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Take time to have fun!
In this month's issue we talk about the importance of having fun, counting blessings, and are featuring Kentucky, Toronto, Bora Bora, and a world-class sporting event package!
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RACING IS FINE, SO LONG AS YOU STOP TO HAVE FUN!
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It's a crazy world we live in. Everyone is on a clock, racing against time, deadlines, and trying to stay on top of their game, ahead of competitors. Cell phones, smart homes, GPSs, laptops, tablets, social media, all of it, has North Americans more tied to their devices and at the end of a short leash than ever before. We're connected, yet oddly disconnected, by these same devices. Sometimes it can feel we're in a race we can't win. But we can.
Unlike a race horse, people have the ability, and the absolute need, to stop, breathe, re-charge, and re-connect with the things and people that matter most to us. As kids, we played, we unplugged, and we had fun. It's what we were expected to do. It's what was necessary to our mental and physical well being. Adults need that same periodic escape too. While life and obligations may be pushing us forward, urging us to go faster, faster, faster – it's important to remember to set limits and stick to them, or face potential burn-out.
At S.I.S., our job is to help our clients unwind, have fun, and connect with co-workers, employers, and clients on a whole new level. Yes, business is often still done while away on company-sponsored getaways, but the mindset is entirely different. Exploring new places, going on exciting new adventures, or trying something completely out of your comfort zone, is good for you. So is laughing out loud, relaxing in the sun, and sharing a good meal and drinks with people who share your work experience. In truth, our job is to ensure our clients and their guests have fun!
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May is a great time to visit Louisville, Kentucky (pronounced “Lou-ah-ville by locals), and we were happy to bring our group of 12 top - tier attendees from the water technology industry to this refined, vibrant city for a few days of R & R, networking, some fine Kentucky bourbon, and the iconic Kentucky Derby.
Louisville is unique in its own right, as it mixes the old with the new, hosting guests in a style like no other. From our stay at the
Brown Hotel
, where recent renovations have kept the genteel southern hospitality she's famous for, intact, yet introduced a level of 21
st
century amenities and accouterments that today's discerning traveler expects. Steeped in historical elegance and timeless beauty, this is one hotel that truly greets her guests in old-world Kentucky style.
We were impressed by the hotel's quality, services, staff, and their infamous Hot Brown Sandwich. This is no ordinary sandwich though. Originally created at the Brown Hotel in Louisville by Fred K. Schmidt in 1926, it's an interesting variation of traditional Welsh rarebit, and was one of two signature sandwiches created by the hotel's own chefs, shortly after its founding in 1923.
No trip to Louisville would be complete without a visit to one of the many top-notch bourbon distilleries dotting the entire area, and we chose to check out the
Woodford Reserve Distillery
in lovely
Versailles, Ky. Back in 1812 Elijah Pepper began crafting his now legendary whiskey on the present site of the distillery. Ideally situated right in the heart of bluegrass country and thoroughbred horses, were we were able to
participate in a wonderful tour of the grounds and behind-the-scenes of Kentucky bourbon-making at its best.
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For a bit of fun and whimsy, we indulged ourselves for lunch at
Claudia Sanders Dinner House
in Shelbyville, Ky, the saddlebred horse capital of the world, which is a quaint town full of rich southern charm just 40 minutes outside Louisville. Claudia Sanders, wife of Col. Harland Sanders, of Kentucky Fried Chicken fame, wanted to create a restaurant that “invoked an air of southern hospitality and cooking, combined with old fashioned, family-style service”, and we weren't disappointed.
Of course the piece de resistance was the
Kentucky Derby
, where we held third floor clubhouse tickets for our group on May 4th, and what an event it was! As those who were there or watched the race from their arm chairs can attest, it was a memorable race for everyone, and an experience not to be forgotten.
As if that weren't enough, in May we also had a blast with a group of 70 clients on a group team-building in downtown Toronto for a scavenger hunt through the downtown core. What fun to include famous stops for out-of-town guests, and give everyone a chance to get familiar with the sites, rules, and regulations of the event. Ending the day at a cocktail reception in the Distillery District was perfect, as everyone shared stories, laughed, and recounted adventures of the day.
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Featured JustRewards Package of the Month
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The Indianapolis 500 Penthouse Experience
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, IN.
Three night three-star business class accommodations, breakfast daily, front stretch Penthouse Tower tickets to the Indianapolis 500 Race, four-day rental car
The Indianapolis 500 Penthouse Experience includes:
• Deluxe 4 day /3 night hotel accommodations for two anytime within 36 months of date of issuance in Indianapolis for the Indianapolis 500 race
• Breakfast daily
• Two tickets to Saturday’s Drivers Meeting or the Indy 500 Parade
• Two Penthouse Tower tickets to the Indianapolis 500 on Sunday
• 4-day rental car
• All hotel taxes
• Package inclusions may be customized to include additional nights, guests, or activities.
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The St. Regis Bora Bora Hotel
truly is everything you've ever dreamed a getaway in the French Polynesian should be. Boasting the largest over-water villas in the South Pacific, our group felt completely indulged and pampered during our entire stay. From glass floored panels that let you see all the marine life teaming below clear turquoise waters, to incredible dives to view black tip reef sharks and rays, or the opportunity to indulge in complete relaxation at the spectacular spa, the St. Regis delivers. Of course we can't forget the incredible culinary delights of Polynesian-inspired food at each of the four restaurants, and who could object to cocktails around the swim-up-bar on a hot, clear, cloudless day?
As an ultra luxury event venue, destination, and incentive, Bora Bora tops the list for groups looking to make an unforgettable statement, and one we would highly recommend over and over again.
For those interested in learning more about this or any other featured venue, contact
Stephanie
today!
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WHAT'S UP NEXT MONTH FOR S.I.S.?
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June 25-28
th
we're with a group of top direct -selling companies and supplier members for the industry for the DSA Canada Conference. We're looking forward to visiting the incomparable city of Vancouver, B.C. and staying at the
Westin Bayshore
. This venue is the perfect base to take in all that the vibrant city of Vancouver offers. Situated directly on the shores of Coal Harbour, with the must-see destination of Stanley Park at its doorstep and the majestic, snow-capped North Shore mountains in clear view, The Westin Bayshore is luxury and refinement at its best. Billed as a “wellness resort-style property”, we're sure the hotel and staff will deliver everything we and our clients expect, making it a truly memorable trip for all involved.
Closer to the end of June we'll head back to Mexico with a top oil industry client and a group of approximately 50 people, where we'll stay at the fabulous
Secrets Akumal Resort
for their yearly broker retreat.
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INDUSTRY NEWS WE'RE EXCITED TO SHARE
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We recently read a travel article that talked about how spending money on things, lots, and lots of things, doesn't bring us what we're really all seeking- happiness.
North Americans are notorious for doing just that though; buying stuff to make us happy, then buying more stuff when the old stuff loses its shine or doesn't make us happy anymore. Humans seem to have an unquenchable thirst for filling the voids we perceive in our lives with consumer products and acquiring more than we really need. For some, it's about competing with the Joneses, while for others it's almost a compulsion, but the sad thing is, all this consumerism doesn't really make us happy.
What does make people happy? Being surrounded by people we love, respect, and want to spend time with makes us happy. Connecting with people we do business with outside of work, even in simple things like gathering at a local bar or restaurant, at a company picnic or baseball game, or on a shared company getaway, can help contribute to our sense of place in the world.
Incentive and travel-industry research has shown that experiencing new places, traveling to new destinations, widening our world view, and connecting with others makes people more than just happy. It makes them feel blessed, which is very different from being grateful. That's important. Feeling blessed for having had an experience creates a sense of well-being that lasts long after the experience itself is over. When people feel blessed to have been somewhere, experienced something, or gone somewhere special with someone (or many someones), it reminds us that
this
is what life is about. It's not about stuff. It's about life, this incredible planet we live on, the creatures who share it with us, and the other people who inhabit the earth we all call home.
That's why we at S.I.S. feel so incredibly blessed to be able to do what we do, and share those experiences with our clients and their guests. Their experiences become our experiences, and we're grateful to share them.
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As we all collectively ease into the slower, warmer months of summer, I breathe a sigh of relief. The rest of the year is all about getting everything done, racing from one project, one destination, to another. It's about the hectic pace I'm required to keep in order to maintain my business and ensure everything goes off without a hitch – to the best of my ability and the ability of my team of industry professionals.
Summer means slowing down a little, and reconnecting with some of the things besides business that matter to me; my family, my horses, my home. The winter is behind us, with the sometimes harsh winter weather that can result in frustrating travel delays, more seasonal clothing changes (depending on where I'm flying to next), and all the assorted things that make life and running a thriving business a challenge.
Personally, I'm ready to take a partial breather (I have to admit, I and my team never completely stop) and take things a little slower. In Canada, the summer heat is welcome, as we fling open doors and windows, step outside to greet the sun, and stop racing so much. Summer is a time for fun, and I intend to make the most of it. My advice to all of you; make the most of every day, whatever the weather, or the season. Race when you have to, but make sure to relax and have fun too. When life hands you blessings, cherish them, as I do, because they're the moments that make everything else worthwhile.
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Stephanie McVeigh, CEO & Founder of Strategic Incentive Solutions Inc.
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Strategic Incentive Solutions is committed to Supplier Diversity. S.I.S is a certified diversity supplier as a woman-owned business enterprise (WBE) that can assist with your diversity spend requirements.
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"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.”
Helen Keller
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