AREA 23 | An IPG Health Company’s Post

There’s something about people who are fuelled by an inner fire. Being told offhand, “You can’t” is one source of that fire. My people teach their girls to marry well and be promoted to matriarch. I lit and kept fuelling my inner fire to be self-sufficient. Almost 25 years in, my big learning is: Bank. The. Fire. Mistaking the fuel and fire for identity is an easy but costly one. Being stuck to that fire starts to be self-defeating, if not plain limiting. We cross the threshold and then we let go of the forging fire that got us there, to move forward in relative peace. Maybe even find new fires. We have to constantly renew our operating systems of courage.

Well that will be us up there on the short list for best integrated campaign 👊 from the world renowned and prestigious The Drum Awards As part of our marketing transformation, 12 months ago we set ourselves an ambition to get some marketing swagger (aka a hefty gold embellishment for our newly installed and ambitiously big trophy cabinet). Not for the party (don’t get me wrong we like a party) but as recognition from industry gurus, creative pundits, marketing maestros that our work is as good as our customers (and our stats) say. Team… whether we win or not on the night it doesn’t matter. What matters is we are on our way and this recognition is the fuel we need for our onward journey. But for now “Cheers to us all’ 👏 #HiveHeros #WeveGotYourBack #BrilliantWork #MarketingSwagger

You may have a seen a post I shared a few weeks ago receiving an award and wondering why it took me a year to celebrate that win publicly (this photo is from that same event). Upon reflection, I've realized that my hesitance to celebrate is part of a larger pattern. I have never stopped to really celebrate my wins.  I am guilty of constantly moving on to the next thing dismissing past achievements as if they were mere steps on an endless escalator. The win, once it's in the rearview mirror, somehow loses its sheen because it's "in the past." I cannot be the only one who is like this.  Am I?  Help me out here.  But I am coming to understand that celebrating our achievements isn't about living in the past; it's about recognizing the journey and the growth that comes with each milestone. Many of us, myself included, are wired to look forward, to chase the horizon. There's always a new goal, a new challenge. And while that drive is valuable, it's equally important to pause, look back, and honour how far we've come. Our wins, big or small, are not just trophies to collect but reminders of our resilience, hard work, and the support we've had along the way. Even in writing this I know I will still find it challenging to do, so, I'm making a commitment to not only chase the future but to also honour the present and respect the past. I endeavour to celebrate my wins, to savour the moments of success, and to appreciate the journey because the future is never guaranteed. Will you join me in this practice if you have battled this same malady?

What goes into creating winning award entries? We're lucky to have a few wins under our belt, as well as judging industry and comms awards across the years. Missive's Whitney Simon, Erin Lovett, Nicola Koronka and Emma Ross reveal what the judges are looking for when they're deciding on the all important gold medals, including: 🟡 Why entering awards is important 🟡 How to win awards 🟡 Telling a compelling story with your entry 🟡 Providing quantifiable results and evidence https://lnkd.in/eJM_NnHc

Have you ever wondered what you should say if you have been selected to receive an award, the experts say the following: 1. Express your gratitude and be genuine. Speak from the heart and remember to acknowledge the sponsoring organization as well as any other nominees. 2. Demonstrate why you are deserving of the honor. Keep the self-deprecation to a minimum; don't make them regret selecting you over others. 3. Recognize those who helped you achieve success. Use your moment in the spotlight to pay it forward. Personalize your speech with anecdotes. This is still a speech, after all, so make it memorable and meaningful. 4. Respect the audience and the clock. Not every awards ceremony has an orchestra to play you off the stage when you overstay your welcome.

How To Write a Press Release Celebrating Your Company’s Award

Ask any sales or marketing professional… Launching new products and building new territories is not easy. Over a year ago my husband, Dean Peaple , joined this company to launch a new division of window coverings. Through operations and production challenges, changes in leadership and the minimal marketing support common with ‘startups’ - my husband never gave up! I have watched him be tenacious and creative, using common sense, guerilla tactics, and teamwork- always finding a way. I know the road is long, - and I admire my husbands patience and perseverance. When you work hard and see a reward with a Win like this- you have to celebrate! Most of us are so busy doing the work we do- we forget to take time to celebrate the wins. It’s as easy as 123… 1. Take a moment to reflect on your wins 2. Be proud of your accomplishments, 3. Share your gratitude with those that helped you achieve your goals. Celebrate the Wins!

I don’t usually question things too much, but there’s something I’ve been thinking about that I’d love to get some perspective on. And whilst I’m at it let me throw my disclaimer: I’m not discrediting any award(s)……So, we’ve all seen this recent rise in awards and recognitions, right? While it’s always nice to be acknowledged for hard work, I can’t shake the feeling that these awards are starting to feel a bit... off. Let me explain. It seems like a lot of these awards nowadays are becoming more about which company can sponsor the event, rather than who genuinely deserves to win. It’s like the more you sponsor, the bigger the chance you’ll walk away with the “Best of the Best” trophy. It’s almost as if some of these awards have turned into profit-making machines in disguise, rather than true merit-based recognition. Take, for example, that one time you see a company win "Best Customer Service" after being a top sponsor, even though everyone knows their customer service is questionable at best. Or when you notice that only those who paid for a table at the awards dinner are up for the top prizes. I mean, how does that work? And, honestly, why should we have to pay to be recognized for doing a great job? If it’s really based on merit, shouldn’t we be the ones getting the reward, not handing over cash for a plaque? Let’s not forget the kicker: you get nominated, don’t sponsor the event, and somehow—surprise, surprise—you fall just short of winning. 😂 But maybe it’s just me. Maybe I’m missing something here. However, I do think it’s worth asking: when we celebrate excellence, shouldn’t it be for actual excellence, not for how much we’ve sponsored? What do you think?

"One of the cool things about the insurance industry is that there are many ways to build an agency. You get to decide how you define success." Safeco Insurance shares Elisha Cavanaugh's story and some things she learned on her journey to independent agency ownership. 👇 #isgunited #safeco #insuranceindustry

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗚𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗼... 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺! 🏆 Vegas Legends has won the 𝗦𝗕𝗖 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 for 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗼! But let’s be clear – this award doesn’t belong to the company; it belongs to the incredible team behind it. 🎉 In business, nothing is more important than your team, and this win is a testament to that. So, what’s the secret to winning an award like this? It’s all about the people you work with. Here are a few things I’ve learned along the way: 🔑 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗼𝗻𝗲. Size doesn’t always equal success. Efficiency does. 💡 𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸. Give them the freedom to innovate, and they’ll surprise you every time. 💪 𝗠𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. A motivated team is unstoppable. ❤️ 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀. Happy teams make happy customers. 🤝 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. Empowerment is the key to ownership and accountability. 🤔 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗽𝗶𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. (Just kidding... but seriously, sometimes it’s okay to let them figure it out. 😉) Together with my Co-Founder Cedomir Tomic, we couldn’t be prouder of the team we have. They are the true legends behind this recognition. Nikoleta Hristova, Victor Dessov, Kristina Koledova, Nia Seliktar, this award is yours – now go fly! 🚀🚀🚀