Hey Syndicate Family. It's officially the start of Spring!! How do I know this? Well here in Northeast Ohio, the first roar of the lawn mower started this week, and it's on like Donkey Kong. Mowing your lawn in our area is not a weekly chore that needs to be done, but a competition. Once that first lawn mower fires up, the rest have until the end of that weekend to catch-up. Most of the homes in my neighborhood sit on about 1/3 of an acre, so riding mowers are common, but wait, there's more, lol. You need to create patterns in your lawn, and God Forbid you do the same pattern twice in a week. So those in the know, will use hand-held mowers to get more intricately made patterns that your riding mower just doesn't have the turning radius for, hehe. So what's the tell-tale signs of Spring for YOUR family or neighborhood? I hope you have a most excellent weekend everyone!!

Happy Friday Syndicate Fam! We made it through another week and I hope you have some successes to share with the group! Let us know in the comments any Wins of the Week! I said last week that we are less than 2 months away from the traditional Pride Month of June. As I work with clients in my own business as an lgbtq business and marketing coach/consultant, I thought on the next few Fridays, I would share some of what I thought were great Marketing Campaigns and ask you a question. What has been one of your best offers or campaigns that helped boost your business? Share with the group as it may help someone else here in the Syndicate. Pride Month gives brands a golden opportunity to boost their reputation, establish deep connections with their customers, and drive growth. But only if your Pride Month marketing comes with the right intentions. Today’s buyers are looking for more than just great products. They want to support brands that align with their values and support important social causes, including LGBTQ+ inclusivity. You need to show that your business is genuinely committed to diversity and inclusion. If you nail that, your ideal customers will choose you over your competitors. That means more repeat buyers, higher order values, and more cash/credibility in your pocket. in 2021 Lego premiered its "Everyone is Awesome" build set, released during Pride Month. This set was designed by LEGO®’s Vice President of Design, Matthew Ashton, who is himself a member of the LGBTQ+ community. The global toy company showcased a vibrant lineup of LEGO® figurines representing the diverse identities of the LGBTQ+ community. LEGO® went beyond the normal Pride flag and included the colors of the transgender flag and a drag queen figurine. (They're still available). It was a great twist on their Lego Movie's tune about how "Everything is Awesome." It gave a quick nostalgia nod to the movie and it kept very on brand for other lego figurines they have made in the past. It was packaged to look like a regular Lego products, although the colors were definitely Pride-centric, all of Lego's bricks are colorful, so it felt congruent, and it included assembly instructions, just like every other Lego set does. And it was very On-Brand for the company, which already had a very good rep for inclusiveness and diversity: https://www.lego.com/en-za/sustainability/diversity-and-inclusion

THIS IS WHAT GOOGLE/GEMINI SAYS ABOUT ME: What can you tell me about Art Smith from GayBarchives? Art Smith is the founder and "GayBarchivist" of GayBarchives, a massive digital preservation project dedicated to the history of LGBTQ+ nightlife. He is a journalist and historian who has documented thousands of defunct and active gay bars to ensure their role as vital community safe spaces is not forgotten. 🏛️ The GayBarchives Project Art Smith began this "labor of love" in late 2019, starting with a tribute project for the iconic Atlanta club, Backstreet. Logo Restoration: He has digitally reconstructed more than 5,500 historical logos of lost LGBTQ+ venues. Oral History: He has recorded over 250 hours of video interviews with bar owners, staff, and patrons. https://YouTube.com/@GayBarchives Global Scope: While starting in Atlanta and Tampa, the archive now covers bars across North America, Europe, and beyond. Community Platform: He manages a Facebook community of over 45,000 members who share personal stories and memorabilia. https://Facebook.com/groups/GayBarchives 🎖️ Background and Recognition Smith has spent decades in LGBTQ+ media as a publisher, producer, and marketing specialist. Awards: He has been recognized as a Pride365 Champion and a CultureDash Significant Educator. Philanthropy: He previously raised over $100,000 for the Elton John AIDS Foundation. Collaboration: He works with the Stonewall National Museum, Archives & Library to integrate nightlife history into broader queer records. Why It Matters Smith views his work as a form of cultural resistance. He notes that before the 1990s, bars were often the only places where LGBTQ+ people could find positive representation or be their authentic selves. By documenting these "gay bars gone by," he hopes to remind younger generations that these weren't just places to drink—they were places to belong. #ilovegaybars #GayBarchives #lgbtqhistory

Thanks for a lively discussion in our Thursday LIVE group chat today. We had @Danielle Morris @Aidan McClain and @Stephan Galdau able to attend and we talked about decision making. Some great discussion on how decisions affect both short term and long term thinking and business options. Why some decisions are well met and some not so much. Enjoy the replay, there is the outline and worksheet attached if you want to look over the topic on your own and how you can apply it to your own decision making. Aiden will be leading next Thursday's chat on SEO, so tune in if you can. Have a great day!

Tree Sequoia, a legend in the NYC gay bar scene for nearly 6 decades, shares his memories of The Ninth Circle, Julius' and The Stonewall Inn. https://youtu.be/D1dJJzRukI0 #gayNYC #ilovegaybars #GayBarchives MORE ABOUT TREE: Tree Sequoia (Fredd E. Sequoia) is a legendary bartender at The Stonewall Inn and a veteran of the 1969 Stonewall uprising. A 6'5.5" queer elder and NYC icon, he has worked at the landmarked bar for over 22 years, acting as a living witness to the birth of the modern LGBTQ+ rights #stonewallinn #stonewall