Success: With 40 Under Forty Syracuse

Not all events are created equal. 40 Under Forty Syracuse is one of those events that rises above the rest. It is special. First of all, let's talk about the wonderful people behind putting on this event. The amazing people at the Central New York Business Journal and BizEventz truly care about the community. They work here, live here and have raised their families here. They want to see the success of this community.

They hold numerous events throughout the year that celebrate people who contribute to the community's success. Their next big event is the Non-profit awards. Click HERE for information on that event! I have been fortunate to emcee the 40 Under Forty event for years now... so this is special to me. As a previous honoree, I am humbled each year as I read the biographies of the recipients and think... WOW.. these people are so amazing. I am humbled to be among the alumni.

While many events fizzle out, this one doesn't. I asked Joyl Clance the event Director why this event continues to be a draw and how she does it all year after year! I can't wait until next year- We are celebrating a BIG anniversary! Please take a moment to listen & share.

40 Under Fourty

I have been honored to be a Emcee of 40 Under Forty in Syracuse since moving to New York in 2003. This event honors people in the community working to make the community a better place. As a 2006 Recipient of the award and a person to nominate people who have gone on to receive the award I have seen how truly moved people are to be recognized for their efforts.

It costs nothing but time to fill out the nomination form and the honoree gets to come to a wonderful luncheon at the Nicholas J. Pirro Convention Center and be honored and receive a wonderful item to display on their desk.

As host of this event I try to encourage people to cheer for their colleague when they see their picture up on the big screen and everyone loves that it is a more relaxed atmosphere. I always have fun telling them that it's my job to keep all 40 honorees up on stage for one big final picture at the end- and I'll hunt them down if they leave. They always get a big kick out of that- because we usually have one or two that try to get away- hehe. People ask me if I get the jitters when I'm up in front of a big crowd like this. My answer is sometimes. Usually it happens when I have to say a lot of names- because I care to get them all right! But this event is so wonderful and I truly love the fact that people are being recognized so the enjoyment far out weighs any jitters.

If you know someone under the age of 40 who deserves recognition for their efforts- contact your local 40 Under Forty group. For Central New York click HERE. For Capital Region click HERE. There are several regional 40 Under Forty groups in Western New York and the Hudson Valley and beyond- so if you are in an area aside from the two links I encourage you to do a Google search for 40 Under Forty for your county.

For news coverage on YNN of this week's event click HERE.

Blog Honor: Kissable Inspirational Person Of The Week

Today I was surprised and honored to learn I was featured on Kissable Entertainment Inc.'s blog as their "Kissable Inspirational Person of the Week".

Bakeisha McCall founded Kissable Entertainment in 2009 as a small-town entertainment company in Albany, New York. She has transformed it into a full-service marketing and branding firm in Los Angeles, California. Bakeisha is my friend and I am just so proud of her for following her dreams. To be honored by her is truly a heartwarming experience.

Please click HERE to take a look at what she said and to learn more about her business.