Save your goals and aspirations for five weeks from now. This week is for focusing on gratitude for all that we have, rather than dwelling on what is desired or yet to be achieved.
I’ll take it. Running a PR firm in the era of fake news presents unique challenges. Salacious stories sell. Click-bait is a real thing; it funds the media and even affects the way that reporters decide what they are going to cover. Thus, the time to reflect on the pleasures of our work is something to be grateful for, in and of itself.
Luckily, at Teak, we bring forth the stories of incredible organizations and companies that are working on answers to some of society’s largest issues, like climate change, mass incarceration, hunger, social injustice, sustainable agriculture and the education gap. There are solutions in the works and Teak’s clients are behind them. We get to share their stories and bring positive news to the world. When the public learns about the work of Teak’s clients, they are inspired and they have hope. Each year for the past 22 years, I have been grateful for meaningful, uplifting and important work.
I am grateful to have the opportunity to learn so much every day. Because Teak focuses on “journalistic PR,” we are news hounds. We follow trends and the news around so many timely topics so we can be the eyes and ears for our clients and fit them into media reports. During any given day, we can – in fact, we must – take the time to read long articles around carbon sequestration, the history of racism, systemic hunger in Boston schools, and so much more. It’s our job to stay current on some of the most important issues facing society today. Like being a journalist, working at Teak is a lifelong continuing education program with a paycheck. Who wouldn’t be grateful for that?
At Teak, instead of just having “client meetings,” we have compelling and educational conversations with CEOs of nonprofits and responsible companies who have brilliant minds and giant, compassionate hearts. We also are blessed in that we speak with people who are at the receiving end of some of great innovations in philanthropy, those whose lives are on the upswing due to the actions and gifts of strangers. We see progress in otherwise challenged lives. On an ongoing basis, we are exposed to innovations, big dreams, and people intent on making them into a reality.
Given Teak’s focus on real news and critical issues, the people who choose to work at Teak, and then succeed here, are special. They are smart, diligent, focused, persistent, and have the ability to manage many timely and critical issues all at once. They have the compassion and demeanor to work with the parents of sick children, and the critical minds necessary to decipher and write about the ins and outs of carbon offsets. They speak to former gang members and presidents of large companies with the same level of authentic interest and respect. All of this is to say, I’m grateful for the commitment and integrity my colleagues bring to work every day and for the people they are on and off the field.
If all of this sounds like a love letter to Teak Media, I confess: I think it is. I’m grateful for the honest and important company I’ve built and have grown for more than two decades, the results we achieve, the longevity of our client relationships, the people I work with and the people we serve. Also, I’m grateful for the opportunity to have an appropriate time to share these feelings, which i mostly keep to myself for 364 days a year. If you’ve read this far, you’ve indulged me, and I’m grateful for that as well. Wishing all a healthy and happy Thanksgiving.
