in VACEOs because my Roundtable meets every month offsite for four hours, and twice a year for retreats. Yet, any company leader can take the time to do it… if you make the time to do it. Set a four-hour block to get offsite every month. Have an agenda. Tackle one or two issues each month. Write down the ideas and share them with your team. You’ll find some of those issues are getting fixed. You’ll find success. And you’ll find that time away from the business is good for you, too.
Next year, the VACEO’s conference will be held at the lovely Greenbrier Resort in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. If you join VACEOs, I’ll see you there.
MONDAY:
CONCRETE FINDINGS
On Monday, some of the Madison+Main-iacs met with our client S.B. Cox Ready Mix to present them with their Discovery Report. Both of our teams discussed the overall brand identity they see within themselves and what they want their audience to see. We’re ready to start mixing together all of the findings we’ve collected and implementing them into their upcoming projects. Here’s to another great DISCO!
TUESDAY:
REAL ESTATE MARKETING PROS
On Tuesday, the Accounts Team met with the folks from HDBros to discuss future opportunities to work together. They specialize in listing photography and video home tours to make real estate marketing easy. For clients that want to show off their properties, such as Motleys Asset Disposition Group, this is a great strategy for their social media and beyond.
WEDNESDAY:
QUESTION WEDNESDAY
On Wednesday, the team shared their craziest food combinations in honor of Question Wednesday. Answers ranged from popcorn dipped in milk to cinnamon on watermelon. Some even disclosed their secret Miracle Whip obsessions. What we learned is that some things just go together to create something great and unexpected – kind of like Madison+Main and bold brands.
THURSDAY:
INSIGHTS FROM SOCIALS
On Thursday, Account Manager Allison Nida took some time for professional development. She attended a webinar focused on how to leverage social data to drive business growth. At Madison+Main, we encourage the continued learning of our team. You know what they say — knowledge is power.
FRIDAY:
FRIDAY FUN
On Friday, a few members of the team made their way to Holiday Barn Pet Resorts for an exciting video shoot that we’ve been preparing for. With the help of Keep It Reel Creative, a local video production company, we put pups and a couple of cats in front of the cameras to make a magical, must-see masterpiece. But you’ll have to wait for the final cut. Keep your eyes and ears open for more updates.
Tonight the Madison+Main-iacs will descend upon the Richmond’s Ad Club marquee event, The Richmond Ad Show, to see the best and brightest ads and designs from the dynamic RVA creative community. Who knows what the night will hold? Maybe we’ll hold up an award again…
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE EVENTS
FETCH Fest: Presented By Holiday Barn
Main Line Brewery
1603 Ownby Way
Richmond, VA 23220
May 7, 2023 | 11 – 2 p.m.
Looking for live music, food, and interactive stations that focus on pet wellness? Holiday Barn Pet Resorts is presenting FETCH Fest – the culminating event to celebrate a five-week fundraising competition that helps bring awareness to pet cancer. Mark your calendars!
“What you do has far greater impact than what you say.” — Stephen Covey, Author, Businessman, and Speaker