M. Olivia Gelade’s Post

Words + Pixels took on Paris 🇫🇷 - wine was drunk, cheese was eaten, The Seine was sailed, and the karaoke was…. well, butchered. We celebrated the last six months (which were epic) and recognised some huge personal wins - announcing a bunch of promotions in the process. So, meet the new bosses of W+P. Proud of you lot 👾 👏🏼 Don’t mess with Charlotte Simpson, our newest Account Director (and resident Jennifer Hudson impersonator). She’s running the show across some serious consumer and tech accounts. 👏🏼 Need something done? Claudia Jones probably already did it, and thought of all the other things you didn’t. She effortlessly steps into the role of Account Manager, obviously. 👏🏼 Moisés Gossain doesn’t just have impeccable style, his enviable black book makes him our go-to B2B publicist as he becomes our new Senior Media Executive. 👏🏼 All hail Senior Media and Influence Exec, Jasmine D., who basically brings the average ‘cool’ rating of our agency up by more than a few notches (and always has the best restaurant reccos). It’s been a bloody good H1. But, progression isn’t only measured in job titles. Across the board the entire team put in an absolute shift. Massive congrats to everyone for consistently growing and showing up to make the work, work. When it comes to growth though, we don’t shy away, hide behind fluffy objectives or create difficult conversations. We reward fairly, and when it’s due. The progression framework we created and launched last year ensures that - providing transparency on where you stand in your role, your salary bracket, how to grow and importantly, how to be accountable for your own career. So, H2, let’s be havin’ you!

What spirits are you giving and what spirits are you hoping to receive this holiday season? Check out our top holiday picks on this week's episode of The Liquor Connoisseur! https://lnkd.in/g5Qbr_ii

Tuesday at 10 AND 15.00 at Bouche in BXL: We're talking story development over coffee with two journalist types - Habib and Michael. And me (for unknown reasons haha) What was this Bump coffee club thing again? 1. We pick a place with great coffee (always just outside the EU quarter, but not that far) 2. You show up and find us before ordering your coffee (we're paying). 3. We'll talk about the topic. No slides or presentations, just conversations. 4. No need to register, just show up. Connect with the team so you can see dates and venues in your feed (Ali, Arnoud, Habib, Koen, Lumawig, Malte, Michael) 5. If no one shows up, we will just drink coffee alone it's fine. Last week people showed up for both slots - that was nice!

This is exactly why I created the Black Professionals Mixer! This is workforce and economic development. Without exception, work is universally more difficult for black people. This is largely due to the complexities around how we are to navigate workplaces and work cultures. When moving into a new city, foreign to you, where you don’t yet have the connections and relationships that permit you opportunities to exhale, it could become more difficult. Similarly, even if you have been inside of a city for a while, life navigation becomes extraordinarily overwhelming, and so Black people need to find ways to be tethered to one another, to hug each other‘s necks every now and again, to look each other in the eye and say, “I see the work that you’re doing”, “I see the effort you’re putting in”, “I SEE YOU and I support and encourage you”. We need safe spaces to come together and build our brands, extend our networks and find ways to grow our businesses and our careers all inside of the confines and the cocooning of our beautiful blackness. That’s what helps you stay anchored. That’s what helps you feel whole. Thats what helps keep black retention here and that’s what the Black Professionals Mixers are all about. If you are a decision maker in one of Louisville‘s companies/organizations, make a decision to support black professionals in this region by sponsoring our next and final black professionals mixer in December. You will be in good company as Republic Bank is one of our sponsors Contact us for sponsorship information at admin@nikkilanier.com. Not only is this an investment in Louisville’s future but it could give you an opportunity for exposure and networking with Louisville’s Black professionals.

The new blog, ‘The Margaret’s’, is up for you now, featuring the unintended wisdom of Maggie, and Margo, and Margaret, along with the unintended consequences of a perfectly made vodka martini, all at alisdairandapencil.co.uk Read it, like it or not, and comment, comments are like treasure!

Proofs! alone are the key to Sales or persuasion? Not really. Imagine a romantic partner in a restaurant who offers wine. Imagine a random person on the street offering wine. Trust is crucial for persuasive communication.

All my favorite things, not necessarily in this order: 1. COFFEE 2. PURPOSEful conversations to do better 3. CONNECTIONS - Tricia Mason Dege, a new connection, is a guest speaker, and I'm eager to learn more from her and her business https://lnkd.in/g5sdvN79 I've never been to an event, and I already know I'm going to love this. In fact you're looking at their newest VIP member! 2.2! Let's go! #localleadership #communityimpact #localbusinessowners

Yesterday, I visited a newly-opened Moe's Southwest Grill and was intrigued by their sign claiming the acronym "M.O.E." stands for Musicians, Outlaws, and Entertainers. After digging deeper into their story, I found that there was a glaring mismatch between what they claimed and what they actually offered. Their claim to be a haven for "Musicians" because they play non-mainstream music or "Outlaws" for being unpretentious and unconventional didn't resonate with my experience. They charged extra for guacamole just like any other place and lacked originality in their service or offerings. While they used to name their menu items after lines from pop culture movies to cater to "Entertainers," this too was a thing of the past. This experience made me ponder the importance of aligning mission statements and visions with the actual culture and offerings of an organization. Too often, companies tout high ideals and bold missions that they don't live up to, creating a disillusioning experience for the customer. In a landscape where businesses from Subway to Chipotle to MOD Pizza offer build-your-own meal experiences, the last thing a company should do is create a mission statement that doesn't align with its actual practices. But what about what we can control? What about the stories we tell about who we are? Do we live day in and day out in a way that aligns with the narrative we want people to believe about us? If we were to have personal mission statements, would our actions validate them? If not, perhaps it's time to take our metaphorical signs down or, better yet, start making decisions that help us live up to our proclaimed vision.

This is a great way to describe a crucial part of the winemaking process. Notice how Rick does not suggest imposing or forcing your opinion on your collaborators, only to make it clear to you and to them. The rest has to do with: is it your team or a client (i.e. is it your decision or is it theirs)? Both scenarios involve trust. https://lnkd.in/gZ9Awh-A

Want to know how you can help support The Voilà Foundation this week? Weather for Thursday looks perfect for drinking wine, shopping, meeting the Canine Assistants pups, and enjoying live music so get your tickets today! Learn more below and don't forget to share with your friends!