Black Duck Partners’ Post

Today is my 5 year work anniversary! As I pause and reflect over the last 5 years, I wanted to share a few things I’ve learned at work: 1.) Never stop learning and improving yourself. Personal development is just as important as professional development. 2.) Be trustworthy. Afterall, your character is everything. 3.) Always maintain integrity and do the right thing. God will bless you for it (Luke 16:10) 4.) Honor and value your customers. Treat them with the highest respect and they will remain loyal to you. 5.) Leadership matters. It is a critical component of success. 6.) Hard work isn’t always recognized. Keep striving for greatness, one day it will pay off. 7.) Embrace challenges and speak up. Take risks and make it happen. 8.) You are replaceable at work but your kids only have one Mom or Dad. Put your family first. (I’m grateful for a company that understands my kids come first. I’ve only missed one basketball game in 5 years due to working out of town. That’s invaluable!)🤍 9.) Have fun at work, life is short! When you can, help others and give back. 10.) Most importantly, always remember “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Colossians 3:23 Be blessed my friends 💙

Celebrating a Decade of Greatness! 🎉🎈 Friends, followers, and loyal customers! Today, we are here to celebrate a spectacular milestone: our 10th anniversary as a company! 🥳🎊 Yes, you read that right! Ten years filled with laughter, challenges, and above all, success! From our humble beginnings, we've embarked on adventures that could rival the best Hollywood movies. 🎬✨ Remember when we started in the garage next to the grandmother of diaper pants, with just a tabletop lathe and a bunch of crazy ideas? Well, since then, we've grown bigger than that bunch of crazy ideas, and that's saying a lot! We've faced more obstacles than we can count: from technical issues that made us sweat more than a marathon in the desert, to emergency meetings that kept us up until the wee hours of the night. But each challenge has made us stronger, more resilient, and, well, sometimes a bit grayer due to stress, but that doesn't matter! We keep moving forward! However, it hasn't all been hard work and tears (though there were some of those too). We've shared moments of pure joy and camaraderie. So here we are, raising our cups of coffee (or tea, or juice, or whatever makes you smile in the mornings!) to toast to another 10 years of successes, challenges, and above all, fun. Thank you for 10 incredible years! The Ejematic Team 🚀🎉 #Anniversary #Celebration #10Years #SuccessStory #CompanyMilestone #TeamSpirit #BusinessGrowth #Innovation #JourneyToSuccess #CheersToTheFuture

Yesterday marks my one-year anniversary in corporate. Here are ten things I am learning these days🤝 1. You mental Physical health is more important than anything. Zero tolerance for mental-physical harassment. 2. Never compromise your self-respect or your family for anything. 3. Corporate says, 'We are a family, but not. You are there to work, not make family. You could be replaced any time.So mind your own roles and responsibilities. 4. Don't play office politics. 5. Learn to say 'NO.'. 6. Improve your skills. 7. Work smart, not hard! 8. Never settled for less. 9. Know your value. If the place doesn't know or doesn't care about your value or effort, remember there are plenty of fish in the sea. 10. Don't trust any co-workers. They are your co-workers, not your friends. They use your words against you. Happy anniversary to me. Well done reshma, you deserve a tight hug 🫂

Let Present fix this for good.

Bringing innovation to the forefront of guest engagement, PHNYXPRO/Stefan Rampersad proudly collaborated with Innovation Activators/Shiva Deokiesingh to infuse the airline ticketing and check-in experience into a seamless, personalized journey for 200 guests National Energy Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited's Altitude event at the Hyatt Regency. By reimagining how guests interact with their event passes, we designed an airline-inspired experience that combined cutting-edge creativity with functionality. Each ticket was not just a pass but an integral part of a narrative, connecting attendees to the event theme in a truly immersive way including encoding their seat information. Leveraging the power of Adobe/Adobe Creative Cloud Applications, we meticulously crafted unique digital assets that integrated personalization into every ticket. From custom-designed tickets to an interactive check-in process, this project showcased how creativity and technology can elevate the event experience. At PHNYXPRO, we thrive on opportunities to collaborates and push the boundaries of design and innovation, delivering memorable moments for our partners and their audiences.

Occasionally my business overlaps with my friendships, and I love it when that happens.... Julie and I first met in 2002. We waited tables together at an Italian restaurant here in my hometown. Julie is one of the most kind, welcoming, genuine people you'll ever meet. If you know her, you can't help but love her - that's just who she is. I came from the chain restaurant world of Ruby Tuesday (are they even still around anymore?) to this fine dining restaurant and felt completely out of my element. I didn't know how to open a bottle of wine (heck I was 19 and probably drank Boone's Farm back then), or about the variety of seafoods and pastas we offered. Jules took me under her wing and graciously taught me everything she knew, up to and including how to tie a tie (part of our uniform). Little did she know, she also taught me how to create an awesome customer experience, how to run a team, and how to lead by example. Jules went on to marry a successful chef and restaurant owner, but years later when he decided to sell the business and go a different path, Jules was ready to try something different. HYI was looking for a PL Account Manager and I knew Julie's personality, work ethic, and customer service skills would make her a perfect fit. She had all the makings to be successful, she just needed to learn the insurance piece. She wasn't sure she could do it - but I promised her that on the right team, I knew she could. One of the things I love about Joe Lapi is that he keeps an open mind. He also trusts me. When I presented Julie as a candidate 3 years ago, he said "If you like her for this, I'll talk to her." She was offered the job that week (even edging out a candidate who HAD experience). Today my dear friend who spent her entire adult life in the restaurant world has made a total pivot into insurance, and has a successful new career path ahead of her. If you're a retail agency always wondering where your next awesome AM is going to come from, try keeping an open mind. Go for the person who has the right attitude and checks SOME of the boxes. Planning ahead instead of waiting until the hire is a 5 alarm fire will afford you the time to train folks like this. I promise you it will result in some of your very best hires. I think Joe and team would agree, Julie's been an asset to HYI - not just professionally, but in keeping with the awesome culture he's creating over there. Cheers to 3 years, Jules! 🥂

Today is my 13 year anniversary at my company. It’s a bit of a tradition for people in my org to get an email of congrats for them sent out to everyone for the team to say “Hey great job”. I haven’t gotten one of these in 5 years. I casually mentioned this to my leadership a few years back and was told “Well we always thought you were above idle praise. “, and don’t get me wrong there’s a bit of a truth to that. However, as someone who has worked on both sides of the coin as a leader and as a direct report, my advice is to let that person decide that. Give them the praise and then let them tell you “Hey you don’t have to do that. “ The reason is because so many times our direct reports can feel unseen, or under appreciated. There’s a ton of times where there’s maybe something personal going on and they as people feel unseen or under appreciated. It’s not up to us as leaders to decide that for them, it’s up to us to let them make that choice and it’s up to us to understand that sometimes situations change. Praise your people when you can and where you can and let them know they’re valued for the investment they put into YOU and your company. They’re the lifeblood of what makes you look good, so if a 3 minute email is what you can do to make them feel valued, that’s a 3 minute investment worth it every single time and anything beyond that time is just better and better. That said, my favorite part of being here for 13 years has been the chance and opportunities to meet incredible people and in my learning and development role show my appreciation for the dedication and talent everyone I meet brings to the table every single day. It pushes me as an employee, a leader, a person to be my best self every single day. If I’ve interacted with you at my company, THANK YOU. Even for the smallest of time, because it reminds me of why I’m here and the fantastic company I keep. I can’t wait to do more and see where this ride takes me. Skal.

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We were celebrating an anniversary in the office today and one of the team said I had been an inspiration over the last 12 months. I wasn't expecting that, it was lovely to get the feedback. I took this photo on holiday the other week and it got me thinking about how we inspire others, but more importantly, how do we move forward and inspire ourselves. Imagine you're standing on the shore, the place where you've always been. The sand beneath your feet represents your old self—familiar, comfortable, but limited to this small stretch of beach. The waves lap at your ankles, inviting but also uncertain. The ocean before you is vast and unknown, a symbol of potential, change, and discovery. You step into a small boat, pushing off from the shore. As the distance between you and the land grows, you leave behind all that was safe but stagnant. The shore fades into the distance, like the version of yourself you’ve outgrown. You’ve let go of the stability you once clung to, trading it for the endless horizon. Out on the open water, the journey isn't always smooth. The sea is unpredictable, like the uncertainties and fears you face in the process of transformation. There are moments of calm, where you feel the peace of aligning with something new, and moments of storm, when you doubt or struggle against the waves. But as you continue sailing, the horizon ahead becomes clearer. You begin to trust the journey, feeling the wind in your sails, carrying you toward a version of yourself that has yet to fully reveal itself. You no longer look back to the shore; the pull of the unknown future is stronger than the past you've left behind. Eventually, you see a new shore, representing the discovery of your new self— a place that holds different possibilities, growth, and deeper meaning. The person stepping out of the boat on this new land is not the same one who left the shore behind. Interesting thought to ponder, maybe it is time to find your boat!

I recently celebrated my 37th birthday with a long weekend getaway, surrounded by four of my closest childhood friends. As I reflected on the past year—both personally and professionally—here are my top three takeaways from my 36th year and 3rd year as a business owner: 1. You Can’t Do It All (And That’s OK): When I first launched Elevate, I had a clear vision of how I wanted to grow the business, but I quickly realized I couldn’t carry every task on my own shoulders. Learning to delegate wasn’t just an option—it became a necessity. Trusting others with key responsibilities has been a game-changer. 2. Build a Team You Trust: This year reinforced the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. I’ve worked hard to cultivate a team that I not only trust but who truly believes in our mission. With the right support in place, even when I’m taking a break for some much-needed R&R, I know Elevate is in good hands. 3. Celebrate Your Wins (Big and Small): Whether it’s taking a step back to reflect on how far you’ve come or simply enjoying a weekend off with friends, it’s crucial to celebrate yourself and your achievements. This year, I’ve learned that self-care and celebration are just as important as hard work. Here’s to another year of growth, lessons, and continued celebration! #birthdaycelebration #happybirthday #itsmybirthday