Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute

A third generation CEO of a family company enjoys certain advantages, but also faces certain challenges. Kristi Tacony Humes learned this first hand when she became CEO of Tacony Corporation. 

In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Kristi shares her learnings, some advice for CEOs in a similar situation, and some good stories! Above all else, she has learned that it is critical to keep asking questions and to fix things…before they are broken!
 
Listen and learn more about the advantages and the challenges of being the leader of a family business.

Dr. David Bradford’s most recent book is entitled Connect: Building Exceptional Relationships with Family, Friends, and Colleagues. The book explains how honesty can, when approached with care and respect, serve to deepen and strengthen relationships rather than strain them.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Dr. David Bradford shares the model that he has created to help us understand how to be honest without hurting one another’s feelings and damaging relationships. He calls it “The Net.” 
 
Listen and learn about The Net and the ways in which it can help you build stronger relationships in every area of your life.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Arturo shares the story of the birth and growth of Clase Azul, the many initiatives they sponsor in their communities, and his thinking about and understanding of the luxury industry.
 
Listen and be inspired to be ambitious and to be a force for good in your own community.

Bryan Papé founded MiiR after surviving a life-threatening ski accident. He was determined to build and scale a company that was grounded in generosity and innovation, and he wanted to do it without private equity or venture capital. Despite being repeatedly told it couldn’t be done, Bryan made it happen. In this podcast, Bryan shares the story of the creation of MiiR as well as the purpose and beliefs that keep driving him and his team as MiiR grows and thrives.

David Holmes, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Character Collaborative, believes that character is destiny. His organization works to elevate the role of character in college admissions. According to study after study, character, rather than a test score, is the strongest predictor of long-term success in college and in life.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, David argues that we need to prioritize instilling character in our children and that we should value it greatly in our businesses as well. Our world has become fractured and divided, and only through a focus on character can we find our way back to a civil and thriving society.

Listen and be inspired to consider character, in your life and in your work.

In this talk from Tugboat Institute® Summit 2021, Susie describes how her experience as an educator is reflected in her commitment to creating culture, striving for effective collaboration, and making the most of every “teachable moment” to improve the company and train her team. 
Listen and be inspired by this unique and very Evergreen® lens on leadership.

Listen to Lester’s podcast from Tugboat Institute® Summit 2021 and learn more about this initiative and about Forest Gardens.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, David Eichhorn, CEO of NISA Investment Advisors, examines the Paradox of Growth in business. As successful businesses mature, they grow, but at a certain point, the growth leads to a size which breeds complexity, which can then kill growth. How can a CEO or Founder break this cycle?

David has spent considerable time and energy examining this paradox as it relates to his Evergreen® company. As a leader, he has found success in resolving it by implementing the Bain Micro-battle System®. He has managed to meet his goals for growth and reap the benefits of size without being derailed by growth-inflicted pain points that emerge as the organization becomes more complex.

Listen and learn how to make the size of your business an asset in innovation—not an anchor.

In this humorous Tugboat Institute® talk, Steve shares his experience and his advice around stepping into a CEO transition with grace, with hope, and with a solid plan. He identifies the key factors that will ensure it is as smooth as possible. As he plans to hand over the reins of Michelman, he feels that he has set the stage for a successful transition and is excited for his next chapter.
 
Listen and be inspired to make a succession plan for your Evergreen® company.

What are the key characteristics and practices of companies that share space on the touted “best to work for” lists? How do you craft a culture to support and develop your team, sustain your company’s growth, and make a difference in your community? How does a thriving business support inclusivity today?  In this talk from Tugboat Institute® Summit 2021, Dave Petersen, President and CEO of O.C. Tanner, shares his insight into these key questions. As the Evergreen® leader of a company dedicated to creating employee recognition and reward solutions that help cultures thrive, which is itself repeatedly recognized as a Best Company to Work For®, Dave has unique insight into this topic. This presentation offers valuable wisdom around culture and challenges to today’s leaders as they consider how their companies can create a positive and lasting impact for their employees and the communities they serve.

Listen and be inspired to foster a positive culture in your Evergreen company.

In 2005, Conni Reed left a 16-year corporate career to launch her company, Consuela. In the wake of what she describes as “an early mid-life crisis,” Conni felt called to live an authentic, meaningful life and build a business that would make a difference in the lives of women and Mexican artisans. In the years since, she has poured her passion and creativity into Consuela, a handbag and accessories company based in Texas that vibrantly reflects the joy and beauty–her “magic”– she wants to contribute to the world.

 In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Conni shares her story of personal and professional Perseverance – a journey that led to her current success and her ongoing mission to support and celebrate women who impact the world in positive ways.

 Listen and be inspired by this Evergreen® story of Purpose and passion.

Strong Roots & Strong Branches—The Power Of Diversification

Michael Spraggins, CEO of Spraggins, Inc., is a great admirer of the Southern Live Oak tree. According to Michael, the roots of the Southern Live Oak are wide and deep, and when you prune its branches the tree gets stronger. For Michael this tree is the ideal metaphor for his Florida based construction supply business.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Michael shares how he built a diversified, global company through the hard-earned life lessons that only failure can produce. Over time and by strategically “pruning” his vision of expansion, Michael grew a thriving family owned company that allowed him to nurture some other branches in his life—being a dad to his daughters and a developing the nonprofit African healthcare organization, LifeNet International.

Listen and be inspired by this Evergreen® story of professional and personal growth.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast episode you meet F.K. Day—a Chicago businessman, entrepreneur and humanitarian. In 1987, with a passion for biking and innovation, F.K. and his brother Stan founded SRAM, a bicycle component supplier.

That was only the beginning for FK.

Moved by the 2004 tsunami disaster in Indonesia, F.K. was inspired to do more than send a check. Using Pragmatic Innovation, he took what he knew about high-end bikes and created an efficient, scalable model for producing low-cost, rugged bikes. The end result is World Bicycle Relief, a nonprofit that provides bicycles to students, health-care workers and families in Africa, South America and Southeast Asia.

Be an Evergreen® leader. Do something radical to make the world a better place.

Understanding Gen Z—The New Workforce Generation

Generation Z are popularly characterized as coddled, irresponsible, addicted to tech, naïve, narcissistic and unprepared for adulthood. They also ARE and WILL BE entering the workforce for the next decade.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Roberta Katz, Senior Research Scholar at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences (CASBS) at Stanford University, deconstructs some of the common stereotypes assigned to this misunderstood demographic. Utilizing findings from three years of research for her book, Gen Z, Explained, Roberta provides scientific insight into the social, cultural and historical determinants that have shaped this next wave of workers.

Listen and learn how to open up the lines of communication between the generations.

Great products are not enough.

With 24-7 access to the internet, customers expect and demand immediate engagement. Customer service is key to business success.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Brad Cleveland, one of the world’s foremost experts on customer management and a consultant to Fortune 500 companies, contends that quality customer care is the most powerful differentiator in business. Whether you are a mom-and-pop shop or a global enterprise, technology has leveled the playing field so that any size business can deliver five-star service to their customers when they need it the most.

Be an Evergreen® leader. Listen, learn and engage.

Hire for skills, not for degrees.

In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Steven C. Preston, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, shares how the nonprofit is providing leading edge workforce skills and career path mapping to individuals who lack the traditional educational degrees and certifications.

According to Steven, now is the time for business leaders to close the opportunity gap and consider talented employee candidates outside of their standard hiring practices. Fulfilling work can transform a life, a family and your company’s bottom line.

Be inspired to make a difference.

 “You are the only thing that can make your work unique,” says celebrated portrait photographer, John Keatley. John should know. He sees this truism every day in his work.

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, John tackles a tough topic—the importance of being authentic in order to do your best work. According to John, you need to know yourself and incorporate it into what you do. During this talk John shares how he made this breakthrough in his personal and professional life—the mistakes and the lessons learned that are relevant to anyone in any profession.

What if you told an entire 3rd grade class that a college degree was expected? What if you also told those same 3rd graders that they did not have to pay for that college education—meaning if they worked hard, graduated high school and got accepted to college, they would receive a college education for free. What would they do? And who could make that promise?

In this Tugboat Institute® podcast, Tom Rosztoczy, President and CEO of Stotz Equipment, shares how he and his wife established The College Promise program—transforming generations of students and their families. Listen and be inspired by the life-changing results.

This Tugboat Institute® podcast spotlights Stella Ma—entrepreneur, educator and CEO. With a vision to inspire children to learn about the world, Stella and her business partner, Amy Norman, launched Little Passports in 2009. Her passion to make travel accessible, geography fun and spark the imagination of children has created a thriving education subscription business and household brand name that continues to innovate. In her Tugboat Institute talk, Ma reveals the five strategies that allowed her company to remain private and profitable. Listen, learn and be inspired.

Pushing your sales territory outward is key for sustained business growth. But it’s not as easy as it sounds. Each market entry presents its own set of unique complexities. The decisions you make to navigate those challenges will determine your ROI in that territory.

In this podcast from Tugboat Institute®, Gary Kunkle, Senior Research Fellow at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Founder of Outlier LLC, discusses the common tactics that trip up companies considering expansion into new markets—sharing hard-earned insight based on his ongoing academic research and 38 years of hands-on experience in the international marketplace.

Be an Evergreen® leader. Consider entry into new markets—local or global—to spark business growth.