I generally use this space to either share my opinions or to sharpen my own thinking on given topics.  There are a few topics bouncing around in the cluttered attic of my mind, but since today may be the slowest day of the year (I am actually the only person in our Sarasota office today), and tomorrow starts a four-day weekend in the U.S., it doesn’t seem to make much sense to post anything too deep today.  We’ll get back on that track next week.

As Thanksgiving approaches, it is always a good time to reflect upon what you have to be thankful for. My personal list is long and varied, but from a business perspective it is more focused.  So with your indulgence, I am thankful for:

The great people I work with, who amaze and inspire me with their dedication and spirit. We have been through a lot together, and are now at a stage and a point in time that feels very familiar to me in a good way. Wouldn’t want to take on the next phase without these folks.

Customers who understand that partnership and personal integrity is a two-way street well worth paving. They make us want to work harder to help them succeed.

Great partners who understand that a win-win does not mean one party wins twice. You know who you are. Thank you.

My peers and competitors in this space who truly care about being a force for industry growth, and not just soldiers of fortune. We all want to win and create returns for our stakeholders, but in a nascent industry like ours it is easy to see and respect those who take a big picture view. Maybe I am naive, but I believe that customers see it as well.

The DOOH community of press, bloggers and educators. The level of discourse in digital signage has gone up several notches in the past year. It has improved across the board online, in print and at industry conferences. The number of perspectives and points of view indicate a healthy discussion, even if one doesn’t agree with everything that is written or said. It makes us better. So, in alphabetical order and with apologies to anyone I may have overlooked, thanks to Adrian, Alan, Angelo, Ben, Bill, Byron, Chris, Christopher, Dave, David, James, Jason, Joel, Lawrence, Lionel, Mike, Paul, Phil, Rob, Steve, Steven, Stephen. You raise the DOOH tide every day.

The people who read my posts here, most of whom I have never met. I was surprised and flattered by people who made it a point to stop by at the recent CETW show to tell me that they are readers. I didn’t know anyone would care when this started, and thanks again to those that do.

A happy and healthy start to the holiday season to everyone. And to my friends in retail, good luck on Friday!