Power Up Fest - 26th Jan - The event we need more and more each day

When we partnered up with Let’s Reset back in November, we couldn’t have predicted quite how badly we’d need a mental health-focused event to help get through this trying winter. The lockdown, the lack of daylight, the political unrest... life feels, well, “heavier” than I’m prepared to carry at times.

I‘ve already faced several days this month where it’s been tough to stay fully alert in meetings or get my quiet-time work done in peace. It’s comforting knowing I’m not the only one, and I’m looking forward to gathering with over 1,000 members of our community at Power Up Fest, from CEOs to students — all of us hoping to feel better and do better.

Our leadership team, from Ruth Mortimer and Luke Morris at Advertising Week to Suki Thompson and her team at Let’s Reset have poured countless hours into a programme that will help us do just that. The three takeaways are to 1) Be well, 2) Be creative and 3) Preform at your best. I’ve taken time to study the agenda and am especially looking forward to a programme filled with practical tips to employ straight away. Here are a few stand outs:

1) BE WELL

Happy Teams, Happy Business: A Practical Guide to Wellbeing in 2021  by Geoff McDonald, a mental health consultant.

I love this notion of PRACTICAL. I’m craving the tools to be happy — for myself and my team. Leading a new team at AW this feels especially poignant right now. Understanding the best approach to create a safe space and destigmatise mental health is imperative to a supportive team and to retaining talent. And it’s never too late to start fresh.

2) CREATE

How Purpose Can Help Drive Performance and Growth

I know we’ve all heard a lot about purpose in the last year (and brands are doomed without it), but beyond being “authentic” I’ve yet to hear a surprising take. This brilliant line up including Dr. Yvonne Thompson, CBE (Founder, WinTrade Global Talks) Catherine Becker (Head of Media, Electronic Arts) and Martin George (Customer Director, Waitrose) and moderated by Creativebrief’s Nicola Kemp will enter some new territory. I’m looking forward to the honest assessments on prioritising purpose in tough times, and how to leverage purpose to create genuinely innovative brands and businesses.

3) PERFORM

In Pursuit of Happiness

Always the psych major at heart, this one sounds especially interesting to me (and again, USEFUL!) In this session, Britain’s best-known headteacher, Sir Anthony Seldon will explore the differences between pleasure, happiness and joy, and offer a 10-step approach to making lives at work and home far more meaningful and rewarding.

The full agenda can be viewed here - complimentary passes for anyone who is on furlough or made redundant -- or we have a few friends of AW passes available, so please get in touch if it's of interest!

I hope you’ll consider joining us next Tuesday the 26th.