The leaves are changing and there’s a chill in the air. While the falling temperatures means I can finally wear my new #AVintheAM hoodie (yeah!) ... it also means that fall is nearly upon us. As the Thanksgiving holiday draws closer, I’ve started to contemplate what I’m most thankful for this year.
First, I’m grateful for my contacts. My network of personal connections and AV professionals has beautifully co-mingled and I’m so happy I can call people from my work-life friends. I had a family emergency during ISE this year and was literally 7,252 miles from where I needed and wanted to be. But who made it all better? My #AVTweeps. Being with all of you is like being with family, and there’s no one better in a crisis than my AV family.
I’m also thankful that the pro AV industry has a plethora of groups to join. There’s a place for everyone to gather and make new connections. Whether it’s being involved in the Digital Signage Federation, the AV User Group, or the AVIXA Women’s Council (to name a few), you’re bound to make new friends. These groups provide forums for networking and educational sessions, and facilitate working relationships like no other. Want to get involved with a group, but you’re not sure where to start? Tweet @SCNMag and we can throw some suggestions your way!
Without pro AV and its technological advances, there would be no SCN, so that’s clearly on my “thankful for” list. I probably get 10 to 20 new product announcements a week—and that amount per day during InfoComm season. This rapid-fire industry advancement is both stunning and exciting. You can see some of our most-loved new pro AV products in SCN’s Products of the Year story. Plus, you can see some of those products in action in SCN’s Installs of the Year.
One last thing I’m thankful for is the group of people who tirelessly put SCN together every month. We don’t often applaud the people behind the scenes, but without them, would we achieve anything? Art Danner, CTS, talks more about celebrating workplace achievements in this month’s Viewpoint column.
As we move into the final months of the year, I recommend you take some time to reflect on your 2019 and create your own thankful list. When you’re frustrated with your day, you can take a look back and remind yourself that you’re too blessed to be stressed.
