And just like that summer is over, kids are back in school and football takes over our living rooms for the next four months. And for many offices fantasy football takes over the water cooler conversation.  We have an office fantasy football league which is good for team building or smack talking, depending on the day.  My one piece of advice for anyone out there who runs a fantasy football team: Nobody wants to hear how your bench player put up 30 points or an overturned call cost you the big “game.” 

The internet is cram packed full of people complaining about their customer experiences, but I wanted to take a moment to share a story about an excellent customer service experience I encounter every time I visit.  This past week I got my oil changed and new tires put on my vehicle at my favorite place Youngtedt’s in Maple Grove.   

Easily one of my favorite days of work each year is our annual customer appreciation event, which we hold at Rush Creek Golf Club.  For 11 years now we have used this as an opportunity to thank our loyal customers.  A customer appreciation golf event allows us to spend more than the usual time with our clients while enjoying fun day at an outstanding venue like Rush Creek.  We receive fantastic feedback from our clients and they look forward to the event each year.

We are about to see something that we have not and will not see again in our lifetime.  Well, maybe you can say that about a lot of things that are going on lately in the news, but I am referring to the solar eclipse.  Here is an article on what you need to know.  Most interestingly is that “the tiny of town of Carbondale, Illinois, will be treated to the longest eclipse duration - about two minutes and 41 seconds of total darkness.”

I am a coach for my son's hockey team and at practice this week he skated up to me and said a player from a different team which we share the ice with threw snow in his face. He wanted either advice on how to deal with it or he wanted me to deal with it. I really didn't do either. I just asked him how he dealt with it. 

I was on a vacation this past week when in just a few seconds my four-year-old daughter gave me some of the best advice I am sure any parent has ever received.  We were at a water park and she was trying to get across the pool using the monkey-bar like rope and the floating plastic rocks.  She was not tall enough to reach the rope in most areas of the course so she was going to need my help unless she just jumped from rock to rock.  She was struggling to reach the rope and the rock was sliding out from under her so I grabbed her and assisted her and she yelled, “Dad, I got this.”  Then she yelled that she needed my help, but then again followed up that she didn’t want my help.  I just couldn’t seem to do it right.

I had lunch this week with an old friend and after we exchanged pleasantries and caught up on each other’s families we spent most of the time discussing each other’s jobs.  This individual had recently changed positions and is more enthusiastic about his new job and new company than I have ever heard him before.  He was someone who always had a positive attitude about his previous position and employer, but there was a different type of spark inside him and it was good to see.

Happy Friday everyone. It’s Friday and that is a fact. But the happy part is a little more elusive if you read the headlines of your favorite newspaper or scroll through your social media feed. Don’t worry. I’ve got you covered with some positive news to send you into this wonderful weekend.

It’s 4^th of July weekend and I am guessing you are like me and all the small talk at the office and around the  neighborhood this week started with, “Whatchya doin for the 4^th?”  It marks a holiday that most Americans do celebrate in some form or fashion usually with a beverage in hand. According to this article by WalletHub it’s the number one beer-drinking holiday of the year. 

Recently I overhead someone talking about last night’s NBA Draft and how “those guys are becoming instant millionaires overnight. Can you imagine?” The one leading the conversation was not incorrect, the first round picks are guaranteed an NBA contract good for at least three years. The top pick will make at the least twenty million dollars over the first three years and the 30^th pick will make at least 4 million dollars. These amazingly gifted athletes sign their contracts shortly after being drafted thus making them instant millionaires.