Miami-Dade Beacon Council’s Post

My inspiration for this inaugural event came from my deep connection to professional sports and the respect I hold for the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, which honors NFL athletes for their excellence both on the field and in their communities. In the same spirit, the CHANGE AGENTS OF PHOENIX event was created to celebrate real estate professionals who excel in their field while also making a lasting impact beyond their transactions. In real estate, where authenticity is key, I believe greatness extends far beyond exceptional performance in transactions. True greatness enriches an agent’s work and purpose—it embodies the ability to think beyond individual deals, to give back, and to positively influence the communities that support them. My mission is to elevate real estate and showcase how the industry, through its unique relationship capital, can serve at a much greater capacity—transforming lives and communities through our everyday business responsibilities. A select few outstanding local agents, nominated and voted on by my event partners and industry peers, have been named this year’s CHANGE AGENTS for exemplifying these core values: - Create Impact Beyond Transactions: Using their success to drive positive change. - Embody Core Values: Integrity, purpose-driven action, and collaboration. - Lead with Inspiration:Their stories inspire meaningful service. - Serve the Phoenix Metro: Dedicated to improving their local communities. - Engage Online: Amplifying their impact through a strong online presence. Their stories are inspiring, and we can’t wait to walk alongside them and honor their dedication and lasting contributions. Next month’s event will be an exclusive, private gathering held at a custom spec home still under construction, thoughtfully planned in partnership with my builder partner Living Stone Builders and Brian North of North&Co. This intimate setting will provide the perfect backdrop to celebrate the remarkable achievements of our honorees and the genesis of what’s to come. #changeagent #changeagentsofphx #realestate #homesforgood #phoenix #scottsdale #paradisevalley #arizona Real https://lnkd.in/gg4BSY6v

So Simple, So Genius I had the chance last weekend to participate in a National Association of Community and Restorative Justice (NACRJ) Community-Building Circle ahead of their 2024 annual conference. They've set these events to foster connections and conversations among attendees both before and after the conference. It had been a tough week and I almost skipped out on this due to the expectation of engagement. I'm so glad I didn't. It felt restorative and really energized myself and others around connecting with each other, even if we're scattered across the country. This is such a smart way to cultivate relationships before going into a large conference. Something to think about for all you event planners out there. 😊 #circle #dei #restorativejustice Liz London, Terrini Woods, Carolyn Stilwell, Glenn Millar, Russell Rowe, Brandi Fischer More deets about this process below... _______________________________________ About Circle Process Circle processes have their roots in Indigenous cultures around the globe, stretching back to ancient times. Circle values and practices are now known by many names, such as: community-building circles, peacemaking circles, talking circles, or simply "circles." In-person Circles usually include the following elements: - People are seated in an open circle, with no obstructions between them. - The group comes up with guidelines or agreements for behavior in the circle. - Conversation moves around the circle so that each person in turn has an opportunity to speak if they want. Often, a "talking piece" is passed around the circle. The person with the talking piece is invited to speak if they wish; all others listen. - There is some kind of opening and closing ceremony, observance or activity. Virtual Circles (VCircles) are an online adaptation of the circle process. While they differ from an in-person Circle, many circle elements are incorporated for a virtual space. The VCircles are intended to build connection and community during this time of physical distancing.  

In our The WICT Network: Heartland annual Touchstones Summit event yesterday, we had the honor of hearing from Lisa Lovallo, Market VP at Cox in Tucson. She shared main takeaways from her recent trip to Japan and I thought you might find them interesting and beneficial, as I did. Here are my notes from her talk with us. Winning is Team Sport Turn Losing into Learning Have Intellectual Curiosity Mark Milestones Create Culture and Maintain It I think most of us know these things to be good and beneficial. Sometimes we need reminding, and these stories are a great way to refresh philosophies. Lisa shared how she was amazed at the fact that there is zero trash lying about in Japan - zero! There are no trash bins placed about for people to throw items away. There is simply a shared understanding and pride in keeping their environment clean. Imagine that - it sounds very simple, but think about your neighborhood, your community, your state...imagine EVERYONE being invested in keeping it looking beautiful! How do we get everyone on 'the team' invested in the vision or philosophy we're working to achieve? Shared understanding, shared ownership, shared benefit. She also highlighted that while Japan is deeply rooted in an ancient history and culture that they actively keep alive - they have their eye on the future and boast modern cities with amazing technologies. They mark milestones often and create space for their people to remember with storytelling, testifying, monuments, parks, special events and celebrations. Change is inevitable and necessary but it's important to stay grounded in something from the past that helps retain our values as we push forward.

Helping communities get multiple stakeholders aligned on a path forward is a critical step in planning for the future. Let know if we can help you.

🥳 Congratulations to Jamie Toledo, our Economic Development Relationship Manager, on reaching 7 years at the Economic Alliance! In honor of the occasion, we asked her some questions reflecting on the past and looking forward to the future: • Why did you initially want to work for the Economic Alliance? I had the opportunity to work with supplier diversity programs in the past and small business recovery efforts after the flood. The impact on me personally and professionally has been a constant driver to see our business community thrive. The Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance provides a “one-stop shop” for connections to business resources and partnerships in the economic development space. It’s a privilege to support our diverse portfolio of existing businesses and help to welcome new ones to our community. • What has been the most rewarding part about being a part of this team? The unique perspective of working with an organization that gets to “see behind the curtain” by learning about how different industries operate and how all the dots connect. The scope of economic development has become more holistic as people start to understand how one aspect of the business community can affect so many others. It’s exciting to see our area forge into that new world. I learn something new every day. • How are you planning on celebrating your anniversary? AKA, what excites you about the upcoming year? I don’t typically take time to celebrate…but heading to one of our local restaurant establishments sounds like a plan I could tackle. I’m excited for it all! The talent and business attraction plans for the area, new collaborative efforts in the entrepreneur space, and quality of life projects in the hopper. There is a general feeling out there that our region is on the tipping point of significant growth, and that’s exciting. The • What is your favorite Economic Alliance brand color and why? Orange, as it represents optimism, energy, and creativity to me.

Spring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than getting out and exploring local happenings! Do you have an event to share? Let me know in the comments! 🌷🌞 #WhatsUpWednesday #SpringEvents #LivianCommunity

More to come

Did you know that 77% of consumers are more motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world a better place? 🌍 If your team is looking to create meaningful connections while giving back, our latest blog highlights the top corporate events and team-building activities for 2024. Learn how your company can make an impact and strengthen your team at the same time with Move For Hunger events ➡️ https://vist.ly/3mf2pe5

Wouldn't it be great to attend more gatherings and fewer meetings? For the past couple of years, I've been trying to apply the ideas in The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker to design meetings that we facilitate. This includes a gathering that is in the works and I'm sharing some of our planning journey here. My first step was to pitch the idea of hosting a gathering to the client. In my experience, some clients LOVE this idea and others have a hard time breaking out of their meeting comfort zone. For the meeting that is in the works, our client is people-centered in his leadership style, and also determined to bring cultural sensitivity to a project that includes white and Hispanic museum educators, leaders from local Hispanic community organizations, and Hispanic families. Not surprisingly, he approved my pitch! Our next step was to figure out the purpose of the meeting. If you've read Parker's book, you know that this is key! I used the 5-why approach to help narrow down on why we are gathering. We are still refining our idea, but my favorite part of our purpose statement so far is this: 'We’re stronger together when everyone feels comfortable to speak their minds." There's some minimal business-oriented language that follows this statement, to provide more specific context for our why. As we were narrowing down on our why, my colleague, Regina Ayala Chávez, suggested that our gathering should be a sobremesa. I'm still learning about this tradition, but from what I think I understand, in many Latin cultures this is time spent after a meal where you linger and chat and enjoy one another's company. This has become our category for the gathering (i.e. the type of gathering we intend to host). Next steps will include using our purpose and our category to design the gathering itself. Who will we invite (and not invite)? Where will it be? What will we eat? How will we honor the traditions of a sobremesa and do some business at the same time? Stay tuned for updates. If this seems up your alley, I highly recommend Parker's book and workshop....a huge thank you to Sarah Garlick who recommended it to me! Want help thinking about a gathering of your own, particularly to think about connections between science museums or science communicators and local communities? Send me a note. I'd love to learn more: https://lnkd.in/e9W6DJMb

💡 As part of our commitment to fostering a dynamic community, until AUGUST 14, 2024, we are offering a limited number of EARLY ADOPTER ACCESS tickets. These tickets, priced considerably lower, are our way of investing in the future of our event and the industry at large. EARLY ADOPTER ACCESS attendees will play a crucial role in shaping the event’s atmosphere helping to set the tone for engaging and productive conversations. What does this initiative allow us to do? 🧠 Ensure a mix of perspectives by making the event accessible to a wider range of professionals, including emerging leaders and innovators who might otherwise find it challenging to attend 🗣 Create a core group of highly engaged participants who can help generate buzz and momentum leading up to the event 🕵♂️ Gather early feedback to refine and enhance the experience for all attendees EARLY ADOPTER ACCESS tickets are limited to next 60 registrants, to maintain the event's exclusivity and high-value proposition for all participants. Invest two days to gain years' worth of industry insights, connections, and opportunities that can propel your urban mobility initiatives forward >> 🎫 Get the limited tickets now: https://lnkd.in/dARK8cYc