From The Desk of Dave Smalley: The Power of Preparedness

We often talk about the value of preparation. It is a common topic for me in the Spectrum Connection.

By being fully prepared, by sticking to the fundamentals, and by honoring the power of preparedness, we build a foundation that will not allow changing tides to affect how we react. We can avoid the freak out moment that begs us to over-react to

Frankly, the reason I think about it, write about it, and obsess about it so much is that I believe in the Power of Preparation to my core. I think about, and practice it all the time, and I accept its value as gospel.

We often share “the day of the race is too late to decide to win.” I think that saying is so fitting, and it resonates with me. Does it with you? One cannot toe the line and expect to win without planning and training. All of business, most of life, and certainly all sports adhere to the notion, that if one does not fully prepare, one has virtually no chance of success.

When I think about life, and especially business, no two days are the same. One never knows what new wrinkles or challenges are in our distant or immediate future. By definition, it is very difficult to prepare for the un- known, but what you CAN prepare for is “the known!” By fully preparing for the known factors, it allows one to be able to pivot, and to be fully focused on what is new, what is changing, or what has changed.

The converse is true. If one has not fully prepared for all that is coming at them, just throw in one significant curve ball, and that curve ball looks so daunting, so much of a challenge. A reaction of “I’ve got all the rest of this stuff going on,” can cause one to panic, and then not only do they not hit it, they rarely even swing.

By preparing, we can see things more clearly, and things seemingly move more slowly. We can also understand the changes and challenges at hand, and roll with them. We have done the work. Our preparedness gives us the power to not only absorb the change, but become agents of change. We don’t just change with the times, we change the times them- selves. It’s the power of preparedness.

Think about how you can take control of your own destiny in every aspect of your life, by fully adopting the power of preparedness. Start small, make sure you start preparing to leave for an appointment that will give you a few extra minutes before you have to walk out the door. Plan to finish a proposal that is due on Wednesday, on Monday, just in case something that really needs your attention on Tuesday un- expectedly shows up. Pick up a few birth- day cards and thinking of you cards to keep handy before you need them. Clear your desk of ‘to do’ items every day before you go home, and return every call and email within 24 hours. These little things will help you set your personal tone and agenda to prepare to be successful every day.

My very best to you and yours. Good health and happiness,
~Dave

 

From the Desk of Melanie Smalley

Our first tournament of the season – and it’ s a wrap! A new tournament at that. The Genesis Invitational was an amazing week of new faces, new friends, many congratulations, and lots of really good vibes. It also brought about a few fast-balls and one or two (definitely more!) curveballs.

Spectrum is so good at so many things, so many. One of the amazing qualities we have is to catch those fastballs! No need to dodge them. Our catcher’s mitt is big, and it’s well-oiled. It’s made up of so many capable professionals, that not only know what to do and what to say, but when to say it, and then how quickly to do it.

Fastballs, like curveballs, can be challenging, (unless you play for the Astros – and yes that’s me digging on my favorite team (sigh)) but they also provide opportunity. The opportunity to impress our fellow peers, and certainly our customers, with our ability to respond quickly, leaves a last-ing impression. It also leaves some room to impress even ourselves.

The resolve that we share as a team, as a company, is frankly unparalleled in our industry. We are not a company of nay-sayers; we are a company of doers. When our customers say jump, we say how high! We put our heads together, we put the effort in, we strive to meet the demand every time our name is called.

Perhaps, predicting the fastballs and the curveballs makes more sense than fear-ing them. No matter the circumstance, we always stand ready to put our experience to work, sometimes in record time.

Spectrum is the “A-team” industry lead-er. How we react, and how we respond is a Spectrum hallmark, just ask our customers. If we don’t catch the fastballs and the curveballs, well, someone else will. Just think…the uncertain pitch could very well be our home run!
Cheers!
~ Mel

 

Wicked Whisk

On January 11th, the Woodforest Bank Club hosted a bar mitzvah for Hayden Johnson and 185 other guests. They had a DJ, dance floor, Airbrush Brothers, fabulous décor, and delicious catering provided by Wicked Whisk Catering. A fun night was had by all!

 

 

Welcome Chris

Greetings! I’m Chris Campbell, and I’m joining the team as the Wicked Whisk Food & Beverage Director. My wife, Steph, and I have four children. Hailey (19), Liam (17), Finnian, (10) & Britta (8). I grew up in Southwest Louisiana, but have lived in Southern California (where my wife hails from), just outside of Boston,

Massachusetts, and coastal Georgia. My family and I are thrilled to be settling into The Woodlands, and looking forward to taking advantage of all that Texas has to offer. When I’m not working, I enjoy cooking for the family, trying new wines (I have wine training, and am always eager to learn more), camping in

Joshua Tree with my father-in-law, traveling, or watching TV shows that make my wife roll her eyes. I’ve had such a fantastic welcome here, and cannot wait to get to know everyone even more! Cheers!

 

Client Profile: Mary Beth  McKenna

How  do  you  know  Spectrum, and since when? I’ve known Spectrum through the RBC Canadian Open since 2018.

Tell  us  about  your  family: I am from northern Alberta, so my family is still out west living in Fort McMurray & Cal- gary.

What are your interests when time  permits  away  from  our

crazy world? I participate in a few rec sports leagues throughout the year – basketball & baseball,

and also enjoy anything outdoors – golf, skiing, hiking. While I personally have no musical talent, I love music and going to concerts!

 Favorite  foods,  books,  or  vacation spots?

Food: Pizza & Chips

Books: Anything by Jon Krakauer

Vacation Spots: Iceland, Portugal, Nicaragua

(Anything with an adventure)

Since joining the RBC Canadian Open team, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with Spec- trum. The whole team – Dave, Melanie, Joe, Missie, Jim, Eduardo, and some I’m probably missing have been fantastic to work with as I learned the ropes of the F&B world.

 

Recipe of the month: Sheperd’s Pie

Prep Time 20 mins Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time

50 mins

 

Ingredients

 22-24 ounces mashed potatoes

 1 pound ground beef

 1 small chopped onion, optional

 1/2 cup sliced carrots

 2 tablespoons flour

 2 teaspoons salt, divided

 1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided

 1 cup beef broth

 1 large egg slightly beaten

 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

 garnish with chopped parsley, optional

 

Instructions

◆          Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

• Cook potatoes according to package directions, and set
• Brown beef and onion in a skillet on medium-high
• Drain, and put back in skillet with car- rots over medium-high
• Stir in flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 tea- spoon
• Add Cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, or until slightly thick- ened.
• Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 11×7 inch glass backing
• In a mixing bowl, combine mashed po- tatoes, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4

teaspoon pepper. If using pre-cooked mashed potatoes, you may want to

taste potatoes before adding the egg to see how they are seasoned. If they are already salted appropriately, you can omit the salt.

• Spoon over beef mixture, and smooth evenly across the
• Bake for 25
• Sprinkle with cheese, and bake an addi- tional 5

Garnish with parsley if desired.

 

Events:

Arnold Palmer Invitational	3/2—3/8
Hoag Classic	3/2—3/8
Bayou City Arts Festival—Memorial	3/27—3/29
Valero Texas Open	3/30—4/5
March Madness Music Festival	4/3—4/5
Dreamville Music Festival	4/4
McDonald’s Houston Children’s Festival	4/4—4/5
Woodlands Waterway Festival	4/4—4/5
Veritex Bank Championship	4/13—4/19
Tortuga Music Festival	4/17—4/19
High Water Music Festival	4/18—4/19

Insperity Invitational	4/27—5/3
Shaky Knees Music Festival	5/1—5/3
JMBLYA Music Festival	5/3
AT&T Byron Nelson	5/4—5/10
Shaky Boots Music Festival	5/8—5/9
National Homecoming Music Festival	5/9—5/10
Trondossa Music & Arts Festival	5/16—5/17
Charles Schwab Challenge	5/18—5/24
American Family Insurance Championship	6/1—6/7
Governor’s Ball Music Festival	6/5—6/7
RBC Canadian Open	6/8—6/14

Birthdays:

Melanie Smalley	03/02
Kathryn Sweeney	03/07
Reggie Carroll	03/08
Jazmine Ellegan-Simon	03/10
Lucy Martinez	03/12
Kevin Bell	03/15
January Lesperance	03/16
Nancy Martinez	03/18
Libardo Gaviria	03/20
Holly LaVarnway	03/21
Chris Campbell	03/24
Danielle Starkey	03/27
Maria Barrios Perez	03/28
Antonio Ayala	03/30
Tyler Edwards	03/31
Oscar Romero	03/31

Milestones:

Ruben Garcia	03/01/1999
Clarence Smith	03/03/2018
Santos Ventura	03/04/2008
Tina Young	03/05/2018
Victor Alcala	03/10/1997
Carlos Alcantar	03/11/2013
Mike Ramirez	03/12/1994
Maverick Smalley	03/17/2008
Emily Swanagin	03/18/2017
Zach Huwyler	03/21/2016
Esli Reyes	03/23/2013
Jason Avellanet	03/23/2015
Franchesca Ortiz	03/23/2017
Jay Jung	03/24/2003
Mike Stapleton	03/24/2014
Missie Martinez	03/25/1997
Kim Nguyen	03/28/2016
Chloe Normand	03/29/2013
Dan Namiatov	03/29/2018