OG Tuesday Issue #267

🧬 This isn’t GLP-1, but 90% of users say it quiets food noise naturally.

📝 The best employee survey tools to finally get the truth.

🤖 The ChatGPT gender gap is closing as more women embrace AI tools.

😌 Why boredom might actually be good for your brain.

I once managed a nearly $1M gifting budget for the holidays, and let’s just say, it’s not for the faint of heart. Between vendor delays, creative approvals, and shifting budgets, a good system is the difference between a smooth rollout and a stressful scramble.

If you’re running point this season, here’s how you can stay ahead of it all:

1️⃣ Start with the numbers

Decide your per-person budget and your in-hands date first.

Vendors can’t help you without those two details. During the holidays, production times can easily stretch to 6–8 weeks, so plan accordingly. And don’t forget to factor in taxes and shipping.

2️⃣ Match the gift to the person

Who’s receiving it? That answer should guide everything.

• Execs: high-end, branded pieces (think Yeti or Ember)
• Team gifts: practical items with a personal touch
• Clients: something thoughtful, neutral, and professional

Pro Tip: Start a simple spreadsheet now with names, addresses, and contact info. You’ll thank yourself later.

3️⃣ Identify your decision-makers early

There’s always someone who needs to “sign off.” Find out who that is before you start.

Send creative proofs for review early to avoid last-minute surprises (and crooked logos).

4️⃣ Build strong vendor relationships

Ask for product decks, branding templates, and mockups upfront.

Good vendors will keep you updated and flag potential issues before they happen. (Bad ones disappear until the tracking email arrives.)

5️⃣ Don’t skip the details

Always ask for samples when you can. Always get a creative proof. Always confirm tracking.

The details you check now are the emergencies you avoid later.

Tip: Every product in a gift box counts as its own project (multiply your timeline accordingly).

Or…let someone else handle the moving parts. Vendors we trust with important gifting needs:

• swag.com
• Goody
• CorporateGift
• Harry & David

Wishing you organized inboxes and on-time deliveries.

Joanna (TA Co-Founder)

P.S. Need inspo? Peek at our holiday guide.

Workplace violence prevention isn’t just best practice anymore — it’s becoming the law.

Join Traliant’s free webinar: Constant Change, Continuous Compliance on November 12 from 2–3 pm ET for a first look at the newly refreshed Preventing Workplace Violence training, designed to help HR leaders protect their people and stay audit-ready.

Hosted by legal expert, Bailey Whitsitt, this session breaks down the latest state mandates and shows you exactly how to stay compliant without adding more to your plate.

Here’s what you’ll see:

• Interactive video scenarios and a modernized learner experience.
• Versions built for both California and non-California workplaces.
• A live demo of Course Profiler, the new Traliant feature that auto-assigns the right training to every employee.
• The newest workplace violence prevention requirements, simplified.

You’ll walk away knowing how to foster a safer, more compliant workplace (with less admin headache).

✅ Earn SHRM & HRCI credit for attending.

Save your seat now.

“I work for a manufacturing company that pays very little, but allows me to bring my six kids to an on-site nursery—crucial while I’m recovering financially from a divorce. I’m a finance manager launching my own startup this summer, passionate about employee retention and motivation. But the company president wears too many hats, our collaborations are disorganized, he has trust issues letting employees do their jobs, and he ignores my experience-backed ideas for growth. It’s a constant struggle.” — Jolena McCloud

Jolena, you’ve been playing it smart. Low pay, yes, but access to childcare while rebuilding after a divorce? That’s a huge lifeline. You made a decision that keeps your family stable while you get your next chapter ready.

But this role sounds like it’s draining more than it’s giving. You’re leading, thinking strategically, and trying to move the company forward while being held back by poor leadership and disorganization. When your ideas sit on the shelf, it’s hard to stay motivated.

You’ve got the experience, drive, and perspective to build something better. The key is deciding when this stop on your path has served its purpose.

Start here:

• Write down what this job provides that’s still valuable to you. Then note what it’s costing you in energy, income, and growth.
• Get specific about what you want next—fair pay, flexibility, leaders who listen, real development opportunities.
• Pick a timeline for when you’ll be ready to move on. Use this time to update your resume, explore roles with childcare support, and strengthen your network.

You’ve already done the hard part: staying steady in a challenging season. Now it’s about moving toward work that meets your effort with respect and fair pay.

The childcare benefit helped you stay afloat. Your next chapter can help you rise.

It’s not because you can’t do the job. It’s because you don’t look VP-ready yet.

In this free, on-demand masterclass, executive coach and former VP Maya Grossman breaks down the 3 hidden mistakes that keep high achievers stuck, plus the exact moves that get you noticed by decision-makers.

You’ll learn how to:

• Shift from “reliable doer” to strategic leader
• Get in the room (and on the radar) with key execs
• Position yourself so promotions feel inevitable

The leaders who move into VP seats next year are preparing right now.

Watch instantly and start being seen as VP-ready today.

“Stop putting out other people’s perceived fires.”

— Tolulope Falae, (Project Manager)

💌 Your life’s already great on paper. This newsletter helps it feel that way, too.

🗓️ THIS WEEK: Join a day of hands-on AI workshops and get AI certified, free on 11/6. Claim your spot.

👜 This woven suede bag looks way more expensive than it is.

🧪 Give your skin a serious glow-up with this salmon DNA collagen-rich jelly mask.

• Rylem Staffing is hiring for an Executive Assistant (Seattle, WA).
• Adtalem Global Education is hiring for a Marketing Specialist (Chicago, IL).
• Cupertino Electric is hiring for a Project Manager (San Francisco, CA).
• EPITEC is hiring for an Administrative Assistant (Jackson, MI).
• Sanmina is hiring for an Executive Assistant (San Jose, CA).

⭐️ Answer to the riddle.

Have more feedback? 💌 Reply to this email and tell us.

✨ P.S. Want more inspiration and positivity to kick off your week? Sign up for our Motivational Monday texts (U.S. only).

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