I can’t believe today is the last day of September! This year
is quickly fading. What once were energetic
visions and New Year’s resolutions, are now faint memories of plans and promises. Where are you on your resolutions? Did you vow
to accomplish goals and lasso the world? If so, did you even buy the lasso?
It’s so easy to get caught up in our day-to-day task that we
get off track and lose sight of our goals.
IT’S NOT TOO LATE! Review your “to-do”
list for 2019. How does it make you
feel? Do you feel accomplished?
Back in January, I suggested setting goals for your business, and talked about the value in small, attainable goals. While having a direction and plan for your business is vital, we need to keep moving forward. There are still three months left in 2019 for you to reach those goals! Let’s make the rest of 2019 count!
So… usually I am dragging on Monday mornings…but not today! I think I am on a “high” from the weekend. We had so much fun having family in town for a visit. The guys went dove hunting, the women went and made super-cute fall wreaths, and we ate until we couldn’t breathe. Yes, we ate a lot. My brother made jokes about me feeding them every 3 hours. (I can’t help it, I love to cook and feed people). You know what else we did…. we laughed a lot! It is true…laughter is contagious! Every time my brother laughed about something, so did I (even when he was laughing at me).
Last week was an emotional week for me. We lost a baby earlier this year, and that sweet little angel should have been born last week. I had a lot going here at the office, I was sad, I was stressed, and my week was certainly not filled with laughter. Brian, while feeling emotions of the loss as well, held me together. However, my disposition rubbed off on everyone around me. I have always heard “Smile and the world smiles with you, but cry and you cry alone”, but I don’t think that’s completely true.
Have you been around people who make you smile and happy just because they are filled with happiness? What about the opposite? Have you ever fed off people who were sad (or mad)? Do you affect others by your emotions?
This weekend, as I shared laughter and tears with my family, I was reminded of how the people around us affect us and vice versa. Being with family this weekend was just what I needed. My amazing husband, all of our kiddos, my parents, my brother, his girlfriend (who might I add I adore already) and her precious baby shined love and light around me all weekend. I share this to remind each of you, share your light. As business leaders, we often set the tone for the office/store environment. My brother, Chad, is always making everyone laugh and smile. Be more like Chad. Make people smile!
The Chamber office needs to hear from our members! WE NEED UPDATED EMAIL ADDRESSES! We have had several members say they aren’t getting vital information and discovering many are due to outdated/unused email addresses. Please call or email Bo at [email protected] and confirm we have the correct contact info!
Also, we need to hear from you regarding nominations for the 2020 Chamber Board! Being a Board Member, like many volunteer positions, is one of those positions where members often feel overworked and underpaid (we’ve all been there lol). Yet, serving the community is such a rewarding experience. Being actively involved in the Chamber can even open up great networking opportunities. If you know someone who would be a great addition to the chamber team, please submit nominations to myself, or President Luke Grider. The nominations committee will be meeting at 5pm Monday, September 23rd, so written or electronic suggestions must be received before that time.
Speaking of volunteers reminds me of a story… My brother was
inviting his friend to come with him to visit me this weekend. He told me, “I’m
not sure if she’s gonna come”. He
proceeds to tell me his response was, “Ok, no big deal.” My response was, “Women are needy. Even if we
know something, we want to hear it anyways.
So, if you want her to go, you have to say that. No big deal sounds like
you don’t care.”
Isn’t this true with lots of things? Like telling volunteers, your board members, your staff, that they are wanted and appreciated? If a volunteer asked if you need help, don’t hesitate to tell them you want them involved. Our responses often make us seem unattached, even when we don’t mean to be. AND…even though they know you appreciate them, be sure to tell them. It’s always nice to hear it!
What a great weekend! From having my baby brother in town for a visit, to helping host the Johnny Bates Memorial Golf Tournament, we had a blast!
SIX, yes, SIX Breckenridge students will be awarded $1,000 each as a result of the golf tournament! How awesome is that??? The community and our chamber members are amazing. Their sponsorships and donations make this possible. I know our businesses get hit up for lots of things, yet they are always so helpful. Please remember this as you shop! Remember when you buy locally you are supporting the businesses that support THIS community.
This year tournament sponsors included: Bridgeport Manufacturing, United Supermarkets, First National Bank, Melton-Kitchens Funeral Home, Turner Seed, Dr. John J. Lee, DDS, Canyon Road Barn & Grill, Copperleaf Properties, Breckenridge Youth Sports Association, Texrock Industries, Cavalry Resources and Construction, Bayer Motor Company. Breck Operating, Campbell Farm & Ranch, Ezell Aviation, Graham Savings & Loan, Integrity Plumbing, Interbank, J&D Construction, Jonell, Morehart Mortuary, Ray’s Wild Game, The Rusty Rooster, Security Title Co., Wallace Insurance and Cindi Woodward, West Tx Discount Golf, Bertie & Olif, Serenity Spa, Main Street Floral, Dr. Wade Toombs, Stephens Memorial Hospital, Ace Services, Stephens Memorial Hospital Auxiliary, Ez-Go and The Cliffs Resort.
Special thanks to J&J Electric for use of their truck, and to Johnny Perez for help with the Ball Drop! I also want to thank Lee Olson who cooked and delivered lunch for our players!
Thank you to the Chamber Board members who worked the tournament, Luke Grider, Lacy Langford, Casey Malcuit, Cindi Woodward, Turner Baugh, Chad Turner and Heather Perez; and Bo Asher for helping ensure everything ran smoothly!
This is such a great cause and I was honored to be a part. We will be awarding scholarships at the BISD Scholarship and Awards Ceremony in May!
I can’t believe summer is almost over. I don’t know about you kids, but mine are not ready to go back to school! This Momma isn’t ready either. (I have two seniors this year and I want to tear up every time I think about it.)
Are your kids ready? Still need that back-to-school hair-do?
Don’t spend you last few days of summer in a frenzy! Our chamber members have
you covered!
Call one of our local salons today and go back to school in style!
Are you ok being told “no”?
Most of us aren’t fond of the word, but I would rather be told, “No”
than “Yes” when the answer really is no.
Have you ever had a service tech tell you they can get to
your problem when the truth was they didn’t have time for you, and really could
not get to you? You don’t call anyone
else…you wait for a call back…and you wait some more…for a call that never
comes.
If you own a business, whether it be cutting hair, photography, service tech, boutique or whatever… I CAN NOT stress this enough…. RESPOND to your clients!!!!!!!! It doesn’t have to be immediate, but within the day, RESPOND! Even if your answer is no, don’t leave customers hanging. Be honest and offer an alternative. We all know how frustrating it is when we just need to know if something is a “go” or not.
I understand sometimes, there are factors involved, maybe it depends on how long other calls will take, etc., but it’s okay to tell clients that up front. Set realistic expectations. Your customers will respect your honesty in the long run.
Are you okay being told “No”? Most of us aren’t fond of the word, but I would rather be told, “No” than “Yes” when the answer really is no.
Have you ever had a service tech tell you they can get to
your problem when the truth was they didn’t have time for you, and really could
not get to you? You don’t call anyone
else…you wait for a call back…and you wait some more…for a call that never
comes.
If you own a business, whether it be cutting hair, photography, service tech, boutique or whatever… I CAN NOT stress this enough…. RESPOND to your clients!!!!!!!! It doesn’t have to be immediate, but within the day, RESPOND! Even if your answer is no, don’t leave customers hanging. Be honest and offer an alternative. We all know how frustrating it is when we just need to know if something is a “go” or not.
I understand sometimes, there are factors involved, maybe it depends on how long other calls will take, etc., but it’s okay to tell clients that up front. Set realistic expectations. Your customers will respect your honesty in the long run.
I’m sure lots of you have heard by now, but the Chamber Board is excited to to be hosting a wine tasting event right here in Breckenridge! “Sips of Summer” will be held at Shawna’s Bake Barn on August 2nd from 7:00-9:30pm. The Matt Stapp Band will be playing live music and we will have yummy treats from The Rusty Rooster!
This event is for ages 21 and over and ID’s will be checked at the door. (We understand sometimes its hard to find a sitter, however this rule must be enforced to avoid penalties from TABC.)
We have several wineries singed up… as a matter of fact we have SEVEN WINERIES and ONE BREWERY! (We also have 2 additional wineries working on getting their info to TABC for event permits ?) We are going to have a great selection!
We have had a few people ask if they don’t want to drink, but want to attend if they need a ticket. The answer is yes. Everyone will need a ticket to attend. Remember…we are only selling 125 tickets, so stop by the chamber and get yours before they are gone!
As a kid how many times did your mom tell you to share your toys? I couldn’t even eat a bag of chips without having to share with my brother! Anything she handed me, “Share with your brother”. I wasn’t a greedy kid, but some days I just didn’t want his “grubby hands” on my stuff.
Now that I’m grown, I love to share with my brother. More than material things, I love to share stories, successes and encouragement with him. Sharing problems…that’s not always as easy. No one wants to share the ugly stuff. Even with those we love and trust, it’s just hard to do. Maybe we don’t want them to worry. Maybe we want them to think we are doing okay, even when we aren’t.
The ugly truth is, it’s not a perfect world. My brother calls me and ask how I am doing, and I say, “doing good”. The truth is, I was not good yesterday. I was sad. I sat and cried in the bathtub last night. I was sad because losing a baby hurts. I share my pain with my amazing hubby, but as close as I am to my brother, I sometimes think I need to hide my struggles from him and others around me. I feel like it is weakness to admit I’m having a bad day.
When we struggle with things, we need to share! We need to lean on those around who can offer encouragement and support. This is not only true in our personal lives, but our professional lives as well. Running a business is hard. Bad days are inevitable. Talking to people who have shared in your struggles can be resourceful. Society has led us to think we have to all be happy and have perfect lives…or at least portray ourselves (and our businesses) as such. We post all of our happy moments and share happy stories…that’s what we want people to see.
I have to remind myself that sharing and admitting to hardships is NOT a sign of weakness. It’s often surprising how many others battle with similar situations as ours. Don’t be afraid to share your struggles with the Chamber or a trusted colleague! Lean on the resources of others who have shared your experiences. As much as the Chamber loves celebrating member successes, we love being here to help our members even more!
As usual, my weekend went by way too quick! One minute it was 5 o’clock Friday and then POOF! Monday morning! It was one of the first weekends we haven’t been out of town in a while. For Brian, that meant doing a little yard work and unwinding. For me it meant, “let’s repaint the kitchen & living room ceiling”. I don’t know what I was thinking, but it’s done. I can’t move my neck…but it’s done.
Isn’t it funny how unwinding is so different for all of us? I admit I’m pretty OCD about things being clean. Cleaning soothes me. Maybe it’s the overwhelming smell of Windex knocking him down, but Brian always knows when I am stressed LOL. I make no apologies that I get immense gratification out of my microwave glistening. Brian tells me all the time he loves me, yet when I am in crazy cleaning mode, he tells me I am weird. Don’t get me wrong, Brian likes a clean house as much as I do, but he’s so much better at not stressing out over fingerprints on the fridge.
What do you do to unwind? What’s your go-to? Recognizing what soothes you creates a peaceful state of mind. When we are internally at peace, it will reflect externally. Find your go-to this week. Take time for yourself. Read a book, turn your music up on the way to work, do whatever it takes to get in YOUR ZONE and make it a great week!
