The Values-Based Business

A hand up for the job seekers!

April 8, 2018 in Business profiles, Success in business | Tags: Business goals, Community, Metrics, Partnership | Leave a comment

STU CRAIR FOUNDED Digital Workshop Center in 2006 with a simple idea: to help people build useful skills, not just get degrees.

This great business delivers technical education: web design, graphic design, business administration, and so on. Their much-needed content is supported by training that’s always live, which means more personal attention to students in the room.

What tweaked my interest recently was an announcement that they’ve developed a partnership with Homeless Gear to provide technical training – for free – to people in their Hand Up program.

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A time of spiritual renewal

April 1, 2018 in Christianity, Success in business | Tags: Caring, Christian values, Faith, Hope | Leave a comment

A JOYOUS EASTER to all my Christian friends!

This is the most important day of the year. Not only for religious reasons, but for becoming a new person.

We all need that renewal. We’re fallen.

My wish is that you will find spiritual strength in this Easter season. When you’re stronger, your business will be too.

But first, chocolate!

Feeding the community!

March 25, 2018 in Business profiles, Success in business | Tags: Community, Generosity, Non-profit, Volunteer | Leave a comment

GREAT FOOD IS EXPENSIVE these days, and can be totally out of reach for the struggling and homeless.

That’s why I was honored to speak with Mallory Andrews recently, the new executive director of FoCo Cafe here in our choice city.

You might have heard of the donation-based restaurant model. It’s a simple concept: eat what you want, and pay according to your ability and what you believe is fair.

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Are you “purpose-washing”?

March 18, 2018 in Success in business | Tags: employee, Millennials, Mission, Purpose, purpose-washing, Values | Leave a comment

RECENTLY I WAS READING an interview with Jay Gould, CEO of Interface Corp. He has wonderful experience leading a variety of companies, large and small.

He described a trend he’s noticed called “purpose-washing.” He uses it to describe companies that slap a message of purpose on their outreach to employees because they’ve heard that Millennials want that kind of thing.

That’s like declaring “New and Improved!!!!” because you want something to say on the box that looks exciting.

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It’s a lonely path

March 11, 2018 in Success in business | Tags: Change, Coaching, Decisions, Judgment | Leave a comment

RUNNING A BUSINESS can feel pretty isolated.

Even when you’re surrounded by employees, teams, partners, suppliers, contractors … it can feel like the weight of the whole world is on your shoulders. Because all of them seem to look to you for direction and answers.

And you don’t want to burden your loved ones with business concerns: it seems unfair.

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A great culture is the result

March 4, 2018 in Business profiles, Success in business | Tags: Culture, Goals, Leadership, Systems | Leave a comment

GREYSTONE TECHNOLOGY is a local Information Technology (IT) outsourcing firm. Currently with 85 employees, they’ve been growing at a rapid clip for over a decade.

I had a chance to sit down with Peter Melby recently, who owns the company along with Jesse Armstrong. They formed the business in 2001 with the idea that this would be a fun and motivating environment for employees.

Which is what they’ve built. But there’s so much more to the story.

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Are you designing the future?

February 25, 2018 in Success in business | Tags: Leadership, Long term, Values, Vision | Leave a comment

PEOPLE OFTEN COMPLAIN that companies only worry about the current quarter, or even the current week.

I don’t care if you’re a one-person business, or a billion dollar mega-corporation. You care that the business is going to survive. For years, decades, even forever.

As a leader, your role is to plan for that future, to lay the groundwork and structure for enduring success. So don’t complain about the shortsightedness of the stock market, or the regulators, or your boss. It doesn’t help.

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