D CEO Magazine reached out to ask some questions for their Executive Holidays Q&A. Here were my answers:
What are your favorite holiday traditions and treats?
I love chocolate treats around the holidays because they remind me of the richness of life.
Many people would consider the “holidays” over after New Years, but in Mexico there is a celebration on January 6th, “Dia de los Reys”. It’s a tradition in my family to reflect on the story of the wisemen that visited Jesus.
What is your favorite Christmas gift you have ever received?
When I was younger and still establishing my career there were some really special gifts that friends and family had given me. Those seasons of life when hand-me-downs and 2nd hand items are replaced with brand new is very special. But I’ve long since reached a point where I have everything I need. It’s for that reason that over the last decade I’ve really come to appreciate the gifts of time and talent. My family has a tradition now of gifting each other with Acts of Service. It’s special to us because it normally involves more time together, and more memories made.
What is a gift on your wish list this year?
One of the things at the top of my wish list this year isn’t so much a gift for me, but rather for my community. I want to be better positioned to have an even greater impact on the people and neighborhoods that I live and work in. It’s been said that it’s, “Better to give than to receive,” and I feel that every time I give back to my community.
What is your best advice for balancing work and relaxation/family time over the holidays?
It’s important to shift from working in the business to work on the business. And one of the ways we do that at the end of the year is by taking a retreat and reflecting on our wins, our learning moments, and our opportunities for growth. As we dialogue about these things it helps us to set vision and goals for the next year. And because we are intentional about doing this as we lead up to the holidays, it helps us to frame our goals in light of our families. Achieving awards, being granted contracts, or delivering above and beyond client expectations are all wonderful things, but if we don’t have the love of our families it all becomes pretty hollow. So we build goals that help us to build the company, impact the community, and love our families well.
For us, the question isn’t, “Do I work now or spend time with my family?” the question is much larger: “How do I work in such a way that my family is loved and honored?”
What is your most memorable moment from 2021?
This year I was awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) in recognition of more than 20 years of community service. This was a very special moment for me because I felt seen and honored. It’s memorable for many reasons, least of which is because it’s a reminder to myself and others that how I served in my 20’s mattered. That the choices we make even when we’re young are the legacy we leave.
What is your New Year’s resolution for 2022, and why?
In the next year my company, ISP Creative, will give even more focus & attention to building our company culture.
Culture is so important to us because it’s now just a paragraph in the employee handbook or the words we say to each other; it’s the energy that we bring to our clients’ projects and the passion that we show up with to every video shoot. Culture is ultimately our completive edge and our X factor. Lots of organizations can make a video or produce an event—but we go far beyond that to provide industry-leading customer service, to solve problems (not create them), and to deliver above and beyond what our clients are expecting.
Culture isn’t just something you can buy, it’s who you are. So in 2022, my team is going to focus on being the best we can be. Being inclusive, conscientious, having a strong attention to detail, being endlessly creative, thinking outside the box, and having a great time while we do it.
These won’t just be typical resolutions that sound good, but don’t spark lasting change—this will be a continued dedication to creating the type of culture that other companies love to work with.
