Mother’s Day is Sunday and I have a very important public service announcement to make. For your convenience, I’ve bullet-pointed my announcement by reader group.
 

It’s almost ICSC RECon time, when professionals from across the retail real estate world descend on Las Vegas in the industry’s version of the Super Bowl. One of the biggest challenges of this great networking event – other than sore feet – is trying to find enough time to connect with everyone you want to see during your short 3 or 4 days in Las Vegas. Most people end up extending the day by meeting for drinks or appetizers after the daytime deal making end. But with so many choices, it’s difficult to know exactly where to take that post-game party.

In less than a month, more than 35,000 people will head to Las Vegas for ICSC’s RECon conference.  With that travel often comes waiting time at the airport – and a perfect opportunity to catch up on reading.  I thought I’d share my top five recent reads to help you pick a book for your travels.  If you’re not headed to RECon, summer is coming and always a good time to catch up on your reading list.
 

In our newest coffee-fueled People of PECO story, Senior Project Manager Dan Boyle shares the lessons he and his “Coffee Wagon Gang” learned selling coffee to the I-70 construction crew in 1968. The young entrepreneurs’ time on that road side helped set the stage for Dan’s future success.

Before I started college, I had a very important conversation with my father. He told me, “You’ve done very well throughout school and have created an opportunity to go to a number of good schools. However, you will have to fund whatever choice you make.” And with that, my mindset and priorities totally changed. I needed to focus on finding a university that would provide me with the opportunity to get a good education and allow me to financially support myself.

“Customer Experience” is a frequently heard buzzword in our industry today and as marketers, we are always looking for opportunities to improve the experience. Imagine my delight when I learned about The Experience Management Summit billed as the “Annual Gathering of The World’s Experience Leaders” being held just two blocks from my office.

Author John Maxwell once said, “The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.”

2017 was a powerful year for women’s voices. Women came forward telling their stories – not only of sexual harassment but of gender imbalances in their industries, disparity for advancement and failure to receive equal pay. While Hollywood made a huge impression, these voices were heard through many other industries, including the commercial real estate industry.
 

How many “boring accountant” jokes have you heard?  Probably quite a few.  The common perception that accountants are dry and tedious probably stems from the fact that we spend a lot of time behind our desks dealing with facts and figures that many people find mind-numbing.

As a new empty nester with my freshman daughter away at college, I often find myself reflecting back on the 18 years that I spent as a working mom. I am grateful for my family’s support, amazing employers and fellow moms that have provided valuable advice as I raised my daughter. Through it all, I learned many lessons.  Here are my top 5: