September 2010
1 post
Lessons from Day 2 of #TR30Days
One of my bucket list goals during #TR30days is to work my way through P90X. I have been traveling with these DVDs for over 4 months. Interestingly, they never make it from my suitcase to my laptop. That’s why it is my goal is to start with 30 minutes a day and then keep building up time over the next few weeks. Tony Horton (P90X Founder) and his team look like they are truly gifted and...
August 2010
7 posts
Random Acts of Inspiration
What Does a Great Life Look Like?
Ask a hundred people what a great life looks like and you’ll probably get a hundred different answers-but certain answers will make virtually everyone’s list.
Most people would agree, for example, that a great life includes something worth living for, maybe even worth dying for. A portion of a great life would...
Taking Back Our Power!
On July 4, 1776 the founders of our country signed their names to the Declaration of Independence. This document became the foundation for uniting the many states of America. Our forefathers had the insight to write a very powerful document. The second paragraph clearly states: ” We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with...
Random Acts of Inspiration
Those who say there are no heroes left in the world just don’t know where to look. You can see heroes every day, going in and out of schools, hospitals, homes and businesses.
Heroes are everyday people who have chosen to give a portion of their lives to something bigger than themselves. Heroes light a candle in the dark. They just have a way of brightening our world with a word, an...
Lessons from Legends: William Rosenberg
Founder of Dunkin’ Donuts William Rosenberg’s life has been a true Horatio Alger story. It all started in 1946 when William founded Industrial Luncheon Services, a company that delivered meals and coffee break snacks to factory workers in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. The success of Industrial Luncheon Services led Rosenberg to open his first coffee and donut shop, the...
Random Acts of Kindness
The Arithmetic of Making a Difference
The law of accumulation: The sum total of a lot of little things isn’t little.- Dan Zadra
Service to others has its own arithmetic Combine two or more good-hearted people in the pursuit of a common cause, and suddenly one-plus-one is more than two.
It’s called synergy. We can all do a little something, but together we can do something truly...
Building Community and Connection with Purpose -...
This weekend we have reached another historic milestone in our country’s history – Elena Kagan being sworn in as a Supreme Court Justice. This is the first time in our country’s history that we have had three women on the Supreme Court at the same time. It is truly an historic event and one that speaks to how far women have come since the passing of the 19th Amendment on June 4, 1919 that...
Lessons from Legends: Fred DeLuca
Fred DeLuca, founder of Subway, opened his first submarine sandwich shop in 1965 at the age of 17 with a $1,000 loan from partner and family friend, Dr. Peter Buck. His first sandwich shop was named Pete’s Super Submarines. By 1974, the name had changed to Subway, and the duo owned and operated 16 units throughout the state of Connecticut. Subway started franchising in 1974.
Subway now...
July 2010
10 posts
Lessons from Legends: Bill Shore
Bill Shore is the founder and executive director of Share Our Strength, the nation’s leading organization working to end childhood hunger in America. Shore is also the chairman of Community Wealth Ventures, Inc., a for-profit subsidiary of Share Our Strength that provides strategic counsel to foundations and nonprofit organizations interested in creating community wealth — resources generated...
The Power of Community Service
Over the past few weeks I have been involved in a lot of conversations over the very real concern that “if the economy comes around are we are going to lose our great people because we have not given them a raise or a bonus in the past two years? Someone will make them a better offer.” Now I could go on and on however, you probably know where it leads and you wouldn’t have to worry about that if...
Random Act of Habits
“I will act now. I will act now. I will act now. Henceforth, I will repeat these words each hour, each day, everyday, until the words become as much a habit as my breathing, and the action which follows becomes as instinctive as the blinking of my eyelids. With these words I can condition my mind to perform every action necessary for my success. I will act now. I will repeat these words again and...
Lesson from Legends: James McLamore
James McLamore and Dave Edgarton opened Insta Burger King in Miami in 1954 and went on to create the Whopper now consumed at the rate of 2 million a day. Later the “Insta” was dropped from the name.
The pair sold the business to Pillsbury in 1967, and the world’s second-biggest fast-food company is now part of Britain’s Grand Metropolitan PLC. McLamore passed away in...
Random Acts of Inspiration
Bridging the Gap
In 1855, the great Niagara Suspension Bridge was built by flying a child’s kite across the 855-foot chasm. Attached to the kite was a string, attached to the string was a cord, attached to the cord was a rope, and attached to the rope was a cable-sure and strong.
Our world needs more kite-flyers and bridge-builders. If you have a big idea or project in mind, step one is...
Lessons from Legends: Glen W. Bell
Glen Bell was the man behind Taco Bell. He first sold tacos for 19 cents in San Bernardino in 1951, and he built Taco Bell from one stand in 1962 to a $125-million business.
PepsiCo purchased Taco Bell in 1978 and eventually spun off its restaurants into Tricon Global Restaurants Inc., now known as Yum! Brands. Taco Bell serves more than 36 million customers each week in more than 5,600 U.S....
Mid-Year Review - How are You Doing?
Well, we have all celebrated July 4th and now find ourselves right in the middle of the year!
I find the middle of the year to be just as exciting as the beginning of the year. At the beginning of the year I start out with my plan for the year. I have identified my goals and objectives and I am ready to get started on all of the possibilities of the year. It is truly an exciting time.
As I...
Random Acts of Kindness
The World needs more of you in it. In her speeches, Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s defense fund, reminds us that a lot of people these days are still waiting for Martin Luther King Jr., Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi to come back-but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us now. It is up to you. More that ever before, our world needs more goodness, more kindness, more...
Happy Fourth of July!
We wish everyone a safe and happy holiday weekend. Thank you to all of the men and women who serve to protect our freedom.
Lessons from Legends: John Hancock
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” — The Declaration of Independence
Between 1776 and 1789, the United States became an independent country, creating and ratifying its new constitution, and...
June 2010
7 posts
The Power of Being Positive to Increase...
Think about this – you are going to dinner tonight with five other people – would you rather go to dinner with five negative people or five positive people? Right, unless you are working out some issues the majority of us would pick going to dinner with positive people. Why? Because who wants to sit there listening to five people whine, complain and carry on about how tough life is for them...
Random Acts of Inspiration
What is my job?
What about my job really counts?
How well am I doing?
Is my job an expression of my personal values?
In my job, am I building a life of success, but not of significance?
What can I (and/or my employer) do to help me become more passionate about my current role?
Is there another job I would rather be doing?
Why aren’t I doing it?
Less than 20 percent of Americans can...
Lessons from Legends:Walt Disney
Starting out from a workshop in his parent’s garage, Walt Disney created an international entertainment brand that continues to gross $30b annually.
“Walt Disney is a legend; a folk hero of the 20th century. His worldwide popularity was based upon the ideals which his name represents: imagination, optimism, creation, and self-made success in the American tradition. He brought...
The Thank You Challenge!
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. ~Oscar Wilde “Thank You.” When is the last time you heard it? Who said it and why? When was the last time you said it? Did someone tell you thank you and you blew it off? When was the last time it really carried meaning that moved you? We think a lot about thanks around the holidays or special occasions. What do you...
Random Acts of Kindness
Following are some ideas to show others you care from HelpOthers.org website:
1. Leave a snack for an unsuspecting co-worker or friend.
2. Connect two friends who had not previously met each other.
3. Share an inspirational story from today’s news.
4. Tell a public service employee how valuable they are.
5. Send a thank you note to a person or business helping the world.
6....
Service Shout Out
This week’s shout out goes to my cab driver who took me to the airport on Monday morning. First, he remembered me from a previous trip and that I did consulting. Really how many times does that happen with a city cab driver? Second, he informed me that I was leaving 30 minutes later than I should be and that the traffic would be terrible. He was absolutely correct - what should have...
To be Good or To be Great?
I have been traveling a lot lately and as a result I have had the opportunity for conversations with all sorts of people. The topics have been interesting ranging from optimism for the industry, feeling like things are getting back on track and maybe finally having some breathing room from the past 24 months. One conversation that I found myself in many times over the past few weeks is: what is...
May 2010
14 posts
Random Acts of Kindness:Memorial Day
Memorial Day, which falls on the last Monday of May, commemorates the men and women who died while serving in the American military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in...
Lessons from Legends:General George S. Patton
In recognition of Memorial Day, here are some lessons from a great leader in the military and in life from Gen. George S. Patton, Jr. (1885–1945)
“A man must know his destiny. if he does not recognize it, then he is lost. By this I mean, once, twice, or at the very most, three times, fate will reach out and tap a man on the shoulder. if he has the imagination, he will turn around and...
The Business of Good
Today I would like to feature a post from the website called The Business of Good. Tim McCarthy is founder and Chief Mission Officer for this foundation. Tim is also a dear friend and a personal mentor of mine.He is a very dedicated family man, successful entrepreneur, business leader, and an all around great contributor to changing the world! Their unique website is a place to allow...
Random Acts of Kindness: The Dali Lama
Quotes on Happiness
by the Dalai Lama
” I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. That is clear. Whether one believes in religion or not, whether one believes in this religion or that religion, we all are seeking something better in life. So, I think, the very motion of our life is towards happiness…”
” Happiness is not something ready made. It comes...
Service Shout Out: J. Crew
Hi everyone- Joanne Tarzian Kathleen’s colleague and VP of Business Development here at Kathleen Wood Partners. I am stepping in for another amazing customer service shout out.This one goes out to Midge at the J. Crew at Old Orchard in Chicago.
I always get overwhelmed when I walk into a clothing store, like most of us I think. If you are like me, you kind of want to ask for help but usually...
Planning Start up Stories
Today we’d like to feature a blog post from Tim Berry’s blog, “Planning Start up Stories-Tim Berry on business planning, starting and growing your business, and having a life in the meantime”. Read more about Tim here.
10 Lessons From A 25-Year-Old Who Made It
by Tim Berry on April 23, 2009
(Ed note: I’ve been asked to hide the identity of the entrepreneur here,...
Lessons from Legends: Norman Brinker
Restaurateur, Industry Icon and Founder, Brinker International
Norman Brinker was an innovative restaurateur who helped bridge the gap between fast food and fine dining with his casual, full-service chains-among them, Chili’s, Bennigan’s and Steak & Ale. Chief to Brinker’s new concepts for eateries was the salad bar, which he popularized at Steak & Ale starting in the...
Comfort Zone Plateaus - Barriers to Success
Every once in awhile I find myself on what I call the “comfort zone plateau.” I recently just jumped out of a comfort zone plateau. Basically, I was working hard, extremely customer focused and maximizing results. Many people would applaud this type of work effort because it does produce amazing results, creates forward progress and delivers high levels of customer satisfaction. At the same...
Random Acts of Inspiration
Here is an inspiring thought from the book, “One-How many people does it take to make a difference?”. It’s called “The Nudge”.
Everyday we all have chance encounters with strangers, passing conversations with neighbors and routine contacts with our friends, colleagues or customers. If you think they don’t matter consider this:
A ball placed at the crest of a...
Service Shout Out: Sweet Sally's Bakery
Hi everyone- Joanne Tarzian Kathleen’s colleague and VP of Business Development here at Kathleen Wood Partners. I am stepping in for another amazing customer service shout out. This goes out to Sally Saltzbart Minier of Sweet Sally’s in New York City.
I have never met Sally in person (not yet anyway!) and have heard some wonderful things about her and her products, mostly that they...
It Starts with Us: Nate St. Pierre
Today we would like to feature a blog post from Nate St.Pierre’s, It Starts with Us. Both Kathleen and I are really loving all the good things Nate is doing to change the world!
Here is a short bio in Nate’s own words about who he is and what he’s about:
“….I am a 31-year-old web designer from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In my professional life I lead a team of web...
Lessons from Legends:Conrad Hilton
Conrad Hilton founded the international chain of business hotels which bear his name. He bought his first hotel in 1919, and founded the first so-named Hilton Hotel in 1925 in Dallas, Texas. Hilton Hotels grew into the first coast-to-coast hotel chain, placing a special emphasis on the business traveler, and Hilton became one of the world’s wealthiest men.
He also purchased other...
Lessons from Legends:Kemmons Wilson
Kemmons Wilson – Founder of Holiday Inn
A true pioneer in the hospitality industry and a consummate entrepreneur, Kemmons Wilson left an indelible stamp on the culture of American commerce. As the founder of Holiday Inn, he used his vision and determination to build a company that revolutionized an industry and – in the process – changed the way we travel, the way we live and the way we do...
Priority Management - Achieving More by Doing...
What is the biggest secret about time management? It’s that time management is really not about managing; it’s about managing priorities. Priority management is the secret weapon of successful managers and leaders.
A restaurant manager knows the importance of focusing on priorities every shift. Priorities on a shift can include making sure the prep is done before lunch, hitting service times,...
April 2010
10 posts
Service Shout Out: Enterprise Rent-A-Car
It is another service shout out for Enterprise Rent-A-Car! Ok, this company is doing something right-the employees tell me it’s their amazing training program. I have rented cars several times in the past few weeks at various Enterprise locations. No matter what time of the day or night, no matter what location-the agent will introduce him or herself, offer a bottle of water and escort you...
Service Shout Out: The Brooklyn Butcher
Hi All!
Joanne here- VP of New Business Development here at Kathleen Wood Partners, stepping in on Service Shout Out this week. I thought it would be fun to share with you my recent excellent customer service story. Being from a family of retailers myself, I always have my eyes and ears open when I shop anywhere or receive a service. It’s how I have always learned to make my customer...
Lessons from Legends: Dave Anderson
Dave Anderson founder of Famous Dave’s of America is a visionary, entrepreneur, author and speaker. With over 180 restaurants and growing, Famous Dave’s has received unprecedented recognition as one of the “Hottest Concepts in America” by Nation’s Restaurant News reaching over $480 Million in sales. He has helped found several publicly traded companies on Wall Street creating over 20,000...
The Power of Connectivity
I have the great pleasure of guest blogging on FohBoh, The Restaurant Community’s blog and want to share my post from today:
I had the most amazing experience recently – I did a keynote presentation at Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers Operational Development Meeting. It was a fantastic meeting; trust me when I tell you the Caniac Nation is alive and well. For me, it was like a homecoming...
Random Acts of Kindness
Here are just a few simple ways you can share kindness with your fellow human beings. It not only will make them feel great, but it will lift your spirits too:
Someone at work helped you out with a big project or she consistently does a great job. Tell her manager in an email or formal letter. Be specific. For example, “Jane did a fantastic job pulling all of our data together and created a...
Service Shout Out: The US Post Office?
Hi everyone! I am guest blogging this week because Kathleen thought that my recent trip to the post office was totally worth a shout out and so did I!
I experienced totally unexpected customer service from Ron at the Harrison Street Post Office here in Chicago. Harrison is probably one of the largest postal locations in the country, and the old site, (all 2.5 million square feet of it!) which is...
Lessons from Legends: Steve Jobs
In celebration of the official IPad launch this week here are some more great insights from Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs:
A lot of companies have chosen to downsize, and maybe that was the right thing for them. We chose a different path. Our belief was that if we kept putting great products in front of customers, they would continue to open their wallets.
Be a yardstick of quality. Some people...
"Just Repeat After Me..."
Everyone has their own relationship with change. Some fear it while others get very excited about it. Whatever you may have felt about change in the past, here are some thoughts that will make you think a little differently and open up to the changes that will come your way in your life.
This is Ariane de Bonvoison’s Change Manifesto:
Change is a good thing.
Change is part of life and...
Service with a Smile: Monique at the Marriott
This week’s service shout out goes to Monique at the Marriott in Hollywood, FL. Talk about exemplifying service! Monique defines it. She is hospitality every day and every shift, even when she works a double. Ask Monique to get into a meeting room early, for a power bar, to re-sechedule a lunch, extend a reservation, even to make a 100 copies and anything else that a facilitator...
March 2010
20 posts
Lessons from Legends: Dave Thomas
Dave Thomas – Founder Wendy’s Hamburgers
1) What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone. Know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed. Take care of your business and your business will take care of you.
2) It all comes back to the basic. Serve customers the best-tasting food at a good value in a clean, comfortable restaurant,...