Who Doesn’t Love a Theme?

Every quarter, prior to our quarterly meeting, Karen and I pick a theme that we, as a team, can focus our goals around. We work to select something that everyone, regardless of role or experience, can champion and relate to. Over the years, we’ve had some that were aspirational and conveniently tied to song lyrics (All We Do is Win) and others that were overly honest and tied to world events (It’s been a HELL of a year). For each one, we ask the team to share, off the cuff, what they think of when they hear the theme – what does it mean, how does it relate professionally and personally, where do they see it being applied – you get the idea. And each time, the insight they share is robust and deep and thoughtful.

This quarter was no different. Our theme, “Prepare for Launch,” was met half-jokingly with rocket emojis and astronaut tropes but also with conversations that spoke to the nuances that come before a launch. The teamwork that goes into bringing a big brand to life, the small routine launches that we take for granted, and ultimately, the desire, or maybe even the need, to celebrate the mini milestones along the way.

A Good Reminder for Q2 (and always)

To be honest, the discussion went beyond what Karen and I had even considered when we came up with the theme of “Prepare for Launch” – we were thinking big picture about the process, procedures, learnings and lessons to get to the ticker-tape moment – but we hadn’t leaned into the little victories along the way. I’d like to say it’s because we are already celebrating the small wins, but I think it’s probably fair to say that in this current phase, we haven’t paid as much attention to them as we once did.

There are a myriad of reasons why we have fixed our eyes on the finish line instead of the mile-markers, including the post-COVID toll, the current work environment and social drain. However, this theme is a reminder for us to stop and smell the roses along the way, not simply show off the bouquet at the end. Therefore, in an effort to give the tiny triumphs their flowers, I’m going to share a few of the ways we’ll be practicing (and maybe preaching) appreciation this quarter (and beyond).

Three Easy Ways to Celebrate Along the Way:

1. Confetti

I know, I know, this is low-hanging fruit for us. But here’s the thing, because of COVID and our remote-work environment, we haven’t thrown real confetti in a long time. Therefore, in an effort to create “Moments of Delight,” our awesome AE, Lizzy, and designer, Crystal, have constructed confetti packets – perfect for small moments of celebration.

Want to throw your own? You can DIY with three easy steps:

1. Buy confetti. We got ours from StudioPep, but you can also snag custom colors and confetti shapes from The Confetti Bar.
2. Source some bags. Ours are 3.25” x 3.25” Cello Envelopes from JamPaper.
3. Create some stickers (we can help!). We love Stickermule’s Circle Roll Labels.

2. Postcards

If you’ve been part of the R&R family for a while, you’ve likely received a postcard (or three). We are big fans of the postcard. It’s fun to create, affordable to make (and mail) and the best part, it’s personal. With this new theme in mind, we’ve been channeling Emily Post and sending happy little notes to shout-out accomplishments – be it the completion of phase I of a multi-phase project or the wrap-up of a routine (but equally important), monthly marketing endeavor.

Want to send your own? You can DIY with four easy steps:

1. Find a postcard (or let us create a custom design for you).
2. Grab a stamp. Postcard stamps are different from forever stamps, so make sure you grab the correct one.
3. Add a message. What do you want to celebrate?
4. Mail away!

3. Woots

Another one of R&R’s long-standing vernacular, but not something we’ve put a tremendous amount of thought into lately. Therefore, moving forward during our Monday Agenda calls, we’ll be more intentional with our weekly woots – highlighting the wee wins along with the big ones. Additionally, we’ll be working to add real-time woots to our general Slack channel throughout the day, not just during our end of day recaps, as well as within our Trello cards. Of course, these aren’t shout-them-from-the-rooftop moments, nor are they shareable publicly (projects aren’t done yet), but they are high-five worthy accomplishments.

Want to woot, high-five, or shout-out online or off? You can DIY with one easy step:

Just do it. Seriously, if you are thinking about it – share it with your team, your friends, your family, your pet – don’t wait, just woot it up!

How Will You Be Celebrating Mini Milestones?

As we implement more ways to celebrate along the way, we’ll share them here. But, we’d also love to hear from you…how are you and your team toasting mini milestones?