This article describes another string that connects- expectations. We see what we expect to see. Only this time, research shows that those who choose to see the brighter side more often than not end up with the brighter outcomes. Did you expect something different?
Read MoreToday I take this moment to acclaim the week in our year that should not be known for its length, but rather for its balance.
Read MoreIn the gospel of Fred Rogers, children are our superiors in the way they trust each person they meet, the way they lack guile, the way a child can admit simple vulnerability.
Read MoreA lot of people I know are sick of hearing me say, “I hate attending investment pitches”. Those same lot of people will also hear me say, “I don’t watch Shark Tank. It makes me nervous.” While I appreciate the entertainment value of good pitches and also the fact that this seems to be the most accepted way for Founders to present their story to investors, pitches have become “the deal”. No. The DEAL is “the deal.” Can we just skip to that?
So with this surly attitude I sat down one day to hear Brittany Hill’s pitch her start-up SaaS platform, Catalist (www.gocatalist.com), which helps connect “companies with causes.” Within five minutes, I realized I was looking at something which could be truly transformational. Catalist uses the latest technology to bring nonprofit fundraising into a more modern era, and at the same time, employs the latest algorithms and data analytics to help corporations’ CSR (“corporate social responsibility’, i.e. their charitable giving programs) measure the impact of their efforts and also find new non profits which more closely aligned with their branding, customer base and mission.
I liked it so much I invested! However, my greatest hope is that Catalist will help great causes raise more money to have more far-reaching impact.
Read MoreWhen I discovered this list from Australian sociologist William D. Rifkin some 30 years ago, it blew my mind, because it had never occurred to me that many so-called “experts” are either self-designated or are crowd-designated by virtue of a ritualistic presentation of one’s self, and one’s material. This does not imply that there are no actual experts in the world, but rather that we should be a bit more discerning about the real ones and the poseurs.
What does it take to be regarded as the voice of authority? Here are twenty-five tips to gain “expert status”, to be recognized as an expert or perhaps just to be able to recognize when somebody is trying to make you think they are an expert.
Read More“All great restaurants are manifestations of their place and time,” said Buley. He continued, “What purer manifestation of place than heirloom grains that only grew here?”
Read More“Most of us are lucky to see Paris once in a lifetime. Please, make the most of it by doing as little as possible. Walk a little. Get lost a bit. Eat. Catch a breakfast buzz. Have a nap. Try and have sex if you can, just not with a mime. Eat again. Lounge around drinking coffee. Maybe read a book. Drink some wine. Eat. Repeat.” -Bourdain
Read More"Texas politicians' position should be to improve and prolong Nafta, but they seem to be trying to show party solidarity, and are not speaking up." -Ray Brimble, in a recent article by BBC news
Read MoreI love Toms Shoes LLC. I thought their original business plan was enlightened and impactful. The person(s) in charge of their giving program around the world, Jessica Shortall, is one of my favorite people in the world. Toms has been upheld as the best example of dynamic social impact investments. So what the hell happened? This article takes a look and may serve as a warning to all of us commercial/social impact do-gooders, as well as those of us who like to invest in proven social impact businesses.
Read MoreWhile most express carriers utilize containers on the maindeck of widebody freighters, the use of containers on smaller, turboprop aircraft, and in the bellyhold of narrowbody aircraft was a popular topic at Cargo Facts Asia.
Read MoreFor a company to grow, it first must understand the components that actually drive the growth of its value.
Once a KPI target has been set, dive into the characteristics of the users to understand the perfect client profile.
To sustain growth, measure the actions that correspond to user retention and focus on them going forward.
Read More“Global trade skills deficit”, reads the headline!
What a disconnect between reality and the sordid political discussions on the subject of world trade. Global trade seems to be the “bad guy” these days, even though it has brought tremendous prosperity to way more Americans than those who have unfortunately had their jobs shipped to China (and for sure, that has happened too).
Here is the fact, and the deal. If you are a student and want an interesting and well paying job, think about studying international trade.
Read More“It feels a bit like a gold rush now. Everybody feels a need to have a massive perishables facility, but it’s not a panacea. This is not for everybody,” Ray cautions.
Read MoreEveryone can use a little ZEN in their life, right?
Read MoreOne of the most important, and accurate pieces of advice anyone every told me was, “90% of success is showing up, and suiting up”. When I first heard this 30 years ago, I smirked and replied, “Wait! You mean all I have to do is bless any person or occasion with my own presence, and whatever I want to happen, will happen?”
Read MoreSXSW never fails to put on a show for the ages. Who knew science, technology, cutting-edge social issues, and the like could be so much fun? These tech dudes and dudettes are really party animals, and it appears they have the money to make it happen in an increasingly flashy and outrageous way every year.
Read MoreOver the past 25 years, I have always looked forward to driving past that quintessential Austin TexMex restaurant on 5th St, El Arroyo ( English translation: “ the Ditch”). Every day there’s a different saying on the marquee sign out front.
Read MoreOn March 2, 2018, I was pleased to participate in the Dedication Ceremony of the new U.S. Coast Guard West Gulf Sector Regional HQ Building and Air Station.
Read MoreIn my remarks delivered to the Airport Council International Cargo Conference last week, I mentioned that airport cargo facilities would have to prepare for an "Uberization" experience; meaning that both the number of shipments and the velocity of transit of those shipments through airports would be increasing dramatically. This DHL white paper explains part of the reason why: cross border (i.e. "international") commerce, which has been set up as good, old-fashioned business-to-business(B2B) transactions, will begin to look more like business-to-consumer (B2C) transactions. Just like airport passenger pick up locations were not designed, and did not accomodate the massive increase in consumer use of Uber/Lyft , airport cargo facilities are not prepared for a similiar shift in the way product flows through them, out to the world, and to we , the consumer.
Read MoreTo be clear, I’m not talking about “simplified” agreements with fewer words, better headings, and cleaner fonts. I’m talking about a contract that a high schooler could understand with zero context or explanation. As Robert Eagleson, a scholar on the topic, has put it: Plain language “lets the message come through with the greatest of ease.”
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