1. Is this book is going to be preaching to the choir about addressing environmental and social issues? Will it be a studied treatment of the issues or a piece of propaganda?

2. It takes a bold author to first thank the Forward writer Darryl Vernon Poole for comparing him to Rachel Carson and Malcolm Gladwell. Then, proceed to compare himself to George Orwell. If he’s that good I need to read on.

This book is the latest update of a book called World Inc. (2007) which has received significant acclaim. And, as president and founder of the American Hazard Control Group, Dr. Piasecki has been consulting with major corporations on environmental corporate strategy since 1981. So his opinions are worth hearing, worth reading.

“Competition has created an industrial underbelly of pollution, climate change, resource depletion, new forms of economic imperialism, and regional wars over water, clean air, and trees,” says Dr.Piasecki.

He contends that today’s businesses must take responsibility for leading in the areas of social and environmental reform.

You can almost hear businesses asking, “What’s in it for us?” And Dr. Piasecki has an answer for them. He explains how responding to social needs will open markets, generate profits, and win investment capital. The examples he profiles in this book are from consulting he has provided to clients like Toyota, Suncor Energy and Hewlett-Packard.

Dr. Piasecki is very pro-capitalism. He just sees the need for capitalism to change, saying that traditional capitalism may be getting a bit senile. He believes that both corporations and individuals will need to adjust their bearing in a new terrain. Competing on price and quality alone are not sufficient anymore. Businesses, large and small, must also put social needs into the equation.

He talks about The S Frontier which he observes is already here. It includes the severity of market conditions, the swiftness of information, and social response to capitalism. And according to Dr. Piasecki, if companies don’t adjust, he predicts that the top 300 multinational companies will undergo tremendous change, and only a minority will be in business a few decades from now.

This is a surprising book because the radical changes Dr. Piasecki describes actually grow out of strong business fundamentals. It’s an uplifting book that defines the future of leadership. And the arrogance that seemed to jump out of the book before the first chapter may be justified based on the thinking the book advances.

Article By Paul J. Welsh

Interview was conducted by Jay Liebenguth

“Give me a country that is at war because the last President has been shot and I’ll figure out something to do to make money,” says Smith who is author of RICHES AMONG THE RUINS—Adventures in the Dark Corners of the Global Economy.

In this new book, Smith recounts his experiences risking not only his money, but his life, in war zones, dictatorships, and crime-ridden capitals in countries like El Salvador, Nigeria, Turkey, Russia and Iraq.

Smith sounds like he has a risky life, risking not only his investments but his life. But he doesn’t see it that way. He says he is risk adverse which he defines as always having an exit strategy for most of the bonds he invests in. He suggests that any time you invest in something that looks like it’s going bad, you should head to the exit. You’re better off taking a loss and living to fight another day.

For Smith that strategy has served him well except when it came to Russia. He rationalized that Russia was too big for the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to let fail. In turn, he invested $20 million in Russian Government Bonds. But then on August 17, 1998 Smith says, “Russia gave the middle finger to the financial world and I was at the top of the finger.”

That lesson taught him to never bet on something just because it seems “too big to fail.” He contends that nothing—no company, business or country—is immune to failure. As examples in the United States he cites General Motors, AIG, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The first thing Smith will do when arriving in Damacus will be to try to identify a local partner he can trust. To find that person who can provide him with local insights he talks with everyone including the cab driver on the ride from the airport. But he says you need to be careful because resumes are more fraudulent today.

The countries that Smith predicts will be the rising stars for investors are Brazil, China, India and Russia in that order. He suggests if you’re buying a mutual fund you should look to see if those countries are included.

You can follow Smith’s thinking at www.richesamongtheruins.com

Article By Paul J. Welsh

Interview Conducted By Jay Liebenguth

The residential realtor says to the commercial realtor, “When are you going let me sell you a house? “

The commercial Realtor says, “Not until you figure out how to sell mine.”

The general contractor shakes his head and says, “I couldn’t wait for 2008 to get over until I saw 2009.”

This is a true story from October of 2009 Chamber function. It’s not funny like those priest, rabbi and Baptist minister stories. No, there’s been little to laugh about in the real estate and construction industry for the past 18 months.

So why is general contractor Gerry Crawley upbeat? His company, ARC General Contracting, currently has 19 jobs in progress and he declared “The recession is over” on March 6 while his business was at a low point that paralleled most of the construction industry.

“When the whole world went off its axis, nobody knew what the fallout was,” Crawley said. “You get immobilized by fear. It makes you reactionary.”

What’s more, employees can smell fear and then they become immobilized according to Crawley. They worry about what is going to happen.

Soon, however, he realized during last year’s decline that he was not facing a business crisis but rather a crisis of faith. Even though ARC was listed as a Top 25 General Contractor in the Kansas City Business Journal he began to question how good they really were.

He surmises that the economy caused every entrepreneur to do that kind of soul searching and begin to understand that the ground rules have changed.

“You can bury your head in the sand or make a commitment to change,” Crawley says.

He cited Dan Lowe of RED Development as saying, “This is the time to make relationships.”

For Crawley, change began when he brought in a business coach named Caroline Smith. She helped Crawley examine who ARC was as a business which led to a one-page strategic business plan that he refers to regularly. This streamlined document made the company’s objectives more clear. He now shares the Plan and the company’s financial results at least quarterly with all of his employees. That diminishes fear and builds trust.

“You work to build trust,” Crawley said. “It’s hard to make a profit without it.”

“Once we decided not fail, things got better,” he said. “We kept people working and that’s something good.”

Crawley has a business philosophy that has become the company’s motto:  “Service Over Self-Interest.”

“Whatever we do, I’m simply a steward of the client’s money,” he says. “We’re just like a big ATM machine.”

Now that’s a funny line.  It’s easier to laugh when your company is stronger. Crawley has discovered that. And ARC is stronger.

Article By Paul J. Welsh

Interview was conducted by Jay Liebenguth

4:53 a.m. August 18, 2009

Have You Ever Been Struck By Lightning?   Have you ever experienced that “Mojo Moment” in your business?   Can you name the time and place?  Can you name the result, how it was handled, and whether you actually achieved anything based on that instant?

Most people describe this as the “aha,” but it’s much bigger than that.  It is a level of inspiration that is of biblical proportions, although others might describe it in more easily referenced sexual terms.  The “o” in mojo is a great description because once you’ve achieved it, you know it and there is no question.  And, there are those who can fake it, often fairly convincingly.  Unfortunately, I don’t think very many business leaders or even very many businesses have ever experienced that moment or the feeling and opportunity it can create.

I will tell you too, it’s like a lightning strike.  It is typically unexpected.  You often can’t plan for it.  Most people spend their lives trying to avoid it. You don’t know when or where it will strike.  And, it’s over even before you know it.  However, the “mojo” instant of power can provide a positive jolt with cosmic effects, if you are able to harness the energy.  The most fun and funny part is that some people have the knack, and the “mojo moment” exponentially more often than others.  In addition, you can easily see the smile and the confidence it creates.

Can you survive as a business without one?  Sure.  Most do.  Can you thrive?  Likely not nearly as well as you would if you had that spark of creativity, the spark of vision, the one lightning strike where everything comes together in a magical way.

I recently read an SBA report on the fastest growing businesses in the U.S.  There were a number of key takeaways.  One of the most important is the entrepreneurial culture of the cities containing the most “fast” growing businesses.  The report was NOT about culture, yet if you know some of the higher ranking cities, you’ll see that a cultural open-mindedness is a key element in growth.  It’s also a requirement in achieving the spark that could change the life of your business.

The other interesting element is that there is no particular industry where high growth companies alone reside.  This means that everyone can achieve the “Mojo Moment” if they only would.

Clearly, having the spark and harnessing the energy created are two very different things.  Research would also bear out the fact that in many cases, there is little practical correlation between the skills required to achieve both.  That should not discourage you.

Stay tuned over the next few weeks and months as we highlight the companies, the leaders, and the business results of those who really have the juice.  They are not only taking delight in its energy, but also taking it to the bank.  This is about honoring those who are doing well, giving those who are trying visibility and a “chance,” and also sharing the journey with others so everyone can learn.  It’s a moment that should be celebrated, shared, and repeated early and often.

For more about great business, great vision, great leadership, profits, and the “Mojo Moment,” stay tuned, and let us know if you or someone you know has a story to tell.

David Rayl of Executive Suites and Services www.suitesandservices.com has been building businesses since the beginning of his career.  After a few years as a software developer renting space in someone else’s building, David decided to become a landlord.  He learned the lesson early, that being a landlord could become much more profitable than being a tenant.

We estimate that David is now the largest owner/ manager of business incubator space in Johnson County, Kansas.  And that is no small deal, Toto.

Johnson County is the suburban Kansas portion of the Kansas City metro area.  According to a 2008 study by the Corporate Research Board, Johnson County ranks among the top 25 U.S. suburban counties, based upon the percentage of “high impact” businesses within the ranks of local employers.   Johnson County includes towns such as Leawood, Overland Park, Lenexa, and Olathe to name a few.   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnson_County,_Kansas.

Johnson County is a great place to raise a family and a great place to work.  In fact, Forbes.com ranks Johnson County as the third best place in the U.S. to raise a family. (http://www.forbes.com/2008/06/27/schools-places-family-forbeslife-cz_zg_0630realestate.html)

And, obviously, parents need jobs to support their families. More than 29,000 businesses, ranging from start-ups to well-established companies like Black & Veatch, Quintiles, Fort Dodge Animal Health (now a part of Pfizer), Sprint, Freightquote, Euronet, and Garmin (the worldwide leader of GPS), call Johnson County home.

There are also great budding young companies in Johnson County; for an example, look at www.browniepops.com.  Marcia Penner Johnston, the inventor and owner is a renowned pastry chef, shipping her invention to sweet tooths everywhere.   Brownie Pops are available at the local Dean and Deluca in Leawood and in the William Sonoma catalog. They also make a great treat with a fine cup of Danny O’Neil’s coffee from www.TheRoasterie.com.   The Roasterie is a Kansas City based specialty coffee company selling its brand of brew through fine restaurants, coffee shops, and grocery stores.

Deer Creek Tower - Suites and Services

David Rayl’s offices are at College and Nall in Overland Park, Briar Drive and 136^th Street in Leawood, and in the new Deer Creek Tower Executive Center www.DeerCreekTower.com at Deer Creek Woods or 133^rd and Riley/69 Highway in Overland Park.

If you’ve out-grown your garage and are looking for some “uptown” digs, give David a call.