Ghirardelli Associates’ Post

I'm looking forward to participating in this panel discussion in May! As a young professional who was empowered by experienced mentors who treated me as a valued peer, I am so appreciative of vision-focused leadership where the opportunity to learn from people with different perspectives, no matter what age or background, is embraced. Smart leaders live with a growth mindset and know there is always more to be learned. 

Do you have a no D!£%head policy? Turns out it’s good for business. Yesterday I had the privilege of listening to the Chair of the Welsh Rugby Union Richard Collier-Keywood talk eloquently about the important Welsh cultural asset he is now responsible for and the need for it to serve all stakeholders i.e. benefit society beyond the bottom line. In business it’s known as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) which emerged as a concept in the 1960s. Back then it was seen as an altruistic means of doing more with a business than just making money, but it was assumed it would involve sacrificing profit to achieve it. The growing evidence shows this is not the case. Being environmentally responsible, inclusive and serving of all stakeholders (customers, employees, investors, the environment and wider society) builds a strong brand, customer engagement, profit and also investment opportunities. The All Blacks have an NDH (No D!£%head) policy. They clean their own dressing rooms, carry their own bags and essentially show humility, accountability and a recognition of all the stakeholders in their organisation. For me, corporate social responsibility boils down to common sense, respect and humility. It’s good to see those leading our national game going forward aspire to the same ethos. And at a time of such high attrition in business in general, would it not be best to have a smart business model that ensures that everyone in the eco system is incentivised to see the venture succeed?  

Great to see WGU Labs' own Betheny Gross present our research on employment trends in rural northwest regions! According to Betheny, “Rural economies, once dominated by agriculture, are now more diverse, with talent working across health care, education services, retail, manufacturing, finance, and more. Our analysis shows that this evolution over the past 50 years has not only continued but may have taken interesting shifts as a result of the pandemic. As millions of workers shifted from offices to working from home, many observers suggested that this could be an economic boon for rural populations.” Find the full report here: https://lnkd.in/gr_x9KHk

For all the budding entrepreneurs, this can be a great opportunity to learn the fundamentals of innovation and entrepreneurship in the heart of Silicon Valley (Stanford's d.school). I was a participant of this program in 2019 (then, it was called the Silicon Valley Innovation Academy). And during this program, I decided to shut down my last startup, that I had been working on for more than a year. Multiple startup events, competitions (several of which we won), and accelerator programs couldn't teach me what I learnt here in 10 weeks. Things like, what really matters in a founding team, frameworks of innovation thinking and exposure to what is already possible in the world. On top of it, I have also gained some great friends, across different cultures, through this program. Apply for this program and feel free to connect with me if you have any questions. #innovation #entrepreneurship #technology #startup

A financial advisor isn’t the only person you should be contacting about investments. Contact your schools and universities. Our youth is the future. Invest in them too! Do you agree? #investment #youth #financialadvisor

If you are a parent of school-aged children, or a teacher/ school administrator, I encourage you to give this journal a try with the kids in the early hours of the day. There is a home and a school version available, and a sports/team version I believe is in the works. Read more about the author, Katie Woods, below, and about the amazing impact A Simple Seed journal is making through its implementation in many schools throughout the United States, and even overseas!

The 2024 Great Places in Florida Award nomination window is OPEN! This year's theme is Great Places Exemplifying Safe Mobility for All! Award criteria, guidelines, and nomination form is found here: https://lnkd.in/egCejEBK APA Florida Chapter Gold Coast Section Orlando Metro Section - APA Florida Sun Coast Section - APA Florida Heart of Florida Section - APA Florida APA Florida-Atlantic Coast Section Florida Chapter of the American Planning Association (APA Florida) #planning #transportationsafety

And you can read the story of how it all began at Wolf Academy

We had an excellent strategic planning session, where we identified four key pillars to focus on: business retention, expansion, attraction, and organizational strength. We're excited to continue this strategic planning journey and drive impactful growth together. #GrowSouthCoast, #StrategicPlanning, #SCDC, #BusinessGrowth, #OrganizationalStrength