Carmel Magazine January 2023

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ON THE SAME PAGE

FORMER INDIANAPOLIS COLT GARY BRACKETT PENS NEW BOOK ON DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Writer / Ryan Kennedy Photographer / Walker Photography

Former Indianapolis Colts linebacker Gary Brackett made 707 tackles during his nine-year NFL career. Now a professional speaker and business coach, Brackett is tackling the complex conversations surrounding diversity and inclusion in his new book, “30 Days to Diversity.”

In May of 2020, Brackett drove downtown to get a haircut and witnessed firsthand

what he’d already seen on social media. The protests in response to the murder of George Floyd had started peacefully, but had eventually taken a violent turn. Windows were broken, businesses were damaged, cars were set ablaze. Brackett says he knew something needed to be done. He knew someone needed to work towards educating and unifying the community, so he got to work on his book.

Todd Musser

Jamie R. Britton-Blanck

to Diversity” is the culmination of two years of research by Brackett. The book is aimed at the business community, but can be helpful to anyone looking to create a more diverse and inclusive environment. The book is 30 chapters divided into Brackett’s CHAMP framework, looking at the current situation and root causes of issues, honing in on desired outcomes, applying principles to eliminate and delegate things that no longer serve a purpose, taking massive action to achieve desired outcomes, and pursuing a championship transformation and chasing the best version of ourselves.

As Brackett points out in the “30 Days to Diversity” introduction, this is not a book for the faint of heart. It bluntly discusses issues that make some people uncomfortable and that some decry as divisive topics. Issues such as critical race theory, the Black Lives Matter movement, defunding the police, and privilege, have their own chapter in the book. Rather than preaching or lecturing, Brackett calmly breaks down these topics and provides crucial history and context behind them. Many of these topics, he says, aren’t all that controversial or divisive once one understands their origins and what they’re

“I wanted to address some of these loaded topics in a way where I can humanize them by sharing some of my stories,” Brackett says in the book. “The whole notion of ‘I’m colorblind and blame it on my innocence,’ I think that’s no longer viable. I think we have to open our eyes to color and see people where they are in regards to their color, in regards to their ethnicity, in regards to their religions and in regards to their gender. I think all these things are important if we’re going to truly be inclusive.”

Throughout the book, Brackett discusses how his experiences in NFL locker rooms and managing businesses taught him the value of interacting with people of different backgrounds and walks of life. He highlights the value of not just listening to others, but also actually making the effort to hear what they have to say and understand where they are coming form.

Brackett believes that most people want to do the right thing, but he says the media and bad-faith actors are contributing to the divisive atmosphere in our communities. “I think the bad guys are winning in terms of like the trash that we see online, the media, and just some of their triggering comments

and things that they do,” he says. “They want us to not get along. They want us to argue and bicker over these things. Being in a community, like I am seeing these companies inside of them, they want to do well. They want to have unity and they want to know how.”

“30 Days to Diversity” is all about the “how.” Brackett isn’t interested in simply highlighting problems - he’s interested in finding solutions. The book is full of daily activities and actionable items to help businesses and people be more diverse and inclusive. Brackett acknowledges that he’s not going to solve centuries of racism and prejudice in 30 days, but he says “30 Days to Diversity” is an important step in the right direction.

“I think we got to try,” he says. “We got to make an attempt. I think a lot of people won’t change, and will still feel how they feel and think how they think, but a lot of people will. I think there are more of the people that will than that won’t.”

“30 Days to Diversity” is a companion piece to the “30 Days to Diversity” workbook, as well as the workshop Brackett developed to help businesses handle issues of diversity and inclusion.

MOJO UP

HOW CEO TRAVIS BROWN BUILT ONE OF THE MOST DIVERSE & TALENTED MARKETING AGENCIES IN INDIANA

Writer / Seth Johnson Photographer / Justin Sicking

In the world of marketing, the humble agency of Mojo Up is making a point to ensure they stand out, starting with the people they hire on staff.

“We have seven black males who work at our company, which doesn’t exist in most companies in the greater Indianapolis area, even if they have 1,000 employees,” says Mojo Up Founder and CEO Travis Brown.

Located in Fishers, Mojo Up was started by Brown in 2019, and now has a staff of 11 full-time employees and four contract employees. A public speaker at one point in his career, Brown was inspired to start Mojo Up after coming to the realization that many businesses in the area lacked the know-how to properly market themselves.

“If you have an incredible plumbing business or if you are a real estate agent,

“What that means to the client is when we come to the table to think about marketing them, we think differently.”

you didn’t go to school to be a marketer,” Brown says. “But you quickly realize that if you can’t market, drive leads and convert, then you go out of business. So I was always thinking, ‘How can I help people do that?’ That was really my inspiration.”

Initially, Mojo Up primarily worked with individuals on developing their personal brand. Over time, though, Brown quickly found himself working with larger and

larger clients.

“When I first started it was really about personal brand, so I worked with a lot of executives, CEOs and small-business owners and helped them build their personal brand, which morphed into spending more time with company brands, especially with small businesses,” Brown says. “Fast-forward to today, and now we work with midsized companies and some enterprise clients. Our clientele is significantly different than when I first started all by myself. It’s exciting that we’ve had big companies and corporations raise their hand and be willing to put their trust in us.”

As the largest black-owned marketing agency in the state of Indiana, Mojo Up has specifically been able to help clients improve their workplace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).

“Over the last three years we’ve had a lot of companies that chose to work with us because we had a diverse mindset to help them with their business, based upon the people and the talent that we have,” Brown says. “The truth is that DEI is such an important fabric of companies, but most companies don’t know how to produce it.”

While diversity is certainly at the heart of Mojo Up’s identity, the marketing agency also ensures its employees are skilled at what they do. For this reason, Mojo Up launched its “Diverse + Talented” campaign in 2022.

“The reason why that was important to us is because we wanted to change the narrative that it’s not diverse or talented - it’s diverse and talented,” Brown says. “We’re not asking people to come to us only because we’re diverse. It’s because we have both, and that’s not something most of our competitors can offer.”

When it comes to the specific types of clients they’re looking to work with, Brown highlights four specific categories. These include companies who:

• are looking for a diverse and talented agency

• are looking for an agency to tell their DEI story

• are looking for an agency that can help them recruit diverse talent

• must use an MBE (Minority Business Enterprise) certified agency

When it comes to the general process that Mojo Up takes its clients through, Brown explains there are usually several strategic steps, starting with a Brand Scorecard. “We audit you and then we turn it into a Brand Scorecard so you know where you stand today,” Brown says.

Next, Mojo Up moves on to developing a strategy, or what they call a Brand Blueprint. “That’s really our signature thing we do, which helps people understand their brand value and brand story,” Brown says of the Brand Blueprint. From here, Mojo Up passes things over to its creative team, who visualizes and works with clients to

bring the brand to life. This is followed by optimization (where Mojo Up builds out and optimizes digital, social and online presence) and activation (how to grow exponentially with Mojo Up’s brand management).

In reflecting on what Mojo Up takes pride in, Brown emphasizes that the marketing agency invests wholeheartedly in each and every one of its clients’ projects.

“We build it like it’s ours,” Brown says. “That

simply means that when I sit down in that conference room to build your strategy, I’m doing it like I’m an owner or stakeholder in your company.”

Recently, Mojo Up also secured the Finch Creek Fieldhouse naming rights, now aptly named Mojo Up Sports Complex. It is another move, Brown says, that is focused on the local community.

“We are taking our own advice on branding and impacting the community,” he says.

As Mojo Up continues to serve clients’ marketing needs throughout the greater Indianapolis area, Brown also hopes his agency can serve as an example when it comes to DEI.

“We want to be a black-owned marketing agency that competes at the highest level, for the purpose of paving the way for other minority agencies, creatives and businesses to do the same thing,” Brown says. “We want other agencies to really start challenging themselves in their hiring practices and their own level of diversity.”

Mojo Up is located at 8626 East 116th Street, Suite 200 in Fishers. Learn more at mojoup.com, or give them a call at 317-892-8109.

DINE OUT!

The Great Dine Out in Hamilton County January 2–31, 2023

It’s great to dine out—enjoy the company of others, participate in local culture, and support local restaurants all while earning special deals on food. Simply check in at participating Hamilton County restaurants with the Great Dine Out digital passport. If you check in five times, you’ll get a $25 local restaurant gift card—while supplies last.

FACTS ABOUT THE BABY BOOM GENERATION

(BORN 1946-1964)

5

Dairy Queen was one of the first food chains to start franchising in 1955 and had everyone screaming for ice cream with their Dilly Bars and Mr. Misty. 2

1

Eating in front of the TV got a lot better when TV dinners were introduced. There were only originally four main courses sold by Swanson: meatloaf, fried chicken, turkey and Salisbury steak. 3

Impressionable Boomers started ‘smoking’ bubble gum cigarettes that would puff out powdered sugar as smoke. 4

One of the most popular side dishes in the 60s was Rice-a-Roni, known as “The San Francisco Treat.” Its commercials all started with the distinct cable car bell ringing.

Hopalong Cassidy, a TV Western hero, was the first image ever put onto a lunch box. It was a runaway hit, selling more than 600,000 at $2.39 each in its first year.

6

At the height of its 1950s fad, more than 5000 Davy Crockett coonskin hats sold each day, showing the power of television on commerce—the popularity of the Davy Crockett show drove sales through the roof.

7 Think it was just the famous Beatles on the front of the Abbey Road cover? Astute Boomers also noticed that a VW Beetle was in the photo on this record that featured the lead single “Something/”Come Together”. 8

“Shake, Shake, Shake, Shake Shake, Shake Shake Your Booty” holds the record for being the only number-one song title with a word repeated more than three times in it.

9

Ricky Nelson was second only to Elvis as the most popular rock ‘n’ roll artist from 1957 to 1962.

10

Elizabeth may have been 25 when she became a queen in 1953, but Freddie Mercury was a young 24 when he started fronting the British rock group Queen in 1970.

11

“Sweet Georgia Brown” was whistled as the theme song at the Harlem Globetrotters games.

12

The game Twister, which once got Johnny Carson and Eva Gabor in tangles on The Tonight Show, got its beginnings as a game of tic-tac-toe to be played with your feet. 13

The reason yo-yos became so iconic? The launch of the Butterfly yoyo by Duncan in the ‘50s made it easier for Boomers to do tricks and stunts with their yo-yos, which helped fuel the craze.

Provided by Parade.com

14

“Barbie was the ultimate doll— but Baby Boomers experienced everything from Betsy Wetsy who had problems “holding it” to Growing Up Skipper who got taller if you turned the knob.

15

One of the most iconic toys from the Baby Boomer era? Stretch Armstrong—a musclebound action figure that had the physical ability to be stretched almost five feet.

16

It’s all so EGG-citing! Two products from the Boom Era came packaged in plastic eggs–Silly Putty and L’eggs Pantyhose.

17

The price of the average movie ticket in 1975 was $2.

The first show to ever be broadcast in color on ABC-TV was The Jetsons, which debuted in 1962 and had Boomers dreaming of walking their dog on a treadmill in space just like George walked Astro.

18

19

Bob Keeshan was a Boomer favorite in three different decades as Captain Kangaroo. He was also the original Clarabell the clown on The Howdy Doody Show in the 1950s.

20

Definitely not suitable for today’s roads but in 1969’s Easy Rider, Peter Fonda sported a “Captain America” red, white, and blue helmet, while Jack Nicholson donned a gold American football helmet. Another baby boomer fact: This cult classic was one of the first to use prerecorded music for a soundtrack.

21

Alfred Hitchcock Presents is well known for its opening credits with a camera fade in on a line-drawing caricature of Hitchcock’s profile, the theme music of “Funeral March of a Marionette” and Hitchcock’s walk to the center of the screen and his trademark “Good evening.”

22

Young love bloomed with the movie star set in the 50s and 60s, with Mia Farrow marrying Frank Sinatra when she was 21 and Elizabeth Taylor marrying Nicky Hilton when she was only 18 years old.

23

Every day, baby boomers recited the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of their school day.

24

During Vietnam over five million Americans wore bracelets with a POW’s name, rank and loss date in support of our troops.

25

A number of iconic Baby Boomer celebrities wound up going into politics including Love Boat’s Fred Grandy (Congress) Sonny Bono (Palm Springs Mayor and Congressman,) and Clint Eastwood (Mayor of Carmel, CA).

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 19th

Pianist Francesco Attesti of Cortona, Italy, Performing at the Palladium with the Carmel Symphony Orchestra

or your spouse are nearing 65. OR you or your spouse are over 65 and will soon be retiring.

are feeling overwhelmed by the information overload regarding Medicare insurance.

are uncertain what plans will suit your health and prescription needs.

are concerned with timing for enrollment to avoid a penalty or gap in coverage.

are concerned about the price of your prescription drugs.

Pawpular Pets

ALBERT

ARTHUR

DAYZIE

DILLON

FRANK

GRETA

MACY MIA

MILLIE

PETEY

NELLIE

SMOKEY

STORMY

NELLY

WILLIE

NORM