CLIENT PROFILE: HR Executive Forum
“The best parts of working with Powerhouse Planning were their friendly and professional team and their prompt, skilled deliverables. They were always on time or ahead of schedule, which helped keep us moving. We hope to work together again in the future.”
– Sarah Waite, Board President, HR Executive Forum
HR Executive Forum is a member-run nonprofit operating in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul) area. Established in 1991, HR Executive Forum is designed “to serve and support the professional development needs of senior-level HR professionals in [their] community.” With an extensive network of HR professionals, a robust online library of resources, and timely programming, HR Executive Forum is a valuable tool for those working in HR. For more information, please visit their website: hrexecutiveforum.org
BUSINESS RESOURCES
The shift to more remote work has necessitated a “tweaked” philosophy in how we approach our client relationships. It’s not always as easy as a face-to-face meeting these days to cultivate healthy professional relationships. While tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Google Meet have given us a semblance of the old in-person meetings, the challenges of building remote partnerships go beyond virtual meeting needs.
For five quick tips on how to successfully transition to remote client relationships, check out this article from Forbes. The tips might seem basic in the extreme, but building a solid foundation will serve you well as you navigate those remote waters.
Share the Goodness Update
One of the reasons Powerhouse came into being is because founder Jessica Bertsch, a proud Coast Guard spouse herself, wanted to provide portable careers for military spouses. In 2023, Powerhouse is doubling down on our commitment to military spouses with a brand-new Share the Goodness initiative: a military spouse career kickstart program! Be sure to follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn throughout the year for more information and exciting opportunities.
GIVING BACK & GETTING INVOLVED
All Learning Begins with Connection
By: Julie Kirchner
Talking about building connections is a love of Jonnah Buchanan’s. “Truly, all learning begins with connection,” she enlightens. Jonnah is the executive director of Launch Learning Preschool, an innovative new nonprofit in Merritt Island, Florida, offering a unique whole-family education framework designed to strengthen families in raising happy, healthy humans.
“We know from brain research that connections on the outside—like when we physically connect with someone face-to-face—literally build the connections in the wiring of our brains,” explains Jonnah.
Brain-based research is at the heart of Launch Learning’s program design, including their monthly Parent Connect education classes for parents. “That’s why, from the beginning of the day, we get down eye-to-eye with our kids, and we are intentionally doing fun hand games and greetings with them . . . it’s because that first immediate connection with them actually helps strengthen the neural connections within their brains,” Jonnah says. These kinds of connections form a strong foundation for early childhood brain development and help build cooperation, impulse control, and other social-emotional skills like empathy.
For Florida’s Space Coast (home to the Kennedy Space Center), it’s probably totally appropriate for a preschool to sound like rocket science. This preschool has some serious local roots, too. Launch Learning is a legacy program modeled after the Eastern Florida State College (EFSC) Lab School founded in 1967, a program that served more than 7,500 children and 14,000 parents over 55 years. During the pandemic, the EFSC Lab School program closed, and a new opportunity came to light.
Spotlight on Powerhouse’s Amanda Thurn
Spotlight on Powerhouse’s Amanda Thurn
Time flies when you are having fun. And from celebrating Powerhouse’s 10th anniversary, to sharing the goodness, to getting prepped for the holidays, we have been having a blast! The celebration continues as this month we shine a spotlight on the amazing Amanda Thurn.
Amanda has the distinction of being one of the first Powerhouse clients to also become a Powerhouse freelancer. Amanda worked for two of our nonprofit clients, The Children’s Hunger Project and the Space Coast Basket Brigade, and it was, as they say, meant to be when six months ago Amanda brought her talents to Powerhouse itself. (more…)
CEO SPOTLIGHT
PILLAR: Supporting Military Families, One Deployment at a Time
By: Julie Clark
We’re excited to feature the founders of PILLAR in this month’s newsletter. As an organization dedicated to supporting military families, PILLAR is near and dear to many at Powerhouse Planning because we are comprised of veterans, military spouses, retired military spouses, and super fans of military families. PILLAR’s next digital retreat is coming up soon, and our very own Jessica Bertsch will be speaking once again this year. Needless to say, it’s the perfect time to talk with PILLAR founders Joanna Guldin-Noll and Becky Hoy.
PH: As far as leadership, do you feel you both were natural-born leaders, or did you fall into this role and find it suited you to lead, inspire, and support others?
PILLAR: We stepped into our roles to support military families (Joanna with Jo, My Gosh! and Becky with Brave Crate) to fill specific needs we saw in the community. We came together to work on PILLAR for the same reasons.
