Newsletter
President's Report
Welcome to 2021! It’s a new year- one that we have all been desperately waiting for. I remember back in June – when the reality that this thing will not truly be over any time soon – that I just wanted to get to 2021. Surely by January first we would be having large events again. Surely, this would all be over. As fall approached, we all saw the writing on the wall – 2021 IS going to be different, but not in the way we hoped.
Every New Year’s Eve, there was always this feeling of pride and accomplishment. It was like we were giving ourselves a pat on the back saying “we made it one more year!” We thanked the year on lessons learned that helped us grow personally and professionally. We poked fun at our mistakes and took the time to say to hell with that year and start fresh. We made new promises and new goals and rang in the New Year with the expectation of “This is going to be the BEST year yet!”
I don’t know about you, but I have a bit of PTSD from NYE 2019. I can’t even look at what I wrote in January of 2020 – it is too depressing. I have no desire to look back on 2020 and reflect. I have no gratitude for the lessons learned. My mistakes aren’t ones I even want to think about. I didn’t feel that same elation of ending the year, just a bit of relief. Relief that I made it. Relief that my business made it. Relief that we are steps closer to seeing the end to this virus.
I do not want to make a resolution or say my “word” for the year. I want to walk slowly and cautiously and tentatively test the “waters” that are 2021. 2020 was a year that hardened me. I felt stunted all year, like my wings had been clipped. I felt caged in by my responsibilities, like I was no longer free. I felt like every month of the year I was learning something that I couldn’t process fully. It was suffocating and disorienting all at the same time. And while there are parts of what I have learned that I can be appreciative for, as a whole, 2020 has turned me into something I don’t really like - a pessimist.
I couldn’t put my finger on how I got there until I was having a conversation with a friend and she said, “yeah, but 2021 HAS to be better!” I wanted to say, “of course it does!” But, in that moment I realized that 2021 does not HAVE to be better. It can be, it might be, but it doesn’t HAVE to be. It reminds me of hurricane season when I lived in Florida - we may have weathered the hurricane, but now comes the flood waters, power outages, and the decision if you can save the house. Just because we made it through the hurricane, doesn’t mean the days ahead have to be easier. In fact, they may just be harder. I realized I walked through 2020 with this attitude that the future has to be better. I was clinging to the promise of better times ahead and while there were bright spots and we got the chance to execute some events, we are still in the same cycle of rescheduling, postponing, arguing about non-refundable deposits, and phone calls with angry dads. Tomorrow isn’t promised to be better or even the same.
So, if I have one goal, one resolution, one tiny toe to dip into 2021, it would be to fully recognize what this year is and what it is not. It is not the year that will get me back my profit margins. But it is the year I can see how great my team works with two times the number of events we normally have. It is not the year to see everyone I want to see, but it is the year I get to take longer coffee dates with friends and colleagues. This is not the year that I get to go to blowout parties and events, but it is the year I will be present at every single birthday and family activity. This is not the year that I will have easy clients or situations, but it is the year I can show the true spirit of hospitality and graciousness.
So, while 2021 is not the year that we get to makeup all that we lost last year, I hope it is the year that surprises me and returns the feeling of elation and joy on New Years Eve.
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What are our Members up to?
Magnolia Collective
Magnolia Collective is offer hot chocolate bombs to get you through these cold months! These are available for shipping or pickup. E-mail Meagan at [email protected]
Join the Bradford for an Informal Open House
Tour the gorgeous Graham Mill
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Event Professional Spotlight
As we navigate the waters that 2021 will bring, we want to be smart and realistic as to what our meetings will look like. In order to properly prepare for the year, we have a few businesses that are providing us with long term sponsorships.
SPIN
Ryan and his team have graciously decided to be our A/V and live stream team for the 2021 year. This is a massive undertaking and we can not say Thank you enugh to SPIN! If you see Ryan or any member of his team - be sure to extend your deepest gratitude for their hard work and donation to our group!
1705 East
We have decided to stay at one venue for 3 months at a time. The main reason being ease and safety. It is easier to plan and know how to make a safe event if we are there month after month. 1705 is our sponsor for the first quarter. and 21C is our sponsor for the 2nd quarter. Please make sure to say Thank you when you see them!
If you have a venue and are interested in being our sponsor for quarter 3,or 4- please reach out to any member of the board!
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Join our Members Only Facebook Group
If you are a member of Triangle NACE - make sure you join our members Only Facebook Group. The sole purpose of this group is for live-streaming our meetings. You will also have access to all the recordings from the chapter meetings. To join - head here:
(12) Triangle NACE Members | Facebook
Request to join and an admin will approve you.
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Call for Speakers
Open Call for speakers
We are asking for recommendations and submissions to be a speaker at one of our NACE meetings this year. We are looking for energietic, fun, and educational topics that encourage and inspire our members!
Please e-mail [email protected] for more information.
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Future Event
2021 Chapter Meetings
We are so excited to start 2021 with a bang! As a board we have worked really hard to plan for a year that gives the most back to our members. We feel like it is important to bring you education that helps grow your business and gives you the spark of inspiration to get you through another toough year ahead. As we move forward with meetings, we wanted to share with you a few things on how we will have chapter meetings in the first few months.
January, February, and March are all at 1705 East.
We will have 3 different types of tickets:
1. In person with charcuterie box + bar = $45/members and $60/non-members
2. In person with bar only = $20/members and $30/non-members
3. Live Streaming = Free for members and $10/non-members. Make sure as a member you join our FB group! More on that below.
Following each meeting we will have an additional virtual meeting with a national speaker that goes a little deeper into the content of our in-person meeting. Our first few topics are:
January - Erin McLean speaking on Branding followed by Meryl Snow speaking on how first impressions close the sale
February - Joe Bunn Speaking on Marketing followed by Chritie Osbourne speaking on crisis recovery marketing.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with questions/concerns. We are looking forward to seeing you all virtually or in-person this year!
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Welcome New Members
Welcome to our newest members!
Matt Bowles
Group Source
Join me in welcoming everyone to the NACE Family!
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