It's Time for Curated Morning of June 20, 2024 (#144)
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The Main Thing: I have a daughter who is an entrepreneur and have been married to entrepreneurs. I have also counseled and advised hundreds of them. Entrepreneurs are at the heart of the American Dream. Americans love entrepreneurs and the excitement and verve they bring to our communities. So I decided to join them. This newsletter is part of my entrepreneurial strategy, as are the documents and tools I offer you, the reader. As I have thought about my entrepreneurial journey, I have developed some ideas about what it all means and how, with the right mindset and tools, entrepreneurs cannot just survive, but thrive and prosper. Read more here in this week's blog post. Weekly Focus on City-Country:Retirees Want Their Homes. This City Wants a Truck Stop. by Aallyah Wright | Capital B With few exceptions, everyone claims they want economic development. Everyone wants jobs and tax revenue because it pays for everything a city needs to provide services to its residents. But sometimes, development can feel like it is running over the residents of a community. That’s the case in the story in this article. It’s a classic fight between developers, in this case, a truck stop operator, and neighbors who would impact the development of a truck stop in Joliet, Illinois. Big Milk has taken over American schools by Kenny Torrella | VOX Reflecting on my childhood, I recall a time when our school introduced two large refrigerators at either end of our sprawling elementary school hallway. These refrigerators were stocked with 2% milk, chocolate milk, and the ever-popular 'Orange' drink.' Each morning, we had a break and could form a line to purchase a small carton for a mere ten cents. A responsible sixth grader was in charge of the cooler, diligently collecting the coins. My personal choice was always chocolate milk, a treat I didn't often find at home. The milk in schools program, a long-standing initiative backed by the federal government, dairy farmers, and private companies, has been promoting the sale and consumption of milk as a health necessity. However, it's worth noting that there is no conclusive scientific evidence that milk is essential for a healthy diet. This narrative delves into how these entities have collaborated to advocate for milk consumption among children. For shrinking Mississippi River towns, frequent floods worsen fortunes by Michael Phillis, Jim Salter, and Camille Fassett | AP How do you do economic development in an era of increased storms? These storms can impact small river towns and force them to lose significant parts of their population. This type of activity affects some of the cities in the Midwest along the Mississippi River. Places like Hannibal, Missouri, have undertaken levee construction projects, while communities like Cairo, Illinois, have merely lived with the phenomenon. News strategies and ideas must come into play if these communities maintain their population and thrive Other Articles of Interest this week: Leadership— 2023 Work in America Survey by American Psychological Association—The changing landscape of workplaces has drawn heightened attention to the needs and expectations of workers across the nation regarding mental health support. If you do any of these 9 things, you might be a toxic boss by Sarah Bregel | Fast Company -- Despite workplace practices improving in many environments, toxic bosses are not a thing of the past. According to a new Harris Poll report, they’re everywhere. Nearly three-quarters (71%) of workers have had a toxic boss at one point or another, and about a third (31%) are currently working with one, according to a poll of 1,233 American workers. Green Economy -- With seniors and disabled in mind, Detroit pilots self-driving public transit by Michael Lapham | Model D -- The need for a car to navigate the Motor City is never surprising. With the sheer size of Detroit, construction, wide roads, and visiting drivers, be they from across the state or across the border, hazards are not unexpected. Those issues can all add up faster for older or disabled residents. Technology -- What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? By McKinsey and Company -- The Internet of Things (IoT) refers to physical objects embedded with sensors that communicate with computers. The IoT enables the physical world to be digitally monitored or controlled. Economic Development -- Austin Economic Development Corporation Unveils New Name: Rally Austin by Morningstar -- The Austin Economic Development Corporation, a real estate nonprofit stewarding community and economic development in Austin and surrounding regions, today debuted the organization’s new name: Rally Austin. Rally Austin was founded with a vision to create a culturally resilient and economically integrated Austin where diverse communities can thrive and prosper without risk of displacement. Mentoring -- Why cross-company mentoring allows freer discussion by Nikou Asgari | Financial Times -- Pairing with a mentor from another business or even a different industry leads to fewer preconceptions and new insights. Mentoring is widely acclaimed as an effective way of encouraging and retaining female employees. Companies in industries ranging from tech and finance to infrastructure and retail have all launched their own programs. 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Overheard : "The biggest problem of success is that the world conspires to stop you doing the thing that you do, because you are successful. There was a day when I looked up and realised that I had become someone who professionally replied to email, and who wrote as a hobby." — Neil Gaiman Listen, Eat, Drink, Watch, READ, View Would you like to take a trip to dig up some dinosaur bones, or would you be satisfied with a few ancient seashells? Being a Paleontologist is not a prerequisite for this incredible journey. The National Park Service opens its doors to individuals, offering them the chance to engage in serious fossil hunting. The Park Service hosts all fossil programs in eleven national parks across the country, making this opportunity accessible to all. Imagine being the next person to find the bones of a wooly Mammoth or a Tyrannosaurus Rex. This article gives you the scoop (pun intended) on where to go in the USA to dig up some old bones. It's perfect for you or the budding paleontologist in your family. You can plan your fossil-hunting vacation around the list in this article. Listen, Eat, Drink, Watch, READ, View There is nothing better than a nice hotel bar—of course, the hotel needs to be nice, too. Your local Red Roof Inn won't have the type of hotel Bar I am looking for. I've had the pleasure of visiting some truly exceptional hotel bars, each with its own unique character and charm. They had attentive bartenders and no televisions in the corner. Private corners with plush chairs allowed for hushed conversations of the most confidential type. The bars were also strategically located, near the action but not part of it. These are my requirements for an excellent hotel bar. In the attached article, Conde Nast Traveler lists the best new hotel bars in the world. I can't help but imagine the unique experiences that await one of you in these hotel bars this year. If you do, please share your adventure with me. Listen, Eat, Drink, Watch, READ, View Before moving back to Illinois, I lived in the country. The town (in the midwest, we call it a Township, which is a subdivision of the County) I lived in was called Galway. Within the town there was a village also called Galway, which could be confusing. Their populations were about 3,500 and 165, respectively. In either case, I would call that small "town" living. The closest bigger city was Saratoga Springs, which has a population of 25,000 (about 50,000 when the horses are running). No matter how you view it, these communities err on the smaller side. Small communities have a lot to offer and should not be dismissed in any matter or form. With that, the linked article will tell you which small towns you might consider visiting this year. That is, of course, after you have dug up some fossils and hit a fancy hotel bar or two. You can read about these small towns here. I would love to know if any readers have been to one of these, if they are in your region, or if they are part of your economic development responsibility. Listen, Eat, Drink, WATCH, Read, View I admit it. I am not a Patriots fan. Unless you are from New England (which I know some of you are), you are probably not a fan because of the way the Patriots dominated the NFL for so long t at the expense of every other team. But hey, let's not forget the glory of the only Chicago Bears Super Bowl win, which came against the Patriots in 1985. That's a moment of pride for us long-suffering Bear fans. I found this speech by Tom Brady as he was being inducted into the Patriots' Hall of Fame (not the NFL HOF) last week. It was impressive in many ways. First, the unwavering loyalty Brady displays towards the Patriots' organization and fans is truly admirable. The same goes for the fans. Set in the iconic Gillette Stadium, the atmosphere was electric as Brady delved into the essence of teamwork and the relentless spirit required to be a competitor over all these years. The event, in all its grandeur, almost felt like a commencement speech at a prestigious University. Perhaps his alma mater, the University of Michigan, would be honored to have him back at some point. Thanks for Reading If you liked this email, pay it forward. Share it with someone you think might benefit. Did someone share with you? Sign up here. For previous editions, click here. Whenever you’re ready, there are several ways I can help you: 1. Economic Development: If you are looking to supercharge your economic development organization, I can help by strategizing and developing a roadmap to success. Set up a time to talk to me here. 2. Culture Change; Is your organization changing? Would you like to create an asset out of your culture? Do you know how to assess team strengths? Let me help you. I'm a certified culture change practitioner. Set up a time to talk to me here. 3. Mentoring Programs: Circles of Seven (C7) is a proven and award-winning model for mentoring. Whether it is for business or your community leadership program, I can develop a mentoring program for you. Let's talk about your situation. Set up a time here. If you have any thoughts or comments regarding any articles in this newsletter please feel free to contact me through email at martin@martinkarlconsulting.com. You can review my services and offerings at www.martinkarlconsulting.com |