Video Premiere of "Telephone" featuring Lady Gaga and Beyoncé.
First seen on Vevo.

About The We Are The World Foundation

Join our community. Be part of the solution. We Are the World.

The world premiere of ‘We Are The World 25 For Haiti’ will air during NBC’s coverage of the Opening Ceremony of the Vancouver Winter Olympics this Friday, February 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT.

The recording of ‘We Are The World 25 For Haiti’ embodies the same enthusiasm, sense of purpose and generosity as the original recording 25 years ago. Through the contributions of the new voices to this rendition of ‘We Are The World,’ and with the help of our partners, the We Are The World Foundation will be committed to transparency and will help further the spirit of activism that was at the heart of the original song and movement.

We are developing mechanisms to permit our donors and members of the community to monitor the funds raised, the expenses paid, and the charitable grants funded by the We Are The World Foundation, a newly created not-for-profit organization founded by Quincy Jones and Lionel Richie who have invited Wyclef Jean, Paul Haggis, Randy Phillips, Peter Tortorici and Ambassador Luis Moreno of the Inter-American Development Bank to join them on the board. The Foundation is dedicated to raising money and to making grants to charitable organizations with meaningful and efficient relief and development programs that are responding to the continuing crisis in Haiti.

Dwight Howard DH NBA All-Star 2010 ASW Basketball Brotherhood Orlando Magic
Dwight Howard gears up for NBA All-Star 2010 and shows how the game will never be the same.

 

Beyonce - House of Dereon - Tradeshow

While leaders of successful companies and brands often have very different working styles and personalities, they do have one thing in common:

They involve themselves in every aspect of their company and/or brand.

Good leaders are confident but also keep their egos in check in order to build and maintain harmonious and creative relationships, and they know that they need to understand how their company and brand looks and operates holistically.

At a very successful company I used to work for, which I’ll refer to as Andi James, the owner, Andi, would always go to trade shows with the sales reps. This may have seemed a little annoying to some of the sales reps, but he wasn’t trying to micro-manage or schmooze with buyers. He was genuinely interested in all aspects of his company.

Like superstar Beyonce (who is personally promoting her line at a trade event in the picture at the side), Andi always seemed to realize he was no bigger than the people who supported him.

In contrast, I’ve seen many other designers ship off their sample lines to a trade show in a big UPS box, then wait by the phone to hear the sales rep talk about the great orders they got, or more likely, ramble on about how the show was slow and people just weren’t buying.

The message in all of this is to be involved with your showroom and the entire sales process. Yes, the relationship with your showroom is a partnership; however, an outside showroom is not your company, and they cannot cater to your interests all of the time. You should be involved in all facets of your company to protect and boost your brand’s interests.

So what are your interests?

1. Your Relationships. Going to trade shows will help build personal relationships with buyers – relationships that could possibly outlast your relationship with the showroom. Your presence will show that you care for your company and will give your company a personal edge that will make you stand out. Make it clear to buyers that you appreciate their business.

2. Your Insights. In most organizations, the sales people are the biggest knowledge keepers. People on the front lines have a unique and important perspective. Taking into account non-verbal cues, expressions, and side comments about your designs will give you a better idea in how your brand and designs are seen and how you can change & grow your business in the future. Insert yourself in the mix and get these insights for yourself.

3. Your visibility. The press are a staple at trade events. They want to get good interviews and create interesting stories that can be turned around as quickly as possible. As the owner of your brand and company, you can help build intrigue, give quotes and secure helpful press coverage with your presence. Don’t leave the showroom’s entry level sales assistant or your press kit to do this job for you — your brand won’t get noticed that way. Personally go to the show, and make your story come alive.

Remember, as well, that there is a right way and a wrong way to do everything. You want to be interesting, but you don’t want to be rude or obnoxious. Having a good relationship with your sales partners is of the utmost importance, and that means being courteous and respectful.

Moreover, a little strategy can go a long way. If you don’t have a lot of time, you might want to only attend the larger events, and only stay for a few hours during peak traffic. Talk with your sales manager about the best role for you to play, too. Finding out the context of the event will help you figure out what kind of visibility you should have, and whether you should play the role of silent observer or special guest.

The bottom line, then, is that a successful company and brand requires your personal involvement. Your company is your responsibility – meaning that your involvement can only better shape the direction that it goes towards.

As part of an interview in connection with PBSs upcoming airings of "Macbeth" and "Hamlet" in April, Sir Patrick Stewart tells FRONTLINEs Digital Nation that he can't condense life into a 140 character Tweet, and explains why he is afraid to start "gaming. "Digital Nation," FRONTLINE's multiplatform project exploring what it means to be human in a 21st-century digital world, airs Tuesday, Feb. 2, from 9 to 10:30 P.M. ET on PBS (check local listings).