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Drop Dead Gorgeous

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Drop Dead Gorgeous

By Jessica R. Key

work-style1
Emanuel C. Smith Jr.

When life’s course ends, families must deal with the necessary arrangements to ensure their loved one is laid to rest properly. Funeral directors have a tall task on their hands making sure every last detail is to the family’s liking.
Those in the funeral home and other death-related industries must maintain an air of propriety. However, gone are the days of stuffy funeral directors with boring black suits and stuffy attitudes.
Many are celebrating life with bright colors and bold patterns during the day and opting for clothing that’s fun on more casual days and for after-work gatherings.

Here are two funeral home professionals who dare their peers to be bold and choose clothing that’s full of life.

 

Practice What You Preach

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Practice What You Preach

7 reasons why sensitivity training should be a priority for your business

By Ebony Chappel

chocolate-sodaThis Instagram meme, featuring a man in blackface, resulted in unwelcome attention for Papa Roux restaurant.

Unconventional methods of promoting diversity fell way short of their intended target earlier this year as Park Tudor School in Indianapolis came under fire for its Black History Month menu consisting of fried chicken and collard greens.

Popular Indianapolis eatery Papa Roux received quite a bit of backlash a month later for an Instagram post depicting a white man dressed in blackface promoting the restaurant’s new chocolate soda.

Sensitivity training, also known as diversity or inclusion training, for some, is one of the most uncomfortable mandatory training sessions to endure as a result of an employer’s attempt to remain compliant with federal standards regarding discrimination. Images of long drawn-out lectures on the do’s and don’ts of workplace interactions – or worse, a cringe-worthy attempt at lightening things up a la Michael Scott, of NBC’s hit comedy series “The Office,” and his infamous Diversity Day imitation of an n-word-laden Chris Rock routine – often come to mind.

Although most businesses offer some sort of sensitivity training, it often is an informal and rushed part of the employment process.
LaJuana Warren, a certified diversity practitioner and owner of diversity consulting firm Tapestry Solutions, said that during her 20 years in corporate America as an employee of Xerox, sensitivity training was the norm. When she left, she realized those values were not the same elsewhere.

“The way to make the training the most effective is to come from the top down. It has to be something that management endorses and sees as important,” she said. “People who really get it know that it makes their company better.”

Here are seven reasons your company still should require and offer sensitivity training:

1. Promotes Tolerance:
Effective inclusion-based training helps employees learn to appreciate one another’s differences through education and understanding.

2. Enhances global presence:
In our growing worldwide economy, it is essential companies prepare their employees for interacting across different cultural barriers. Committing a social faux pas out of sheer ignorance could seriously damage a potentially lucrative client relationship.

3. Prevents lawsuits:
Fully equipped human resources managers may save your company tons of dollars and hours by making it a point to brief all employees on the organization’s standards when it comes to discrimination.

4. Increases teamwork:
When employees feel included and accepted, it can positively affect their morale and productivity. Also, providing a safe haven for employees may reduce the number of harassment complaints.

5. Boosts the bottom line:
Recently, companies like Barilla pasta have come under fire due to their CEO’s remarks against same sex marriage. In an Italian radio interview he shared that his brand would never feature homosexual couples and anyone who opposed his point of view could just buy different pasta. According to Nielsen, same-sex-partnered households make up 16 percent more shopping trips than heterosexual households, and average annual spending on consumer-packaged goods is 25 percent higher than the average U.S. household. Barilla has since offered an apology and created an advisory board specifically focused on inclusion efforts.

6. Reduces turnover:
According to the Center for American Progress, businesses that fail to encourage inclusiveness see higher turnover rates than businesses that value a diverse workforce. The high turnover rate has a direct effect on profit as the failure to retain qualified employees results in preventable labor-related costs.

7. Fuels innovation:
A report done by the Deloitte Review said retailers who deliberately attract a diverse workforce and directly involve them in key decision-making scenarios benefit as “diverse employees provide access to better consumer insights because they understand the cultural nuances firsthand.” The report went on to say companies may experience increased shopper loyalty as a result.

Digital Marketing Technology

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Digital Marketing Technology

Even small businesses can afford to compete against the big boys

By James Travis Turner

michael-porterMost of the buzz words in digital marketing didn’t exist 10 years ago. It presents the question of how smaller businesses can create “engaging multi-screen campaigns,” and “gain integrated insights from all the data gathered online,” while managing the day-to-day of their businesses.

These questions must be answered, as sticking to traditional forms of marketing will come at the cost of communicating in channels your customers ignore. At the same time, pursuing other forms of marketing requires investing in the unknown for most small business owners.

With minimal investment, digital marketing technology can enable even small businesses to compete online against corporations.
The Internet, which has transformed over the past decade, plays an important role in consumers’ lives. We use the Internet to share our most memorable moments, connect with friends and family and tell our own personalized stories. This interactivity creates increased engagement, which is the first characteristic of digital marketing that allows small and medium business (SMBs) to compete.

While the traditional marketing tools -— a mixture of fliers, billboards, commercials and other materials — have historically been effective, new tools directly interact with consumers. The most common tools used online include blogs and social media like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Not only are these tools more interactive, but also consumers are using them more than ever. The Nielsen Co. reports Americans spend a quarter of their time online, using dynamic social networks and blogs. This is up from 16 percent in previous years.
In addition, many SMBs already enjoy the luxury of having a close relationship with their consumers. When you combine this level of online engagement with the personal connection smaller businesses enjoy, it’s possible to present a compelling story larger companies envy.

Integrated insights
Online content produces hundreds of data points that can be analyzed and used to drive business results. At Microsoft, a company that’s making use of this, support staff monitor social media sites to cross-reference social chatter with technical support incidents to provide proactive services across their product line.

Traditionally, social media was used to inform and engage consumers, but it has developed into a listening tool that benchmarks customer satisfaction. Tools such as Sprout Social unlock this capability for SMBs. These tools allow businesses to drive their customer satisfaction and audit their progress, while listening to feedback in real time.

The previous example shows how customer satisfaction can be impacted, but integrated insight can affect operations, sales and overall consumer behavior as well. These insights cannot be measured as effectively using traditional forms of marketing, but by using digital marketing tools, real-time data can be leveraged to drive results and impact revenue.

As SMBs uncover opportunities to integrate data gathered from these marketing tools, insights will allow them to fill the gap that exists between them and larger corporations.

Affordable solutions
The final characteristic of digital marketing that allows SMBs to compete with large businesses is the cost to deploy digital marketing technology. Marketing often becomes an afterthought as budgets focus on products and/or company operations.
With both of these factors weighing heavily on decision-makers, competing with national brands may appear to be a daunting task when, in fact, the most common tools, mentioned previously, are low cost or free.

For example, Waterford Institute of Technology Libraries (WIT) adopted these tools to increase its exposure and the services it offers. Library officials discovered these initiatives do not require a significant financial investment and can be implemented using their current resources. Investments in digital marketing will not only limit the financial risk of the business, they can also be easily quantified to calculate the exact return on investment.

Small businesses that deploy digital marketing tools can realize a new level of customer engagement and use integrated insights to help close the gap between larger organizations while requiring minimal investment. Adopting these tools will allow them to retain their current mindshare while presenting their brand to new customers.

Michael E. Porter, a leading company strategist and professor at Harvard Business School, once said, “The key question is not whether to deploy Internet technology – companies have no choice if they want to stay competitive – but how to deploy it.”

South Bend, Ind., native James Travis Turner works in Microsoft’s Advertising and Online Division where he now oversees advertiser satisfaction and revenue within emerging brands. Follow his blog at www.jamestravisturner.com.

Backyard Barbecue

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Backyard Barbecue

Get a taste of Indiana with meat, produce and refreshing beverages

By Rebecca R. Bibbs

this-old-farmSummertime means breaking out the grill and having family and friends over for a backyard barbecue. Many minority- and women-owned Indiana companies provide products that are great at cookouts.

This Old Farm Inc. Let’s face it; it’s not a barbecue without the grilled meats. Colfax-based This Old Farm Inc., owned by Jessica Smith and her husband Erick, can set you up with certified organic ground beef, pork sausage and rib chops and boneless chicken breast. Local pick-up is provided at several sites throughout the state.
thisoldfarminc.com

Pa and Ma’s Bar-B-Que Sauce Impress your guests by slathering your ribs and chicken with the tangy flavor of one of Indianapolis’ longest-running establishments, Pa and Ma’s. Available at supermarkets throughout Central Indiana.

Simonton Lake Drive-In Opting for a family-friendly event? Pick up a gallon, $4.91, or party keg, $23.99, of homemade root beer at Elkhart’s Simonton Lake Drive-In, owned by Rick and Roni Hoff.
simontonlakedrivein.com

Royer Farm Fresh What is a cookout without deviled eggs? Nikki Royer and her husband provide fresh pastured eggs on the farm started by her great-grandfather near Clinton. Visit the store, farmer’s markets in Indianapolis’ Broad Ripple neighborhood, Fishers or Terre Haute. royerfarmfresh.com

Melon Acres Farms Indiana countryside stands and local farmer’s markets are the perfect place to find fresh produce to accompany grilled delicacies. Pick up fresh corn for roasting and a juicy seeded or unseeded watermelon or cantaloupe at Melon Acres owned by Mike and Vicki Horrall outside of Oaktown. melonacres.com

Pie First Bakery Finish off your meal with Old-Fashioned Hoosier Sugar Cream Pie, a Chocolate Cheesecake with Almond Crust or Amish Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cookies made with real butter, vanilla from Madagascar and freshly grated nutmeg from Pie First Bakery. Pick up the treats baked by Louise and Rick Miracle at the bright pink tent from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays at the Owen County Farmers’ Market in Spencer. piefirstbakery.biz

To have your product or service considered for inclusion in “Hoosier Marketplace,” email info@indianapolisrecorder.com with the name of your company, contact information, a short description and a link to your website. Only products and services for which images can be provided will be considered.

Video Productions

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Video Productions

Steven Manning establishes company after conquering bipolar disorder

By Rebecca R. Bibbs

video-productionIn 2002, Fort Wayne videographer Steven Manning’s life changed drastically when he was diagnosed with the mental illness, bipolar disorder. That threw him into a cycle of severe depression and manic episodes. In addition, Manning said, the illness led him to make “bad” choices that resulted in him becoming “unemployed, homeless, penniless and suicidal.”

Manning managed to turn his life around after being placed on Social Security disability and being assigned a case manager with a local mental health agency.

He recovered enough to strike out on his own in 2013 to start Manning Video Productions.

Manning shares with us his triumphs as he expands his fledgling business.

IMBM: What inspired you to strike out on your own and start Manning Video Productions, LLC?

Manning: Actually, I was inspired to start MVP in a very unusual way. My case manager introduced me to the Carriage House Clubhouse. The Clubhouse movement focuses on a person’s talents, skills and abilities as one of the core aspects of their successful rehab program. This movement started in 1948 in New York city and now has over 340 clubhouses all around the world with over 150 in the U.S. and the rest scattered throughout parts of Europe, Asia and Africa. After being involved with the Carriage House for several years, I eventually began to get better. In fact, my rehab was remarkable, so much so that among several accomplishments, I was able to obtain a master’s degree in secondary education and began working at a Fort Wayne radio station, WFCV-AM1090-FM100.1.

The Carriage House started an in-house audio-visual department called CHAV, which is an acronym for Carriage House Audio Visual. I became the lead producer for CHAV, which ended up producing two shows: one called “The Carriage House Report,” which is tailored after a newscast and the other show called “Up Close,” focuses on a member, staff member or an event. These shows became very popular, not only within the Carriage House, but they also became widely known at various other clubhouses.
Over a two-year period, I became very skilled at producing dozens of those CHAV shows – so much so that a few people asked me to produce shows for them for a fee, including the mental health facility that I was a client of.

After producing several other video projects for a fee, I decided to start my own video production business. That was one of the most exciting and fulfilling decisions that I’ve ever made. From that point on, Manning Video Productions became a bona fide, very successful small business. Back in September of 2013, I set up my office in the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center, which is a beautiful facility on Fort Wayne’s Northeastside, close to IPFW and Ivy Tech. It houses close to 60 businesses of various sizes.

IMBM: How did you secure funding to start your business?

Manning: Thanks to the Carriage House clubhouse I started my business with their equipment. So I really didn’t initially need funding to start up. To continue MVP without the Carriage House video camera and computer, I was fortunate to have a friend purchase a very nice high definition camera for me, and another friend purchased a laptop computer. With the current demands of a rapidly growing business, I’m now seeking funding from various sources, and I’m optimistic that obtaining some kind of financial support will become a reality

IMBM: In less than a year, you made the decision to expand your business to New York. What factors went into your decision to expand, and how do you plan to juggle your current business in Fort Wayne with your new ventures in New York?

Manning: I love to dream big, so I have plans to build an international business. Since I travel often to New York, I plan to build a clientele there and hire a producer to work there to help me grow MVP there. I plan to do the same thing in Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville and eventually in Europe.

IMBM: What has been your biggest challenge in starting your business, and how did you overcome it?

Manning: I’ve not had any huge challenges. However, I’m sure there are some just on the horizon. One challenge that I’m faced with today is that my car died several weeks ago. So I’m having to take the bus to various places. One great thing, though, is here in the Innovation Center, not only is my office located here but there are conference rooms available for me to meet with my clients, and there are nice spaces here where I can shoot video for my productions.
Funding is also currently a challenge. However, over the years, probably due to the hardships I’ve encountered, I’ve learned to embrace change and take on the challenge, to also find out what could be learned during the process of the challenge.

IMBM: What is the most important lesson you’ve learned while getting your business off the ground?

Manning: I think the most important lesson that I’ve learned is no matter what challenge you’re faced with, always have a positive attitude; a positive attitude about myself, my decisions, my talents skills and abilities … Through this whole experience of owning a business, I’m learning to love myself and the wonderful gifts and talents I can contribute for God and mankind.

Startup features companies that have been in operation for one to three years. To have your company considered for this feature, email info@indianapolisrecorder.com with the name of your company, contact information, a short description of your product or service and a link to your Website.

Southwest Indiana

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Southwest Indiana

Various growth industries contribute to region’s healthy economic outlook

By Michael Dabney

southwest-indianaIn many ways, southwestern Indiana gets a bad rap.

It’s in a different time zone from most of Indiana and traditionally has been hard to reach by highway from virtually every other part of the state.

In addition, 20 years ago Evansville was the object of extremely unfair and unjustified criticism from rock icon Madonna after filming of the movie, A League of Their Own. She reportedly told TV Guide magazine that during her three months in the city, she “may as well have been in Prague. For the first time in my life I felt very disconnected.”

But Southwest Indiana, part of a tri-state area that includes northwestern Kentucky and southeastern Illinois, has much more going for it than naysayers think.

Though the four Indiana counties—Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh and Warrick—that make up the Evansville metropolitan region are predominately rural, the area is bustling with manufacturing might and potential. And it is the home of several top-flight universities.

“People underestimate the value of Southwest Indiana,” said Greg Wathen, president and CEO of Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana.

As a result of all its manufacturing might, and because of the availability of trucking, rail freight service and port operations, Wathen said it probably would surprise a lot of people to know the Evansville metro area ranks 66th in the nation in the value of merchandise exported.

“We make a lot of stuff and we export a lot of stuff,” he said.

The automotive sector also is doing quite well in the southwest Indiana region, Wathen noted.

“It has impacted the supply chain and created a secondary uptick in other businesses,” he said.

Yet, despite a hopeful future, small business owners point out that challenges remain. Since nearly three-quarters of the employers in the area have fewer than 25 workers, access to working capital for continuing operations and for expansion remains crucial to success.

The Southwest Indiana region covers more than 1,500 square miles. Some economic development studies of the Evansville metropolitan region also include Spencer County in Indiana and Henderson County across the Ohio River in Kentucky.

Cutting across the region is Interstate 64, which reaches all the way back to Chesapeake, Va., in the east and out to Wentzville, Mo., to the west. U.S. Route 41 crosses the Ohio River and enters Evansville heading north, all the way to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, while I-69 will one day reach from Evansville through Indianapolis, Fort Wayne and into Michigan and then up to Canada.
With a total population of 361,000, the four counties make up just under 6 percent of the state’s total population, and Evansville is the area’s largest city. Population growth in the region has remained steady but unimpressive, up 36,486 people, or 11.2 percent, since 1990, according to data posted on the economic development coalition’s website.

The unemployment rate in the region was 7.3 percent in 2013, down from its peak of 8.5 percent in 2009 and 2010, but up more than 128 percent since 2000.

Among its largest industries are automotive, plastics and aluminum manufacturing.

2010 SD Golf Outing

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Being Herd

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Being Herd

By Denise Herd

denise-herdBeauty sometimes can’t overcome reputation

Steel blue eyes. Abs chiseled in stone. A gaze that will melt snow on the coldest winter day. His image has been superimposed in ads for Hugo Boss, Calvin Klein, Dolce and Gabanna and Givency.

He has become an Internet sensation overnight, capturing the hearts of women around the world. Who is this present day Adonis, Greek god of beauty and desire?

He’s Jeremy Meeks, convicted felon whose contributions to society include robbery, resisting arrest, grand theft, corporal injury to a child, identity theft, gun charges, drug possession and he’s a card-carrying member of the Northside Gangster Crips. Oh ¾ and let’s not forget about the implications of that teardrop, gently cascading from his left eye.

What an impressive resume.

Pretty on the outside, but…

Currently, Jeremy Meeks and his crew are spending their nights reflecting about their recent bust in the confines of a Stockton, Calif., prison. But while Jeremy Meeks might be out of sight, he certainly is not out of mind. Since the release of his now-infamous mug shot, social media has exploded with comments about his come-hither gaze captured under fluorescent lights by a police photographer.Jeremy Meeks received numerous marriage proposals and countless professions of undying love. One hopeless romantic is even offering up the $900,000 bond that currently stands between Jeremy Meeks and his return to society.

Many hope upon his release Jeremy Meeks will give up his life of crime, cash in on his newfound fame and earn his money the old fashioned way ¾ through a hard days work, perhaps as a model. I mean let’s face it he has “the look.” Jeremy Meeks has become a household name, and many people seem to be unfazed by his bad-boy reputation and violent criminal past.

Thinking twice

But would you feel comfortable hiring Jeremy Meeks to work in your company? Would he bring value to your company, elevating market share, brand awareness and company position? Ensuring you have the right people in place is the most important thing you can do as a business owner. Equally as important: understanding the non-verbal messages your hiring decisions communicate to your employees, stakeholders, customers and community. While Jeremy Meeks may make the girls swoon, his less-than-stellar past and penchant for crime may send customers running for cover. Could your business bear an about face of customers if Jeremy Meeks became “the face” of your brand? Many could not.

Your brand precedes you. People interact with your logo, your spokesperson and your public image before they interact with you. Do you really want someone like Jeremy speaking to your customers on your behalf? What you put around you to represent your brand is a direct reflection of you.

Hiring Meeks and giving him the authority to represent your brand means you are both operating within the same moral code. How do you think your customers will receive this? Will it backfire or do you have so munch brand equity in the market that consumers look beyond his penchant for crime. Paula Deen thought she did and look what happened to her after admitting to using a racial slur. I’m not saying that Meeks cannot be rehabilitated and move beyond his bad boy image. Of course he can. But is company spokesperson, model, customer service representative or any position that pushes him into the forefront of your organization the right position for him?

For now, perhaps Jeremy Meeks should probably focus on a different type of modeling. Becoming a model citizen and a role model for his children.

“Being Herd” appears each Thursday. Denise Herd is the founder and president of Herd Strategies, a public relations and marketing firm located in downtown Indianapolis. She is a facilitator of the Kauffman Foundation FastTrac New Venture program and has served as a facilitator and panelist covering topics including entrepreneurship, social media and branding.

Denise Herd is the founder and president of Herd Strategies, a public relations and marketing firm located in downtown Indianapolis. She is a facilitator of the Kauffman Foundation FastTrac New Venture program and has served as a facilitator and panelist covering topics including entrepreneurship, social media and branding.

Opinions expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of the Recorder Media Group, owner of the Indiana Minority Business Magazine.

Restoring Hope

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Restoring Hope

Partnerships help Gary transform from ghost town to regional economic engine
By Chelsea L. Whittington

chelsea-whittingtonThe mid-sized city that could, is. In case you haven’t heard, Gary is open for business. For the past two years, the once-famed steel town has been in makeover mode under the leadership of its first-ever female mayor, Karen Freeman-Wilson.

No sooner than the final ballots were cast in November 2011, a landslide win for Freeman-Wilson, than she began assembling a team of ambitious, hungry, innovative young leaders who shared her quest of being the catalyst for Gary’s turnaround

Most are Gary natives who were gainfully employed in other parts of the country. Others recognized Freeman-Wilson’s passion for her hometown and decided to take the plunge into uncertainty with her. From as far as Las Vegas to as close as Chicago, they heeded the mayor’s call, and are now starting to see the wheels of change turn in the city’s favor.

For decades, the City of Gary has battled against a reputation of being a crime-ridden, drug-infested, economically dormant ghost town.

“I can’t wait to prove them wrong,” said an optimistic Freeman-Wilson.

The key to Gary’s turnaround can be summed up in one word: partnerships. So often the impulse is to throw money at a problem, and it will go away. Since the city’s coffers dried up with the property tax caps, paying its way out of turmoil was not an option. Freeman-Wilson had no problem asking for help, and since doing so, federal, state and local government have shown up in a significant way.

“We weren’t asking for handouts, we were looking for opportunities to work together with government agencies and other organizations to bring jobs and eliminate blight,” said Freeman-Wilson.

One clear example is the demolition project under way at one of the city’s tallest most derelict structures, formerly known as the Sheraton Hotel. Positioned right next to City Hall, the shuttered structure has remained boarded up for decades and is a visible eyesore to those who travel the toll road daily and catch a glimpse of the city as they pass through.

Thanks to community development dollars, and grant dollars from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Regional Development Authority, the Sheraton will be no more by summer’s end. To a major metropolitan city, this may seem insignificant, but to a city striving for revitalization and a new identity, this is huge.

Approximately eight months ago, the city hosted a community forum alongside state legislators and representatives from Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA). Scores of Gary residents showed up to discuss the problem of abandoned buildings scattered about the city. They shared how these homes detracted from their neighborhoods and brought their property values down. They complained of the criminal activity that takes place in these structures and how some pose danger to children as they are trying to walk to school.

Mayor Freeman-Wilson heard their concerns and pledged on site that the city would be applying for the State’s Hardest Hit Funds, which is operated out of the lieutenant governor’s office. After spending months of putting together a comprehensive application, surveying vacant properties and gathering community feedback, Gary was recently notified that it would receive $6.6 million to demolish and deconstruct nearly 400 structures.

“While this is just a drop in the bucket for the demolition we need here, this is the shot in the arm we needed so that our residents can see visible progress,” said Freeman-Wilson.

Transportation is another key focus in Gary. In 2013, the Gary/Chicago International Airport entered into a public private partnership (P3) with AFCO Avports Airport Management LLC where $100 million will be invested toward development at the airport and its surrounding industrial footprint. The P3 deal was the only one of its kind inked in 2013, and represents training and job creation for citizens while extending an open invitation to businesses of all kinds to relocate to Gary.

Another well-kept secret is that Gary is nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan with parks, beaches and dunes that are ripe for visitors and lakefront development. A recent $28 million investment has turned this area into a destination spot complete with a renovated pavilion, bike trails, wild life and nature – a far cry from the negative stereotypes that outsiders try to make stick.
A brief conversation with the mayor immediately reveals there is far more in store for the city by the lake. The revitalization of the downtown area, expansion of University Park and development of affordable homes are all on the horizon, but the most important goal is the restoration of hope.

Chelsea L. Whittington is director of communications for the City of Gary.

Mortality provides life’s deadline

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Mortality provides life’s deadline

Shannon Williams

When my team and I began discussion about the cover theme for this issue, the thought of funeral homes and anything pertaining to death seemed, well…a bit ghastly.

“That’s so morbid.” “No one wants to talk about death.” “Will there be any interest,” were some of the statements and questions that arose during our lively (pun intended) discussion.

And even as I prepared to write this column, there was heaviness in my mood. I tried repeatedly to write something – never fully formulating my thoughts. So time after time, I’d sit down to begin typing and I would find myself easily distracted by an email, a phone call, and even my own thoughts.

Writing is a creative process. Sometimes the creativity can flow as fast and free as an ocean stream, and other times, creativity can slowly drip, drip, drip like a leaking faucet. Neither applied to me the numerous times I attempted to conjure up an angle for this column.

Part of the reason I struggled in writing this particular column is because I didn’t want to sound overly ethereal by offering those same comments that we’ve all heard a million times. You know, phrases like “Death is a part of life.” “Everything comes full circle.” “We are here but for a season.”

The other reason I struggled with this column is because I didn’t want to make light or offer “fluff,” for what is a very serious matter. I did not want my words to be inconsequential.

And so here you are; reading several paragraphs later and still not much in terms of substance.
So much for that whole inconsequential thing, huh?

OK…here’s my best shot.

Death is a reality. It’s something that we all have to endure at some point or another. Knowing that death is imminent, we should look at it as a deadline of sorts. But not in a negative way. We should view death as a different way to live our lives on a day-to-day basis.

This thing called time that we all have right now, won’t always be available to us…it will eventually run out. So that’s why we should give life our best shot. We should make the most of the time we have.

Remember how I said death is kind of like a deadline?

In knowing that it is coming, there is no need to procrastinate. We can all use our deadline as an incentive to do more now: professionally and personally.

But doing more doesn’t always have to translate into acquiring more things. Doing more can also be in your experiences and even the legacy you leave behind.

I have had my fair share of conversations with people whose deadline was rapidly approaching. Most of them had a terminal illness and doctors had pursued all options until there were none left. When I had those very insightful conversations, not once did someone tell me they wish they had more money, or they’d like to live in a mansion before they die. Instead, they talked about meaningful things such as wanting more time to spend with loved ones, being a better employee simply because they knew they had the capacity to do greater things, taking time to relax, arguing less, laughing more.

Sometimes we take life for granted. We think there is an infinite amount of time between now and our deadline. But reality speaks a different truth. Reality tells us that our days are numbered.

A wise woman who is currently in her 80s once told me to love hard – as long as I get the same kind of love in return, seek peace in life, strive to always be my best me, and realize when enough is enough.

As I get older, wiser and inadvertently closer to whatever deadline God has assigned me, I am taking that woman’s words to heart even more than before.

I hope you do too.

shannon-signature
Shannon Williams
President and General Manager

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