When Your Monthly Meeting Becomes More Than Just a Calendar Placeholder

Every month, my team and I gather for our All Hands Marketing Meeting. In theory, this is where I deliver important updates, we learn something new, or (let’s be honest) we spend a few minutes chit-chatting and venting about the brokers. (It’s okay. They know.)

Here’s the thing: I’ve been dropping the ball on these meetings in for a while. I always set a goal to make them better... more useful, more fun, more “worth the calendar invite.” And every year, I tell myself, This is the year I do better. But then my reality laughs in my face.

Because my calendar? It’s a circus.

• Bi-weekly 1:1s with each marketer.

• Weekly meetings with every marketer/broker team.

• Corporate updates.

• Local leadership huddles.

• Oh, and now… Cleveland.

Okay you caught me... I'm just coming up with excuses. But by the time our monthly marketing meeting rolls around, my brain is basically running on caffeine fumes and sheer willpower. Some months, the best I can manage is sitting down and saying, “So… what’s up?” and hoping someone talks.

But this month? Different story. (insert applause)

Over the past few weeks, I actually kept notes on topics I wanted to cover: little tips, templates, and training nuggets that might actually be useful. Then today, I sat down, carved out time, and built a full-on presentation. Slides. Visuals. The whole shebang.

And, obviously, I had to add my own flair. Because if you can’t slip in a sarcastic GIF or a “this is fine” meme, is it even a presentation from me?

Tomorrow morning, we’ll see if all this effort pays off. I’m hoping the team leaves with something valuable and maybe even a laugh or two. And who knows, maybe this is the start of me finally living up to the hype I gave these meetings when I first created them… before promptly dropping the ball for several years.

At the very least, I’ll have the slides to prove I tried.

Fueled by coffee, running on slides, and cautiously optimistic.

-CC