The Center Club’s Post

Ethan Hawke recently shared some valuable advice he got from Denzel Washington about winning awards. He said, "You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status." This is a powerful statement that challenges us to think about the true value of awards. It's not about personal recognition, but about elevating the award itself. What do you think about this perspective? Share your thoughts in the comments below. #EthanHawke #DenzelWashington #Awards #Perspective #Value #Success

We know no boundaries as our service area spans much larger than the Triangle footprint. It’s important for your chamber to have regional awareness so that you can better serve the membership base AND the community. Participation in programs like this are crucial to gain awareness, build relationships, and spur innovation for what we can do together to improve our community. #BuildingConnectingInspiring #RegionalDevelopment #RelationshipsMatter #DurtherTogether

Have you learned from a GREAT local family business in our region? Worked with or for one? Done business with them? If the answer is yes, consider nominating them for an award! There are company and people categories. Learn more here!

Join us in Nashville! High-profile speakers and innovators will provide clear-cut ways to make a difference in your boardroom, covering topics such as:    Navigating the Boardroom Landscape: Elevate your practical skills on crucial topics within board packets, role of the board vs. the role of management, and fostering a culture of collaboration. Path to Board Directorship: Learn essential steps and insights to increase your visibility, readiness, and candidacy for a new board position. Challenges for First-Time Board Directors: Gain insights on board dynamics and strategies for handling unforeseen challenges. 

Check out the article in todays issue with profiles for all the fantastic honorees for the San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40*. Beyond excited to have been selected with this years class of exceptional individuals. #RaymondJames #40Under40 #SanAntonio #WealthManagement #SA40Under40 *The San Antonio Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Awards are presented to professionals under 40 years old who have demonstrated excellence in business, leadership, and community involvement. To be eligible, the nominees must be under the age of 40 as of 1/1/24, live and work in the San Antonio area, and cannot be a past 40 Under 40 honoree. Over 200 nominees were considered and 40 were recognized. The nominations are read and vetted by an internal group of editors and reporters at San Antonio Business Journal. This ranking is based upon the period from 01/01/2023 to 12/31/2023 and was released on 1/22/2024. This ranking is not based in any way on the individual's abilities in regard to providing investment advice or management. The ranking may not be representative of any one client's experience, is not an endorsement, and is not indicative of an advisor's future performance. Neither Raymond James nor any of its Financial Advisors pay a fee in exchange for this award/rating. San Antonio Business Journal is not affiliated with Raymond James.

Our Commission on Software-Defined Warfare is off & running! What a first day! We debated & discussed what the focus of the commission should be. We spent a lot of time trying to identify the problem to be solved, which is easier said than done. We also discussed the name of the commission, with many proposing changes. The conversation was respectful, but there were disagreements, which is a good thing. There were a few core issues: - What is intellectual property, how is it protected, and how is it used? - Should we focus on software, the technical stack that supports it, or both? - Is there a difference in how the DoD should apply dual-use software (e.g. logistics management, budgeting, predictive maintenance, etc.) vs. that which is used solely for warfighting? Much more to come!

Absolutely! Texas's 20-year streak as the Best State for Business underscores its magnetism for innovation and growth. As Bargo Capital, we're particularly excited about the opportunities this presents for nearshoring and onshoring initiatives, especially in light of The Chips Act and Texas Chips Act. By focusing on providing and executing on these opportunities, we're not only leveraging Texas's business-friendly environment but also contributing to the resilience and competitiveness of the semiconductor industry in the U.S. This recognition reaffirms our commitment to identifying and capitalizing on strategic opportunities that drive economic growth and technological advancement. #nearshoring, #onshoring, #CHIPSact, #TexasCHIPS

The quality of submissions this year is easily the highest I've seen! The way leaders in our profession are striving to better themselves, their companies and the industry is nothing short of inspiring! Well done to all the nominees for raising the bar! When the finalists are announced, get around them and celebrate, they've earned it! The REIQ Antonia Mercorella Peter Brewer Kat Beavon Kate O'Riordan #reiq #reiqawards #realestate #realestateprofessionals #propertyprofessionals

How can I advise people on NOT being boring with their marketing if I've NEVER done an exhibition for myself?! Sam Lindley was a brilliant person to do this with as she's so full of encouragement and is far more professional than me (I need to be balanced 😆) SO we offered riches and happiness (her) and free marketing advice (me). Exhibitions are great when they're so well run (massive thanks to Aaron Desmond) and so well attended (thanks to Aaron's amazing network!). The takeaways for me from this: 🎩DON'T BE BORING 🎉🎉🎉thinking outside the box is so much fun and gets noticed too 🎩Help people feel at ease and give them an opening or reason to talk to you 🎩Don't try to sell! Your aim should be making good connections and THAT'S the measure of success. 🎩Take the time to have a decent conversation I noticed there is that ever-present fear of being sold to, even at an exhibition. Remove that fear if you can, reassure that you want to know about them EVEN IF you're secretly dying to tell them how amazing you are.😆 No one starts a good relationship by feeling sold to - no one ever in the world. So give them free money 🤑and find out about THEM. Job done 🎩🎩🎩🎩

Looking forward to digging into this conversation, to an appropriate-ish dose of TMI, and an exhale-worthy rant of the ups and downs and all arounds of scale - all in service to building an economy that works. For everyone. Thanks to the Duke University - The Fuqua School of Business CASE Center for the opportunity to rep REDF and the power of #employment #socialenterprise. #InclusiveEconomy