It’s Hard to be Ideal and Humble, but We’ll Try!

On Thursday, the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce informed us and everyone else in the room of a little tidbit that we already, kind of, sort of knew – VSBrooks ADVERTISING is an Ideal Workplace.

Like the cliché says, we know how to work hard and play hard. In the process, we have a pretty good time, take care of each other and make our clients happy along the way.

When we arrived for the 2013 Coral Gables Diamond Award ceremony, we were feeling rather nice. As finalists in the Large Business Category, we were hoping for the best and received an even better surprise. The Ideal Workplace Award is not advertised, and we were not nominated. Instead, the judges look at all the applicants’ questionnaires and select the workplace they find most ideal, based on employee benefits, training and recognition.  

The four judges selected VSBrooks ADVERTISING, Miami Children's Hospital and Tarpon Bend as their top three, and our team won. If you thought we had an Ideal Workplace before, just check us out now. There are smiles, laughter, pats on the back and hugs galore.

Yep, we already knew we worked in a cool place with awesome people, but now everyone else knows too.

Thank you, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce for the public shout-out!

We’re on the campaign trail. Vote for VSBrooks!

We’re no politicians. We simply can’t waffle, and you always know where you stand with VSBrooks ADVERTISING. (We don’t shut down operations when the team doesn’t agree on a marketing strategy.) But we’re channeling our inner Clinton, Reagan and Lincoln to humbly and sincerely ask for your vote.

As a Finalist, VSBrooks ADVERTISING is running against formidable candidates in the race to become a Winner of a Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce “Sparkle & Shine” 2013 Diamond Award. In the category of Large Business, we are going head to head with Hinson & Culbertson, LLC and The Palace. All finalists – and winners – will be recognized Nov. 14 at the Coral Gables Country Club for their work in representing Coral Gables as a wonderful city in which to do business.

What will separate the Finalists from the Award Winners is the number of online votes cast in favor of each company. Hence, we are campaigning, so to speak, for VSBrooks ADVERTISING to receive such an honor. While we are supremely happy to be Finalists, nothing beats winning. (We know. Competitive much?)

So we ask you to do three things: 1) Mark your calendar for Nov. 14 to join us in our celebration of being a Finalist; 2) Join the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce – they do great work promoting our city; and 3) Cast your vote for us here Monday, Oct. 28 before noon.

We’d kiss a baby and shake a hand, but this is a blog, people.

Thank you!

Diana Brooks named a 2013 Influential Business Woman by South Florida Business Journal

September 13. If you have anything else to do on that date between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and you’re a friend, client or fan of VSBrooks ADVERTISING, then I’m asking you to change your plans now because you’ll be partying with us. On September 13, you are officially invited to join me, along with the other South Florida Business Journal Influential Business Women, at a fantastic awards luncheon at The Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa in Hollywood, FL. 

Just register here to join us. http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/event/84691

Being an Influential Business Woman required that I had to express (eloquently) what influence means to me, what drives me in my career and what other women may glean from my experience. If you’re curious to know I define being an Influential Business Woman as:

How do you define an ‘Influential Business Woman’, and how do you believe someone becomes one?

An influential businesswoman is one who shows true passion and works hard to promote the causes she is interested in, whether in her career, home or community. She isn't afraid to take risks. She shows humility and compassion to her peers, mentors those seeking her advice and strives to make a difference in the world. To become an influential business leader, you must fight self-doubt every day, be fearless and always try to do what’s right.

If you had advice for women rising the ladder of business and influence, what might that be?

Be fearless. Success doesn’t wait for the timid. Fight to overcome the doubts about what you can do and how far you can go. It sounds corny, but believe in yourself. You have to be your own champion sometimes, until others see what you see. And whatever you are – be damn good at it and be consistently good at it. The world is filled with one-hit wonders. People want to know, “OK, that was great, but what’s next?”

Hope to see you there!

Friday, September 13, 2013

11:30 am to 1:30 pm

Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa

3555 S. Ocean Dr.

Hollywood, FL  33019

http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/event/84691

VSBrooks ADVERTISING – The 2013 American Business Awards’ win – 6.18.13

Can you hear the music? Can you feel the vibrations through the walls? Can you smell the food?

We’re having a party over here at VSBrooks ADVERTISING because we just won a big one!

After months of accepting one honor after another, our incredible VSBrooks ADVERTISING team won its first American Business Award on Monday in Chicago. We took home the Silver “Stevie®” Award in the Marketing Campaign of the Year – Non-Profit Organization category, beating out some heavy-hitters.

The 11^th Annual ABA is the nation’s premier business award program. More than 3,200 entries from international industries and companies were evaluated by 320 executive-level judges.  

We won the Silver award for our work for Feeding South Florida. To win another great award for work we enjoy is extra icing on the cake.

Cake? OK, we’re back to the party. Happy dance, everyone. We’ve gone global.

Thank you to our friends, family, clients and fans for cheering us on as we were honored and recognized locally and nationally for work we’d do if we won nothing at all.

It’s been a fantastic 2013 – all six months of it.

Get Crackin' 2013 - I told you it would be great, and did I lie?

If you were there, you already know that the first ever “Get Crackin’” private bunch to benefit Feeding South Florida on April 21 was beyond a success. In my last blog post, the title was “On the Menu: Good Food & Goodwill.” Well, I understated. It was more along the lines of “Fantastic Food & Amazing Goodwill!”

If you weren’t there (and why not?), here’s what you missed -

Almost $80,000 was raised at the event, which will support Feeding South Florida’s mission: to end hunger in South Florida by providing immediate access to nutritious food, leading hunger and poverty advocacy efforts, and by transforming lives through innovative programming and education.

I was honored, along with Feeding South Florida’s CEO Paco Velez, to present the following honorees with awards before thunderous applause (yes, thunderous) --  local celebrity chef and Honoree Allen Susser, Media Hero Honoree The Miami Herald & El Nuevo Herald, and Corporate Citizenship Honoree Southern Wine & Spirits. The awards recognized their devotion to helping the nearly 1 million children, seniors and families that Feeding South Florida serves in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties.

Diana Brooks and Paco Velez with this year's honorees.

And the very, very best part? We all ate scrumptious Joe’s cuisine and signature Mimosas without a wait, while enjoying the music of Leo Casino. So we ate great for a fantastic cause. 

Now a little sponsor love because everyone knows you can’t do an event right without superlative sponsors. Sincere thanks to our:

60,000 meal sponsor: JM Family Enterprises, Inc., 

30,000 meal sponsors: Simply Healthcare Plans and Beam Global Spirits, 

27,000 meal sponsor: CarePlus, 

15,000 meal sponsors: MBAF Certified Public Accountants and Advisors, and Adkins & Associates, 9,000 meal sponsor: Patrón Tequila, 

6,000 meal sponsors: Jordan Winery and TD Bank, 

2,500 meal sponsor: Diageo, 

1,000 meal sponsor: Sprint, and liquor sponsor Pernod Ricard USA/Chivas.

OK, who’s ready to start planning for 2014?

Diana brooks

dbrooks@vsbrooks.com