It's That Time Again...

Last week I awoke in a panic....IT’S ALREADY THANKGIVING!! I hadn't boarded the dog, the kids were out of school for a whole week....the holiday season was upon is. Really?? Where did the year go?

Once the panic subsided of all I had to do, I started to embrace it all and focus on being thankful. That IS the point of this time of year. It has been a hard year, in many ways, yet a really good one. The economy has really forced us all to look at ourselves and our businesses differently. Things that appeared as struggles also taught us to find new ways to do things. So I thought I'd reflect on what I was grateful to have learned or discovered during these more difficult times. It's always nice to look back so going forward will be so much better.

I am thankful.....

That we are still here and going strong. That says alot.

That the change in marketing budgets has created a change in how we communicate and encouraged us to work in new ways. We've done some really awesome things this year that went way past just sales brochures of years ago.

That I've discovered an incredible range of ways to use social media in conjunction with traditional marketing over the past years. It has been a powerful medium with vast reach.

To have realized that downtime isn't a bad thing. Rather, it is a time to learn new things, or test out those crazy ideas we've been thinking of.

For our ability as a team to change our actions, behaviors and habits to manuever through these times and make Function: a better place. We've all learned to be better more conscious, less wasteful and even more aware.

For Scoutmob. Really, for those of us that can't handle coupons and are looking for a deal, you can't beat this!

That our industry expertise has helped us gain new relationships with some really dynamic companies who are doing some incredible things.

To have been forced to streamline excess spending and waste.

That this time of year gives us a reason to do something creative, unusual, fun. Design a cool card, give back to an organization we love.

That i can really see the efforts of architecture and building products to make better schools and institutions. Being a part of the elementary and 4/5 academy, this really is exciting. I spent alot of time in the cafeterias for Thanksgiving lunches last week looking around - trying not to look at the holiday lunch....

That Thanksgiving is over and there are no more left overs.

That I truly believe 2011 is going to be a great year.