Today it is Lea Ann Allen’s turn to rock the porch with her Rocker Spotlight interview!

What is the biggest misconception about marketing today?

Marketing is not something you set and forget. It’s an on-going process. Brand-building is like planting a garden and then watering, weeding, fertilizing and trimming it constantly to help it grow.

What advice would you give to someone struggling with creating a brand identity? 

Take a look at your brand’s competitors and peers. What are they doing? Now, how are you doing it different? Show that. Tell that story.

One of the biggest lessons you’ve learned throughout your career?

Who you work with is more important than everything else in your career.

What does good marketing look like?

Good marketing makes a brand look like a person you’d want to be friends with.

If you could be anywhere in the world right now where would it be?

I am where I want to be.

If you could go to dinner with one person living or dead who would it be?

I go to dinner every night in my home with my husband and I wouldn’t choose anyone else, anywhere else.

If you could describe yourself in three words what would they be?

Resourceful. Analytical. Empathetic.

What is your favorite thing about FPM?

FPM values people. Really demonstratively values them.

Tell me about a major milestone in your life?

I worked 3 jobs simultaneously to put my son thru Columbia University with zero debt.

In what ways does the team at FPM have aligned values?

FPM team members respect each other’s individual lives, in everything they do.

How would you describe the culture at FPM?

Agile. Supportive. Enthusiastic.

How does FPM differentiate itself from other marketing companies?

FPM did not have to pivot their business model because of the pandemic, they’ve been a virtual team since their inception – making them ideal partners for understanding what the future world of work looks like now.

Fun fact?

I might have the largest yacht rock record collection in Dallas?

Thanks for tuning in to another week of Rocker Spotlight questions featuring Lea Ann Allen and her rocking time on the porch!

Fayetteville, AR, can sometimes feel like a bubble. The craziness of the COVID-19 pandemic still doesn’t seem real here!

I wanted to give you an insider’s look from Fayetteville in relation to the other states.

The Stats

There are 4,012 confirmed cases of the Coronavirus and 91 deaths as of May 10th. A shelter-in-place was never issued in Fayetteville.

Restaurants were allowed to reopen dining rooms starting Monday, May 11. Non-urgent dental services also opened Monday. Pools, water parks and beaches are set to open May 22, with restrictions.

Bars are still closed under Phase 1, which I think is a smart decision. Arkansas has 3 casinos, all of which will be open on May 18. Some stores in Fayetteville opened back up Monday, including thrift stores which I was able to visit.

Phase 1 of Fayetteville Perspective

Phase 1 of this new implementation allows restaurants to be at one third capacity, with seating six feet apart. Employees must wear a mask and gloves, and patrons should wear a mask. If patrons are not wearing masks the restaurant has the right to turn them away. Phase 1 also includes daily health screenings of employees, and groups cannot be larger than ten.

My Perspective from Fayetteville

I am located in an apartment complex near Dickson Street, the central hub for restaurants and bars for students at the U of A. While Dickson street has been mostly shut down, some restaurants offer curbside pickup.

From my perspective in Fayetteville, roughly 50% of people I have observed in the grocery store are wearing masks. It is possible to keep 6 feet apart but difficult, especially if the store is crowded.

Fast food restaurants are all open, and some dining rooms are available with limited seating. The Northwest Arkansas Mall remained open, but most of the stores inside were closed. I have stayed in Fayetteville thus far during the pandemic because I feel it is safer than Dallas, however I will be moving home soon.

What I’ve Learned Through My Perspective From Fayetteville

1. Be respectful. Wear a mask if you feel that is right for you. You are shielding both yourself and others from potential exposure.
2. Supporting local and small businesses is very important during this difficult time. Whether it be patronizing favorite local coffee shops with curbside pickup or stopping in to a new store, I have made efforts to express my appreciation.
3. Just because Fayetteville feels safe, does not necessarily mean it is. Since a shelter-in-place was never issued, people are still going about their days as if everything is normal here. In my perspective from Fayetteville, it is just as important that we preserve our health here as it is anywhere else.