It was a room full of movers and shakers

Two highlights from last week came from business associations. The first was a luncheon at Michael’s On East, and the second was a golf tournament at the Ritz Carlton Members Golf Club. The luncheon was a celebration of outstanding leadership in Sarasota. It’s an annual fundraiser for the Leadership Sarasota program offered by the Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce. I’ve been planning to go through the program, but I’m concerned about the time commitment. I attended the luncheon to meet some folks who are currently and have previously gone through the program to gain their perspectives.

It was a room full of movers and shakers, and I saw a number of familiar faces. The networking opportunities were aplenty, and the speakers were excellent. Attending the luncheon confirmed my plans to participate in the program. Graduates are clearly better leaders as a result, and they consistently reference the program as a key contributor to their personal growth.

I’ve also decided to wait a year or two until Milestone Marketing Associates is more established. The program requires a significant time commitment – one full day each month for a year, a number of other required events, and participation in a hands-on community project.

I explained my time concern to a number of folks at the luncheon by listing all the groups that I work with to build relationships and give back to the community. The list includes:

1. Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce – Chamber Partners
2. Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance – Events Committee
3. Siesta Key Kiwanis Club – Sponsored Youth Programs, Events Committee
4. Suncoast Technology Forum – Marketing Committee, Events Committee
5. SCORE – Marketing Committee

And that doesn’t even include a variety of other networking groups that I try to attend on a regular basis. After rattling off my list to a couple of women at the luncheon one tuned to the other and said, “He doesn’t need to meet people,” referencing one of the benefits of the program.
While I certainly realize that I won’t magically have more time in a year or two, I do believe this business will have reached a few significant milestones of its own – like breaking even and turning a profit. Until then I’m afraid Leadership Sarasota will have to wait.
The second highlight of last week was the culmination of the Second Annual Golf Tournament for the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance. After more than two months of planning and coordination, I am pleased to report that the event was a success. We nearly doubled the number of golfers from last year, and while we fell short of our fundraising goal, we raised thousands of dollars for the alliance.

Not bad for my first golf tournament – especially since I’ve already been asked to chair the committee again next year. We’ll see…

Until next week,
Matthew Anderson, President
Milestone Marketing Associates, Inc.