Much To Be Thankful For

For most of us, Thursday will bring the opportunity to sit around the table with friends and family, and the chance to focus on all the things we’re thankful for. It’s always a stark reminder for me that thankfulness isn’t passive. Thankfulness requires thought and action. And it’s something we should be conscious and intentional about every day, not just a single day in November.

As leaders, “thank you” are two of the most important words we can say. They might be the most important two. Whether we’re CMOs, presidents, founders, creative directors, or in any other position where people work with us and for us, showing gratitude lets our teams, our clients, and our partners know we see them. We see their hard work and their sacrifices. We see the nights and weekends they work. We see the time they spend away from their families. But most of all, “thank you” lets them know we appreciate their efforts.

I’m thankful for the family we’ve built at LOOMIS and the culture we’ve created. It’s one of love, thoughtfulness, authenticity, and friendship. I’m thankful for a roster of clients any agency would be proud to work with, and for the relationships that give meaning to what we do every day. I’m also incredibly thankful that I work with the kind of people, both internally and externally, who are always the first to step up when they see a need they can do something about.

This summer, LOOMIS began a new AOR relationship with Black Bear Diner, a company of wonderful, family-friendly diners run by fantastic people who have quickly become good friends. As you’ve seen in the news over the past few weeks, the Camp and Woolsey Fires in California have been devastating. Hundreds of thousands of acres have been destroyed, more than 1,000 people are still missing, and at this writing, the death toll has risen to 71 — making these the deadliest fires in California history. Countless communities have been affected. But none more than the town of Paradise, California which was completely destroyed.

The Black Bear Diner in Paradise was one of the casualties of the fire and the iconic picture above has become a sad chronicle for what’s been lost. More than 40 people are employed by that Black Bear Diner, many of whom live in Paradise. Some weren’t able to save anything from their homes before evacuating. But thankfully, all the Black Bear Diner employees escaped with their lives.

While there is no way to replace what’s been lost, as Friends of The Bear, we wanted to help and we’re thankful for everyone who has contributed to the Go Fund Me campaign to help our friends. All the money raised will be distributed specifically to Black Bear Diner Paradise employees by the California Restaurant Association’s “Restaurants Care” Program. In this week of Thanksgiving, we’re happy our friends are safe and invite you to help contribute anything you can.

Go Fund Me – Friends of the Paradise, CA Black Bear Diner https://bit.ly/2ONo9Hu

Thank you in advance for your generosity. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families.

MIKE SULLIVAN is president at LOOMIS, the country’s leading challenger brand advertising agency and a leading advertising agency in Dallas. For more about challenger branding, advertising and marketing, leadership, culture and other things that will drive your success, visit our blog BARK! The Voice of the Underdog and catch up on any of our more than 300 posts.

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