Every Once in a While... Take the Train

I spent the past week attending relocation meetings and visiting with relocation professionals. What a great opportunity to learn new things and “pick people’s brains”, all while renewing professional friendships!

Heading back home to New Haven on the train I also realized how lucky I am to live in a place where trains are readily available for travel. Why doesn’t everyone travel this way? It is comfortable, easy, and convenient. It took me to my meeting in DC and my meeting in Virginia. I could plug in my computer, charge my BlackBerry, get my work done in a comfortable setting, watch the snow fly by the window, see the country.

I didn’t have to “check in” an hour before my flight, go through security, take my shoes off (put my shoes back on), have my luggage scanned, or run to the terminal just in time to wait for the boarding call (or, as happened with my last flight, wait for them to “find a crew” to fly the plane). There was no lugging stuff from one terminal to another and no missed connection. And there was no “baggage charge”!

Also, I wasn’t stuck in traffic. I didn’t have to stop for gas, bathroom breaks, or food. I didn’t have to try to find a decent radio station to keep me from dying of boredom. Ohhh …. This was heaven!

I also felt a great sense of accomplishment. I was able to write two blogs, review and finalize a PowerPoint for an upcoming meeting, read a couple of periodicals, study some long-awaited industry resource material I’ve been trying to get to, review my business plan, take care of some personal issues, and eat my lunch. This is more than I can sometimes accomplish in a month of days at the office!

In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, we all need to find something that gives us time to pause and affords us a reason to stop “doing” just long enough. My recommendation? Every once in a while… take a train!

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My First Post

This is my first attempt at blogging. As a veteran of the relocation profession, I am hoping to be able to share some of the day to day experiences that touch our lives here at Pearce Plus. It is true that, over the years, there have been times (too numerous to count) that I’ve thought “I could write a book about the things that happen here”. I guess blogging will finally afford me the opportunity to do that. It will be my chance to document stories that illustrate the work that we do, the challenges that we face, and the experiences that we encounter on a daily basis: funny … challenging … heartbreaking … unique.

I feel blessed to have landed in this industry (and that is pretty much how it happened). On a daily basis I am surrounded by people with passion. I have made “friends of a lifetime” through my professional affiliations. I can count on my peers when I need a word of wisdom. I make a living while making a difference in people’s lives. I, along with my colleagues, get to offer a helping hand, relieve stress, provide resources, and give people a sense of security at a time when they have been thrust full-throttle out of their comfort zones. It feels good.

In recent years, as the economy has continued to challenge us, there is no end to the solutions we can provide. I know that our strength lies in the partnerships we have formed with industry professionals. We have a unique consortium of experts in every discipline. By maintaining those connections and keeping current with the latest relocation and real estate trends, we continue to add programs and services that meet the growing needs of both employers and employees.

I recently attended a committee meeting at the Worldwide Employee Relocation Council (WERC®) headquarters in Virginia. As I looked around the table, I saw a variety of industry experts (the best of the best), all collaborating, all willing to share. I thought “how powerful we are because we are capable of joining forces”. I reflected on the early days of WERC® when a small group of employers decided to get together to exchange ideas and solutions. How far we have come since those early days!

And what an amazing experience I have had working with all of the brilliant minds in this industry. How blessed I am, here at Pearce Plus, to work with a team of people who wake up every day ready to face the challenges of relocation head on!

As I launch this blog and we grow our company, I look forward to what the future will bring. There is no end to the possibilities!

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