Why NEW? They're my initials, and I like to think I come up with new ideas or twist on existing ideas – especially when it comes to customer or audience building.
I've always been drawn to connecting people with a product, cause, or service. For example, I started my own pet sitting business when I was in elementary school by creating flyers and placing them in mailboxes around my neighborhood – without my parents' knowledge. You can imagine their confusion when people started calling to ask about caring for their pets!
When working at the Auditorium Theatre years later, I fancied digging into how to deepen peoples' relationships with the performing arts at a more sophisticated level by talking to them, exploring data, and then creating people-focused strategies. It was fulfilling to see almost 3,000 excited young people in their seats before a Student Matinee or hearing how people found performances by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater to be delightful. Or, learn how inspired someone felt after hearing supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speak about her life.
Like many of you, I was frustrated with many parts of the pre-COVID-19 culture that we "normalized." Shortly after I understood that this virus would upend all our lives long-term, I also realized that I didn't want everything to go "back to normal." This could be a pathway toward a kinder, more intelligent "normal" that works for everyone. I've noticed the above quote* many times over the months, and it's stuck with me ever since.
I'm fortunate that I'm in a place where I've been able to take this time to reflect on my life and how I can help build the new normal. Businesses or causes that build-up people and our planet are rarely discussed, and they deserve to grow and be celebrated. I hope to give them new ideas on how they can grow their customer base or improve the customer experience.
* Many of us have seen the above quote attributed to Brene Brown. In a tweet by Brene Brown, I learned that this quote should be attributed to Sonya Renne Taylor.