Michael McMahon
EDPA VICE PRESIDENT
President/CEO, Hill & Partners
Sometimes, the sting of failure causes a shift in priorities, while other times we laser in for another attempt. These are the moments that mark transition in the form of interest and pursuit, passion and path or cut and run. The COVID crisis has presented my very first near extinction event as a business owner, easily eclipsing any other challenge that I’ve experienced over the past 25 years. The ever so slow process of recovery, along with the fatigue that comes from the news of setbacks has certainly taken its toll. However, all throughout the days and weeks that have unfolded since March 11, 2020, there has been a welcomed silver lining.
I never could have imagined, over ten years ago, that for far less than I’m paying toward my idle office printer contracts, my dues to the EDPA would play such a pivotal role in the future of my business. As an owner and executive during this crisis, I’m uniquely aware that my attitude with regard to opportunity and risk will have a major impact on the success of our company’s recovery. You’ve all heard the expression that “attitude is everything”, but never as much as now when industry demand is easily far lower than any previous all-time low.
So, how can a leader maintain a positive attitude toward opportunity when all indicators point to speculations about demand increases being very low, and recovery period being proportionately slow. I would say that the first place to start is with other leaders you know, trust and respect. Draw on their shared strengths from stories of achievement against the odds. Think like that scene in Animal House, because that is how it feels some days. “Lets gooooooooo!” If you’re smiling or even laughing a bit, then mission accomplished. This is one of those processes that I’ve come to know well through my EDPA membership experience. The wisdom and humor that my member peers provide has had a priceless influence my decision process, and more importantly, my attitude. The truth is, and I’m speaking for all of us, we are all capable of being the champion of the day under any given situation. Doing it consistently and even on demand at times requires the ability to tap into certain internal resources. The kind of inner energy and perspective to help us show up and attract the success we intend to create. This is what I have received over my time as a member of the EDPA.
My experience didn’t start out this way, as the original intention was to gain key business insights, mostly through content sessions provided at the annual ACCESS conference. Gradually overnight, I began to find people within the membership with whom I shared a like mindedness. Just like “Tuesdays with Morrie”, my interest in their experience and wisdom, along with a tendency to be almost too transparent, ultimately lead to the development of some rewarding friendships. The benefits that I’ve received from these member friends during this past year alone have been far more valuable than my annual membership dues. Countless hours on the phone over the past twelve months won’t replace face to face engagement. However, having those high value relationships with people I respect and admire is something for which I am truly grateful. Even if the purpose of many a call was to require someone’s help distracting me from what has felt like a freefall. Perhaps one of those fellow business owners will be reading this at some point, and if they are, this is a good time to say, thank you!
Today, we are beginning the second quarter of 2021, and the outlook, compared to a few months ago is really quite good. Even as individual opinions and sentiments vary widely, the return of our industry is in our sites. Thanks to my friends and colleagues in the EDPA, we’ve made the necessary decisions to fortify our ability to function as a high value organization. The team is strong, and we will confidently take our place as one of the future success stories that will live more in demonstration than commentary. My intention is that we won’t have time to look back, and I’m rooting for every business in our industry to find their path, find their people and return to the work that we all love and enjoy.
Today, the EDPA is so much more than it was when I joined back in the first decade of the century. Of course, many of the things that made the association unique initially, have survived the test of time. Fellowship, friendship and advocacy still ring true among members and their organizations. Our resources and initiatives have expanded and matured, while program and event activity has also grown beyond an annual association event like ACCESS. A few years back, the EDPA created Engage, a short program event, as an opportunity for members to collide and learn face to face each and every Spring. Chapter activity has experienced a renaissance in recent years, taking the best of the past, and coupling it with technology and present-day activity for professionals in a variety of regions across the US. Renewed initiatives toward advocacy, along with the demands of the past year have given life to a more deliberate and sophisticated advocacy and lobby effort on behalf of our industry. The EDPA foundation is adding to the hundreds of industry professionals who have been supported during difficult times or have received grants for education and professional development.
One of the most significant traits of our industry as a whole, that attracted me in the first place, is the fact that so many unique and authentic people can become such critical components of the success of a designed experience. It can be shallow to say something similar to “I like people”, but that is precisely how I feel when I think of these folks. Business owners, Entrepreneurs, Administrators, Designers, Account Managers, Fabricators, Riggers, Professional Laborers, Salespeople, Marketers and any number of professionals. Together, we all identify with our connection to Brands that seek to move and inspire others to become followers, buyers and loyalists. We really are a part of the coolest industry that the average person knows nothing about. … which has always been kinda cool!
I recall during our omnichannel experience at ACCESS 2020 in Texas this past December, when Jim Gilmore, the co-author of The Experience Economy, uttered the phrase “Tomorrow is the futures past”. We are here today with the option to imagine a very bright future for all of us, which will require everyone to start showing up tomorrow. Thank you to my fellow members and friends in the EDPA, along with The Board of Directors, who have helped me keep my head up during this ridiculously difficult time. Good luck to those of you who’ve held down the fort, with whatever you could muster, so that our friends across all phases of this work will have something to return to as we begin to recover.
