Hi, I’m Anna Bilan, Founder of Brightwork AI. We help small—to mid-sized companies integrate AI into their operations for maximum efficiency and growth. I bring years of consulting expertise, empowering professional firms, insurance companies, financial institutions, and healthcare organizations to harness the power of AI for measurable results.

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Services Offered:

1. Executive AI Strategy Sessions:  
   Tailored consultations to help leaders identify high-impact AI opportunities and create actionable roadmaps for success.

2. Custom AI Software Implementation:  
   End-to-end development of AI solutions, designed to address your unique business challenges and streamline operations.

3. Adopting Internal AI Tools:  
   Seamlessly integrate advanced tools like Microsoft Copilot, Gemini 2.0, and other cutting-edge platforms into your workflows.

4. Employee AI Training:  
   You can give your team the skills to effectively adopt AI technologies, fostering innovation and efficiency across your organization.

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Why Work with Brightwork AI?  
☑️ Expertise in simplifying complex AI concepts for practical use in professional firms, insurance, financial services, and healthcare.  
☑️ Proven success in delivering AI solutions that enhance decision-making, reduce operational costs, and drive growth.  
☑️ A client-focused approach to ensure measurable ROI and long-term value.

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📩 Let’s Work Together:  
✉️ Email: anna@brightworkai.com  
🔗 LinkedIn DM: 

Message me “AI Growth” to discuss how we can future-proof your business with transformative AI solutions.

Anna Bilan ⚡️

You're paying $997 for AI courses while Google gives you better tools for free.

The biggest AI scam. It's the courses teaching you to use it.

Here's what happened:

Last week, I watched someone spend their rent money on an "AI masterclass."
Lost a job. I can't get a job if I won't be AI Savy. 
The course was teaching ChatGPT basics and calling it revolutionary.

Meanwhile, Google's offering 11 tools that would've saved them $997 and actually delivered results.

I spent 732 days testing every AI tool that exists.
Most are garbage, built on GPT. But Google's free stack? Different story.

Here's what the $997 courses won't tell you about Google's arsenal:

1. FIREBASE STUDIO
Not just another website builder.
Build and launch actual apps. No code. No BS.
While others are stuck in WordPress hell.

2. VEO (Video Generation)
Create video clips from text prompts.
Your competitors are hiring video editors.
You're typing sentences.

3. GEMINI ASK ON YOUTUBE
Chat with any video to extract insights.
Skip the 47-minute ramble. Get the 3 points that matter.
Time saved = money earned.

4. GEMS IN GEMINI
Build custom AI assistants using your actual data.
Not generic ChatGPT responses. YOUR knowledge. YOUR voice.

5. NANO BANANA
Already wrote about this killing stock photography.
Edit AI images until they don't look like AI garbage.
188 failures taught me: This is the real deal.

6. GEMINI IN GOOGLE SHEETS
Generate formulas, text, and insights inside spreadsheets.
Stop pretending you know VLOOKUP.
Let AI handle the Excel wizardry.

7. GOOGLE APP BUILDER
Build apps with prompts or templates.
No coding bootcamp needed.
Just ideas and execution.

8. IMAGEN/NANO BANANA (Media Generation)
Create visuals from simple prompts.
But here's the secret: Technical prompts beat creative ones.
Production notes > "Make it pretty"

9. GEMINI LIVE
Host AI chats with screen sharing.
Perfect for client presentations when you need backup.
Your co-presenter never gets nervous.

10. GOOGLE AI STUDIO
Test models, adjust settings, compare results.
This is where you graduate from prompt tourist to prompt engineer.

11. NOTEBOOKLM
Turn any source into summaries, audio overviews, quizzes.
Your research assistant that actually reads everything.

The equation that actually matters:
Course certificate + No practice = Unemployed with debt
Free tools + Daily usage = Skills that pay bills

While everyone's collecting completion badges,
You're shipping actual work.

That gap? That's where careers get built.

Stop buying hope. Start building skills.

💭 Which expensive course are you considering that Google already solved for free?

♻️ Share for someone about to waste money on AI education
➕ Follow Anna Bilan ⚡️ for AI strategies that actually work 
🔄 Repost this to help others learn AI
Image Credit to Andrew Bolis

Top 1% LinkedIn Creator Worldwide | Helping You to Escape Corporate & Develop AI Skills | CEO- BrightWork AI | exBig4 | National Champion in Aerobic Gymnastics

🤝 I'm Jada, specializing in custom promotional apparel and products for Houston corporations, driving brand visibility and engagement through tailored solutions.
 
With over a decade at Sysco, I earned multiple awards as a District Sales Manager and served as Director of Category Management. I led a team managing $𝟮𝟮𝟰𝗠 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘂𝗲 and oversaw 𝟭,𝟬𝟬𝟬 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗕𝗿𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝘄𝗼𝗿k, including the six largest national food brokerages.

Now, as a mompreneur, I combine my corporate acumen with a passion for creativity, offering bespoke solutions that meet the unique needs of my corporate clients.

👉 We specialize in custom-designed apparel, embroidery, brand design, and promotional products, all tailored to help Houston corporations stand out in today's competitive market. 

My commitment to excellence and attention to detail ensures that our clients receive high-quality products and exceptional service, every time.

👫In addition to my startup, I'm a dedicated cheer mom, sports mom, and dog mama to two lovely doggies. 

Balancing these roles has taught me the importance of organization, perseverance, and dedication—qualities I bring to every client project. 

𝗛𝗢𝗪 𝗜 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗛𝗘𝗟𝗣 𝗬𝗢𝗨

I work with companies in the 𝗢𝗶𝗹, 𝗚𝗮𝘀, 𝗘𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 sectors to enhance their brands through premium promotional apparel and products. 

We understand the demanding environments and specific branding needs of these industries. 

Whether it's outfitting your team with durable, branded workwear or creating memorable promotional items for industry events, my solutions help reinforce your brand's strength and professionalism.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗪𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡 𝗗𝗢 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨

My journey from corporate sales to mompreneurship has been driven by a desire to combine professional expertise with personal passion. 

We believe in the power of strong branding to make a lasting impact.

Our team is dedicated to helping your business stand out with high-quality, custom solutions tailored to your unique needs.

Join me in transforming your brand vision into reality with 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 that truly make an impact. 

Your success is our priority, and we're committed to exceeding your expectations with every project.

Together, we can create a brand experience that not only captures attention but also builds lasting connections.

📩 Contact us today to discover how our custom promotional products and apparel solutions can enhance your brand.

Jada Powell

#redmonday

Same people, same speeches, same awkward conversations that never lead anywhere.

This Thursday, change things up.

redM Join The Movement Networking and Information Session isn’t your average Houston meetup.

Thursday, December 4th, 2025 • 5:30 pm 
The Puttery

Why should you attend?

RedM isn’t just about business growth, it’s about making a difference. Meet leaders across Oil & Gas, Energy and Construction, and other sectors who care about building something bigger, for both their companies and our city.

Part of our mission is raising awareness about human trafficking right here in Houston. When you show up to connect and learn, you’re also joining a community that stands behind this cause.

You’ll meet people who understand what it takes to build real partnerships and use their platforms for good. Whether you’re looking for fresh perspectives on branding, local connections, or ways to create positive impact, you’ll find it here.

Come for the genuine opportunities and a chance to do some real good along the way.

If you’re ready for networking with purpose, don’t miss it. Link to register is in the comments.

JSESSIONID

li_at

redM Join The Movement

Enhancing Brand Visibility for Houston's Oil & Gas, Energy, and Construction Sectors with Premium Branded Workwear | Achieving Measurable Results | Ex-Sysco Corporate Now Entrepreneur | OGGN BD & Podcast Host

Why does logic barely moves the needle in a boardroom?

We’ve all done it. Spend hours building a killer deck: charts, bulletproof stats, case studies stacked a mile high. You walk in ready to annihilate objections. You present the numbers, the proof, the so-called “𝘀𝗹𝗮𝗺-𝗱𝘂𝗻𝗸.”

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗻... 𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝘁𝘀.

Here’s the hard truth: facts alone rarely close the deal. Most decisions? They’re not driven by spreadsheets. They’re driven by gut.

People don’t want to be sold another bullet point. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.

I was in a pitch last year for a major energy client. Big players at the table. I came armed with ROI stats, industry benchmarks, a step-by-step case study from a similar project. But the energy in the room was flat. 𝗡𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗸.

So, I dropped the deck and told a story instead. How another client in their shoes botched a workwear rollout, what it really cost them, and how we bailed them out. No sugarcoating, just the messy truth. Suddenly, the whole mood shifted. 𝘗𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯. 𝘘𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘨𝘰𝘵 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵.

That’s when deals start to move. When you stop pitching and start relating.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀? They aren’t shiny. They’re raw. They show where things went sideways, what it actually took to fix the mess, and why most “one-size-fits-all” solutions never really fit.


So next time you’re prepping for a big meeting, ask yourself:

Are you just stacking up logic, hoping to win the pitch with facts? 𝘖𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯?

Because in the end, people trust people. They buy from the folks who get their world, not just the ones with the cleanest PowerPoint.

Want to stand out? 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗽𝘁. Start with a story that actually fits their shoes.

How often do you see logic win the room? Or is it always the story that sticks?

📸Snapped with some of the best storytellers I know Regina M. Venessa Homewood and Adrian Leal

We Build Premium LinkedIn® Authority Brands for High Performing CEOs, Executives & Entrepreneurs | 100% Done-For-You | Built to Influence in 21 Days or Less |

Empowering Houston SMBs and Startups with Custom Promotional Products that Drive Engagement & Growth | Former Marketing Communications Director Turned Mompreneur | Dedicated to Community Impact |

PCBA Manufacturing SME providing Texas Ingenuity + European Innovation to the USA Market

I was digging through an old box last weekend and found photos from my very first real job out of college, Front and Back of House Manager at Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen 

I started snapping away. My husband looked at me strangely. 

I told him, "Oh, this will make a great LinkedIn post."

He gave me that look half amused, half confused. "A LinkedIn post, huh?"

And honestly, I had to laugh at myself. 

Because now, just about any random moment or throwback turns into "content."

Spilled sauce on myself during a shift? Suddenly, that’s a post about resilience. 

Figuring out how to schedule breaks for a team of 20 on a Friday night? 

That’s resource management and people skills. 

The time I dropped a tray in front of the regional manager?? That’s a lesson in humility (or maybe just gravity).

I can't help it. The "LinkedIn brain" is always switched on.

These moments actually matter. They’re real. Most people aren’t living highlight-reel lives every single day. 

Sometimes, your best leadership lesson comes from a kitchen mishap, not a corporate boardroom.

So now, when I catch myself turning old memories (even the embarrassing ones) into business content, I just roll with it. 

It’s a way to connect, share the stuff that really happened, and maybe give someone a laugh who needed it.

If you’ve ever seen a minor life event and thought, "This could be a great post," you’re not alone.

To everyone else in "LinkedIn mode," keep sharing the small stuff. 
That’s where the best stories start.

Does anyone else do this, or is it just me?

Pappadeaux’s Seafood Kitchen

"𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗹𝗹." Mark Cuban said it, and he’s right.

Almost every problem in business comes back to one thing: not enough sales.

Struggling with cash flow? 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.
Not enough budget to hire or market? 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺.
Trying to grow your team or expand your reach? 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝘁: 𝘴𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴.

Most people look for shortcuts. 

They want the fancy website, the perfect logo, the big social presence. 

But none of it matters if you can’t move product or get someone to say yes.

𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗿. 

It’s the difference between watching opportunity walk by and actually building something real.

Here’s the tough part no one says out loud: sales isn’t just about charisma. 

It’s not about being loud or pushy. 

It’s about connecting, listening, and solving real problems for real people.

I started out in corporate. 

Systems, structure, process, they built my foundation. When I moved into entrepreneurship, I realized every lesson from those days was really about one thing: 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙨𝙤 𝙘𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙮 𝙮𝙚𝙨.

If I was starting from scratch today, here’s what I would drill, every single day:

1. Build a pitch around something I believe in. If I can’t get behind it, no one else will.
2. Practice listening more than I talk. Silence is your friend.
3. Study how I buy. Notice what gets me to trust someone, what makes me hesitate, and what finally pushes me to yes.
4. Learn to read body language and tone. A hesitant pause says more than a hundred words.
5. Never underestimate follow-up. Prospects need reminders. It shows you actually want their business.
6. Treat every “no” as a lesson, not a loss.

And here’s what every founder, manager, and decision-maker should know: you don’t outsource belief. If you can’t pitch your product, don’t expect your team to do it for you.

Sales isn’t a department. It’s a muscle. And like any muscle, you have to work it, even when it hurts, 𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤.

The best deals I’ve ever closed weren’t about clever lines or fancy decks. 

They happened when I listened, understood the real pain, and made it clear we could solve it.

If you’re sitting on a big idea but not getting results, don’t chase the latest marketing trick. 𝘎𝘰 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘤𝘴. 𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦. 𝘒𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳. 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.

Most won’t answer. That’s fine. You only need one yes, and you’ll never get it if you don’t ask.

𝗦𝗼, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗱𝗼 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀?

Everyone has a favorite buzzword: 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆. 

But ask a room full of business leaders, "Who here actually loves sales?" and you’ll get a lot of awkward silence.

Funny, right? 

Because sales is the one skill everyone secretly assumes they could do... 𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘶𝘱 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵.

Let’s clear something up:

Sales isn’t about tricking people. 
It’s not smooth-talking or arm-twisting. 
It’s not desperate pitches or the forced smiles you see at networking events.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀:
𝘚𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮.
𝘓𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬, 𝘴𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴.
𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵, 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘶𝘵𝘦𝘴.
𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘣𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘰𝘭.
𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘶𝘱 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘥 𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘭𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯.

It’s knowing the stakes are real because every “no” feels personal and every “yes” means you earned it.

Here’s why I talk about this so much:

𝘞𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮𝘴. 
𝘞𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘺 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘨𝘺, 𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴, 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦. 
𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘪𝘴, 𝘯𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭. 𝘐𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴. 

Products don’t get adopted just because they’re great. 
And nobody ever built a standout brand by just waiting for new customers to walk through the door.

I learned this the hard way. 

Coming from a corporate background, I knew a lot about process and planning. 

But when I transitioned into building my own business in custom apparel, reality hit fast: 

𝘎𝘰𝘰𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴.
𝘕𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘯 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘴.
𝘊𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘶𝘺-𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘥𝘨𝘦𝘵.

It’s all about sales.

You know those stories about “overnight success?” Look closer. You’ll find years of cold calls, pitch meetings, and rejections behind every “big win.”

𝘚𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘦𝘵. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘦𝘵. 

And it’s the one that separates the companies and careers that stall from the ones that scale.

Who’s the best salesperson you know? What did they teach you about business, or about life?

I have had the pleasure of meeting so many veterans on job sites and in boardrooms across Oil & Gas, Energy, and Construction.

It's not an accident.

These sectors don’t just value hard work, they rely on it. Veterans show up with discipline, adaptability, and leadership baked in.

I've seen firsthand how veterans step into high-pressure roles, manage teams, and keep operations running smoothly. They know how to assess risk, work safely, and jump into any challenge head-on. 

These are the folks who keep projects moving....even when things get tough.

If you lead a team in this industry, or you’re building your company culture, take a look at the veterans around you. They’re probably not asking for special attention, but their impact is real.

We owe a lot to the veterans who keep our businesses strong and our communities moving forward.

Thank you for all you do.

Hot Take! 

If your team only wears your branded apparel at work, you’re missing a huge opportunity. 🎯

I see this play out every weekend at my son’s football games.

There’s this one dad on the sidelines, never in a wrinkled tee or generic fan gear. He’s always in a sharp performance polo. Looks comfortable, fits perfectly, holds up under the Texas sun, and you can see the quality from a distance. The clincher? That unmistakable SLB logo on the sleeve.

He could throw on anything for Saturday morning. He chooses the SLB polo. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙨 𝙢𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙄 𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧.

Most companies see uniforms as just another checkbox: order shirts, slap on a logo, hand them out. Box ticked. But when your people only wear your apparel when they have to on a job site, at an event, in the office....you’re missing out on real brand exposure.

Here’s the difference:

Apparel people are proud to wear becomes a marketing machine you can’t buy. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗰. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘤. And it’s more believable than any ad campaign.

Think about it. Your employees aren’t just workers; they’re part of your story. If they put on your gear for a family BBQ, a grocery run, or their kid’s soccer game, that’s a win. 𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙮-𝙞𝙣.

But you don’t get there with scratchy polos, stiff jackets, and ill-fitting caps. You get there by investing in quality. If it’s good enough for the weekend, it’s good enough for work.

That’s how you create walking billboards: 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆, 𝘂𝗻𝗽𝗮𝗶𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗱.

Here’s a simple test: if you gave your team branded gear this year, 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘥, 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘺 𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴? If the answer is “almost never,” it’s time to rethink.

Stop seeing apparel as a uniform. See it as a brand builder. Make it something people actually want to wear.

Next time you hand out new gear, ask yourself: would I want to wear this on my day off?

If you wouldn’t, neither will your team.

𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮? Start by creating apparel your people love.

That’s when your brand leaves the office and shows up everywhere else.

Boardroom titles don’t mean much when you’re starting over in a new city.

When I moved from Florida to Texas, leaving the field for a role a Sysco’s corporate headquarters, I thought my years of client facing experience would make things easy. 

I showed up in Houston with a resume full of wins, but almost no real connections here. 

The network that opened doors for me back in Florida just didn’t exist in Texas. It was humbling and, honestly, a little uncomfortable.

I realized if I wanted a seat at the table, I’d have to earn it from scratch.

So, I started from square one. 

I went to every industry breakfast I could find, even when I didn’t know anyone. 

I walked trade show floors until my feet hurt, striking up conversations, asking questions, and listening. 

I made real calls instead of hiding behind emails and LinkedIn messages. Some conversations went nowhere, but a few opened up into something more.

Slowly, I began to understand how business gets done in Houston. 

Relationships get built face-to-face. People want to see you show up more than once. 

There’s a real value placed on follow-through and authenticity here.

One meeting led to another, and then another. The “Houston handshake” is a real thing, when people trust you, they’ll go out of their way to make introductions and share opportunities. 

I learned the power of persistence, humility, and staying open to new ways of doing things.

This experience taught me something I carry into my business every single day: You can’t build anything meaningful from behind a desk. 

You’ve got to get out there, meet people where they are, and be willing to start over if that’s what it takes.

The relationships I built in those early months form the foundation of my business today. It wasn’t instant, and it wasn’t always easy, but it was absolutely worth it.

If you’re thinking about making a leap, whether it’s a new industry, a new city, or launching something on your own don’t be afraid to start small. 

Titles come and go, but the way you connect with people is what truly lasts.

Go build those roots. Be visible. Show up, even when you feel like a stranger. 

The best opportunities come to those who aren’t afraid to rebuild, one handshake at a time.

📸The BEST team at Sysco Gulf Coast, circa 2018

#redmonday

Trafficking isn't just something you see on the news. It's happening all around us, in places you'd never expect.

I've seen enough to know it’s not limited to rundown neighborhoods. It’s showing up in shopping malls, nice subdivisions and airports.

It hides in plain sight.

Truth is, if something feels off, it probably is.
That hunch you get when you see something strange? Trust it.

Too often, people look away because they think, "That can't happen here." But it does. Every day.

We all have a role to play.

If you see something, say something. Report it. Ask questions. Don’t let that uncomfortable feeling just fade away.

Raising our voices and acting on our instincts can change lives.

Let’s not assume "safe places" are always safe.

Trust your gut. And don’t stay silent.

Curious how you can help? DM me or website link in comments.

Planning for 2026 industry events might sound early, but the teams making a real impact are already mapping out their strategies.

Last year, I partnered with an Oil & Gas client who didn’t want to blend in at another crowded trade show. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘢𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘬𝘴 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘰𝘰𝘳. 

Instead, we brainstormed a booth experience that raised eyebrows and sparked real conversations.

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝘂𝘁: 

We sourced a tech gift that was useful, fresh, and (𝘮𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺) tied directly to their brand story. 

Within minutes of the show opening, their booth was pulling in people from across the floor. 

People weren’t just grabbing swag and walking, they stuck around, asked questions, talked with the sales team, and 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿.

It wasn’t just the gift. It was the combination of the right product, the right message, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜. That’s what creates a buzz that carries on after the event is over.

A lot of companies wait until the last minute to think about their event presence. That’s when you end up scrambling, choosing from leftovers, or defaulting to the same old branded mugs. 

𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗹𝘆, 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱.

The truth is, a standout event presence is never an accident. It’s the result of:

𝘗𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘩𝘴 (𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳) 𝘢𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥
𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵
𝘔𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵: 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳, 𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘴, 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦
𝘉𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘶𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴

If your goal for 2026 is to be the booth that everyone remembers.....not the one people forget.....

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱. 

It’s about more than handing out swag. 

It’s about building connections, elevating the brand, and showing up as a leader in your space.

Oil & Gas is a competitive world, and standing out is only getting tougher. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘱 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘭𝘬 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸.

If you’re ready to build a real event strategy, from first idea to follow-up, I’d love to help make it happen.

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗲.

📽️One of the coolest trade shows I have ever been to, the Drone and Robotics Show.

Ever had a client request so out there, it made you stop and say, "𝗪𝗮𝗶𝘁, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗼𝗻 𝗮 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘁?"

We have. More than once.

Pushing the envelope on custom requests is kind of our unofficial job description. 

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘶𝘴𝘶𝘢𝘭, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘳. 

This week alone, we got asked to put safety messages on steel-toe boots, find a company logo’s exact shade of orange (neon traffic cone, but make it fashion), and design work shirts with so many pockets I lost count. 
Someone even compared the prototype to a kangaroo. That’s a win in my book.

But the best ones? 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗲𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗻𝗼 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗲𝗹𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗰𝗵.

Here’s my latest favorite. 

A client called and asked, dead serious, “Can you do branded smelling salts as a gag gift for our golf tournament?” 

Not your average swag, right?

We tracked them down, figured out the branding logistics, and made it happen. At the event, they gave away 100 in literally an hour. People couldn’t stop laughing. 

The gimmick turned into the most talked-about part of the day...just because someone dared to ask for something different.

That’s honestly what I love most about this business.

Sometimes, you see a request and it makes you laugh out loud. Next thing you know, you’re rolling up your sleeves, calling three new suppliers, arguing the finer points of Pantone colors, or brainstorming with your team on how to embroider something you’ve never embroidered before.

Most people think branded workwear and promotional products are all about polos, hats, and mugs. 𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮, 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙞𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙙𝙪𝙘𝙩 𝙣𝙤 𝙤𝙣𝙚’𝙨 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚.

So, keep the wild requests coming. If you want glow-in-the-dark logos, safety vests for pets, or branded tool belts that double as snack holders, let’s hear it. 

If you want something nobody else offers, 𝘄𝗲’𝗹𝗹 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘁. (And probably have a good laugh in the process.)

We may groan when the wild email hits our inbox, but trust me, the more unforgettable the ask, the better the outcome.

What’s the craziest client request you’ve ever received? 

Did you deliver, or did it stay in the “one for the books” folder?

If you’re not obsessed with your client’s success, you’re missing the whole point.

That’s the lesson I keep coming back to, no matter how much the industry evolves.

Over the years, I’ve seen a lot of companies treat branded workwear and custom apparel like just another line item on an order form. 

Something to be checked off. The right branded gear can completely change how a business shows up in the world.

When a crew shows up in smart, comfortable workwear with the company name front and center, everything is different. 

Employees walk a little taller. Customers remember who you are. People start asking questions at the job site or the grocery store “Who do y’all work for?” “Where’d you get that?” It’s instant recognition.

That’s why I take every project personally. 

I want to make sure the client’s team feels that same sense of pride every time they pull on a jacket or cap with their logo. Because when the team feels good, the work shows it and so do the results.

I’ve worked with brands in oil and gas, energy, and construction who wanted more than just a uniform. 

They wanted an edge, a way to stand out in a crowded market, to win bids, and to keep their name top of mind with every handshake, every site visit, every new connection made in the field.

And trust me, it’s not just about how things look. It’s about safety. It’s about comfort. It’s about sending the message that your business pays attention to the details and that you want your people to feel valued.

There’s nothing better than getting a call after a big project, hearing a client say, “Our team loves the gear. We’ve never looked more professional.” 

That’s what keeps me going. Not the sales numbers or the logos, but knowing I helped someone else win.

That’s my focus every day: helping clients succeed by making their brand impossible to ignore.

If you want to see what your brand can really do, let’s talk. 

You might be surprised by how much difference the right gear makes.

#livideo

Are you putting off ordering branded workwear or promo products because you think it will be a hassle?

You’re not alone.

Most people think the process is complicated.
Endless options. Too many steps. Not enough guidance.

Honestly, ordering custom apparel or branded swag for your team shouldn’t feel like a chore.

Here’s how it looks when you work with us:

Step 1: Reach out: call, email, or just shoot me a message here. 
Step 2: We talk about what you actually need (no forms, no guessing). 
Step 3: I bring ideas, real samples, mockups, whatever helps you see the vision. 
Step 4: Once you’re happy, we nail down the details and lock in the order. 
Step 5: My team makes it happen, quick turnaround, clear updates, no surprises.

That’s it.

No hoops to jump through.
No jargon.
No “waiting for someone to get back to you.”

Just easy, hands-on help from a team that really gets what Houston businesses need.

If you’ve got a project in mind, big or small let’s make it happen.

What usually holds you back from ordering custom gear?

Most companies don’t really think about their audience when designing branded workwear.

It’s so tempting to just pick a logo, slap it on a shirt, and call it a day.

𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁?

I see this all the time in Oil & Gas, Energy, and Construction here in Houston. Teams order boxes of gear that look great online but mostly end up buried in lockers, closets, or donation bins. The company spent money, but nobody’s actually showing off the brand.

That’s why the first question I always ask is: 𝙒𝙝𝙤 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧?

Is this for the folks out in the field, putting in the real work? Are they working in dust and heat? Or is this for a trade show, where you need to look sharp and start conversations? Maybe it’s for a big community event.

The answer changes everything: materials, fit, style, even color. Something that feels “𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘂𝗺” in the boardroom might feel totally out of place on a rig site.

And brand story matters more than people realize. I’m talking about:

Colors that stand for something in your industry (not just what’s trendy this year)
Fabric that’s tough enough for real work, but not so heavy it’s uncomfortable by noon
A logo placement that’s visible but not screaming for attention

I’ve learned the best custom apparel makes people feel like they’re part of something. It’s not just marketing, 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙥𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙚. When a work shirt gets worn outside the job, or someone asks, “Where did you get that jacket?” that’s when you know you got it right.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. (A lot of folks get overwhelmed by choices.) Sometimes, it starts with just asking your team what they want, or thinking back to the story your company wants to tell.

If you’re ever stuck, that’s the kind of thing I help clients with every week. Some call it “white glove service.” 𝘐 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘴𝘬 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 “𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳.”

Next time you’re thinking about branded workwear, start with your people, then let your story guide the design.

That’s how you get gear that actually gets worn, remembered, and talked about.

Everyone thinks they know what teamwork looks like.

But nothing will test your definition of "team" like watching a group of 9-13 year-olds keep it together on cheer mat.

Every blind toss, every catch, depends on someone else. You can’t half-commit on a lift and hope nobody notices. 𝗬𝗼𝘂’𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻, 𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗺𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁.

During my daughter’s showcase performance, something went sideways. 

Missed cue. 𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘥. For a split second, the whole routine could have gone off the rails.

But there was no panic, no blaming, no sighs or side-eye. Another teammate reached over, gave her a hand, and with barely a pause, the group got right back up. 

Maybe a few people saw it, but most probably didn't notice.

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙞𝙚𝙘𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙢𝙚. 

In a work setting, how often do we really operate this way? 

Most teams love to say "we’ve got each other’s backs" but when things fall apart, are we looking for someone to blame? 𝘖𝘳 𝘥𝘰 𝘸𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘹𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥?

I’ve seen both ends of it. In the energy world, in construction, it’s easy to talk about leadership, execution, results. 

But none of it matters if your team falls apart at the first sign of trouble. The standout teams, the ones I’ll remember are never the ones that get through a quarter mistake-free. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆’𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼’𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝘁 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻 𝗴𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀.

Here’s what I want to bring to every team:

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘪𝘵.
𝘡𝘦𝘳𝘰 𝘣𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘦. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬.
𝘛𝘳𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰 𝘰𝘣𝘷𝘪𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴.

The best teams aren’t the ones with the perfect performance. They’re the ones who make recovery look effortless, because they never let one person stumble alone.

𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁.

What’s the best part of my job? 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘴𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦.

𝙄𝙩’𝙨 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙣.

There’s just something about watching a brand come to life. Every time a Houston company steps onto a job site or walks into an event with new custom workwear, I see the confidence. The energy shifts. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁.

I get to work with all kinds of teams, from oil and gas crews who need tough gear, to energy companies ready to upgrade their look, to builders who want to show their pride. It’s never just about the apparel. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘭 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘪𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘳.

When I sit down with a new client, my first question is never “What color do you want?” It’s, “𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂?” Because getting that right is how you help a brand stick in someone’s mind.

I’ve seen it over and over, great branding can change everything. The right shirt or jacket can spark conversations, open doors, and make teams feel proud to wear their logo.

Every project is different, but my goal never changes: 𝙝𝙚𝙡𝙥 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙚. Sometimes it’s about finding the perfect design. Sometimes it’s making a tough deadline happen for an important event. Sometimes it’s just about listening and offering honest advice.

The best feeling? Seeing a client’s face when they hold their new gear for the first time. You can tell it matters. For a lot of people, it’s more than just clothing. It’s their company’s name, their hard work, and their reputation, right there for everyone to see.

That’s what keeps me coming back every day. Helping clients succeed, watching their brands grow, and knowing I played a part in that journey. 𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘥𝘰, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘪𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨.

Nobody wants to hear this, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴.

It’s not glamorous.
It’s not trending anywhere.
And nobody’s giving you a trophy for it.

Most leaders I meet are waiting on some “aha” moment.
As if inspiration or permission is required before progress starts.

The reality?
Every respected brand you know started with silent effort.
No likes.
No recognition.
Just showing up, doing the dull work, and 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙠.

I see a lot of people in our space obsessed with finding the magic shortcut.
Glossy pitch decks.
Dream marketing playbooks.
Fancy brand colors, vision boards, buzzword salads.

It all looks great on paper.
But it’s mostly noise.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘴?
They come from relentless, quiet repetition.
Grinding out the basics when nobody’s paying attention.
Sticking to the plan even when the “plan” feels like nonsense.

My last year wasn’t a highlight reel.
No dramatic pivots.
No viral trick.
𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗺𝗲𝘀𝘀𝘆, 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸.
Every day, I taught, documented, stretched my comfort zone, especially when nothing seemed to click.
There were lots of WTFs and tears.

Revenue grew.
Our team leveled up.
Opportunities multiplied.

None of that happened overnight.
𝙄𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙩.
And a stubborn refusal to stay silent just because my work wasn’t lighting up someone else’s feed.

Skill grows slow.
Progress feels invisible.
Whether you’re building a business or moving up one rung at a time, it’s always the same rule.

𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘶𝘱, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘣𝘰𝘥𝘺 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘴.

Want the secret?
There isn’t one.
No company reinvented itself by quitting after two months.

All the people you respect?
They did thousands of quiet reps before you noticed.

So if you’re waiting for applause before you get to work, stop.
The world’s too busy to beg you to show up.

If you’re not willing to do the work in silence, someone else will.

𝗪𝗵𝗼’𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆?
Let’s hear your story.

Some mornings start with spilled coffee. ☕

Others start with lost keys, a school project emergency, or Houston traffic that just won't quit.

𝗪𝗲 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻𝘀.

But when my team shows up, there's a noticeable shift. 

All that real life stuff doesn't disappear, but we know how to set it aside and focus on what matters: 𝙙𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙨.

We don't pretend to have perfect work-life balance here. ⚖️

We're parents, spouses, neighbors, and friends first THEN brand builders, problem solvers, and idea people. 

𝘓𝘪𝘧𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘱𝘴 𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘺𝘦𝘢𝘳. 

Someone's always dealing with a sick kid, a broken AC, or a last-minute school play.

And still, we find ways to get things done for our clients. 

We deliver premium branded workwear and promotional products on tight timelines. 

We find creative solutions when the supply chain gets tricky. 

We step up for each other and for our partners in Oil & Gas, Energy, Construction and beyond.

𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙪𝙨, 𝙗𝙖𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙩𝙚𝙖𝙢 𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩. ⚽🚲⚾🏀

Sometimes it means swapping shifts or covering for each other on the fly. 

Sometimes it means bringing a kid into the office for an hour or handling client calls from the carpool lane.

𝗪𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸. 

We keep priorities clear, communicate openly, and always make sure our clients' brands shine, even when our own days feel upside down.

Real life doesn’t pause for business. Business doesn’t pause for real life. 𝘞𝘦 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳.

That’s what makes us who we are. That’s what keeps clients coming back.

How does your team find room for both life and work?

I. Don't. Wanna. 

Happy Monday, friends. Just know I am thinking of you and sending positive vibes for getting back into the swing of things after a long holiday week.

This morning, I was scheduled to lead our workout group at 5:00am. 

Alarm goes off at 4am. ⏰

𝗜 𝗵𝗶𝘁 𝘀𝗻𝗼𝗼𝘇𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆. 

Second alarm goes off. ⏰

𝗜 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝘂𝘁. 

Third alarm. ⏰

𝘿𝙤 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙞𝙚. 

I got up, I went and I am SOOOO glad that I did. 

I can find a dozen reasons to procrastinate or say, "I’ll start strong tomorrow." 

But I’ve learned something about that voice in my head, it gets louder the longer I wait.

Momentum doesn’t just show up. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙞𝙩. One small action at a time.

So, what do I do? 

I pick the lowest-hanging fruit. 

The task I can knock out in ten minutes, just to break the inertia. 

Maybe it’s shooting off a quick email or checking on an order status. 

Doesn’t matter what it is, the point is to just move.

Once you take that tiny step, something shifts. The resistance starts to fade. The fog lifts a little. And suddenly, the rest of that to-do list looks a bit more manageable.

I see this all the time in my work with clients, too. Teams put off ordering new workwear or updating their promo materials after a holiday, telling themselves it can wait. 

But the companies that push through and take action early are always ahead. Their teams are ready, their brand is front and center, and they get results because they didn’t let that post-holiday drag slow them down.

It’s not about finding motivation. It’s about doing the thing, especially when you don’t want to.

If you’re waiting to feel ready, you’ll be waiting a long time.

So, push yourself. Take that first step, even if it’s small.

You won’t be sorry.

In fact, you’ll probably thank yourself by the end of the day.

𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘴𝘱𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘊𝘺𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮 𝘮𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘰𝘮 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘰𝘰𝘮.

Not because they’re trapped in stiff uniforms or forced to match head to toe. 

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗹𝗲.

In a gaming startup, comfort rules. 

Hoodies, favorite sneakers, jeans, they all have a place. 

But here’s what’s different: 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 

Team colors show up on caps or shirt sleeves. 

There’s a logo on a hoodie that sparks conversation at the coffee shop. 

𝙎𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚’𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙤𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚? Yep, branded too.

It’s never about enforcing a dress code. 

It’s about building something together, even through the clothes people choose to wear.

The best branded workwear for creative or tech teams isn’t about being uniform, it’s about belonging. 

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿? 

Give them gear they’ll actually want to wear. 

Make it comfortable, make it useful, and make it save people a few decisions in the morning.

That’s how brand visibility happens long after the onboarding session ends.

When a team is proud of what they’re building, they show it even before people know what the company does. 

𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘄𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝗮𝗿, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝘂𝗱𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗿𝘂𝗻, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗼𝘂𝘁, 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝘄𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱.

And the best part? It never feels forced.

People ask questions because they notice the cool hoodie or the unique patch. 

Conversations start, about culture, about values, about why someone sticks around at a place like Cyber Works.

That’s real brand engagement.

Too many companies overlook the big impact of small touches. 

𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙮 𝙞𝙣 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙬𝙙𝙚𝙙 𝙢𝙖𝙧𝙠𝙚𝙩, 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙡𝙖𝙥 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙤𝙜𝙤 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚. 

Give people a reason to want to wear your brand.

Comfort and intention. That’s the difference between a shirt that ends up in the back of the closet and one your team lives in.

Even the most laid-back teams know: 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿.

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Anna Bilan ⚡️

Jada Powell

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taplio

The Battle

Anna Bilan ⚡️

Jada Powell

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Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Anna Bilan ⚡️'s LinkedIn Performance

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