Maggie Dobson’s Post

Happy Black Business Month, Asheville! 💛 This Explore Asheville article shares several Black businesses in the area that you can support year-round: https://lnkd.in/eRv3WCYt What would you add to this list? #WednesdayWisdom #BlackBusinessMonth #Asheville #AVL #BlackBusinesses #AVLBusinesses #MarketingTeam #AshevilleMarketing

Yes! Welcome to the Decade of Black Innovation! This is a BEAUTIFUL excerpt from Jessica Norwood's book: Believe-in-You Money: What Would it Look like if the Economy Loved Black People: "Believe-In-You Money is community-centred, rooted in storytelling and rituals of care and kinship. This money is drawn to the power of the people. This money makes you feel good. This money makes you feel seen. This money finds joy in the success of others. This money sees our shared humanity. This kind of money is an energy - Ase of life itself- and has been moving between peoples for a millennium". This is what we witnessed this week. Our members pooled their registration dollars together from this year's Black Innovation Alliance's 3rd Annual Sustainability Summit backed by a 1:1 match from UBS to invest in ensuring that Black entrepreneurs feel seen, share joy, share their deepest stories, and in many ways humanize capital by distributing Belief Capital. This is more than just money. It's power. It's energy. It's Belief. It's what Black entrepreneurs deserve and so much more. It's was a honor to witness this power of Belief Money this week! #BelieveinYouMoney #DecadeofBlackInnovation

People ask me all the time, what is #impactinvesting? There's no better way to answer that question than to share an example. Here's one of my favorites--the story of what's old is new again, a restored, reimagined thriving market in Baltimore creating jobs and access to healthy food for the underserved community. Check out "Our Story -Lexington Market" Lexington Market and thanks Mission Investors Exchange for the tour!

Did you happen to catch Shawn Gorman '84 on the Today Show recently? Read more about Shawn's time speaking with Al Roker, and watch the interview, in Shawn's post below!

Lots of energy technology innovation to be implemented and shared with Australia before the end of the year, plus plans for 2025.

Celebrate 314 Day!! It’s time to celebrate our day, our way, St. Louis! 314 Day celebrations, specials and events are underway all week long across the metro and there's something for everyone. For a complete list, visit www.TheSTL.com/314Day and show your local love.    St. Louis' Gateway Arch Saw 2.4 Million Visitors in 2023 The @GatewayArchSTL had 2.4M visitors in 2023 – its highest number since 2012. New data shows that, for every one visitor to the visitors' center, another is on the grounds. More: https://lnkd.in/ge4T93q5 #stlmade   Washington University says it contributed $8.8B to local economy last fiscal year #stlmade @WUSTL recently announced that its direct and indirect contributions to the St. Louis economy totaled $8.8 billion in fiscal 2023 and it supported more than 54K total jobs in the region. More: https://lnkd.in/gQ_gR4iG

How exciting! Evolving on many levels

What does the process of reimaging your F&B operation look like? At Carousel Hospitality, we don't hear that term and simply pull out a can of paint and slap a new logo up, shuffle a half dozen menu items and call it a day. Careful, thoughtful impactful analysis is conducted. We have meaningful discussions with our partners on what the scope and scale of the project looks like, including of course cost, but most importantly, what is the desired outcome and ultimately, is that outcome moving the needle on guest satisfaction and taking the guest experience to the next level! When you're ready to evolve your guest experiences, let's discuss what reimaging your F&B operation and enhancing your total guest experience looks like. https://lnkd.in/eWWvVV2P Enhancing the total guest experience, one person at a time. #letsgo #partnership #business #guestexperience #vision

My latest column for Crain's Chicago Business details what Chicago must do to enhance its brand as a world-class city to live, work and invest.

The Missed Opportunity of Connaught Village: A Call for Change As we start to work more in the charming yet underwhelming Connaught Village, a pressing conversation needs to be brought to the forefront. Inspired by Dylan Jones' insightful article from 26 February 2024, it's clear that the vision to transform the Connaught Village neighbourhood into a vibrant, pedestrian-friendly space akin to the elegance of Marylebone High Street, remains unfulfilled. The Church Commissioners' endeavour to replicate such a model has, unfortunately, not seen the success we all hoped for. Connaught Village, despite its potential and notable residents, struggles with a lack of variety, hosting an array of overpriced essentials and a saturation of similar dining experiences. The closure of local cafes and restaurants highlights a trend of decline, a far cry from the bustling, diverse high street we envision. Marylebone High Street's charm is not just in its assortment of boutiques, cafes, and local shops but in the careful planning and management by The Howard de Walden Estate. Their strategy fosters a welcoming environment that benefits locals, Londoners, and tourists alike. This contrast starkly with Connaught Village's current state, where even the management's online presence seems disorganised and outdated. It's disheartening to observe the lack of initiative from the Church Commissioners, especially considering their substantial resources and land ownership. As we delve deeper into this neighbourhood, it becomes evident that more can be done to cultivate a space that champions local businesses, enhances pedestrian accessibility, and truly reflects the community's needs and desires. This call to action is not just about improving retail diversity or dining options; it's about recognising and seizing the opportunity to enhance our neighbourhood's fabric. Let's strive for a Connaught Village that embodies the spirit of community, diversity, and pedestrian-friendliness, making it a true asset to London's landscape. The time is now for the Church Commissioners to step up and make the necessary changes to realise this vision. https://lnkd.in/d3jUED25