Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

Monday, October 5, 2026

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES 2026 featuring Joseph Lalonde

Following in the footsteps of eight previous series where thought leaders responded to questions on my blog over the last several years to discuss leadership, marketing, reading, and the Olympics, I'm thrilled to announce that it's time for my 9th series!

During the Fall season (each Monday from September 28th through December 20th), I'm welcoming a dozen thought leaders to share their insights about reading, books, personal branding, and leadership. Today, Joseph Lalonde is my featured expert. Based in Michigan, Joe is experienced in all aspects of IT, leadership, project/sales, and design with a history of working with small businesses and individuals. He is also an award-winning leadership blogger ranked in the top 40 leadership blogs in the world, and his book "Reel Leadership" showcases the intersection of leadership and entertainment. As Joe says, "I love great stories and feel we all have a great story to tell."

Before we begin, I'd like to share my two favorite reading quotes to set the stage:

"If you give a person a book, you give him the world." ~New York Times bestselling author Kristin Harmel (from her work of historical fiction, "The Paris Daughter")

"For you unlock magic that is hidden within, and opening the cover is how you begin. Oh, all the worlds and the places you'll see; when you hold a book, you hold the key." ~Caroline Derlatka

And now, let's begin.

QUESTION: What was the last book (fiction or non-fiction) you read? What stood out as memorable, and would you recommend it?

JOSEPH LALONDE: The last book I read was "The Hoarder In You" by Robin Zasio. Zasio is a psychologist and has been featured on the show Hoarders. It's helped me understand why some of us collect and hoard items while others don't have the same compulsion.

QUESTION: Which book (fiction or non-fiction) is on the top of your to-be-read pile (or first in your digital reader), and why?

JOSEPH LALONDE: I'm really excited to read "X-Men: Elsewhen" by John Byrne. It's a graphic novel that revisits the X-Men after the Phoenix Saga. It's an alternative timeline and one Byrne had wanted originally, but his vision had been nixed by Marvel's leadership.

QUESTION: With all the streaming services available, many works of fiction are now adapted into films or TV series. During the last year, have you watched a film or TV show and been impressed and/or inspired by the adaptation? (If you haven't watched any adaptations, are you looking forward to any currently in the planning or production phases?)

JOSEPH LALONDE: I watched "Project Hail Mary" when it was released in theaters. The film was adapted from the book of the same name by Andy Weir. The story was fun and engaging. It was a blast seeing the book brought to life.

QUESTION: If you're a fan of the TED LASSO series on Apple TV, have you watched the new season (that returned on August 5th)? If yes, what stands out about Ted's leadership lessons or leadership style from the new season? Alternatively, if you're not a fan of the show or have not yet watched it, is there another CURRENT TV show that showcases inspiring leadership?

JOSEPH LALONDE: As you mentioned, there are so many streaming services available to viewers today. Apple TV is not a service I subscribe to currently, so I'm missing out on the current Ted Lasso series. I have watched previous seasons and enjoyed them. I did notice quite a few leadership lessons from Ted. Here's one from a previous season: There's a team relationship between two players, Jamie and Roy. Roy is frustrated with Jamie because he's the hotshot, up-and-coming football player with a lot of attitude. He's good, great, in fact. However, he brings the team down because of his actions and attitude. Through the episodes so far, there's a great scene where Roy realizes he's been the Jamie of the team. He had the same type of attitude and opinion that he's seeing in the younger player.

QUESTION: Which author (either from history or currently writing) would you choose to have dinner with, and what would you discuss?

JOSEPH LALONDE: I'd choose to have dinner with Dan Miller (1947-2024). He's the author who really set me on the path of personal development and self-improvement. He literally changed the course of my life. I'd love to have the opportunity to sit down and chat with him about his personal faith, how he overcame so many obstacles, and how he feels, knowing that he's impacted so many lives.

Let's Celebrate Emily Warren Roebling on World Architecture Day!

Have you ever heard the name Emily Warren Roebling? If not, you definitely know the bridge that she's associated with - whether by walking across it in person or by seeing it in movies or Law & Order television shows. After her husband was incapacitated in an accident, Emily Warren Roebling took over supervising the construction of the bridge over New York's East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan that became known as the Brooklyn Bridge. So today, on World Architecture Day, let's celebrate this often overlooked member of the architecture history books.

According to History.com, "The construction of the Brooklyn Bridge began with a freak accident. In late June 1869, John Augustus Roebling, the designer and builder of wire rope suspension bridges, was surveying his new project site in Lower Manhattan when an approaching ferry crushed his foot against some wooden pilings. Roebling died of tetanus three weeks later, and the job of chief engineer went to his eldest son, Washington Roebling, who had been his father's right-hand man for construction of the great bridge spanning the Ohio River in Cincinnati, as well as on the design of the new bridge.

Three years later, with construction well underway on what would be the longest suspension bridge in the world at the time, and the first to use steel wires, Washington himself was incapacitated by "caisson disease" (now known as decompression sickness or "the bends"). With the chief engineer confined to his bed in his Brooklyn Heights home, his wife, Emily Warren Roebling, stepped up and steered the completion of one of the 19th century's most impressive architectural achievements."

According to Sacyr.com, "With her husband unable to work, Emily Warren Roebling assumed a crucial role: she managed her husband's communications, studied his plans, copied his specifications, and relayed instructions to assistant engineers. Washington described her as his "wisest counsellor" and "a woman of infinite tact." She visited the construction site daily, attended board meetings, and oversaw the project, all the while carefully concealing the extent of her involvement in order to protect her husband's reputation. Along the way, she learned about material strength, stress analysis, cable construction, and the mathematics of the catenary curve."

History.com further explained, "The day before its grand opening on May 24, 1883, Emily Warren Roebling earned the honor of driving the first carriage across the completed Brooklyn Bridge carrying a rooster as a symbol of victory. And her unconventional achievements were not limited to her role in the Brooklyn Bridge's construction. In 1899, at the age of 55, she graduated with high honors from the Woman's Law Class of New York University, making her among the first female lawyers in New York state, and wrote a prize-winning article in the Albany Law Journal arguing for greater equality for women in marriage."

In addition, according to Sacyr.com, "After the bridge's completion, she travelled alone to Europe, where she met Queen Victoria in London and attended the coronation of Tsar Nicholas II in Moscow. Upon her return, she gave lectures about her experiences in Russia for the Federation of Women's Clubs, becoming increasingly active in the fight for gender equality. She toured the country, speaking in defense of women's suffrage and social services for the poor, and urged women to study law."

From a personal branding perspective, despite advice in her early years that women needed no higher education, Emily Warren Roebling studied mathematics and science. Above all, she placed the importance of the completion of the Brooklyn Bridge plus her husband's personal brand above hers - truly admirable.

According to Natiba Guy-Clement, director of special collections at the Brooklyn Public Library's Center for Brooklyn History, "Being one of 12 kids, being the daughter of a politician, I think that she just had to have that level of empowerment within herself."

And CBS News reported, "Underneath the Brooklyn tower of the bridge is Emily Warren Roebling Plaza. Unveiled in 2021, the public green space is now used to see the engineering marvel up close."

Lastly, to quote the United Nations, “Women of the world want and deserve an equal future free from stigma, stereotypes, and violence, a future that’s sustainable, peaceful, with equal rights, and opportunities for all. To get there, the world needs women at every table where decisions are being made.”

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Oppose Censorship During Banned Books Week!

If reading books is important to you and you enjoy the freedom of reading any book you want, then you know this week's significance: Banned Books Week takes place October 4-10, 2026.

Co-sponsored by the American Library Association and Banned Books Week Coalition, 2026's theme is "Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read."

According to Banned Books Week, "The struggle against book bans is too immense to capture in a single image. This year's Banned Books Week campaign features three illustrations showing how libraries and access to information enrich our lives. The artwork from award-winning illustrators Hyesu Lee, Loveis Wise, and Mikey Burton embraces joy and creativity as acts of resilience, reminding our communities that a handful of people running organized censorship campaigns should not be allowed to dictate what the rest of us can read."

According to American Library Association President Sam Helmick. "Banned Books Week is a celebration of the freedom to read and the joy that comes from discovering stories that expand our understanding of ourselves and one another. Every person has the right to seek information and choose books without censorship. When we say "Let Books Be," we're showing up for readers everywhere and reaffirming that libraries are for everyone."

Barbara Stripling, chair of the Banned Books Week Coalition, added, "We must let books be a window into ourselves and others, a door to new ideas and possibilities, and a path to full participation in our society."

DID YOU KNOW?

Banned Books Week launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of book challenges in libraries, schools, and bookstores.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

(1) Write a letter to your state and federal elected officials and let them know you oppose censorship and support public schools, libraries, diverse books, and the value they bring to your community.

(2) Read a banned book.

(3) Read a banned picture book with a child.

(4) Stand for the freedom to read by joining literacy and advocacy organizations to fight censorship and book banning efforts nationally and internationally.

(5) Make a financial contribution to an organization that fights censorship and book banning.

In a monthly series on my blog appearing during the first week of each month (hard to believe I've been writing these posts since February 2025!), I share my choice for the best social media post of the preceding month. My choice may appear on Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, LinkedIn, YouTube, etc.

According to Google, "The best social media post of the month is typically one that effectively combines high engagement with relevance to current events, holidays, or trending topics, while also aligning with your brand identity and authentically connecting with your audience. This could include a thought-provoking question, a relatable story, a visually appealing image, a timely meme, or a behind-the-scenes look, depending on your platform and target demographic."

Without further ado, the post that earns my applause as the best social media post of the month from September 2026 was a post on September 4th on Instagram by 3M's Post-it Notes, everyone's favorite adhesive note brand. I am such a big fan and user of Post-it Notes that I wish I had invented them!

The post's message was, "You bring the burgers. We'll bring the Post-it Notes."

Since the post appeared on the Friday before Labor Day weekend when many people would be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, the post was especially timely. An image of a hamburger comprised of colorful Post-it pads (green to represent lettuce, red to represent ketchup, yellow to represent mustard, and orange to represent meat) within a top and bottom of a roll accompanied the message, as well as containers of ketchup and mustard.

The "Goldfish Smiles" account commented, "Taking notes."

The "Lewis Bake Shop" account commented, "We've got the buns."

The "Scotch Painters Tape" account liked the post.

The "Hammermill" (paper) account liked the post.

The "Staples" (store) account liked the post.

Brands that can align their products or services with an event, holiday, or trending news that everyone is talking about have the potential to be memorable. And 3M's Post-it Notes definitely succeeded in my book!

Check out these fun facts about Post-it Notes:

(1) Post-it Notes had their nationwide launch on April 6, 1980.

(2) The iconic canary yellow color happened because yellow scrap paper was the only kind available during early prototyping.

(3) There are 30 colors of Post-it Notes today.

(4) Post-it Notes are sold in more than 150 countries today.

(5) In 2019, a Post-it Note app was launched. Instead of teams spending hours transcribing notes after a brainstorm, teams can now instantly capture and share notes with the team without recaps or delays.

Which brand will stand out during October, and why? Swing by #DebbieLaskeysBlog during the first week of November to read about my choice.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Let's Celebrate National Fire Pup Day!

If you're a fan of dogs, always enjoy the Budweiser Clydesdale and Dalmatian ads during the Super Bowl, and appreciate the important work that firemen do to keep our communities safe, then you know today's significance.

According to The Dog People, "The image of a polka-dotted Dalmatian riding shotgun in a fire truck is indelible in American pop culture and lore, but the story of how they got there is lesser-known. In honor of National Fire Pup Day, we’ve delved into the history, evolution, and enduring legacy of the dogs who keep firefighters company.

From 17th-century carriage dogs to modern-day firehouse mascots, these brave and beautiful canines serve as symbols of the heroic work of their human crewmates, and sometimes, they even get in on the action themselves...When horse-drawn fire carriages hit the scene in the late 1700's, carriage dogs became fire pups.

Dalmatians were perfectly suited for the job, not only because of their carriage-trailing abilities but their grace under fire. Dalmatians were known to have a calming effect on horses, so while firefighters battled a blaze, the fire dog could stay with the horses and ease their stress. Back at the station, the fire dog would typically bunk in the stable alongside their equine charges.

In the 20th century and beyond, fire stations across England and America kept Dalmatians on-site as firehouse residents and mascots. Also, during the 20th century, Dalmatians and other fire pups made an important move into education, helping firefighters demonstrate fire safety and emergency preparedness for school and community groups."

Today, fire pups also work as arson detection dogs, search-and-rescue (SAR) canines, and therapy or crisis response dogs. And, not all Dalmatians are deaf, however, the breed is prone to deafness in either one or both ears.

According to Camping Simuni, "The black-on-white spots are unlike any other dog fur pattern in the world, so naturally, you might wonder where they come from — and if they are in any way connected to the well-known Croatian region of Dalmatia. Some say that the Dalmatian's homeland is actually Egypt, because of rock carvings in pharaoh tombs depicting hunting dogs with spots, and some place its origins in India. But it is most widely believed that Dalmatian dogs originated from Dalmatia, a region located in modern-day Croatia and Montenegro, on the eastern shore of the Adriatic Sea."

Here are some fun facts about Dalmatians:

(1) Dalmatian puppies are born with white coats and begin to spot in 3 to 4 weeks.

(2) A Dalmatian's spots are usually black or brown, but can rarely be blue, brindle, mosaic, tricolore, orange, or lemon.

(3) A Dalmatian's eyes are blue, brown, or amber.

(4) The litter size can be large — but not 101.

(5) Similar to fingerprints of a human (or stripes of a zebra), a Dalmatian's spots are a unique trait, as there are no two identical patterns in the world.

(6) The popularity of the 1961 animated movie "101 Dalmatians" led to a growing demand for the breed, becoming known as "The Dalmatian Syndrome" — when an animal breed becomes popular overnight due to their appearance in popular culture.

(7) The 1996 live-action movie didn't have "101 Dalmatians" — it had more! The filming process required 230 Dalmatian puppies and 20 adult Dalmatians on set.

Debbie Laskey's Blog

Monday, October 5, 2026

FALL BACK TO READING SERIES 2026 featuring Joseph Lalonde

SHARE THIS: I've found so many books to be powerful, impactful, and life-changing. ~@josephlalonde #FallBacktoReadingSeries2026 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: If you give a person a book, you give him the world. ~@KristinHarmel #ReadingOpensMinds #FallBacktoReadingSeries2026 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

SHARE THIS: A bibliophile is a lover of books, while a lectiophile is a lover of reading. The distinction is due to the object versus the activity. #FunFact #ReadingIsMySuperPower #FallBacktoReadingSeries2026 #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Let's Celebrate Emily Warren Roebling on World Architecture Day!

SHARE THIS: If they don't give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair. ~Shirley Chisholm #WorldArchitectureDay #EmilyWarrenRoebling #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Sunday, October 4, 2026

Oppose Censorship During Banned Books Week!

SHARE THIS: If you give a person a book, you give him the world. ~Kristin Harmel #TheParisDaughter #BannedBooksWeek #DebbieLaskeysBlog

DID YOU KNOW?

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Saturday, October 3, 2026

Best Social Media Post of the Month of September 2026

Check out these fun facts about Post-it Notes:

SHARE THIS: Brands that align their products or services with trending news have the potential to be memorable. ~@DebbieLaskeyMBA #SocialMediaMarketingStrategy #BrandExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Let's Celebrate National Fire Pup Day!

Here are some fun facts about Dalmatians:

SHARE THIS: No animal I know of can consistently be more of a friend and companion than a dog. ~Stanley Leinwall #NationalFirePupDay #DebbieLaskeysBlog