Dawn 2.0
The latest and priciest alarm clocks can ease you from slumber with glowing simulated sunrise and recorded birdcalls. https://theartoftheceo.com/utensils/business-quips/
New Jersey Social Enterprise Summit – What an uplift!
Blend your highest hopes with hefty doses of entrepreneurial energy and you have the NJSE Summit held Sept. 30th at Rutgers Business School in Newark. Always on the lookout for new nominees for our Prometheus Social Enterprise Awards, I attended and was awed by such folks as Nigeria-based Orondaam Otto whose Slum2Schools provides the lifeline of education for thousands of African youngsters – and Pierre Laguere, whose Fleeting Pro helps released convicts become successful, contributing independent truckers – and Nina Rappaport whose Vertical Urban Factory thinktank infuses new life into distressed cities.
Dr. Jeffrey Robinson, Rutgers Business School Provost served as host and entertaining Emcee. Among his pleasurable duties was presenting the first annual NJSE Social Impact Award to Ms. Alfa Demmellash who 18 years ago founded Rising Tide Capital which provides training, mentors, partners and funding connections to entrepreneurs from underserved areas. Both for-profit and non-profit social enterprises are launching around the business community faster than smartphone apps. These firms that hold the mission of bringing benefit to our people and planet are swelling to a major force in our culture. Keep your eyes out for a rising tide of change.
To learn more and meet some of these world beaters, visit Bartsbooks.com or write me at info@barrtsbooks.com.
5th Annual Delaware River Cleanup.
On a sunny Saturday morning of September 17, Bart and Lorraine joined another 300 muddy, joyful souls along the banks of the Delaware for the 5th Annual Delaware River Cleanup.
Most groups labored by foot, but we joined the canoe crew filling out boats with old chairs and pipes to ancient steering wheels – and a horrendous amount of plastic bottles. All great fun with a marvelous group of environmentally conscious folks.
What’s Funny About Business?
Work Wit: It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…
Since our payroll department switched to a drone delivery system, I haven’t seen a check in months – just about the time our neighbor purchased that new fully loaded Tesla.
Biz Quiz.
How soon will commercial drone delivery enter our lives? Most optimistic estimates say early 2024. If you think you have tech troubles now, just wait until they institute drone commuting.
Labor Day Dig We Must
Few things can swell a person’s chest with justified pride as looking at the accomplishments of his own hard labor. It ranks right up there with performing an act of charity or beholding your child smiling up at you in admiration. We humans are a funny bunch. Unceasingly, instinctively we seem driven to create things. When we have grown all the food, built all the roads and all that survival stuff, we keep on building pyramids, murals, and model trains. It’s a unique part of our species. And quite naturally we place utmost value on hard work – the sweat of our brow. After all, it is that creative sweat that has impelled humanity to thrive in all corners of the globe.
In America, it has been the sweat of our combined brows that has moved us to the pinnacle of prosperity we now enjoy. Yes, our land is filled with an abundance of natural resources. And yes, we also abound in a wealth of creative entrepreneurs who risk all and launch ventures. But the third and equally necessary leg of our nation’s prosperity pyramid is that army of hard laboring men and women who hammer out all those plans and bring them to fruition. Did you know that the workers of the United States labor an average of 2200 hours a year? That’s more than any other nation on earth – including Japan, India, China or any country in Europe. We are the tops. We also are one of the few nations who believe in paying our workers enough to buy what they produce. We stand as proof that the more you value and justly compensate folks’ labor, the more prosperous we all become. So my admiration and hats off to all you hard-laboring people everywhere. May you take a moment to realize the full value of your contribution to our society. ‘Tis the sweat of your brow that enriches our world.
My thanks,
– Bart Jackson
Democracy vs. Trumpocracy – TV Media Makes its Choice
In one of the most shameful displays of media bias, NBC and all mainstream television stations saw fit to deny the pubic the voice of standing President of the United States Joseph Biden. The media has been granted great power and responsibility to enlighten the people. By choosing to broadcast ironically an episode of “Law & Order – The Impossible Dream,” NBC and the other stations made their choices clear. Sponsored entertainment and the pursuit of profit were deemed more important than carrying the address of the nation’s leader. This was an evening of shame and disgrace for our television media, which revealed more about the’ corporate leaders’ beliefs than all the press releases they will doubtless muster.
New Show Telecommuting – Biggest Blunders, Cleverest Strategies
Bart Jackson rolls out a groaning board filled with effective tactics for those working remotely – and those managing teams of remote workers. Our favorite strategy? Mark Twain’s time management solution. https://theartoftheceo.com/
ANNOUNCING RETIREMENT of Cozy Red
Last evening, a joyful yet solemn ceremony was held in the Prometheus Publishing offices celebrating the long and distinguished career of Cozy Red, Bart’s beloved office chair. For more years than we care to count, Cozy Red has provided uplifting service to Bart’s mind and other bodily parts, comfortably inspiring him through a dozen books, countless articles, and more foolish emails than anyone should ever send.
Champagne and Murphy’s oil were hoisted in the celebrant’s honor.
A long and arduous search to replace this valued veteran resulted in the selection of Big Boy Blue, formerly from Global’s elite Synopsis line. BBB (as he is nicknamed) says he is looking forward to the ever-expanding challenge of this new station.
Cozy Red, who will be taking an emeritus position in the Jackson Library, was heard to generously remark to his fellow furnishings, “The boy seems a little stiff, but I’m sure he’ll quickly get the feel of things and break in fast.”
Viewers may look for Cozy Red in a supporting role in future BartsBooks videos which share the wit and wisdom from such books as CEO of Yourself and In the Words of My Wife’s Husband.
Bart Jackson www.bartsbooks.com
Memorial Day Afterthoughts
It is a sad paradox that while all wars are evil tragedies, yet so many individual combatants enter into battle armed with the most altruistic and humane hopes. This past Monday, I heard the story of one such fallen soldier who grew up in the village of Orleans, MA on Cape Cod.
My wife Lorraine and I had joined the townspeople for a powerfully moving service of remembrance in the Orleans’ Veteran’s Park. The Mayor reminded us that, unlike Veterans Day which honors those who have served, Memorial Day pays tribute to those fallen service men and women who made the ultimate commitment and paid the ultimate sacrifice. An elderly Coast Guard officer told the story of Alan, one of Orleans’ three heroes who had died in service of their country.
After graduating from Orleans High School, with the 19 other members of the class of 1938, Alan went to work in town. (The class picture showed only 16 of the class, four being absent due to a regional epidemic of mumps.) Within days of President Roosevelt’s announcing the attack on Pearl Harbor, Alan enlisted in the Navy and rose to the rank of Radioman First Class. From his ship’s position the northern Atlantic, Alan would transmit vital information to Allied convoys. Two years later a German submarine log records sighting and firing three torpedoes at Alan’s ship. Two torpedoes hit midships, sending Alan and all his 245 crewmates to their death. (Exactly how the Coast Guard officer came up with the German log notation, I find fascinating.)
Alan wrote no grand philosophic or patriotic essays, but a few recalled memories from friends and sentences in letters marked Alan’s reasons for going off to war. Unlike the traditional soldier’s hope for plunder or glory, Alan had mentioned that he believed it was his personal responsibility to serve and to protect his nation. A simple belief of one young man, indicating a truly heroic devotion. The Orleans Fire Department Chaplain gave a final prayer urging us, as Abraham Lincoln did following the battle of Gettysburg, to remember these fallen and honor them by rededicating our own lives. Just thought I would share this with you.
– Bart Jackson
Work Wit
Work Wit: Retirement affords you the time to re-write your own history and deem your career a success.
Afterthought. As my wife’s husband always says, youth’s a blunder, old age a regret, then senility’s bliss allows you to forget.
