My Why: A Summer Reflection on Family, Business and Doing What I Love
By Ari Goldblatt, Owner & Founder, Boomer Productions
There’s something about the middle of August that always makes me a little reflective.
Maybe it’s knowing that summer is beginning to wind down. Maybe it’s having the family together before school starts and business kicks back into full stride after Labor Day. Or maybe it’s simply the warm weather, long days and opportunity to slow things down just enough to appreciate where you are.
Whatever the reason, this time of year always gets me thinking about what matters most—and why I do what I do.
For me, the answer really comes down to two things: my family and the opportunity to do work that I genuinely love.
Summer Has Always Been About Family
The Goldblatts have always made summer family time. Over the years, that has meant trips to the Jersey Shore, Fire Island, a lake house in the Poconos and Lake George. The location may change, but the tradition remains the same: getting away, spending time together and enjoying summer.
This year, my wife Alison and I did something a little different and visited Charleston, South Carolina, for the first time.
What a city.
We stayed at The Mills House and spent several days experiencing Charleston’s incredible history, food and culture. We took a walking tour and learned about the city’s colonial past, its prominent role during the American Revolution and, of course, Charleston Harbor’s place at the beginning of the Civil War.
A harbor tour brought us up close to Fort Sumter and the USS Yorktown. We also visited Magnolia Plantation, where we learned more about the complicated history of slavery in America and, particularly, the daily lives and experiences of the people who were enslaved there.
And then there was the food.
We had some amazing meals at places like 167 Raw, Fleet Landing, Leon’s and Magnolias, and enjoyed some live music at Henry’s.
We also happened to be there for National Oyster Day—which worked out very well for me. I developed a real appreciation for those salty, delicious South Carolina oysters.
Charleston definitely earned a return visit. If you’re planning a trip, let me know. I’d be happy to share some recommendations.
Doing Work That Keeps Me Energized
Getting away also gave me a chance to think about how fortunate I am to come back to work that I enjoy.
Through Boomer Productions, I get to work alongside small business owners who care deeply about what they do. My role is to help them step outside the day-to-day demands of running their businesses and think strategically about where they want to go.
That starts with understanding their brand: What makes them different? Who are their real competitors? Who are the customers they most want to reach? Why should those customers choose them?
Those questions have always fascinated me. There’s no one-size-fits-all marketing formula. Every business has its own story, challenges, customers and opportunities. Finding those opportunities and turning them into a practical marketing strategy is what keeps the work interesting for me.
And this summer has provided plenty of examples.
I’ve enjoyed working with Total Physical Therapy on events and new programs that bring them even closer to the communities they serve. I’ve continued helping Anna Beigelman connect with clients and help people realize their own American Dream of home ownership. With Groner Service, we’ve been finding new ways to reach homeowners who need help staying comfortable through the Long Island summer. We’ve explored new social media ideas and trending themes, and more recently, I’ve enjoyed working with Loyalty Fitness to communicate its unique approach to strength training and longevity.
They’re very different businesses, which is exactly what makes my job so rewarding.
Their goals become my goals.
When one of my clients grows, launches something new, gets a great response from customers or reaches a milestone we’ve been working toward, I get a genuine sense of satisfaction from it.
Staying Connected to My Community
One of the other highlights of this summer was helping lead the first annual Member Summer BBQ for the Syosset Woodbury Jericho Chamber of Commerce.
We had a great turnout for the first year, and it was rewarding to see local business owners and managers simply enjoying each other’s company on a beautiful summer evening at Syosset-Woodbury Community Park.
I’ve served on the Chamber board for several years, but creating something new for this group was particularly meaningful.
Syosset will always be close to my heart because it’s where I grew up. There’s something special about being able to contribute to the business community in the same town that helped shape who I am.
Once a Syosset Brave, always a Brave.
Keeping That Endless Summer Spirit
Of course, it wouldn’t be summer without getting my fair share of waves at TOBAY Beach.
There was some great music this summer too. Alison and I had a chance to see John Mellencamp perform at Jones Beach, and more recently, I caught an intimate Donovan Frankenreiter show at the People’s Pub in Bayport. Donovan is a surf icon and an even better musician. A special thank you to my friend and oyster farmer Keenan Boyle—the TallMuthaShucker—for helping make that experience happen.
We’ve also enjoyed dinners at the Point Lookout Clam Bar, one of my favorite summer spots. Fresh seafood, a sunset over the bay and their house rum punch can make you feel like you’re a lot farther from Long Island than you actually are.
And fortunately, summer isn’t over yet.
We still have some time with my daughter Abigail before she heads back to Penn State. And once she does, college football season begins, so there is at least something to soften the blow.
I’ve always had a bit of an “endless summer” outlook on life. Ironically, I was born on the winter solstice—the shortest day of the year—but maybe that’s why I’ve always been drawn to keeping that summer energy going: staying active, curious, optimistic and moving forward.
Finding Your Why
As I reflect on this summer, I keep coming back to gratitude.
I’m grateful for my family. I’m grateful for the experiences we get to share. And I’m grateful that after all these years in marketing, I still wake up excited about ideas.
I get to work with an amazing group of business owners who provide great products and services to the communities they care about. Every day presents another problem to solve, another idea to explore and another opportunity to create something that helps a client move forward.
That sense of creativity and purpose continues to renew me.
My family is my why. My enjoyment of what I do is my why. And helping good people build stronger businesses is a big part of my why.
Soon enough, Labor Day will arrive. The kids will be back at school, calendars will fill up again, meetings will multiply and everyone will settle back into their routines.
But not quite yet.
For now, enjoy the summer breeze. Get outside. Spend some time with the people you love. Have a great meal. Catch a sunset. Maybe even find a few waves.
And take a moment to appreciate whatever your own “why” happens to be.
There are still a few rays of summer sun left. Make sure you take them in.
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