Saeid Karimibabaahmadi’s Post

Setting aside my nepo-baby job working one summer as a receptionist at SPSD, INC. (thanks to Stewart Garrison), my first real job was at Blockbuster which will forever date me to a very specific point in time. Reflections from my first job: 1. Blockbuster was selling an experience. ✨ 🍿 Creating experience and community is so incredibly important to any venture whether for profit or not. While perusing their rental options, neighbors and school mates ran into each other at Blockbuster and had an excuse for extended conversations about their latest movie choices. It was a unique third space albeit fleeting. How are you creating an experience for your customers and employees? 2. Incentives matter, but late fees suck and I would be shocked if they actually were worth it given the grief I got from disgruntled customers. 😤 3. Whatever happened to my manager Bill with the receding hairline, ponytail, and inexhaustible knowledge of film who worked at Blockbuster his entire adult life? What do the Bills of the world do now? 🤔 4. The importance of functional movement - I squatted a lot while precariously holding a tall stack of VHS tapes and DVDs. 5. I hated working retail trading time for $. It motivated me to go to college and find a results driven profession where I could use my brain and make a bigger impact. What was your first job and what impression did it make on you? Or if you have a theory about what the Bills of the world do now, please share! Maybe Youtube commentary?!

Get to Know John McCann 1. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your past roles at Betson? How long have you been with the company.    I have been with the company for 35 years. I started in the Moonachie office as a bench technician, then moved to the Carlstadt office as service manager. In 1998, I moved to Buena Park, CA, as operations manager, and in August 2022, I moved to Henderson, NV, to open the Betson Las Vegas office.   2. What do you enjoy most about working at Betson?   The feeling of family, not just a job.   3. Can you share a memorable project or experience you’ve had while working here?   Transforming a completely new building into the facility that Betson Las Vegas has become.   4. What drew you to the arcade game industry?   I had just moved back to New Jersey from Canada and was looking for work. While working with a placement agency, an opportunity with Betson became available and it sounded very interesting.   5. How do you stay motivated and inspired in your role?   My motivation comes from when an installation is finished and see the outcome. Working and training other employees. Seeing how all the hard work and dedication I have helped the company.   6. What are some of your favorite arcade games, and why?   I like skeeball, basketball, and the old school coin pusher games. They remind me of growing up on the Jersey Shore.   7. Outside of work, what are your hobbies and interests?   Just started getting into off-roading. Also watching Baseball and football. I also like to cook and barbecue.   8. What are you most excited about for your new role?    The ability to help develop new products and how they will help the company expand its overall growth. I also support the OEM sales team and help grow that area.

My first job at 16 was at Vanity (RIP) in the mall. Here are some lessons I learned back then that still apply to my work today, 20 (👵) years later: 1. The importance of being on time. While I don’t clock in for shifts anymore, I still need to respect other people’s time. Whether it’s showing up for a Zoom meeting on time, meeting deadlines, or just recognizing that my time isn’t more valuable than someone else’s, punctuality matters. 2. How to talk to strangers. At 16, I had to approach groups of people I didn’t know, become their trusted BFF, and then sell them an outfit they didn’t even realize they needed. Looking back, it’s wild to think about, but that skill of making people feel comfortable during our first interaction has been invaluable throughout my career. 3. Folding jeans. Okay, maybe this one doesn’t apply directly to my workday, but you should see my closet! The ability to fold clothes neatly has definitely come in handy over the years. What was your first job? And what skills are you still using from it today? ————————— 👋 I’m a social media and marketing expert, but I’m also a person. Most of my posts revolve around the latter. If you ever want to chat about the first, my Inbox is always open 📭 #firstjob #lifelessons

When your team nails 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝟏-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 of your company better than you do! 👏 𝐂𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐢𝐬? 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐭! ✨👀 While I truly believe Seven Beaufort is FANTASTIC, I have to admit that Sylvie Verkinderen, Seppe Dons, and Linde De Cuyper might have found an even better word to describe us. What do you think? Let us know if you agree or if you have your own one-word take! 🔥💬 #SevenBeaufort #Teamwork #CompanyCulture

We’ve landed on Mayfair, the end of the board. The final square before we collect our £200 salary! Since July I’ve committed to posting twice weekly. I thought I would use this post to look back and reflect. What have I learned about posting regularly on LinkedIn? 📱 Honest truth, I am not a fan of social media. 📦 I delayed dusting off and opening up the box. 🪜The board game would probably still be up in the attic. 🎯 If it wasn’t for my recent business coaching sessions. I didn’t roll any double sixes in Monopoly! Steadily progressing around the board. Posts with the highest impressions were: 1. Starting on Go: 481 2. Liverpool Street: 454 3. Old Kent Road: 378 4. Trafalgar Square: 366 Challenges of bringing a new post to life: ➤ Consistency over perfection: Some weeks the words flowed, others they didn’t. Keep showing up. Even if it feels like you’re posting into the void! ➤ Engagement isn't immediate: Every post is an investment, just like landing on Mayfair. It takes time to build momentum around the board. ➤ Striking a balance: Balancing creativity with business messaging is tricky. Staying authentic keeps your audience connected. ➤ Time management: Finding time to create posts whilst running a business can be tough. Posting regularly takes discipline and planning. Ending on a positive note: My impressions are up by 1,300%. “We have such a long way to go," sighed the boy. "Yes, but look how far we've come," said the horse. Charlie Mackesy. ------ Hello I’m Jonathan 🦔 Then: Lead designer for Disney’s The Lion King for 5 years, bringing on-stage magic to over 4 million theatregoers. Now: Design Director with 25+ years of on-screen experience, dedicated to helping creative ecopreneurs craft their own magic.

I am trying to think of a clever LinkedIn status to post in the seven minutes I have before I need to leave for Pilates, but my creative juices aren't flowing under that kind of pressure... You know what IS flowing though? The absolute roaring flood of great #attorneyjobs in the greater Tampa Bay Area! 😉 Remember, you are not married to your job. Even if you think, "I'm pretty happy here, but I might leave for something more aligned with my dream practice area and/or a position with a more robust income and/or [insert other criterion here]," feel free to get on Korey Henson's and my radar. Don't ever worry you are wasting our time or coming off as wishy washy if you're not sure you want to leave your current role; if anything, it shows you're ahead of the game, being upstream, and maintaining high standards. Also, we take confidentiality very seriously at Runway Strategies, so you have nothing to lose—and potentially going from "pretty happy" to "VERY happy" to gain! And if you're ready to move on yesterday? Well, we're ready to get to know you TODAY. || maya@runway-strategies.com || korey@runway-strategies.com ||

Opportunity

LinkedIn family, #WisdomWednesday. It's hard to understand but everyone is in sales in some aspect of their life and career. (Starbucks barista, the PTA at school, the Teachers on campus, social media, or even the sales professionals) In life, it isn't WHAT you know, it is the WHO you know. So, you never know WHO or WHAT is down the line... or HOW you can be an impact on others through a connection. So lets CONNECT; calendly.com/rachyll In the recruiting world, I have found we are talented in connecting people with other people. The "but I'm happy here and have no plans of leaving anytime soon." closes you off to opportunity. This #mentality won't open the right doors to lead you, your clients, or others you know to their fullest potential. #takethecall #settheappointment #reachout #alwaysbeopentoaconversation #network #connect #commmunity #impactstartswithaYES #itisnotWHATyouknowitisWHO

48 hours out from news that United Rentals is acquiring H&E, I wanted to share some thoughts that may help others in similar boats. It’s a raw thing to realize you’re likely facing a layoff. While our branch employees will mostly be safe, United Rentals is a well-oiled machine with established corporate departments. It’s unlikely they’ll need another IT security person. After nine years at a company I love (I have never felt so valued!), I’m updating LinkedIn and my resume. I’ll admit I’ve wallowed a bit, wondering how marketable I am today and where I’ll land. But I’ve faced worse and come out on top, so there’s nothing to do but go to the mattresses! I won’t let self-doubt and imposter syndrome win the day. Over the last 20 years, I’ve kept a file of feedback (from colleagues, supervisors, clients, mentees, and employees) to remind me how I impact our most important resource–people. Yesterday I revisited those words and considered my best skills and strengths. It was just the exercise I needed to bolster my morale. If you don’t have such a file, that’s okay. It’s never too late to start curating feedback. I’ve suggested this practice to many people. First, list what others tell you you’re good at. Ask people you currently work with (don’t forget unpaid, informal work). Reconnect with those from past experiences.  Ask: “How do/did I add value to your life? How do/did I positively affect and support your work? How do you think I’m gifted?” You may be surprised at the response. Next, write down your passions. In what activities do you find yourself so wrapped up that you lose track of time? What sets your heart on fire? What brings you great satisfaction? What do you know you were made for? Return to those lists often. You’ll start to see a pattern, places they intersect. That's where you’ll find your purpose (if not your purpose, at least your next move!).