If you’ve been reading PPC Ian for a while, you know that I’m a huge fan of public speaking. It’s so much fun and such an adrenaline rush. I enjoy adding great value to the audience, while also learning from audience questions and other panelists. More than anything, I enjoy the thrill of becoming a better public speaker each and every time.

Just recently, I had the tremendous opportunity to present on an esteemed panel at the G5 all hands meeting. For those that don’t know, G5 is the leading digital marketing and technology platform for commercial real estate (verticals like self storage, multi-family residential, and senior living). G5 is one of my personal favorite business partners and I cannot say enough great things about their platform. (A Fun Fact: My history with G5 and public speaking has quite the track record. I Presented at the Self Storage Association Conference in New Orleans with Christine Munther, and I more recently Presented at the California Self Storage Association Conference in Redondo Beach with Ryan Barnhart.)

This time, G5 hosted my teammates and I for a fun week at their headquarters. We met with all of their teams: executive leadership, product, marketing, sales, client services, and others. In addition to collaborating, brainstorming, and having fun in beautiful Bend, Oregon (the home of G5 and an amazing place overall), G5 invited me to present on a panel at their all hands meeting. A rapidly growing technology company, I had the opportunity to share insights and answer questions (the client’s perspective) in front of hundreds of employees. Our panel lasted over one hour, so we had a great time going into depth about all topics related to digital marketing.

Some of my favorite takeaways from this business trip:

• In-person meetings are everything. I work with G5 on a day-to-day basis via email and phone. However, having that in-person face time with the team took our relationship to the next level. Business is all about the people, and it’s important to make time for in-person meetings, meals, and fun activities. I thank G5 for taking the initiative to invite us out, and for the amazing 5-star hospitality. You went above and beyond to make our experience a memorable one.
• Great companies truly value customer feedback and insights. I’m incredibly impressed with the entire G5 team, and this experience took everything to the next level. G5’s level of dedication to customer success serves as a case study.
• Bend, Oregon is a really special place. While it can get quite chilly in the fall and wintertime, Bend ranks amongst my favorite places ever. It’s all about the amazing downtown (with incredible shops, cafes, and restaurants), the scenic outdoor active lifestyle (it’s the best being in a very active and athletic city), and the people. Case in point: I found myself striking up conversations with random people at the hotel, cafes, and airport. People here are friendly and down-to-earth. Coming from a big, busy city atmosphere, I really cherished the Bend, Oregon experience.
• The Oxford Hotel is one of my favorite hotels around. I had the pleasure of staying at this beautiful place a few years back when I visited G5 for the first time, and I enjoyed it even more this time around. The Oxford Hotel ranks among my favorite hotels in the entire world. The vibe, customer service, size (not too big, not too small), location, amenities, and quality of this hotel place it in a league of its own.
• It’s a very different experience running in the cold! I went out for an early morning run my last day and it was incredibly chilly. I think it’s the first time I went running without breaking a sweat (while still pushing myself quite hard). As a traveler, I did not bring the right attire (a hat and gloves would have helped). Needless to say, I felt frozen in my hands and head. After taking a warm shower after, I felt so incredibly refreshed. I’m going to have to try this more often. While running in cold weather has different challenges from my typical running routine (warm and sometimes hot weather), it’s a really special and invigorating experience.

I wanted to close out by sincerely thanking the entire G5 team, especially Dan Hobin (CEO), Patrick Davidson (COO), and Taylor Kimberly (our incomparable Account Manager). Without the people behind G5, our digital marketing (and so much more) would not be where it is today. Here’s to many more years of amazing partnership.

Just For Fun: My Video From Drake Park

Having a little free time while visiting Bend, I made sure to spend some quality time in Drake Park, one of my favorite places in Bend (and arguably one of the most beautiful parks in the world). While chilling in Drake Park, I enjoyed filming some PPC Ian YouTube videos about investing (I always travel with my selfie stick and microphone). In the inspired state this type of setting creates, I especially enjoyed filming this video about how Dividend Growth Investing Brings Hope and Purpose To One’s Life. I hope you enjoy the content of the video, and also the scenery.

Images in this post © PPCIan.com