Jessica Norell Neeson’s Post

Raw Culture Scores a Hat Trick (and More)! #NESFoodandDrinkAwards Huge news, Raw Culture fam! We've been shortlisted for a whopping three categories in the North East Scotland Food and Drink Awards 2024! Best Drinks Product: Cheers to that! We're thrilled our kombucha is in the running. Most Innovative Business: Pushing boundaries and brewing deliciousness! Team of the Year (with a twist!) Wait, a team award? Here's the cool part: We're nominated alongside Singularity Sauce Co.! ️ Running a business can be tough, so me and my good friend Mark McAulay from Singularity Sauce Co. have formed a unique alliance. It's all about collaboration, not competition. We combine skillsets, share workload, and leverage each other's strengths. It's like having an extra team member without the overhead, allowing us to reach new heights (and quench more thirsts!). This "decoupled team" approach is something we believe others can benefit from! We're breaking down barriers and creating a new way of working to cover more ground than would possible alone. Big thanks to Opportunity North East Limited for their ongoing support! Good luck to all finalists! We can't wait to celebrate at the awards night. #ScottishBusiness #KombuchaLove #CollaborationOverCompetition #SupportLocal

Across the Performance Food Group family of companies, we embrace the summer season by ensuring that we sprinkle in fun and appreciation for our hardworking associates. Do you spot the common thread? Yes, there's always FOOD involved! Here are just a few examples of how we put our family values into action. #ProudToBePFG

#GoodFlippinHuman Meet Namita More, our stellar Trainer Associate at Good Flippin’ Burgers BKC outlet, who transformed uncertainty into triumph!   "When I first joined Good Flippin’ Burgers, the bustling pace of the food industry felt like a world away from anything I'd known, super overwhelming," she shares with a smile. "I was nervous, wondering if was ever a fit. But here I am, two years later, not just fitting in but thriving—all thanks to my team."   Namita's journey at Good Flippin’ Burgers is a vibrant tale of growth, spiced up with her favorite menu pick—the Cluckinator! "Every time I prepare a Cluckinator, it reminds me of my own journey here. It's more than just a burger, it's a recipe of what we're all about at Good Flippin’ Burgers—joy and community."   Behind her success is the constant encouragement from her mother, her role model. "My mom always believed in me, even when I doubted myself. Her support has been my backbone, allowing me to dream big—like becoming a manager one day!"   Outside the hustle, Namita finds joy in travelling and cooking. "Exploring new places and flavors, that's what excites me. It's all about discovering and adding new chapters to my story," she says.   Namita's advice to newcomers? "Keep a clear line of communication with your team and managers. Transparency is key! And remember, every challenge is a stepping stone to your success."   Join us in celebrating Namita's journey at Good Flippin’ Burgers, where every team member's story is a blend of inspiration and dedication. Here's to more adventures and achievements.   #lovefromgoodflippin

This weekend, I binged The Bear Season 3, and there’s a flashback scene in the last episode where Carmy, as a young chef, meets a culinary Yoda—a seasoned chef with scars, secret recipes, and a cookbook’s worth of wisdom. But this isn’t just about slicing onions without crying; it’s a masterclass in mentorship. I couldn’t help but think of the parallels in the workforce. Imagine seasoned coworkers as Jedi mentors, passing down their wisdom to the next generation. That’s precisely what The Future of You promotes—helping organizations see the immense value of experience-rich, legacy employees. By embracing mentorship, companies elevate these seasoned Jedi into indispensable assets, ensuring that vital institutional knowledge doesn’t vanish into thin air when they retire. If you're interested in learning how to bring on the Yoda’s and watch your workplace become a galaxy of greatness - let’s connect!

Q: If you could choose to have dinner with anyone, who would it be? Check out this #socialexperiment and see what kids said. It makes you think about time, priorities and values. I highly recommend watching it all the way through. Tell me in 1 word about how this experiment made you feel.

Eating Our Own Dog Food We have this saying at Thoughtsmiths; we try to "eat our own dog food" - in other words we (try to) practice what we preach. One of the best practices that we know from experience is always fruitful, is reflection. This is not a fluffy, feel good practice, it is a hard hitting learning conversation. So we spend some time this week reflecting on 2024. These are the questions that guided our thinking and conversation. The results of the session where surprising, insightful, and will guide our 2025 growth strategy. I have shared the questions because they worked well for us - maybe they might spark some fresh reflection for others too. #Thoughtsmiths #Reflection #GrowthStrategy

“You can never have everything all at once.” Annie Smithers, chef, farmer, and owner of Trentham’s acclaimed Du Fermier, took a bold leap to pioneer the paddock-to-plate philosophy—integrating her farm into her restaurant. The restaurant operates predictably: “I cook you lunch, you give me money.” The farm? It follows no such logic. Nature moves on its own terms. One year, the apple trees are abundant. The next, they’re barren. Some seasons bring a bounty of berries; others, nothing at all. Through this, Annie uncovered a profound truth: “You can never have everything all at once. It’s not a state in nature.” Instead of resisting life’s unpredictability, she learned to embrace it: -Disappointment isn’t failure; it’s part of life’s natural cycle. -Loss isn’t punishment; it’s nature’s way of recalibrating. -Uncertainty is the soil where growth and resilience take root. Annie’s lesson is simple: You can’t control life. Trying will only rob you of peace. Next time life feels unpredictable, remember: surrendering to life’s flow doesn’t mean giving up. It means trusting that the cycles of nature -- and of life are exactly just as they should be. 🌿 ----- This wisdom is part of the "Finding Your Purpose" Microcredential at William Angliss Institute A heartfelt thank you to: ❤️ Annie Smithers for generously sharing her insights. 🎥 David Dixon at The Rhetoric for film and editing. 🎨 Titles by Naomi Anderlini 👏 And the amazing team at William Angliss Institute Microcredentials proudly hosted on Neutopia.co #LifeLessons #Resilience #PaddockToPlate #SlowFood #Leadership

🚗 A Week of Twists, Turns, and Triumphs Apologies for the lack of a post yesterday, I was en-route to #Leeds to facilitate a Leading Energy Profile workshop for Armstrong Watson. As the self-proclaimed king of punctuality and preparation, I was thrown into complete disarray by the joys of Leeds City Centre roadworks. My sat-nav had a meltdown, and I ended up arriving just 45 minutes before kick-off. Thankfully, I wasn’t alone - others were in the same boat! Once we got going though, it was worth every moment of the chaos. The session was thought-provoking and illuminating. Now comes the exciting part - seeing how it all translates into action. After all, Self-Awareness + Adaptability = A More Effective You! Next week I’m looking forward to a long overdue catch up with Tom Williamson. With the recent acquisition of The Lakes Distillery by Nyetimber, there will obviously be a new & fresh perspective. Having been part of that company’s journey, I’m eager to see how this new chapter unfolds. Change is always inevitable, but it’s also a fantastic opportunity for growth. And finally, to round off the week it’s #FoodieFriday! This week’s star dish? Parmesan-crusted chicken with cannellini beans, tomato, mascarpone, loads of garlic, and parsley butter. A recipe I stumbled across on Instagram that’s now firmly in the "must make again" category. Scrumptious and satisfying! Here’s to embracing change, staying adaptable, and always finding time for a great meal. 🍴 Have a great weekend and see you Monday! 😊 #Leadership #Workshops #Change #FoodieFriday #Resilience #Adaptability

It's #NationalCheeseDay! 🧀 Sometimes it's the simple things in life, like the perfect piece of cheese, that make a normal day extraordinary. Whether it's a sharp Cheddar, creamy Brie, or a tangy Stilton, cheese has a unique way of bringing people together. Ever thought cheese could parallel your professional journey. Sounds cheesy? Bear with us. 😊 The aging process of cheese isn't too different from gaining experience in your career. Both require patience, the right environment, and a bit of science (or strategy) to develop the best flavour or skill set. In celebration of National Cheese Day, we're reflecting on lessons learned and the growth achieved, both personally and professionally. We'd love to hear from you - what's your favourite type of cheese and is there a cheese-like wisdom you've picked up in your career journey? #CheeseLovers #CareerGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment 🧀💼📈

People often ask me how I come up with my posts, and I’ve realized that the inspiration often comes from a very simple place—my little one. She constantly asks, “WHY, mummy?” And now, I find myself asking HER back, “WHY?” because, frankly, I don’t always have the answers either! It’s a funny, yet powerful reminder of how we, as adults, often forget to ask WHY. We go through life doing things without ever questioning the reasons behind them. We justify our actions without understanding WHY we do them in the first place. And that’s where the problem lies. When we stop asking "WHY," we start accepting things without fully understanding their purpose, and that’s how we get stuck in routines and norms that no longer serve us. My posts are meant to spark these "WHY" moments. I want to encourage all of us to reflect and ask ourselves deeper questions. ✅WHY do we do things the way we do? ✅Are our actions based on genuine reasons, or are we simply following a path because that’s what we’ve always been told to do? It's time to break the cycle of blind adherence and start asking WHY. “The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge.” – Daniel J. Boorstin If we don’t question the things we do, we risk living without true understanding or purpose. By asking "WHY," we open ourselves up to growth, change, and discovery. Just as children ask endless questions, we should cultivate that same sense of curiosity throughout our lives. So, let’s challenge ourselves to be more like curious kids. Let’s question the status quo, not just accept things as they are. Ask yourself WHY you do things the way you do. If you can’t find a solid, meaningful answer, it’s time to #rethink. Let’s create a society that values curiosity, reflection, and continuous learning. The answers we seek won’t always come easily, but it’s through these questions that we grow and evolve. If this is the kind of environment you want to be part of, join our waitlist for the Rethinking the Wine Industry platform here: https://lnkd.in/gWjyZT67 #rethinkingthewineindustry #wineindustry #winebusiness #wine