Bon Voyage
Ah, Cinco de Mayo is upon us. The 5th of May. Today is a drinking holiday that started as a small local celebration in Puebla, Mexico, but became an international phenomenon in the late 70s and early 80s after Corona’s ad agency highlighted it.
This edition of the Weekly Report comes from the pool deck of the beautiful Norwegian Sky Cruise Ship, where we are about to depart the Port of Miami headed east. I am celebrating Cinco de Mayo with a fruity tequila boat drink in my hand, so forgive me for any spelling or grammatical errors this week. It’s hard to type one-handed….and inebriated.
Yes, our company cruise is back! It was canceled, postponed, and otherwise crushed by COVID-19 since 2019, but we’re back on the water for Madison+Main’s annual company retreat. My guys and gals work hard, and I appreciate them. So 14 years ago on Cinco de Mayo, I decided to take them on a short booze cruise. The gang is a lot bigger than it was years ago, and it costs a lot more these days. We’ve really missed getting together over the past few years, so I decided to surprise the gang at Christmas with a gift: every Madison+Main-iac gets an all-expense paid trip to the Bahamas this weekend. #BestBossEver
By and large, I’ve gotten many positive responses to this idea of a company “retreat” throughout the years, but there’s always been a few naysayers. One businessperson I know asked, “Aren’t you afraid of what might happen if they drink?” My answer was, “No, I’m not. They drank at the Christmas party, and everyone had a blast.” “Really? I don’t know about this. What do you clients think?” asked another. “They think it’s great and we’re a fun forward-thinking company,” I replied. “Besides, the work is done, and we’ll be back Tuesday. We might be hungover, but we’ll be here.”
If you take care of your people, your people will take care of you. I’ve always believed that. Think about your team and what they do for you. Now, think about what you can do for them. You might choose to reward them in another way, and that’s fine, but make sure you do something special for them. If you’ve got a great way to reward your team, email me. I’d love to hear your ideas.
MONDAY:
CONNECTING WITH CLIENTS
On Monday, we visited our client Lucy Corr. We spent the morning reconnecting with their team on Lucy Corr’s history, mission, and vision for senior living care’s future at their Chesterfield facility. Thank you again to CEO Derrick Kendall for hosting the team and for sharing valuable information that will lead both of our teams to success with our upcoming projects.
Communications Director Kent Brockwell and Account Executive Amanda Anderson made their way to Manassas to help the folks at Birmingham Green, who were visited by Health & Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra and Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton. Together, they, along with Birmingham Green’s team, discussed lowering prescription drug costs for Americans and its impact on senior living facilities. Thank you, Kent and Amanda for helping our client on their big day. (Loved this picture of Amanda, btw.) #BusinessAsUsual
TUESDAY:
VCU GIVING DAY
When people donated to the VCU fund on Giving Day, their contribution unlocked a gift of the same amount to support Massey Cancer Center, up to $500,000 in donations. In preparation for the big day, we helped our client VCU Development & Alumni Relations encourage folks to be Giving Day champions.
WEDNESDAY:
CARYTOWN MERCHANTS
On Wednesday, Accounts Manager Allison Nida and Communications Specialist Kennedy Heidel shared the best strategies for posting on social media with local businesses. They presented to the Carytown Merchants Association (the CMA) – a group of volunteer small business owners. These two made us so proud with their presentation skills and dropped a lot of need-to-know information on the group to better their business practices. Nice job, ladies!
THURSDAY:
RVA POWER WOMEN AWARDS
On Thursday, some of the team attended the RVA Power Women event. There, we celebrated Richmond’s most notable businesswomen, including our very own President & Chief Operating Officer Molly Whitfield. She was named as a finalist in the Marketing category for the awards, and our team couldn’t be more proud of her.
FRIDAY:
COMPANY CRUISE
On Friday, the Madison+Main-iacs woke up bright and early to make our 5:20 a.m. flight to Florida before boarding a big boat. (And I’m not talking about The Tug Life.) We also wished Graphic Designer Jenna Farley “Happy Birthday” before we departed. Jenna may have been born on Cinco de Mayo, but I can guarantee she’d rather be eating some of Richmond’s best Japanese cuisine today. Happy Birthday, Jenna!
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!
Rampart Readers — “Rolling Thunder”
Fort Monroe
Virtual Event
May 27, 2023 | 11 – 1 p.m.
Get ready for a special reading activity from Fort Monroe Authority! Author Kate Messner will be sharing her story “Rolling Thunder” to honor the sacrifices of American veterans and their families in a poetic tribute done by a little boy and his grandfather’s motorcycle club. Join them for this free event!
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.“ — Mark Black, CEO, Author, Speaker, and Coach