Capitalism for Good

Mistakes. We all make them. They almost always suck. We try not to, but they happen. The key is how we handle them. It’s tough to admit when we’ve made a mistake, but the impact on our reputation is difficult to outrun. The way we address mistakes tells our internal and external circles both about who we are as people and also what we expect from them. What I’m reading: Shoe Dog by Phil Knight tells the story about the idea conception and start of Nike. If you’re into stories about how companies got their start, the motivation behind the inception, and hurdles faced along the way, I highly recommend this book. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, but here’s where I’m putting my dollar: Shopping local is a great way to support your community. Today, I specifically shout out both Quills Coffee and Chik’n & Mi in Louisville, KY for being great local businesses that I’ve recently been to. Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts

Andrew Bolton is the CEO of Tech Rescue, LLC, a company offering 24/7 on demand tech support to its customers. He and his company pride themselves on providing personalized attention and support when people are frustrated and looking for help. A large part of the customer base is older adults who are using technology to both access basic things like healthcare as well as enjoying their favorite gaming hobby, so they operate with the basic belief that “every call is from somebody's most important person in their life…This is somebody's meemaw. This is somebody's pawpaw. This is somebody's father. Somebody's mother, somebody's sister, somebody's brother. I take that very seriously. So when there's a concern, you get a call from me.“Andrew Bolton is a real-world example of good business karma in practice. He followed through on providing a service better than the competition, focusing on the people and community, and then the money followed. If you or someone you know is looking for on-demand 24/7 tech support, I would highly recommend Tech Rescue (you can also contact them via phone at 855-250-8586). In the theme of Capitalism for Good, he also gave a shout out to supporting the local Goodwill and Red Cross chapters both in your area and in other areas impacted by natural disasters. Giving back to the community, especially those needing true help and support is so important. Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & TranscriptsListen to and watch the full extended interview on Patreon here.

Using one of my favorite analogies about choosing which bin to put your trash in might seem like you just have two choices in front of you - trash vs. recycling bin - but perhaps the world is less black & white and really you have many more options than just the two right in front of you. Further, maybe the truly the option with the most value to you in the long run is the one that takes a couple more moments to consider and a little more time and energy on the front end. What have I read: Atomic Habits by James Clear where he presents many examples of how the compound interest of just striving for 1% better regularly has an exponentially positive impact (and also what can happen when you don’t). Sometimes a decision about something seemingly small can have much larger impacts than they appear on the surface. I'm not telling you what to do, but here's where I'm putting my dollar: directly to the creator! Specifically, tipping the live music at the bar/restaurant, buying artwork from the artist at the market, following Andrew Hickey’s A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs on Patreon.Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.More information at: https://www.capitalism-for-good.com/Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more)

In the words of Kacey Musgraves, “I’m alright with a slow burn.” I moved at turbo speed for so much of my life figuratively and literally running as fast as I could. For many years of my late teens and early twenties, I lived with the goal of “never saying no to anything unless I could think of 3 good reasons to not do it.” Let me tell you, I lived a full life during that time. I also didn’t sleep much and thrived being fueled by caffeine, anxiety, and forward motion. I don’t regret a moment of it, but my goals and mantras have since evolved into finding ways to simplify, slow down, and to find enjoyment from saying no. What I learned was that there is so much value in not getting caught up in the whirlwind of life when it’s not necessary. There’s value in doing without manufactured stress and arbitrary deadlines that aren’t always necessary. Life’s stressful enough; why create more stress? What I found was by making small decisions and making small changes, I ended up saving myself money, time, and stress. I carried that over to my work life and learned to prioritize thoughtful analysis and strategic planning over just checking the box. It turns out that strategic planning can actually help check the boxes when it’s done right.What am I reading: The Joy of Missing Out by Tanya Dalton - The FOMO vs. JOMO comparison was a frequent topic at a recent trip to watch the Ohio Valley Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament Weekend in Evansville, IN - Go SIUE and Go Jayhawks! (really channeling my love for Ted Lasso here with Coach Barone being the real life Ted Lasso & the real life Jason Sudekis being a fellow big Kansas fan here) - in comparing introverts with extroverts and finding ways that we’re all different or similar. We’re all different and we all have different ways that we feel fulfilled. In the last decade, I’ve really leaned into the JOMO part of myself and it’s served me well. I'm not telling you what to do, but here's where I'm putting my dollar: I’m not. By that I mean that, I’m relatively frugal. I don’t often buy single use things or even things that don’t need purchasing. I’m talking about reusing glass jars and bottles as storage containers and vases. I’m talking using old towels and t-shirts with holes in them instead of paper towels. It’s probably been more than a decade since I’ve spent money on paper towels or napkins. If there’s not a real need or desire for it, generally I’m not buying it. Now, again. I’m not over the top. I try to keep my life pretty simple and 10-15 years later, I’m happy to report that while life can get stressful and can get to be a lot, I don’t feel it the way I used to. I credit that a lot to purposely simplifying as I’ve aged. It didn’t happen overnight. It happened slowly over more than a decade. I have a strong desire to not stress over things that don’t absolutely need to be stressed over because I’ve learned that there’s so much in life that is unexpected and deserves the stress. The last thing I want to do is manufacture more stress. Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts

Today, I do some back of the napkin math to examine the cost of turnover vs. investing into employees and when it might make sense to choose one over the other. We use the lens of different financial business models and how they may be guided by flashy buzzwords and arbitrary deadlines expedited by manufactured urgency. Ultimately, is chasing the flashy thing really worth it in the end or would a differently focused investment give way to longevity and stability fueling better results? How do you calculate the return on investment? What have I have been listening to: The Dollop (both a regular listen and attending live podcast recording shows) - It’s well researched, hilarious, entertaining, thought provoking, and I never fail to learn something new from it. The host, Dave Anthony, reads a true historical story to his friend, Garreth Reynolds. The relatability of the co-host reacting to the outrageous twists in turn at the same time the listener is reacting is genius. I'm not telling you what to do, but here's where I'm putting my dollar: RareformEarly and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts

Business Karma. This idea that if we choose the greater good or we choose to prioritize people when making business decisions, that it will often be a benefit back to us. It may take some time. It may be a delayed benefit, but sometimes that benefit might even come back multiplied. While the focus of the Capitalism for Good project is through the lens of discussions with business leaders, I would argue that we all, regardless of our positions or titles, have the opportunity to be leaders through our actions. No matter who we are working for. No matter what our field is. No matter if we aren’t even working for the company. We can all conduct ourselves as leaders in a given situation. You never know when that good business karma may come back around later. It could increase your return on investment many times over. There’s also a chance that it might not, but how much does it hurt to try?What have I read: Mantras/quotes/affirmations. Sometimes I just need to give myself a quick pep talk and having a handful of options at my fingertips to help keep me going forward is so valuable to me. One of my recent favorites is, “you have been here before and you can do it again.” What are your pep talks that you give yourself? I'm not telling you what to do, but here's where I'm putting my dollar: Trader Joe’s! Seriously, I’ve been to Trader Joe’s all over the United States and I’m so impressed that regardless of where I am geographically, the culture is still the same. There’s always a friendly and helpful team of staff with some reliably great produce and products. More times than not, I’m choosing a Trader Joe’s if that’s an option. Early and bonus shows as well as curated discussions and merch are available on Patreon.Instagram | BioSite (with links to listen & more) | Blog & Transcripts