Summer Lovin'

The last weeks of August were amazing on so many levels... they reminded me that connecting with and reflecting on the familiar can really recharge you.  Bring on the Fall!

1. I reconnected with my mom and sister.  

2. I started a familiar interim position!

3. I brought a couple of pandemic connections full circle.

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1. I reconnected with my mom and sister.  

My mom died 6 years ago, my sister 5, thanks to the BRCA gene. I did my best to keep busy (job change, move out of the city, kid activities, etc.) so I didn't lose it. Last week, I reminisced with people who knew them well and heard some really great clips about their interactions. It was a nice way to have the wave of remembrance hit.

This is Rick and Mary Jo. Growing up, I spent at least a night a week at their house or with them at ours. Their son was one of my best friends.  Rick and Mary Jo still live on the NW side of Chicago (we moved when I was 13) and getting to have dinner with them was really amazing.   Mary Jo's laugh, her way of talking... I just felt like my mom was right there with us.  Thank goodness for Facebook connections (Mary Jo and I connected there years ago) and retirement volunteer gigs (we realized recently that Rick helps our town's park district) that allowed us to reconnect in person! 

This is Mary.  She's my mom's favorite cousin's kid. I adored Mary growing up but personality-wise she matched best with my sister Michelle.  They were the life of any party, graduated from the same out-of-town college (Iowa) and successfully landed careers on a coast. Later in life, they bonded to manage the family BRCA gene.  This week, an article about Mary's medical journey came out and I ran into her at an event, where she was talking about the good times she had with Michelle.  I am thankful she moved back to the community her mom convinced my husband and I to move to. Now our kids go to school together. 

2. I started a familiar interim position!

After 8 months of roller coaster riding to get my consulting grip, I got a short-term spot on a comfy couch.  I spent the first 15 years of my career with the American Bar Association.  I'm serving another national association as Interim Vice President of Professional Membership Groups. I have a lot to think through to help the organization from this vantage point, but being in an environment that matches the one I "grew up" in is so welcome right now! The other cool thing is that there are a few people I know  and respect from the ABA and volunteer roles I've had that "live" here. I know they'll give me an inside scoop if I need it.  Your network will always matter!

3. I brought a couple of pandemic connections full circle.

This is Chris and Melissa.  They both run Association Management Companies (AMCs), a type of business I learned a lot about during the pandemic. One recruiter told me the association world was headed into the "golden age of AMCs," as the pandemic will have smart associations with standalone staff reexamine their expenses and streamline their staffing dollars.  Stars in my eyes, I went on a mission to learn more.  

My first stop was Melissa. She was already part of my peer group (created with people I met at my last pre-pandemic, in-person career event in Mar. 2020). She actually went to OU (my alma mater) and studied journalism (me too!) so we had a strong base out of the gate.  Her business has roots in festivals (Ribfest!) so it never offered just AMC services, which is neat.  She's been expanding options and I know it's just a matter of time before they all catch on!  

Through a series of online networking efforts (LinkedIn is AMAZING all career long!), I also connected with Chris.  After one meet up, I wanted to find a way to work with her (she reminds me of my mother-in-law, one of my fave people!). Her business follows a traditional AMC model and focuses on serving local chapters of national associations.  Thanks to her, I appreciate that these businesses must run lean to survive commoditization, so there are little resources to spend on things like innovation (I am good at finding efficiencies but need to balance doing that work with an innovation sandbox...).

Anyway, Chris joined the peer group and connected with Melissa.  They have so much to commiserate on!  During the end of August we met at the midpoint (Oakbrook).  Chris's office is 45 min south and Melissa's 45 min north with me in the middle.   Neither will give up their office and I need time to think through that piece.  When things open up again, who knows? The 3 of us may become the backbone of a bombshell joint venture that will blow up the traditional association setup.

#onlytimewilltell #connectionsconnections #networksmatter 

Elevating Women Contractors

Well, I am working to beome a business owner!  Managing Momentum, LLC will be my company name.  I will focus on helping organizations move to their 2.0 by engaging the next generation of leadership.  Step one: be more welcoming.  That means helping current leaders build their own networks. 

I was excited to do that today for a handful of women who run Chicagoland union mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) businesses. I invited the two dozen I could find to lunch.   Interest was high among those who made the organically grown list but the numbers that could come out were small...

AND mighty!  This little group of 7 (4 contractors and 3 advocates for women in the construction industry) lunched, laughed, and learned.  Networks were grown, frustrations were flagged, and what-ifs are still percolating.  This group could easily become an industry think tank!  What CAN be done to elevate WBEs/MBEs in the area? Some off-the-cuff ideas could help all subcontractors and others could help the union construction industry as a whole... Lots to think about!  

Anyway, I am thankful that I got to expand every attendee's network by at least 2 relevant contacts.  I am thankful for the helpful and patient server, Adrian, who took care of us as we chatted well beyond the suggested 90 minutes. I am thankful to feel support from the local MEP Coordinating Committee and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago Diversity Equity and Inclusion Task Force.   I am thankful that these women, who shoulder taking care of their employees' families daily, got to commiserate and share a delicious meal together.   

At the end of the day,  I am simply thankful these women showed up. 

As for the future, I am hopeful that these women will come back and talk more. I am excited to elevate them and their ideas to people who can do something beyond what each woman can do on her own. 

#lucky7 #gamechangers #bethechange #leadershipcollab #managingmomentum

Whoa, is this old!

It has been many years since my last post. A lot has evolved since then.

First, we found the house---the house to raise our kids within for the second half of childhood.  It is in Elmhurst.  It took 2 more kids to be born for us to get here!  

We came out with kid #5, Taylor Clarke, in 2014. Here she is now:

As for today's day-to-day we are in the middle of a pandemic. It's been going on almost a year now.  Not sure when it will end but hoping by the Fall so school for the kids can go back to normal (Paige and Madison are full remote, Chase is full in-person, and Tay and Kinz are hybrid, so they go in 2x a week).

Kevin has been working for Naperville since right before Chase was born.  He was able to work through the pandemic as an "essential employee."  I had been as well. We were remote from Mar 18-June 1.  We went to 4 days in and 1 remote optional until Jan when we went 5 days in the office.  I finished a term with the ABA of 15 years and now one with the MCA for 5.  It's time for a new chapter in my career!  Let me know if you have thoughts on that front!

#family #pandemic #remote #change