Why should you tell your story?

By Brian Birch
SIMA, in conjunction with Caterpillar, Inc., just launched the 2013 Greatest Story Never Told contest. This will be the third year we offer the contest to the industry, and anyone who runs or helps to manage a professional snow organization should consider submitting their story.

The GSNT contest will award one winner a chance to be featured on the cover of Snow Business magazine. This in itself is a tremendous accomplishment, as it allows you to tell your story to your peers. It is intimidating, but if you are confident and proud of the organization you have built and the people you work with, then putting your story out there is a solid way to gain recognition in the industry and inspire others.

The reason we started this contest a few years ago was simple; we got many requests from folks to be on the cover, and we wanted to show all of you that in order to be featured, there must be a solid, tangible story behind you. We don’t just feature companies on the cover so they can use it as a marketing tool (although that is a nice bonus), we use it to give insight into how other people and companies have made it work in a challenging industry. Snow and ice management is full of great people doing good work, and we’d like to shout that to the rooftops.

If you have been challenged and grown from it as an individual, take a moment to share that insight. If you had a major crisis or event that put your team to the test, then share that story with us. If you have created a unique or innovative approach to managing snow and ice, then tell us how you did it. From there, your peers on the Editorial Committee will help determine the winner of the 2013 Greatest Story Never Told. 

Before March 15, 2013, take a few moments to write your story down and fill out the entry form at www.sima.org/mysnowstory. We hope to hear your story soon!

Brian Birch, CAE is the Assistant Executive Director for the Snow & Ice Management Association and can be reached at Brian@sima.org.