Another beautiful day laid outside my window when the first decision of the day had to be made: a run by the causeway with spectacular views or a dip in the ocean, if not both.
The (height of my) reading pile commanded that the quick run was the practical alternative. So, off I went to read the daily papers with a cup of Italian coffee at hand, overlooking the bay.
For those who know me know that I am a believer that the flow of the universe moves through everything. It is in the rocks that form, the blossoming of a flower, the breath we take. When we move with this flow, rather than resist it, we ride on the universal current and trust that the universe is taking us exactly where we need to be at all times.
Yesterday, I met with the President of the Beacon Council –a not-for-profit, economic development agency for Miami-Dade. We conferred on place branding and narrating a “contemporary story” to court more businesses to the city.
I hear it all too often “How can you live in Miami?”
Well, before I count the hundred reasons of how and why, let me share the first article I happened to read in the morning, hence, the short diversion about the flow of the universe, above.
“How nice to be able to start your day lakeside, then head to your desk job at the cantonal bank. What do you do when you throw open the blinds on an early July morning to find yourself confronted by the most dazzling, sunny day but you know that you still need to go about your daily tasks in an internationally connected city?
Do you spend a few moments letting the sun warm your skin and then go about your morning routine and count the days till you head off on holiday? Or do you think about how you can weave work and pleasure seamlessly into one, pull on your shorts, T-shirt and sneakers and head out the door for a run and plot the rest as you go along?
This week I opted for the latter. After a rather glum few days in London, I decided to round out the week working in our Zürich office. With a busy-ish afternoon ahead but a not-too-taxing morning, I decided a good 6K run was in order, followed by a swim in the lake. I took my usual route down to Zollikon and stopped at the Seebad Utoquai.
After a while I sat up and noticed a small surge of people getting dressed and changing into work attire. How nice to be able to start your day lakeside, then head to your desk job at the cantonal bank or Swiss Re. Remembering that I too needed to get on with my day, I jumped back in the water, swam to the pavilion and took a few minutes in the sun before drying off and then walking back to the hotel. Thirty minutes later I was at the office and my colleagues were all set for their day, with towels borrowed from the hotel and swimming gear at the ready. Lunch was enjoyed at another bathing club down the slope from our office and we did a few rounds of jumping in the river and gently gliding down with the current.
Many companies spend an awful lot of money on various add-ons and incentives to keep their employees happy but sometimes all you need is a HQ in the right city, some trunks and a towel.”
As Tyler Brule, masterfully, describes the “Right City” is one, which is internationally connected, culturally welcoming, and easily accessible where you can weave work and pleasure seamlessly into one.
The contemporary story of Miami needs to be told louder, not only, in number of hip hotels and bars, but, in numbers of entrepreneurs and professionals that set to make a difference and create a “Quality of Place” based on an innovation economy and a dynamic and diverse talent pool, where maximum hours of sunshine and natural beauty are just the icing on the cake.
