Hiya!

How are you doing, friends? I hope you’re ready for some digital marketing news – let’s get started!

• Fast Company is apparently seeing the same things we are. In their last AI Decoded newsletter, they discussed how marketers are concerned about the ways chatbots perceive their brands. We cannot change what the AI models already know, but we create new, optimized web content now with SAIO strategies to align their answers with what we want them to perceive.

• Does it perplex you how Perplexity’s referrals to brand sites are growing? MediaPost notes: “Perplexity… is most likely to reference product sites, whereas Google SGE will also include informational resources such as lifestyle and news sites.” Although these search engines and chatbots may give different results, we still see some overlap in their sources. This emphasizes the importance of brand authority on SAIO/SEO optimization.

• Last week, we talked about ads appearing in Gen AI responses from SGE and Copilot. Now, Google’s floating the idea of paid plans for those using the generative AI features! Regular search would remain free. But, how many people will pay for Google’s Gen AI when other platforms are giving us just as good, if not better, results? 🤔

• User-generated content… we know about that. What about employee-generated content? (*cough cough* like this newsletter) Jesse Liszka talks of the benefits of employee-generated content. It provides a looking glass view into a company’s culture, giving employees a chance to show their expertise and personality. Highly recommend this if you haven’t already implemented it in your marketing plan.

• We’ve all seen bad AI artwork. Keen eyes are able to spot AI-generated images and some audiences are upset by it. Multiple brands are banning the use of generative AI, even putting it as a clause in their agency contracts. This is a good question to address for your brand if you haven’t already.

• Social Media Manager (SMM) burnout.😔 Like PR, you have to be constantly attentive, creative, and quick. If not carefully guided, this position could be draining on a person/team. Zaria Parvez, Senior Global Social Media Manager at Duolingo, goes over her views of work/life balance as a SMM. She mentions making something beautiful with her hands every day. Adding physical creativity can ground us when most of our days are spent in a virtual landscape.

Thoughts to Take With You… 💞

Here’s an interesting metaphor:

“Forests lower temperatures through a mechanism that’s similar to sweating in humans. When trees release water vapor from their leaves in a process called transpiration, the evaporating water cools the surrounding air.”

This is from a Scientific American article on reforestation efforts. Apparently, forests are helping keep the Eastern U.S. cooler. Isn’t that amazing? If we truly look, it’s not hard to uncover wonder in the beautiful, regenerative powers of nature.

Have a superb day!

Natalie

Did you know trees can communicate with each other?? 🌳

Read The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben to learn about our surprisingly social leafy friends! If you’re looking for a quick review, check out the documentary!

Inspired by Office Manager Extraordinaire, Stacy Sarno

It is commonplace to expect the standard medical/dental benefits when walking into a company.

But times are changing.

To retain top industry talent, a company has to add sprinkles to top off their offer. We all want to work in a place that cares about our needs as individuals. For a company to accomplish this, it has to recognize the lives people lead inside and outside of work.

Our fantabulous Office Manager, Stacy Sarno, and I pulled together our favorite company benefits to inspire other awesome leaders.

Click to skip to a section:

1. Wellness Reimbursements 🚲
2. Birthdays Off 🥳
3. Donation Matching 🤝🏽
4. Flexible Schedules 📅
5. Team Appreciation 🎁

Wellness Reimbursements 🚲

Before coming to DBE, I had no clue that a company could offer a reimbursement for certain wellness expenses. Hot take of my face when I found out:

(True: This job at DBE followed a handful of college internships and part-time jobs, but still an awesome feature even if you have heard of it.)

Stacy Sarno explains: “DBE’s wellness reimbursement is flexible and lets employees choose how they want to use it within guidelines.” Each person on our team is so unique and uses the reimbursement in fun ways! Our team has memberships ranging from golf courses to pool clubs to rock climbing gyms. Others have used it to start their own at-home gym. The path to wellness is much cooler with a company that supports it!

It’s Ya Birthday 🥳

Your friend: Hey, what are you doing for your birthday?

You humbly bragging: I have the day off, so I’m [insert cool activity here].

This is always a fun conversation to have. At DBE, everyone has a day off for their birthday. (And if their birthday falls on a weekend, they get to pick another day closeby.) DBE always takes the time to send the birthday celebrator a gift, too.

Having birthdays off helps employees feel appreciated. This helps solidify their connection and loyalty to the team. And, an employee that is appreciated is 5x as likely to see a path to grow in the organization.

Donation Matching 🤝🏽

Stacy’s neighbor, Ronald Hogas, passed from leukemia at the age of 13. Each year, Stacy donates to his Alex’s Lemonade Stand in honor of him. With the donation-matching benefit, DBE matches how much Stacy gives, up to $500 per year..

“It means so much that DBE matches my donation,” says Stacy. It’s a beautiful notion that your company will support the same causes you do.

With the worldwide business movement to promote environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, some potential hires and clients exclusively work with conscientious companies. Donation matching is one great way to show them your business cares.

Flexible Schedules 📅

Flexible work emphasizes one core value: trust. If the work gets done correctly, that’s what counts. Here’s how we approach flexible work:

• Flexible 9-5 – Our team generally starts and ends around 9am-5pm ET. Employees can start a little earlier or later depending on the day.
• Quick Errands – Appointments don’t count against PTO, as long as the time is made up.
• Breaks – Our CEO, Niki Fielding, encourages employees to take lunch and walking breaks.
• 3 o’clock Fridays – We started 3 o’clock Fridays one summer and never changed back. As long as your work is finished, you can head off to enjoy the weekend a little early. 😊

Figuring out the right flexible work framework is a trial-and-error process, but once it’s in place, everyone will appreciate it!

Team Appreciation 🎁

Who said you can only appreciate your team on special days? Any day is a good day! Here are some of our favorite ways to do so:

• Excursions – Since we all work from home and live within a few hours of each other, we get together in the warmer months. It could be a simple lunch or a full-day event!

• Themed-surprise gifts – If we don’t get together for the month, Stacy is very creative in thinking of a themed surprise gift. Chocolate-covered strawberries for Valentine’s Day. A grilling spice set for the spring. She’s always got a super thoughtful gift for that time of year!

• Thnks – “Appreciation is a big thing at DBE,” explains Stacy. “Not only do we appreciate our team, but we also appreciate our business network. At DBE, we use Thnks to send gestures of appreciation to our clients and partners. Gifts are typically small gifts like coffee, lunch, books, etc. and are sent with a fun note like “thanks a latte.” The receiver even has the opportunity to donate the gift to a charity. It’s a truly thoughtful business idea!

• Zoomraderies – You’re probably asking “What’s a Zoomraderie?” Our CEO, Niki Fielding, came up with the name Zoomraderie (a combination of Zoom and camaraderie) for our weekly team builders. We talk about these a lot. And there is a good reason for it. We truly enjoy them! Here some types of Zoomraderies we host:

• What’s your favorite? – Many Zoomraderies, we pose questions to get to know each other better. We will all log onto a virtual office platform like Kumospace with a picture and name of our answer to the question. Then, through the chat bar, we guess who is who! Here are some questions we’ve asked before:
  • What’s your favorite store?
  • What’s your favorite sport?
  • What’s your favorite type of music?
  • What’s your favorite food?
• Special Events via Zoom – We did gingerbread house decorating, Jenga tower-building, and even a play-doh creation competition… all virtually! You can really get inventive with these.
• Trivia – Everyone livens up when there is a competition involved. We’ve done trivia-, jeopardy-, and family-feud-style games on everything from candy to The Jetsons. Stacy always surprises us with a theme!

Stacy perfectly sums up the Zoomraderie experience:

“Since we are all remote, having a weekly Zoomraderie has allowed us all to get to know each other really well. I feel like I know my virtual team members better than I knew many employees I saw every day when working in an office. Our team knows each other so well that when the Zoomraderie is “What’s your favorite ____?”, employees have been known to choose their 2nd favorite because the team already knows their favorite.”

Implementing a regular “Zoomraderies” has boosted our team morale tremendously. We recommend them to all teams, especially those that are remote!

• Ask for Input – If all else fails, go to your team. What do they want to see?

To Infinity & Beyond… with Your Benefits 🚀

There are so many possibilities to appreciate your team (and even your clients). We hope we’ve sparked some new ideas for you. We know there are so many more creative ways to appreciate a team and we wish you luck as you find the best way your team can do that. 🙂

When starting a new job, it’s normal to feel nervous about what lies ahead. For most people, this goes away quickly once they find footing in their new workplace.

However, for some people this feeling of being ‘the rookie’ may never leave them. Even after finding success in their role, they may still feel incapable of performing their role and believe they are in over their head. Even after receiving praise for their professional accomplishments, they may feel it is inaccurate or undeserved. This feeling of unrelenting self-doubt is popularly known as imposter syndrome.

Imposter syndrome is defined as “a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist despite evident success” by Harvard Business Review. Those affected may wonder why this occurs and, more importantly, how these feelings can be lessened or overcome completely.

The Why

There are many reasons why someone may experience imposter syndrome.

Researchers believe imposter syndrome can come from different areas of life.

A major one is that people experiencing imposter syndrome already suffer from anxiety. “Imposter syndrome is frequently associated with trait anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and social anxiety disorder. I don’t see a lot of people with imposter syndrome who don’t have anxiety,” explains psychologist and academic director Audrey Ervin. Individuals who suffer from existing anxiety are more likely to suffer from imposter syndrome than those without.

Perfectionism is another common symptom seen in people with imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome and perfectionism can go hand in hand. Someone new in a position may feel like a failure because they are setting high standards for performance. When they do not meet those standards, they see themselves as a failure.

Another factor with people that have imposter syndrome is associating success or achievements with luck. Gill Corkindale explains in his article, Overcoming Imposter Syndrome, “The tendency to attribute success to luck or to other external reasons and not their abilities is a clear indicator of imposter syndrome. They may typically say or think: “I just got lucky” or “it was a fluke”. Often this masks the fear that they will not be able to succeed the next time.” Essentially, those suffering from imposter syndrome feel unable to take credit for their own success, making it difficult to find joy or motivation in their work.

The How

How does someone overcome imposter syndrome?

There are many ways people can overcome imposter syndrome. One of the major steps is recognizing when these negative feelings emerge and reframe your thinking. No one is going to know everything in their job when they first start out, so it’s important that they do not get discouraged when struggling to understand certain aspects of their job.

It is also important that individuals reach out for help from family, friends, or even professionals if needed. Outside guidance may give a new perspective and help with overcoming feelings of self-doubt.

Embracing success and showing self-compassion are other ways to navigate feeling like you’re faking it. Celebrating your successes, even small ones, can be pivotal in boosting self confidence. Each day or week, list every success and explain to yourself how and why you succeeded, instead of brushing it off as luck. As Alexandra Owens, in her article for Psycom.net, explains, “Over time, this practice will give you a realistic picture of your accomplishments and help affirm your self-worth.”

Another way you can help yourself overcome imposter syndrome is taking Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy. MBCT helps people reflect on their feelings and foster more compassionate, constructive ways of relating to themselves. It has become a popular approach to help manage symptoms of imposter syndrome.

The Hope

Why are we sharing this?

This information is important to know for employees at any level, from a new-hire to a CEO. When onboarding new employees, this context can help you remain compassionate if you notice them struggling. When starting in a new role, this can help you remain mindful of how you perceive yourself and your work. Having a workplace that is aware of this phenomenon and works together to ensure all employees feel confident and appreciated, will establish a solid foundation in which all members can thrive.

Hi,

I hope you’re ready for all the spice autumn has in store for us. No theme this week, just an eclectic collection of stories I found interesting from a leadership perspective to share with you as you navigate your way through everything you and your team are encountering…

• I always am amazed by creative people, especially kids, who see passed challenges to manifest their dreams. Though sad, this story inspires me. On the one hand, kids don’t know enough to argue themselves out of challenges. On the other hand, this kid is extraordinary no matter how you look at his life.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 PennFuture 🌟

Clean energy. I feel we hear those words a lot these days, but how can we change our economy for green initiatives? PennFuture is leading the “transition to a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania and beyond.” Not only are they working for a carbon neutral economy, but they protect green and wild places for new generations. See what they’re up to: https://www.pennfuture.org/

• Is your organization committed to hiring neurodivergent employees? This article from Microsoft features a website designed to help you do just that.

• For people with anxiety issues, this latest research may hold answers for controlling intrusive thoughts.

• I suspect you’re already familiar with “the languages of love” and have maybe even taken a quiz or two on this topic. But would you like to learn more about the originator and how the five languages have been put to use helping save relationships? If yes, click here.

• Researcher Nicholas Epley found that only 7% of people said they would talk to a stranger in a waiting room and only 24% said they would talk to a stranger on a train. Why are the numbers so low? Because people don’t think the encounters will be enjoyable. But, apparently, those assumptions are incorrect. For more on the research and to maybe help you open up a bit, check this out. Special note: I landed DBE’s first big client, Johnson & Johnson, by striking up a conversation in a Saab dealership waiting room. So, um, ya, I believe good things come from talking with strangers. 😊

• The Points Guy says these are the best US Airlines. Agree?

Ta da, that’s all for this week. Hope the rest of your week runs smoothly and that you have a great weekend. Stay strong, stay focused, and keeping doing you because we don’t have anyone else like you!

Howdy Ho!

Hoping you all had a wonderful Labor Day weekend 🎉. As hard workers, we all need a little break sometimes. We’re happy to have you back. Now, here’s what you’ve been waiting for….

• TikTok’s opening up… *drumroll please 🥁* Shopping Ads. Advertisers will be able to highlight their products to the 56% of TikTok users who discover new brands and products through the platform.

• Videos are showing up more frequently on Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) in video carousels or as video-rich snippets. Plus, see some other benefits of leveraging videos and YouTube search results to gain insights on your customer’s buying journey in this MarTech article.

• Words have power ⚡ (obviously). But what can selling on Facebook marketplace teach you about copywriting? Ann Handley gives us a little info on her experiment in her blog post.

• “We’re so accustomed to hustling, we don’t remember how to float.” In this interview from Think with Google, resilience experts share how to maximize creativity in stressful times. #BobRossYourLife🎨

• 🔥 Hot Tips from DBE 🔥 When you think of organic or naturally grown or preservative-free, you think of food, right? How about brand authenticity? No? Time to read our latest blog. 😁

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 PennFuture 🌟

Clean energy. I feel we hear those words a lot these days, but how can we change our economy for green initiatives? PennFuture is leading the “transition to a clean energy economy in Pennsylvania and beyond.” Not only are they working for a carbon neutral economy, but they protect green and wild places for new generations. See what they’re up to: https://www.pennfuture.org/

• LinkedIn has bestowed the power for users to pin comments in replay chains. This’ll help guide more relevant, thought-provoking conversations on the platform!

• More on the shrinking talent pool from McKinsey: They call it the “Great Attrition”. Check out their five personas to help companies attract the right talent based on addressing what’s important to them. 💼

• If you’re a little bit (okay, a lotta bit) of a nerd like me, you’ll find this interesting: There’s a possibility transparent solar panels could replace windows in the future! While I can’t understand all the technical language, it’s an awesome idea!

Sending positive energy your way this week and beyond!

Rock on, y’all 🤘

Natalie

Did you know?

• Anteaters have no teeth.
• A flock of flamingos is called a flamboyance.
• There are 32 muscles in a cat’s ear.

If you did, that’s pretty awesome. If you didn’t, join the club 🤪

Hey, speaking of clubs… tell your friends to join ours!

Hi,

Rabbit rabbit! First thing to say on the first of the month—I’ve heard it brings good luck….

It’s that time of the week again. Do you tend to read these when they come into your inbox in the morning or do you read them later in the day…or the next day…or over the weekend? I’m curious, please share if you get a chance.

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 The Nature Conservancy 🌟

The Nature Conservancy is a global environmental nonprofit creating a world where people and nature thrive. Founded in the U.S. through grassroots action in 1951, The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has become one of the most effective and wide-reaching environmental organizations in the world. DBE donated to support this high-rated not for profit, and we encourage you to take a look to see if you’d like to support them too: https://www.nature.org/en-us/

• Hearing good things About AboveBoard from executives looking for new opportunities, sharing with you as potential good way to recruit for your company too.
• What do Gen Z and Gen X team members have in common? Lots, including not wanting the “work ‘til you drop” ethic of Boomers and what Millennials call “hustle and grind.” Two generations meet on the importance of work/life flow and the importance of work with meaning here.
• Still a Jersey girl according to these state stats on favorite cocktails, not sure how piña colada got on the list but other than that, works for me. Other fun stats too, cheers!

• Are you familiar with William MacAskill and his philosophies? This piece from The New Yorker brings you there with lots of room to think about the pros and cons of his mindset and movement.

• Is your industry affected by “right to repair” restrictions? Battles bubbling up on this topic, check it out via Wired.

I hope you enjoy the long weekend and that September is a good month for you and your team. Stay strong, stay focused, and keep grateful—it’s very healthy.

Hi,

So, it’s really truly almost the end of August. I know many of our southern readers have kiddos back to school already. Here in the Princeton, NJ area, we’re looking at a week after Labor Day return. Not that it affects me these days, my two are all grown and impressing me regularly with what they’re doing with their lives—I’m at the point in my life where I get to applaud from the sidelines.

And speaking of back to school, do you know a teacher who could use a little help with their classroom purchases? Have you thought about asking a teacher what might be on their wish list and then sending them the $ to make the purchase? It’s an easy way to say, “I see you, and thanks” and the amount you chose is entirely up to you.

Now, on to the show…. This week’s items I thought you might find insightful, enjoyable, and/or concerning (but worth noting) are here:

First, a bit of inspiration from Jim Kwik via Instagram (@JimKwik):

• This piece from Business Insider (paywall) talks about research showing younger employees no longer feel as connected to work because they aren’t making the same “friends at work” connections that were integral to people when most of us worked in offices. The ramifications for engagement and retention are significant.
• On the flip side to the research in that piece are these three articles, two from Forbes, on the same topic but with different stats and POVs:
  • https://www.businessnewsdaily.com/6759-friends-at-work.html

• • https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2022/07/19/employees-want-more-friends-at-work-why-arent-they-finding-them/?sh=66e21e5b19ab

• • https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower/2022/06/14/the-connection-crisis-craving-friends-at-work-and-how-to-bring-back-belonging/?sh=7217e384244d

(Tip about paywalls: If you Google the part of the story you can see before the paywall blocks you, Google will list the story as a clickable option. If you haven’t exceeded your freebies from that publication for the month, you can typically see the entire story, bypassing the paywall.)

• A group of teenagers are suspected of attacking boats off the coasts of Spain and Portugal. Experts believe it’s the same kids doing the damage in all areas. Why am I sharing this? Click to find out.
• Hopefully that last one gave you a chuckle…or if you’re a boater, sorry about that… This one talks about why you need to get outta’ the house.
• There’s new thinking about hiring back good employees who left your company for other opportunities. They’re called boomerangs, and the latest is they are definitely smart rehires. Sharing: someone in a business owner group I’m told us she recently hired back a star who had left seeking greener pastures. When the employee asked to come back, they hired her without hesitation. Not only is she rocking it, but she spent her team meeting back telling everyone that if anyone was thinking of leaving, talk with her first—and she’d tell them how not so green that other grass was. Love it!

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 Hydrocephalus Association 🌟

Affecting over 1 million Americans, hydrocephalus is a chronic, neurological condition marked by an excess accumulation of fluid in the brain. The Hydrocephalus Association’s mission is to “find a cure for hydrocephalus and improve the lives of those impacted by the condition.” See more about what they do and plan to do: https://www.hydroassoc.org/

As always, please let us know if you’d like us to spotlight and donate to a cause that’s close to your heart. 💗

That’s it for this week. Please let me know how you’re doing and if you’d like to chat about any of this week’s stories, or just catch up. You know where to find me. In the meantime, stay strong, stay focused, and keep being you!

Hi,

Update: this e-briefing was originally a component of our Owlthena service, which is being sunsetted, along with its website and social properties. Thank you to everyone who tried this original twist on sounding boards for business leaders. While the Owlthena process worked 100% of the time, as a business, it required more attention than I could give it, and it was a distraction from the core business, Digital Brand Expressions (DBE).

I truly enjoy producing this e-briefing, and so after a bit of a rethink, we’re relaunching it as Niki’s Notes.

What’s Niki’s Notes?

I will continue to point you to great digital content about leading teams in new and innovative ways for positive outcomes. In addition, I’ll be featuring different businesses I think may be beneficial to you and your stakeholders. And in each issue I’ll continue to feature a not-for-profit in the Do Good Spotlight section.

And so, here’s the first issue of Niki’s Notes, developed with you, a business leader focused on leading your teams with people/purpose/planet/profit at the forefront:

• Deloitte recently published a survey, the results of which I’m sure will come as no surprise. It’s all about the burn out, and what you, as a leader could be doing, not just for your teams, but for yourself, too. Think oxygen mask on plane: https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/burnout-beyonce-mental-health-deloitte-survey.html
• Finding and hiring the talent you need to continue to deliver excellence is even more challenging as 2022 drives forward. When is the last time your organization rethought—and reworked—the recruiting process? This article from Inc. talks about how Google is using programs that train talent and, after successful completion, encourages the successful graduates to apply for positions within Google. A good example is Google’s project management program. Want to learn more? It’s here:
  https://www.inc.com/kelly-main/hiring-google-experience-aptitude.html
• Speaking of hiring, one of DBE’s clients, Modern Hire, takes bias out of the recruiting process with its proprietary AI-driven systems. They’ve got the world saying great things about them and the results they generate. If you’re on the hunt for a better process for recruiting, they may be a part of the solutions package for you: https://modernhire.com/
• Familiar with the workings of the vagus nerve? If not, you may be surprised by the tips from Mindful.org for reducing stress by focusing on the workings of this nerve in your body. If you’re in a rush, skip to Section 4, #4. I actually do this and it works! https://www.mindful.org/why-your-breath-is-connected-to-your-well-being/

Do Good Spotlight
🌟 No Kid Hungry 🌟

NoKidHungry.org is on a mission to end childhood hunger in the U.S. They work to expand awareness and implement programs, grants, etc. to make sure kids get 3 meals a day. Discover more about their cause and how you can help: https://www.nokidhungry.org/

We’d like to thank Angie Bruhn for the wonderful suggestion!

And remember, if you have an impactful organization you’d like us to donate and spotlight, let us know!

• It can’t be said enough, walking is wonderful for you. Here are 6 reasons from Real Simple: https://www.realsimple.com/health/fitness-exercise/walking-benefits. And check out this new data reported in the New York Times that says even a 2-minute (!!!) walk right after dinner has significant benefits for staying healthy: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/04/well/move/walking-after-eating-blood-sugar.html?smid=em-share
• I came across an article citing the issues with teachers’ pay, on exploring found data in the bubble chart (mouse over a bubble, info pops up) for all kinds of professions and their salaries. Really good info, so ta da: https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/teachers-pay.html
• Bothered by how much of your personal information (think home address, phone number, email address, etc.) is a Google search away? If not, skip to the next bullet. If yes, The Wall Street Journal has tips to remediate: https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-to-remove-home-address-google-whitepages-11658514379
• An add-on to The Great Resignation is “The Great Middle Management Migration.” This from Chief talks about the issues facing middle managers and how to retain the talent in your organization: https://chief.com/articles/middle-managers
• Trend piece on the suburbs across the US: https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/23178774/suburbs-return-planning-urban-flight
• As a leader, you may not have the same perspectives about work as your employees. Here are key stats from the book, How The Future Works: Leading Flexible Teams to Do The Best Work of Their Lives by Sheela Subramanian, Helen Kupp, and Brian Elliott:
• Executives have a 62% higher rate of satisfaction than employees.
• Non-executive employees report twice as much work-related stress and anxiety.
• 68% of executives surveyed want to work in the office all, or most of the time—three times the number of non-executives who said the same.

  And here’s a link to a Medium piece by Caroline Dowd-Higgins for Ellevate: https://ellevatentwk.medium.com/how-the-future-works-19a0f0534fda

That’s a wrap! I hope you enjoyed this new approach to sharing thoughts to help you do you. Stay strong, stay focused. Keep yourself healthy, and remember to take care of yourself!