Are You on the Right Path?

As I stood at the Newport New Jersey train station awaiting the Path into New York City, I made a deliberate effort to feel the swirling wind and to listen to the roar of the train as it approached the platform. At that moment, a thought flashed in my mind, “Are You on the Right Path?" I immediately opened my note-taking app on my iPhone and started capturing my thoughts as I elbowed my way onto an over-packed locomotive. So, what do I mean? I am referring to a person’s daily activities in the quest to move along the right path to achieve one’s goals on the journey of life. That means you have to know what you want and be as specific as possible. As for me, I agree with the approach of writing your goals down and reviewing them three times throughout each day. I also have checkpoints in which I assess if my activities are moving me in the proper direction to achieve my desired results. That includes touching base with a diverse group of mentors to get instant feedback and real-world advice. Because from time to time, you may need to adjust your direction to ensure you remain on the right track. If you have strategies that keep you moving on the right path that you want to share, please add a comment. I wish you all an enjoyable Sunday and a successful week! hashtag#nyc hashtag#motivation

New York City Summit

When Norville Barrington, Director of Business Development for the Metro New York Chapter National Black MBA Association, contacted me a couple of weeks ago regarding an upcoming Summit at the S&P Global corporate office in NYC, I was duty-bound to attend if my schedule permitted. Fortunately, I had the availability and was able to participate, and I am glad I did. As a result, I was able to participate in a “Design Thinking” workshop facilitated by Aisha Taylor, Community Engagement & Partnerships with Google. Aisha provided valuable insight into the definition and a blueprint on the process of design thinking. Also, I learned about the "Grow with Google NYC Learning Center" initiative that offers free digital skills training to all New Yorkers. Then, I had the good fortune to witness Bonin Bough, the Host of "Cleveland Hustles" with LeBron James and Maverick Carter, as executive producers deliver the Keynote Luncheon, which was inspiring and full of invaluable information that is relevant now and well into the future. The energy he brought in his presentation was phenomenal, and his message of challenging the status quo as well as strategies on how to unlock personal exponential growth was fascinating. Have a nice weekend! hashtag#nyc Dianne Francel Caraos Bautista

New Jersey Pharmacist Association Annual Convention

I am always excited to attend the New Jersey Pharmacist Association Annual Meeting & Convention, and this year is no different. Special thanks to Elise M. Barry, MS, CFRE, RCE, James Ward, Samantha Miller, and the team for their efforts in organizing another spectacular event at Harrah’s Resort & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Furthermore, please allow me to acknowledge the relentless work conducted by the New Jersey Pharmacists Association on behalf of Independent Pharmacy Owners in the Garden State in the area of advocacy, continuing education as well as its collaboration with its corporate partners and volunteers. Their work is making a difference! Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not recognize my colleague and friend that attended this year’s convention with me, Wanda Mitreuter. After 20-years with AmerisourceBergen, she is retiring at the end of this year, so this is her final convention. It’s been a privilege to learn from and work with Wanda. I wish her nothing but the best in the next phase of her journey. Have a fantastic weekend! hashtag#newjersey hashtag#amerisourcebergen

Networking

I had a splendid time meeting David Meltzer and making new connections at the renowned 40/40 Club in the heart of Manhattan. The evening began at a meetup location that gracefully transitioned into an Athlete Platform Event. Although I was familiar with Dave's work; generally speaking, he landed on my radar in a big way when I listened to his interview with Jennifer Gluckow and Jeffrey Gitomer on their Podcast. His story regarding his encounter with a lady on a flight to India was captivating! Bear in mind; I had to rewind this portion of the interview multiple times because it was that powerful. As a result, I’ve been consuming Dave's content ever since. So when I got wind that he would be in NYC from a common thread, Al Herrera, I knew I was going to jump on the subway after work to introduce myself and support his event. Dave...it was a delight to meet you in person, and I enjoyed listening to you speak. What is more, I appreciate our sidebar conversation, the knowledge transfer and the signed copy of your book, “Connected to Goodness” that I will begin reading this weekend. Best wishes with your remaining events in the Big Apple and safe travels back to California. Let’s keep in touch. Continued success! Jessie Simon, Vanessa Woodbury, hashtag#nyc, hashtag#motivation