Mark Scott: Why your past can often provide answers to challenges you face today as a leader
Kathy Ireland likes to say that she’s “still the girl with the paper route” after so many years as both a swimsuit model and a hugely successful entrepreneur. Despite all the fame that has come her way and through the many decisions she has to make and responsibilities she carries on her shoulders, she still […]
Whistleblower protections are hitting private companies
Whistleblower protections have been extended to employees of many private companies.
Why the thrill of success keeps driving Nellie Akalp to seek new business opportunities
It was a hot day and Nellie Akalp was exhausted. So when she arrived home from working her $10-an-hour job to find her soon-to-be husband, Philip, sitting in the air conditioning playing games on his computer, she was more than a little upset. “I was in a three-piece suit, torn panty hose, makeup running in […]
Patrick Niemann will do whatever it takes to show his people at EY that he has their back
Patrick Niemann discovered the value of being able to work with others early in life. As the 10th of 11 children, he really didn’t have a choice. “I recognize that in a large group, you may not have unanimity,” says Niemann, managing partner of Greater Los Angeles for EY. “But you work things out, you […]
Jerry Azarkman: Customers are more than just the people who come to you for a product or service
Vendors, suppliers, service providers, sales executives — these are just a few of the people you deal with every day running your business, and you need to take the time to treat them well. One kind gesture could be enough to make a big difference for your company’s fortunes. These people have access to the […]
Ivan Misner: When you stop worrying about what you're not doing, you'll find your life gets a whole lot easier
Personal and professional balance seems to be the ever-elusive dream for just about anyone who wants a well-rounded life. Yet finding that balance seems almost impossible. I’m pleased to tell you, however, that I’ve found the secret to creating balance in life. Are you ready? Write this down, here it is: Fuggedaboutit! You’ll never find […]
Russ Reynolds led the way on a supply chain makeover at Batteries Plus Bulbs
Russ Reynolds likes numbers. So when he started as CEO at Batteries Plus Bulbs and realized that the company’s supply chain infrastructure needed a lot of work, his focus was not on the mechanics of effective logistics. “For me, sitting in a weekly meeting going through exactly how we’re going to integrate a warehouse would […]
Changes needed to be made at Bridgestone Retail – and Stu Crum didn't shy away from them
Stu Crum is used to being thrust into situations where he feels the pressure of everyone watching him. Before he began his career in business, Crum spent three years as a placekicker in both the now-defunct United States Football League and the NFL. “As a kicker in football, a closer in baseball or the person […]
Mark Scott: When you take the time to see what makes a person tick, you'll have much better luck making good hires
Rich Panico has high expectations for the people who come to work for him at Integrated Project Management Co. Inc. If you’ve made it through the interview process and been hired for a job, you’ve demonstrated to him that you have both the heart and the mind to thrive in his organization. And if you’ve […]
Recent legal challenges affect biotechnology patents
The U.S. Supreme Court’s Diamond v. Chakrabarty decision in 1980 opened the door for certain modified products of nature to be patented. A natural bacterium modified to digest different hydrocarbons in oil spills was found to be patentable. “This decision allowed the biotechnology industry to boom because it expanded the notion of what was patentable,” […]