Join business owners and leaders, entrepreneurs, community and economic development professionals in learning about the latest trends impacting your future today. Today, more than ever, technology, the green economy, leadership and human performance intersect. Gaining knowledge and wisdom in these ares make for a well-informed leader. Every Thursday I curate these topics as well as articles about the quirky and fun things in life (think music, food and drink).
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Curated Morning --January Review
It’s been a busy month, and many of us are still fighting over the thermostat with our loved ones, but time marches on, and so must we. Pretty soon, we will be complaining about the heat and humidity (at least, that is a common practice here in the Midwest).
This newsletter edition explores the 'Best of January.' I have curated Curated Morning, how’s that for redundancy, and I give you the most read and clicked articles in January 2025. Here they are, in case you missed them.
From January 9th -- In a recent article, based on the research of Jacopo Ponticelli, Qiping Xu, and Stefan Zeume, titled 'In a Warming U.S., Smaller Manufacturers Are Feeling the Heat,' the author, Katie Gilbert, highlights a disturbing trend. New research reveals that climate change is significantly impacting U.S. manufacturing, with small businesses bearing the brunt. Census data from 1980-2019 shows that rising temperatures have widened the gap between large and small manufacturers, with the latter suffering more. Click here to revisit January.
From January 16th -- In Breaking the Mold: Five Behaviors of Leading Growth Transformers , the authors Drew Goldstein, Louisa Greco, Rebecca Doherty, Sandra Sancier-Sultan, and Yolanda Zonno, with Preeya Mody provide new research showing that successful business transformations are increasingly focused on growth rather than cost-cutting, with growth initiatives now accounting for 50% of transformation value, up from 40% two years ago. A comprehensive study of high-performing companies has identified what sets leading "growth transformers" apart from their peers.
From January 23 -- My Blog post, Uncertainty is Certain -- Artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for our world are ubiquitous in our daily readings. Online narratives loudly call for collective preparation for this transformative era. So, the question that unites us is: What can we do together to prepare for the AI era?
What exactly are we preparing for? What steps do the experts, the guiding lights in this journey, say we must take to prepare? And what does it mean to prepare? Prepare what?
In this week’s blog post, I write about the thoughts of those at a higher level regarding AI and the so-called preparation we must take—just like how we prepared for the internet, online shopping, and social media.
From January 30th -- Where Humans Still Have the Edge on AI by Marc Zao-Sanders | Harvard Business Review -- In an era where AI seems to be mastering everything from chess to language translation, a surprising truth emerges: our most "human" qualities may be our most significant technological advantage. While generative AI excels at processing vast amounts of data and generating instant outputs, four distinctly human capabilities remain our competitive moat - emotional intelligence, handling complexity, physical presence, and authentic creativity. This Harvard Business Review piece explores why these uniquely human traits aren't just surviving the AI revolution - they're becoming more valuable than ever.
I am offering a. limited-run newsletter called Ten Effective Strategies for Small Business Support Series for the first ten weeks of this year. That’s a lot of words; let’s turn it into an acronym, TESSBSS…okay, let’s not.
Anyway, if you are reading this series, you will agree that it is like a weekly mini-course. When you read this, four weeks of strategy on supporting the small business community will have been delivered, and we have six weeks to go.
If you want to catch on to the series, you can still do so by clicking here. If you do, I will email you links to the last four weeks that you can read.
One reader (Angela) emailed me saying:
“This series is really helping me get my head around the idea that local businesses are the key to long-term success. I can’t wait to implement some of the creative ideas and strategies that you have suggested. I look forward to reading them each week”
Again, it’s not too late…click here to subscribe. And pass this on to someone you think might need to see this.
Bridge Builders -- The Next Wave Leadership Mentoring Program has a New and Exciting Opportunity.
Are you ready to be part of something transformative in economic development? Whether you're a seasoned leader with decades of wisdom or a rising star with fresh perspectives, Bridge Builders is your opportunity to shape the future of our field.
This innovative 9-month program pairs industry veterans with emerging leaders to create a robust exchange of knowledge, technology, and experience. Together, we'll tackle modern challenges while preserving timeless wisdom.
What makes Bridge Builders unique?
Two-way mentorship pairing experienced with newer professionals
Real-world problem solving
Technology and tradition fusion
Leadership development across generations
Limited spots available for our inaugural cohort. If you are interested, please go here to express you interest and place yourself on the waiting list.
Things I’m working on:
Writing a Book -- Isn’t everyone? A book about lessons learned over my three-decade career in leadership. It's not an economic development book but a leadership wisdom book.
Ten Week Business Support Series (see above) --Continued research and writing of the Ten-week business support newsletter -- I’m considering turning it into a webinar. If you are interested and would like to attend, let me know here.
Client Work -- Business Retention and Expansion Report --based on a survey
Client Work --Circles of Seven onboarding and support, improving monthly prompts.
Circles of Seven Mentor Training Module -- Improving the module and adapting it for mentor training outside the confines of C7.
Developing a Course: Economic Development for Elected Officials. Are you interested? Let me know here what you think.
Join business owners and leaders, entrepreneurs, community and economic development professionals in learning about the latest trends impacting your future today. Today, more than ever, technology, the green economy, leadership and human performance intersect. Gaining knowledge and wisdom in these ares make for a well-informed leader. Every Thursday I curate these topics as well as articles about the quirky and fun things in life (think music, food and drink).
