By Doug Baarman

I lead a team of independent meeting planners in the hospitality industry. This summer, I’ve made the decision to work on the third pillar of our team’s mission- ‘giving back’. I am taking time away from the office for personal reasons and it is not easy…but thanks to our great team and the help of my support staff, I am able to do it.

First, I spent a week on a Habitat for Humanity trip in New Jersey. I decided to join this trip at the last minute and I am glad I did. I enjoyed giving back to the community that needed help…they are still rebuilding nearly two years after Super Storm Sandy. It was also nice to spend time with the young adults who participated. If you need to learn some new things and get re-energized…teenagers/young adults will definitely open your eyes to the world in a new way. It was a very rewarding experience.

This was my effort to ‘give back’ to our community.

Second, my family just returned from a vacation to Europe celebrating our birthdays. We have tried to coordinate this trip for several years, this time we decided to stop making excuses and make it happen. It was a great opportunity to experience some incredible sights, learn first-hand about the history of Spain and Italy and spend quality time with my family- especially my oldest daughter who will be going off to college very soon.

This is my effort to ‘give back’ to my family who have supported me and cheered me on over the past 7 years as I have started and grown my own business.

Overall, my goal is to make sure I have my priorities in line and taking the time to focus on the third pillar of our mission: “Build a Great Living / Live a Happier Life / Give Back”. It would not be possible to ‘give back’ without first putting in the time and effort to build a strong business. I hope that you will be able to do the same this summer or in the near future.

How are you giving back?