Happy Sunday! Syndicate Weekly Newsletter.

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Happy Sunday Success Syndicate Family. I hope you all had a fantastic week and are ready to have an even better one ahead. I am ready with all the ingredients for my famous Superbowl Guacamole, one of the few sportsball days I celebrate. Here's this week's topics that are on my hot list.....

This week we have TWO Coffee Chats. On Monday, is our ALL MEMBER 2nd Monday Coffee Chat ,and on Thursday is our PREMIUM/VIP Coffee Chat. Both at at 10am US Eastern Time Zone. I hope you have a chance to pop in on one, if your busy schedules allow. We will be discussing how to help make the Syndicate better to match YOUR goals for being here and what you would like to see posted.

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Our Guest Interview this week is with Business Coach, Matt Gerlach. Matt left the 7 figure marketing company he founded, after experiencing health issues, stress and burnout. He now has re-focused his life and goals and is helping other high-performing CEO's and Entrepreneurs, bring balance to their work and life. We also talked about his fantastic concept of "Friday Brunch," where he brings togethers up to 10 others for just conversation about life. An idea, I am hoping to bring to my area here in NE Ohio soon.

You can watch our interview or read the transcript below and check out his work on his website at www.mattgerlach.com

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We had a great Coffee Chat this past week, where we talked about ways to help members grow in their businesses and relationships here at the Success Syndicate, and what we can do to facilitate that. We have lost a little bit of our momentum we had in the first month, and we are officially in Month 2, and want to keep growing and adapting to the needs of our community. YOUR participation will help with that. I know we are all busy, but try to take 5 minutes every other day or so to catch up here in the Syndicate, read about what's going on with members, make a connection with a new member or friend, and let us know what we can do as a group to help you.

We are hoping to get you all to start generating more content in YOUR areas of expertise. Want to have a video class for the group on a topic you love to share or what works in your field? Let me know and I will facilitate and record and then we can invite members to your class, record it, then upload it for the rest of the members that were not able to participate. What else would you like to see? Less Daily Posts? More Classes? More Fun? More Referrals? Drop me a DM and let me know your thoughts.

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Merchandise Store Update: Thanks for some great feedback on where we can put our Success Syndicate Merchandise at. I will be putting together the store soon.

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In The News....

US:

Entrepreneurship Boom: LGBTQ+ founders now reach parity with their share of the general population, often driven by a desire for autonomy and to avoid workplace discrimination.
Washington state launched an LGBTQ Business Enterprise program (2025) to help LGBTQ-owned businesses access government contracts.
Corporate DEI Shifts: Despite 534 companies earning a perfect 100 on the 2026 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), there has been a significant 65% drop in Fortune 500 companies publicly submitting data for the ranking compared to 2025.

UK:

Consortium's 2026–30 Strategy: The Consortium launched a new five-year strategic plan, "Strengthening the Foundations Towards Brighter LGBT+ Futures," focusing on navigating a "hostile environment" for charities, as reported in February 2026.
LGBT+ History Month 2026: The annual event (February) is focused on "Science and Innovation," highlighting the contribution of LGBTQ+ figures in STEM and the need for inclusive workplaces in these sectors.
Workplace Data (2025/2026): Data released in late 2025/early 2026 shows that 39% of LGBTQ+ staff in the UK feel they must conceal their identity at work, highlighting a continued need for inclusive corporate policies.

AU:

Sydney Mardi Gras Party Cancelled: The official $2 million, 10,000-capacity Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras party was cancelled for 2026, with organizers citing "significant financial loss" and a deficit trend since 2020.
Business Trends: Expert analysis for 2026 highlights a shift towards supporting local queer businesses and authentic, community-focused engagement, with a move away from performative marketing.

Mexico:

Business Focus on DEI: Reports suggest that Mexican businesses are increasingly viewing LGBTQ+ inclusion as a competitive advantage that drives innovation and productivity, rather than just an ethical requirement.
Safety and Tourism in Puerto Vallarta: Puerto Vallarta remains a premier, safe destination for LGBTQ+ travel, with increased police presence in tourist zones for 2026 to support the hospitality sector.

Kenya:

Financial Empowerment for LGBTQ+ Persons (January 2026): Pema Kenya, a leading LGBTQ+ rights organization, announced it will launch targeted financial literacy training to strengthen the economic resilience of queer persons in Mombasa County. This initiative aims to bridge systemic gaps between sexual minority communities and the broader economic sphere

Anti-LGBTQ+ Laws Costing Billions (April 2025 – Early 2026): A 2025 report by Open for Business found that anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination has already cost Kenya, along with Uganda and Tanzania, billions of dollars. The coalition, which includes major corporations like Google, Microsoft, and Standard Chartered, warns that proposed stricter anti-gay laws could cost Kenya an additional $2.7 billion to $7.8 billion annually in lost foreign investment, tourism, and World Bank funding.

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Happy Valentines Day! Here's a post from my "February Love Series" of my "Daily Drip" LinkedIn posts:

Valentine’s gifts in the LGBTQ community fall into three categories:

Thoughtful.... Unhinged.... Or aggressively practical.

You’ve got the romantics buying handwritten cards, flowers, and something that says I saw this and thought of you.

You’ve got the chaos gremlins gifting novelty mugs, inside jokes, and items that require a backstory and possibly a PowerPoint.

And then there are the realists, who show love with groceries, phone chargers, gas money, and a shared streaming password.

Nothing says “I love you” like:

A gift that arrives early because you got excited

A gift that’s technically for both of you

Or a gift that says, “I didn’t know what to get, so I got snacks.”

In queer relationships, Valentine’s Day isn’t about price tags. It’s about knowing your person. It’s about understanding whether they want romance, humor, usefulness, or all three in one very specific item.

The real test isn’t what you give.

It’s whether your gift makes them laugh, feel seen, or say, “Wow… this is so us.”

And if your Valentine gift to ME is coffee, a cozy night in, and absolutely no expectations?... Congratulations. You understood the assignment. (I know, how am I single??)

My Love language: snacks.

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That's a wrap for this week's Newsletter. Cya in the Syndicate...

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