Elevate Next

09/03/2026

This month's Elevated News is here! Inside this issue:

✔️ Beyond Compliance: Get Credit for Telling Your Story —> a lobster 🦞 fishery lesson in regulation, resilience, and public relations

✔️ Two new website projects: a launch and a design refresh

✔️ Partner highlights and success stories

✔️ A curated list of events to celebrate Labor Day, art, and more in September

Read the latest issue → https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/1702500/emails/196074956436538972

09/01/2026

Thank you, Emerald Coast Public Relations Organization, ECPRO, for the feature! Looking forward to attending the next Lunch & Learn on Sept. 8!

🌟 Member Spotlight: Christie Solomon

Meet Christie Solomon, Founder and Principal of Elevate Next and a valued member of ECPRO!

💬 What’s your favorite part of working in PR, marketing, or communications? “My favorite part of the job is helping a client realize they’ve had a great brand story all along. I never clock in to the same job twice. One day I’m writing a press release or designing a website, and the next I’m untangling a brand identity crisis. PR keeps the adventure alive in the workday!”

🛠️ Go-to tools: Canva and Adobe for visual projects, Claude and Gemini for brainstorming and research, Squarespace for web design, and Publer for social scheduling.

💡 Best professional advice: “Think before you speak. Give yourself time to really process what the other party has said rather than reacting quickly. You have a better chance of ending a conversation on more favorable terms.”

We love getting to know the professionals who make up our ECPRO community and the experience, perspective, and creativity they bring to the Emerald Coast!

08/11/2026

"Facts inform. Stories transform."

Takeaways from today's ECPRO Lunch & Learn on strategic storytelling with Bobby Parker:

✔️ Your organization isn't the hero — the people you serve are
✔️ Every good story needs real conflict, not just a happy ending
✔️ One clear call-to-action beats five vague ones
✔️ The story doesn't stop when the campaign does — keep your audience engaged with updates and outcomes

We always leave these sessions with something to apply right away. Thanks, Emerald Coast Public Relations Organization, ECPRO, for another great meeting!

If you are a professional on the Emerald Coast, consider becoming a member of ECPRO 👉 https://www.ecpro.org/membership?utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Elevate+Next&utm_campaign=publer

08/07/2026

In July, our group, composed of various nationalities, cheered for the same team in the 2026 World Cup finale during problematic streaming from a sailboat in Sweden. ⛵⚽

In the latest issue of ELEVATED NEWS, Spain's win provides a blueprint for small business team success.

Also inside: our interview with Conexion MEDIA GROUP on marketing in a tight economy, community news from Frame Gallery Gifts & Art, Dog-Harmony, JC's Gourmet, Robin's Bikes & Fitness, Renee Broxson Fine Art, and more—plus the Dental Associate Edge’s latest podcast episode and Emerald Coast Public Relations Foundation’s historic three-scholarship milestone.

Read the full issue: https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/1702500/emails/193138445241026537

08/05/2026

Spain's World Cup win teaches small business owners a critical lesson: collective intelligence beats individual brilliance. 🏆⚽

Your best performer alone can't carry the team. A system built around diverse strengths, aligned strategy, and shared values produces tangible results.

According to Gallup, engaged teams earn 23% more profit. Engaged teams also earn customer loyalty.

The role of small business owners and managers isn't to find one more star; it's to build an engaged team culture that makes the collective better.

👉 Read our latest article at the link in bio to learn more: https://www.elevate-next.com/blog/small-business-lessons-from-spains-world-cup-win

07/29/2026

Elevate Next founder Christie Solomon sat down with David Triana and Kismeth Melendez on Conexion MEDIA GROUP's "Making Connections" show to discuss marketing strategies during a tough economy, business resilience, and the impact of AI on local business owners.

Her advice on rising costs: don't go quiet. Explain the increase, and tell customers when it might ease. "Silence is the most expensive choice."

Watch the full interview on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9Spu0iz6PY&utm_source=fb_page&utm_medium=Elevate+Next&utm_campaign=publer

07/04/2026

Wishing everyone, noise-sensitive pets included, a safe and happy Fourth of July weekend. 🐾💙

From Panhandle Animal Welfare Society: Fireworks may be fun for us, but they can be frightening for our pets.

Every year, shelters across the country see an increase in lost pets after fireworks celebrations. A few simple precautions can help keep your furry family members safe and secure this Fourth of July.

❤️ Keep pets indoors before the fireworks begin.
💙 Create a quiet, comfortable space where they can relax.
❤️ Offer treats, toys, or a stuffed Kong to help keep them occupied.
💙 Walk your dog earlier in the day before the festivities start.
❤️ Make sure your pet is wearing a collar with current ID tags and that their microchip information is up to date.

A little planning today can prevent heartbreak tomorrow. Let’s work together to keep every pet safe at home this Independence Day. 🇺🇸🐾

07/02/2026

Come what may, next station: hope. 🚋

The July issue of ELEVATED NEWS is here: Manu Chao's case for hope, America's 250th on the Emerald Coast, and the five monsters haunting workplace retention (Gallup says 42% of voluntary departures were preventable).

Plus: Two art gallery exhibits on the Emerald Coast with Renee Broxson Fine Art and South Cumberland Plateau at Frame Gallery Gifts & Art this month; JC's Gourmet's new French bistro-style egg salad; Dog-Harmony therapy dog Chloe in action; and an events guide covering Pensacola to 30A to celebrate this holiday weekend.

Read the full issue: https://preview.mailerlite.io/preview/1702500/emails/189400307078268876

06/24/2026

The United States turns 250 this July 4th, and the Emerald Coast is celebrating in a big way. 🎆

From the Grayton Beach parade at sunrise to fireworks over the Gulf, bayou, the harbor, and the Sound — we've put together your curated guide to the best Independence Day weekend events from Destin to Pensacola, July 1–4, 2026.

We're still adding events, so bookmark the page and check back.

👉 https://www.elevate-next.com/events/independence-day-weekend-2026-on-the-emerald-coast

From all of us at Elevate Next — happy 250 years of independence to the United States. 🇺🇸

06/19/2026

"The historical legacy of Juneteenth shows the value of never giving up hope in uncertain times."

— The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture

Juneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery on June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived with troops in Galveston, Texas, to announce the end of slavery, finally freeing more than 250,000 enslaved Black people.

Established in 2021, Juneteenth became the nation's second Independence Day and 11th federally recognized holiday. This year marks the 161st anniversary of Black freedom from slavery, a pivotal turning point in U.S. history.

To celebrate independence with the Emerald Coast community, there are two fantastic festivals free to the public happening this weekend:

💛 Gallery Night Pensacola's Journey to Juneteenth
📅 This evening (Friday, June 19) | 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
📍 Downtown Pensacola (featuring local culture, live art, and music)

💛 City of Fort Walton Beach's Juneteenth Celebration
📅 Tomorrow (Saturday, June 20) | 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
📍 The Fort Walton Beach Landing (featuring live entertainment, music, food, and dance)

You can find full details for both of these community celebrations—plus everything else coming up this summer—on our Elevated Experience calendar.

🔗 View the full calendar: www.elevate-next.com/events

Happy Juneteenth! 🖤 ❤️ 💛 💚