The A-Team

It is important as well for your team to be competent and experienced. As prepared as you are, you need a support system. Execution is like a chain; every link is required to keep it intact. It’s the same way that the team has that symbiotic relationship. Even if we are not employed to the same company, once we have the common aim of executing the event, we are a team. I am on the same team as the production personnel, the décor personnel, marketers and any other person who shares the goal with me at any given event. 

Real Work

Nothing you do should be treated like a side hustle. It is work and it should be treated as such. I like to characterize this concept with the 4 Ps: Be Punctual, Be Presentable, Be Professional and … like I said, Be Prepared. An honourable mention to be great at what you do is Be Passionate about it. It is serious business and it is absolutely necessary to apply yourself. In that, I suggest you find your flow. This is essentially your working identity. Build that confidence that is supremely and purely yours – created and harnessed because you took the time to understand the frequency in which you operate. When you find your flow, everything you touch will be incomparable. Only then will you be able to leave your legacy through your work. 

Don’t Assume

Never assume that your client or employer knows or immediately understands all that you’re experiencing. For this reason, it is extremely important to communicate. If you need to renegotiate the terms, make it known. The relationship cannot be mutually beneficial if each person does not understand the true status and the challenges or blockers. Nothing gets done, efficiently at least, if you ghost the client and try to navigate the challenges independently. Be honest about where you are and find a common working ground or way forward. 

Trust

Confidentiality is a fundamental principle of any successful business relationship. Clients should have that confidence in your integrity. People are often of the view that once a Non-Disclosure Agreement is not involved then it should be all ears for everyone they meet. While there may not be any legally binding agreement, lack of confidentiality can make or break the legacy of your work. Be discreet and respectful of people’s privacy – whether it be your clients or colleagues. Confidence in the legacy of your work begins with their confidence in you.

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That is why I was excited to hear about the 1st 1000 Days smartphone app, developed by the Early Childhood Commission (ECC) in partnership with UNICEF, and graciously accepted the invitation to host its launch.

The 1st 1000 Days app is geared at helping parents and caregivers track their child’s development from pregnancy to 2 years old, and keep informed about the nature of the development that is taking place. The first 1,000 days are regarded as the most sensitive period in a child’s life, as it is marked by rapid brain development and accompanying vulnerability to deficiency in care. There are plans to expand the app’s scope to the first 3000 days, up to when the child is 8 years old.

There are so many things to love about this app. Not only does it leverage modern-day technology to deliver support in an innovative way – which allows for a wider reach, minimized cost and the opportunity for personalization – but much of the content also comes from local professionals who understand the lifestyle and challenges of a Jamaican parent, unlike books and online resources often geared at a US market.

What makes it even better is that the app was developed in Jamaica by Jamaicans! It makes me so proud to know that we have the talent and capabilities to built this technology and we are utilizing the skills within our country towards our nation’s growth.

I met some kids at the launch who really warmed my heart. They performed a piece for us as part of the event, and took the kitchen after to prepare us all a lovely meal. Talk about hardworking! Take a look at the photos below and you’ll see what I mean.

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The Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA), in keeping with the Ministry of Education’s thrust to provide quality education for all children, has been committed to ensuring that children in state care reach their highest potential through access to education. To facilitate this, they spend in excess of 40 million dollars annually to cover tuition and examination fees for wards enrolled in primary and tertiary institutions.

If I said “ward of the state”, what comes to mind? Sadly, most persons have unconscious biases. Most will visualize teenage pregnancy, behavioural issues or expect nothing great to come from children who are in state care. I am here to paint a different picture.

Despite unspeakable trauma ranging from domestic and sexual abuse, to gross negligence and abandonment or the death of parents resulting in orphans amongst other cases, our wards of the state islandwide continuously kick ass at the CSEC and CAPE examinations, and for the past seven (7) years, the CPFSA has been staging its annual Educational Achievement Awards Ceremony to recognize the outstanding academic achievements of these youngsters in state care.

78 children who sat secondary exams in 2019 (CSEC, CAPE and other vocational exams) were recognized at the event, receiving awards and gifts for their achievements courtesy of corporate and individual sponsors.

The success of these students as they face adverse conditions should serve as a reminder to us all that we are not our circumstances, and our circumstances do not define our worth. I was honoured to be in the same room as them and inspired by their positive outlook on not just their individual futures but life on a whole.

To the house moms, foster moms and other guardians who help to restore the self -esteem of wards of State and who give encourage them to not become mere statistics, I salute you. o

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STYLE JAMAICA, an event powered by the Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), was conceptualized to bridge the gap between visitors to our country and the creative industry, allowing the latter to showcase their talent and products, and visitors the opportunity to shop and bring a piece of Jamaica home.

We came together in Island Village, Ocho Rios, where locals and tourists (including passengers from several cruises docked that day), had a full day of immersion into Jamaica’s culture, including fashion, art, cuisine, music and dance. Entrepreneurs, designers and creatives displayed clothes, bags, jewelry, hats, chocolate, coffee …all handcrafted with amazing skill and love! I encourage you to check out the catalog featuring the brands that were on display and support them. Buy Jamaica, build Jamaica!

Along with the shopping showcase displaying products and brands made in Jamaica, by Jamaicans, there was also a full programme of activities including musical performances, dancing and of course, a runway fashion show.

Here’s a look at some of the photos from the day.

Photo credit: Tourism Enhancement Fund on Instagram

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For 90 years, Jamaica Producers Group (JP) has been synonymous with quality and excellence, expanding to territories outside of Jamaica. It has created jobs and opportunities for many and they also launched a feeding programme in schools last year (which I hosted).

To celebrate this amazing homegrown brand that continues to reinvent itself and help build Jamaica AND to observe the dress code that was FARM CHIC, I opted for a locally made dress (the colour of JP’s logo and ) and boots!

Due to the torrential downpour that day, the planning team had to scramble last minute to rearrange everything to ensure that all the equipment stayed and guests were as comfortable as possible. Luckily, they had a great team that got everything done just in time. Problem solving, critical thinking, agility, creativity, adaptability and team work MUST NEVER be underestimated when it comes to execution.

Despite the terrible rain, I committed to bringing the sunshine. The party went on and we had a great time. Besides, we were on a farm and rain is always welcomed there.

Here are a few photos from the event.

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One such opportunity on LinkedIn came recently when Judy McCutcheon, the Managing Partner of management consulting and training company, Go Blue Inc, invited me to host her upcoming event, the inaugural staging of the Go Blue Leadership Conference…in Grenada!

Here’s the kicker. Judy and I had never met! We had interacted briefly on LinkedIn, where she saw the posts I made about my life and work. She reached out because of how I showed up everyday. She reached out because of how I value my clients and because of how I go out of my way to ensure the success of a client’s event. That was enough to convince her that I was the right person for the role.

I was only happy to accept the invitation, as it was not only an opportunity to meet and work with some of the best minds in leadership in the Caribbean, but to explore the beautiful “Spice Island” of Grenada.

It was such a wonderful experience to host this event. The audience was filled with CEOs, directors, management teams, entrepreneurs and executives – all eager to soak up all the knowledge that the speakers shared on disruptive leadership.

It was also a true pleasure to work with Judy throughout the planning and staging of the event. It was such an awe-inspiring moment to see your dream fully manifested. I was honoured to play a small role.

Before leaving, I also got the chance to explore the entire island of Grenada all in one fun-filled day, and I have nothing but good things to say about the experience. The warmth and hospitality of the people, the beauty of the island, the orderliness and civility exhibited towards locals and visitors alike, it was truly something to behold. I thought of Jamaica’s vision 2030 and said Grenada is a country that I would actually choose to live, work, raise family and do business NOW.

Here’s a look at some of the highlights from the welcome reception and conference.

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When I show up to host an event, what I’m wearing is often just as important as what I say. Attendees at the event will be looking at me multiple times as I guide them through the programme, so it is imperative that I look appropriate and presentable.

If you pay attention to the looks I’ve worn to events this year, you know that I don’t just stop at presentable. I go out of my way to ensure that what I’m wearing is not just representative of the brand colours, but their values as well – like when I blended in with the bananas for JP Foods 90th Anniversary, or channeled the Jamaican Doctor Bird while hosting the IAGR Gala Dinner, which was being held in the Caribbean for the first time in 9 years.

Yet, even with the usual flair and extravagance, I still didn’t think it was enough to match the JSE’s brilliance. Since one Uzuri International dress wasn’t going to cut it, I wore two!

After showing up to the Jamaica Stock Exchange’s Best Practices Awards and hosting the first part of the night in one dress, I went backstage during dinner and changed into another! If there was a Best Practices Award that night for rapid transformation, I think I would have copped it.

The companies that did win awards that night, however, were truly deserving. Both Sagicor Investments Jamaica Limited & NCB Capital Markets Limited tied for the big prize of the night – the Chairman’s Award for the Top Member Dealer (broker). Meanwhile, the Governor General’s Award for Excellence, presented to the top listed companies, was awarded to Lasco Manufacturing Jamaica Limited, listed on the Junior Market, and GraceKennedy Limited & NCB Financial Group Limited, listed on JSE’s Main Market.

Needless to say, our market players are poised for even more greatness, so I’m looking forward to more economic growth in 2020 – and when they do, I’ll just have to come up with a way to top this year’s performance myself!

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Once again, I was invited to host their annual NCB Pinnacle Awards, this one under the theme, “Celebrating Excellence, 2019 and Beyond”. This was the perfect theme for the event, considering their recently reported profits of $30.7 billion.

The Pinnacle Awards is NCB’s way of showing appreciation to their staff, and awarding the top performers of the past financial year. The NCB family represented well in the brand colours and altogether made this one epic night.

My personal winner of the night was Uzuri International. They may not have gotten an award (or even be eligible for one haha), but after meeting my challenge of creating a dress that would blow away last year’s stunner, they won in my book! After posting just one photo on Instagram, folks were in my comments and DMs requesting to see it from all angles. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next!

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OR…

Some of us wait until we are much older to finally get tested even though we see girls in their teens and young adults with Breast Cancer. Early detection is key!

That’s why I strongly support the activities held within Breast Cancer Awareness Month, in October each year, that not only promote the value of getting screened for early detection, but celebrate the powerful survivors and warriors who continue to live life to the fullest and thrive, despite their diagnosis.

#LiveWithFlair Luncheon

This year, I was honoured to play a part in four events commemorating Breast Cancer Awareness, one of which was hosting the #LiveWithFlair luncheon. Live with Flair is an initiative of Flair Jamaica that is committed to helping Breast Cancer Warriors and Survivors to continue their lifestyle because life does not end with your diagnosis.

Keep Abreast Luncheon

The Jamaica Cancer Society also invited me to host its premiere fundraiser, the “Keep Abreast” luncheon. The proceeds help to fund the campaigns to build awareness, extensive research, procurement of mammography equipment and provide screening and treatment for those who cannot afford it. It also goes towards the Jamaica Reach To Recovery arm of the Cancer Society, which is comprised of survivors who offer emotional, physical and financial support to those fighting the disease.

ICWI Pink Dash

Before the annual Pink Run event, we have the Pink Dash, where corporate teams gather in the pinkest outfits they can find to compete and raise awareness for breast cancer. This year, as with previous years, I was proud to join sponsors Toyota Jamaica and the #DrivingHope team on this mission. The Flow Jamaica team happened to be the fastest on that day, but there are no losers in the race when we’re all running for a good cause.

We weren’t the only ones to show out in pink! Thanks to the team at Toyota Jamaica, Skylar and a few select Rav4s were rocking pink too! We did this in hope that when we’re spotted traversing the island, it will remind everyone to get screened, because we all know early detection is key!

PS. If you really want to know the full story on what was happening in these photos, then you need to check out the captions on my LinkedIn post about the event.

ICWI Pink Run

With only a week to recover after my strenuous Pink Dash efforts, I was off with Toyota Jamaica’s #DrivingHope team once again to run/walk for breast cancer at the annual ICWI Pink Run. In the last five years, ICWI/Jamaica Reach to Recovery Pink Run has raised over 10 million and assisted some 500 persons affected by breast cancer, so I make it a personal mission to support it each year.

We continue to pray for and support each and everyone woman who will benefit from the proceeds from these events! I hope to see even more participants and supporters at these events next year, because as long as breast cancer rages on, we’ll be here to fight it.

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The four-day conference focused on how gaming regulators throughout the world can foster a secure, vibrant, innovative, safe and responsible industry. It sought to tackle and discuss some timely concerns in the industry such as cybersecurity, the effect of blockchain technology, and the role of artificial intelligence and big data in gaming regulation.

It was the very first time in the nine years of conducting this annual conference that IAGR, the largest international gaming regulation body in the world, selected a Caribbean territory to be its host, and I’m thrilled that they chose Jamaica as the ideal destination.

Jamaica isn’t just a place for sun, sea and sand. It’s a place for business, and having 200 delegates from 26 countries gave us the perfect opportunity to showcase Jamaica’s capabilities – and showcase we did!

In true #YourJamaicanGirl style I intentionally wore a dress from Loud Fashion that looked similar to our Doctor Bird or a tropical flower. One delegate said that I looked like a butterfly. The audience approved with applause.

Brand Jamaica was also beautifully represented in many other ways – from the conference bags by Bresheh, locally handcrafted ceramics and Jamaican books to the entertainment throughout the night by Dance Xpressions, Dwight Trumpet, Gem Myers and others. We laughed and danced the night away to sweet reggae music.

It was an absolute honour to host this event, learn more about the global gaming industry, and see our country highlighted in such a wonderful way.

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