90 Ideas

$2.00 · SBJ.NET NOV. 29-DEC. 5 2021 · VOL. 42, NO. 19

40 YEARS • YOUR BUSINESS AUTHORITY

Don’t doubt your impact.

Productivity is overrated.

Own your mistakes.

M. Elise Crain

Ryan Grabill

Outwork people every day.

Jhasmine Watson

Grant Wistrom

Nine Executives | Ninety Ideas Poke the bear.

Invest in people development.

Betsy Fogle

Don’t be a superhero.

John Widiger

Anne Williams

Make your happiness.

Ruell Chappell

Give away secrets.

Brandon Welch

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 1

How do you become number one?

By focusing on what really matters, and what really matters to us is you. We’re excited to help bring your big ideas to life and are honored to be rated the number one bank in America by our customers, according to Forbes. If you’re ready for award-winning support, stop by anytime.

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NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

Table of Contents 4-5

Prepare to think, be Ideas have neverlearn beenand more inspired.

Ideas 90 Minutes vital than90 now.

As in business has become passion project for leaders, we ahave a unique opportunity to learn from me.

It is an annual undertaking that others and apply has allowed me to new reachconcepts out to nine and strategies.

Combine the people of differing backgrounds, brilliance of nine local leaders, ages andget accomplishments that I and you tons of experience have personally admired and hard-fought lessonsand to ask for a glimpse of their psyche.

What distilled for our readers.

Check are principles that have outthe theguiding ideas, and then listen to thethem stories on podcast. are led to their currentIdeas selves? golden, purpose What do but theylearning value atthe their core? behind them is priceless.

I hope What are their rules and proudest you enjoy these stories as much accomplishments?

Readour and be as I loved learning from inspired. join us for a live event featuredThen speakers. on Dec. 8 at AlamoJackson Drafthouse —Jennifer where our nine Publisher, SBJpresenters will bring their ideas to life.

Ryan Grabill Grabillxxxhas been a

part of more than 200 disaster responses since 2010. He’s been to all 50 states and 40 countries and can’t stop advocating for Mediterranean food. He believes asking questions is the best way to learn, and that our stories are unique, God-directed and make us who we are today.

­–Jennifer Jackson

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Grant Wistrom Wistromxxxis a

field agent for Keller Williams.

He is a former college and pro football player who was a defensive end in the NFL for nine seasons, playing for the St. Louis Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Among a cadre of honors, Wistrom contributed to the Rams’ win of the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and he is also a College Football Hall of Fame member.

Publisher, SBJ

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John Widiger has xxx been in

the automotive retail business for over 38 years. He began his career selling motor vehicles in Ohio when he was 19. Over the course of his career, he’s held many positions, from closer to managing partner. He attributes his success to his ability to train, motivate and grow individuals that have never been in the car business before.

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Betsy Fogle represents xxx

Greene County District 135 in the Missouri House of Representatives. She was elected to her first two-year term in November 2020. Prior to serving in the legislature, Fogle spent her career in public health, working a dream job at Jordan Valley Community Health Center. She’s a Springfield Public Schools graduate and earned degrees from Missouri State University and University of Arkansas.

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M. Elise Crain xxx is an Ozark native living in her childhood home. A retired construction professional and lifelong volunteer, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Public Affairs from Missouri State University in 2015 for her community dedication and nonprofit service. Today, her focus is the preservation and development of an educational park at Garrison Springs, near the Ozark square.

a longtime member of the Springfield music scene. He is an Ozark Mountain Daredevils band member; provides musical instruments to low-income students as director of local nonprofit Play It Forward SWMO; and is president of Ruell Chappell Music, producing audio for TV, radio and internet productions.

Jhasmine Watson isxxx

director of operations and administration for Care to Learn, managing all things operations and finance for the nonprofit organization. She is a Missouri State University graduate in entertainment management and is currently pursuing a master’s in arts administration from University of Kentucky as well as certification as a nonprofit professional.

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Ruell Chappell xxx is

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Anne Williams xxx is

president of JobFinders Employment Services, where she has worked for over 35 years. A longtime resident of Columbia, she attended University of Missouri as an undergraduate student and became invested in the community. She received the Debin Benish Outstanding Businesswoman Award from the Columbia Chamber of Commerce and was named Businesswoman of the Year by Columbia Daily Tribune.

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Brandon Welch xxx is founder

and CEO of Frank & Maven, a strategic marketing and communication firm. Drawing from lessons learned in his family business, he developed a method to help companies avoid the expensive trial and error that plagues the marketing process and inspire customers into action. His bestselling book, “The Maven Marketer,” is a collection of the principles he uses to guide his clients through multimilliondollar growth.

How to engage:

Join us for the event on Dec. 8, and catch a replay of the speakers’ best ideas via podcast in January.

SBJ.net/90Ideas

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

PRESENTED BY

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 3

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Ryan Grabill

Productivity is overrated.

We live in a society obsessed with productivity. Time is money.

If you aren’t moving forward, you’re moving backward. The truth is the U.S. has a lot to learn from cultures around the world that aren’t as focused on time and productivity but rather on relationships. Turns out, success in most areas of life is more about relationships than productivity. Sure, the tasks must be finished. But don’t forget your most important asset: the people with whom you serve.

Senior Director of International Disaster Services, Convoy of Hope

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Prioritize rest.

We are the most anxious, depressed, medicated, distracted and joyless adults in history. A recent study out of Stanford University showed that productivity drops after 50 hours a week. At 55 hours, it falls off a cliff – so much that those who work 70 hours produce nothing more with the extra time.

Wow. The good news? Make a change in your life, and it’ll have a ripple effect. Take a day off. Shut off your phone. Go for a walk. Read a novel. Your overall productivity will go up!

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Weigh carefully what you say in front of your team.

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Your team is not the audience for venting frustrations you may have with your supervisor, organization or business leadership. Every team reflects its leader. Do an assessment: If your team is immersed in negativity, take a hard look at what you say in front of them. The good news: Change your attitude, and it will change the attitude of your entire team.

Take the time to learn what exactly your team does.

Knowing the weeds helps you stay out of the weeds.

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You are likely a micromanager.

A recent study by Trinity Solutions found that 79% of respondents had experienced micromanagement during their careers at some point, and 70% of these people had considered quitting their job because of it. Ultimately, more than 30% of them did quit!

Here is some hard truth: You are not benefiting your team by staying involved in every single thing happening or correcting and changing everything that comes across your desk. Loosen your grip. It’s OK; no, it is necessary. Otherwise, the health and productivity of the team will slowly die or completely stagnate..

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Know the details of team functions, at least three levels down.

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

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You know that small startup company, Apple? Well, when they were exactly that, Steve Jobs decided to make the company big and successful.

They hired great leaders from a diverse spectrum of industries to lead the teams at Apple. And guess what? It absolutely failed. Turns out, great leaders who don’t know what their teams do can only be so effective. Take the time to learn what exactly your team does. Knowing the weeds helps you stay out of the weeds and, instead, empower.

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

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Cross-departmental collaboration is key.

Having trouble with internal collaboration?

You aren’t alone. Your team and other departments likely speak two different “languages.” Be innovative. Be creative.

Choose humility. Learn what your team can do to better serve other departments.

Encourage other teams and point out their strengths. No matter what, don’t allow your team to form an us-versus-them mentality.

Disunity will kill an organization.

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Watch for things you’ve never seen before.

Curiosity is key. Watch and listen always; then, speak when necessary.

No matter how much you know, you still have a lot to learn. Be approachable at all times. Listen to your team members and watch for things: What can you see now that you didn’t notice last week? What patterns do you see in client feedback? Team member complaints?

How comfortable do people seem when they walk into your office?

These observations are crucial. Sometimes, you just need a plan, not necessarily the plan.

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Don’t take the credit.

Unless you work completely alone, the success of your team and your collective work is shared. If your team is crushing it, people will notice. When they do, and praise comes your way, don’t miss the opportunity to pass it on to those who put work into that project. For the team I serve on, most great ideas don’t come from me. If we were reliant on me, we’d be in a rough spot. It’s crucial that I work to make that known. Try it out – it will be a game changer.

Confront your own insecurities.

Leadership is hard and often exposes personal flaws. Here’s the key: Don’t internalize them; learn from them. Don’t be afraid of criticism, being wrong or failing – even in front of your whole team. You are human. And you can’t afford to do be overly sensitive to being wrong or not being the smartest person in the room. Guess what? You aren’t. Empower your team. They will respect you if you have a healthy view of yourself and leverage it.

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Strategically invest in new team members.

“You’ll figure it out” is not an effective onboarding strategy. Start by thinking through their role: What will the day-to-day look like? Are you giving them the tools to execute? Then, the big picture: What does it look like for this role to interface with other departments?

What factors that aren’t on paper about your organization or industry does a new team member need to know in order to be successful? Next: Put it all on paper. Build it and make it better with each new team member.

Enjoy more play.

Because you’ve planned with us.

The demands of your business should not control the balance of your life. At Abacus CPAs, we help our clients far beyond preparing their tax returns. We provide insights to help you reduce risks and capitalize on new opportunities so you can have more confidence to do more of what you want to do. With a Proactive CPA from Abacus CPAs, you’ll get better guidance so you can make smarter decisions and play more.

It’s okay. Book that tee time.

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 5

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Grant Wistrom Field Agent, Holt Homes Group-Keller Williams; Co-owner, Revival 98; and NFL Retiree

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Embrace the enneagram.

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Honor the “weirdness” in each other. In our home, my wife and I use the enneagram to figure out how others want to be interacted with. The enneagram breaks personalities into nine categories. It shows how each person relates to the other eight numbers. It also gives insight into each number on how they behave when they’re feeling stressed or feeling secure. Having this information allows you to identify if you are functioning in a healthy space, and if not, it shows how to move back to your center. The enneagram is almost like a cheat code for relationships. There are free online tests to find out what number you are.

Don’t focus on the destination; enjoy the journey.

Start each day honoring your physical body.

I wake up at 5 a.m. each day. I don’t like it, but I do it so I have time for myself. I start every day by moving my body and some form of meditation. My schedule as a Realtor is very unpredictable, and I know if I don’t budget time in the morning for self-care, there is a really good chance that it won’t happen. I know that is the only time in my day that I have 100% ownership of – and I need to utilize it to take care of myself so I can be the best version of me for others.

Outwork people every single day.

When I was growing up and playing sports, the only thing my dad cared about was effort. The sacks, tackles, hits or strikeouts didn’t matter. At the end of the day, it was all about the effort. If I’m giving my all at home or at work, good things will happen. They might not happen right then, but if you continue to give your best, over time the wins will start coming your way.

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The more you do, the more it costs to replace you.

I never had aspirations of playing in the NFL. The only goal I ever had was to be the best I could possibly be at whatever level I was currently playing. With that mentality, I was able to succeed and advance to the next level. If the end game was only the NFL, the odds of success were pretty low. By concentrating on the next step, and not the end result, I was able to stay present and appreciate the small victories along the way.

When I played football, I operated with this mentality without knowing it. Most players don’t like to be on special teams and view them as beneath them, but I would volunteer for every special teams unit I could. I was only viewing it through my football lens of helping the team any way I could, but retrospectively, I was providing value by doing the job of two or three players.

The more value you provide, then the harder you become to replace.

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We stress this to our kids daily. In today’s world, it is easier than ever to explore what makes you tick. When you find it, don’t let go. Immerse yourself in it and find a way to monetize it. Our kids are sick of hearing this from my wife and me: If you’re doing what you love, it isn’t work.

Be transparent.

I have never been good with head games. I don’t like to live my life that way. It requires too much effort and detracts from what we are really trying to accomplish. I prefer to wear my emotions on my sleeve, and I don’t hide my intention. Transparency with those you trust, within your team at home or work, is a must.

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Find your passion.

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Join a team.

I think everyone growing up should either be involved in team sports or group activities. We need to get out of our comfort zone and learn how to interact with people who are different from us at an early age. For me, it was team sports and being in the locker room. I was exposed to so many more backgrounds and cultures.

It makes for an easier transition to a work environment where people from every race, creed and culture come together for a common goal.

Take time to make people smile.

It’s such an easy thing to do that can change someone’s entire day.

It usually doesn’t cost you anything either. Hold a door open. Pay a compliment. Buy someone a cup of coffee in line behind you. You don’t know what people are going through. It’s crazy to me the number of times when I’m feeling low that someone shoots me a text or calls when I need it most. When it’s put on your heart that someone could use a pick-me-up, listen to it. Make the call.

Get some buckets.

I pretty much eat the same thing every day. It keeps me from making poor food choices. In our refrigerator, we always have a “meat bucket” with a cooked protein in it, a lot of defrosted vegetables and a source of carbs of either rice, potatoes or fruits. We can grab a container and add our protein, veggies, carbs and any sauce that we want. Sometimes it’s spaghetti sauce, peanut sauce, salsa, homemade ranch, whatever. Operating this way saves money and time.

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

M. Elise Crain

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Community Volunteer and Construction Industry Retiree

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When you are given a hand up, your other hand should be reaching back to take someone else on the trip.

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Care about other people.

My mentors have been many, beginning with my parents. They were examples of community responsibility, leadership and the willingness to search for ideas and ways to benefit others. One of my goals is to take the networking opportunities granted to me and use them to enhance the lives of others. Find a mentor, be a mentor.

Maya Angelou said, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” It is not about you. It is about what you do. When you have a challenge, work, home or anywhere, explore how your behavior can change the environment for everyone involved. See how it plays for everyone. It may turn out you have a new life lesson and have made life easier for others.

Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care!

24 25 27 28 29 30 Don’t doubt your impact.

Margaret Mead said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Think of the effects of school boards, city councils, committees and not-for-profit organizations. I’d guess most of the readers of this publication have been a part of a “small group” and will continue to be.

Thanks to each of you.

If we do not know where we have been, how will we know where we are going?

I am the fourth generation to be elected to public office in Christian County. My roots are deep.

Local history is important to me, and I love sharing. Another opportunity to be involved is to be an election judge. It is worth taking a day away from your day job to serve and appreciate our election process. It is a long day; the results cannot be measured. It heightens your awareness of community issues and what is important to voters.

A dream is a dream until you write it down; then it is a goal.

Written goals are vital! You can add, subtract and change, but writing them down (you do not have to share with anyone) keeps you focused. A review at the beginning of the month allows you to adjust any goal. What happens if your job goes away? Notice I did not say “lose your job” – that would indicate your actions prompted the change of status. Your list of goals will keep you grounded and help you prepare for your next job/adventure.

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Go with passion.

Mike Rowe said, “I do not follow my passion; I bring it with me.” What lights up your eyes? Nature? History? Art? Whatever it is, find an organization and become active. Many organizations are Nancy O’Reilly said, “We have human rights thanks to both virtual and in person. Remember that the women who changed 10,000 generations of history in just 10 generations.” While most of my mentorship has you are providing unconditional support and advice. You will be a worker before been for women, I have assisted several men who have you become a leader. Ask me about the expressed interest in education and supporting others.

Bald Knobbers (the vigilante group, not the First Lady Abigail Adams said to husband John, “If you do not give women the right to vote in the Constitution, it music group) and you will know right away will take many years before they vote.” My pledge: Today you have pressed my “go” button.

I will bring up another person with a kind word, support and encouragement. May that become a pledge for you?

Make the pledge

It is tacky to raise your voice to the only person who can help you.

There is a story about a person who approached an airline ticket counter, then bullied his way to the agent who asked him to take his place in line.

He replied, “Do you know who I am?” The agent, went to the microphone and said, “We have a person at gate number whatever who does not know who he is; if you know, please report to this gate immediately.” It is not a good idea to raise your voice unless you want to sleep in the lobby. It is not just about you!

Pay attention. All day, every day.

In life, we do not have days off. We have days with fewer responsibilities, but we still need to be alert. We should take days away from emails and screens. We are all connected, as are our careers, ventures and adventures.

Focus on the basics Live simply, speak kindly, care deeply and love generously.

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 7

Jhasmine Watson Deputy Director, Care to Learn

31 32 33 Be kind.

That’s it. We could all stand to be kinder, myself included. This includes being kind to yourself, as well.

Work ahead.

Life is unexpected, and stuff happens. If you know you need to do something, do it as soon as possible. The thought of doing the work is generally worse than the actual work, and we generally incorrectly estimate the time it takes to do the work.

Work ahead and thank yourself later.

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Go to therapy.

I had heard it over and over before, but you do not have to have a reason to go to therapy. You do not have to have experienced some major trauma or life event to benefit from therapy. Improving and maintaining your mental health is exactly the same as going to the dentist and seeing the eye doctor. Take care of yourself and go to therapy.

When you feel healthy and aligned with yourself, you are helping the world be healthier and more aligned.

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Take care of yourself to make the world a better place.

We’ve all seen how this works when you enter a room in a good mood. It tends to be infectious. It works the same way when you feel someone enter a room in a foul mood. You can affect the same kind of change by taking care of yourself. When you feel healthy and aligned with yourself, you are helping the world be healthier and more aligned. Imagine the ripple effects.

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Don’t let people tell you who you are.

People want to categorize and label you. I’ve learned that I am rarely what people say I am and that you have to be careful not to internalize other people’s opinions of you. You do not fit into a box, label or description, and you don’t have to, no matter what people say. As RuPaul says, “Unless they’re paying your bills, pay them no mind.”

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MCKENZIE ROBINSON

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

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Build your emotional intelligence.

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Knowing how to perceive, understand and manage emotions is a skill that can not only help you directly, but can greatly impact those around you in a big way.

Both personally and professionally, I can attribute success to understanding emotions and choosing to feel my feelings when needed.

Own up to your mistakes.

We all make them, and it usually sucks. No one likes to make mistakes. Yet, I am always comforted by how much grace I am shown when I own up to my mistakes, especially because it is another opportunity to learn and grow.

Understand that when things are hard, the universe is working to help you grow.

When you encounter a hard situation, it is not just for the sake of it being hard. You are supposed to learn and grow. Is it always fun? No. Do I sometimes tell the universe that I am as grown as I need to be? Yes. Yet, I know it is all for a good reason, and trying to reflect on previous hard situations helped me grow into the person I am today.

Help make a pie.

Trust your gut.

Your gut, intuition, knowing – whatever you want to call it – is usually right. Listen to what you are feeling or hearing from yourself and do what you need to do. Take the leap of faith. Double check that you locked the car. Your gut is there to help.

No, not a literal pie. The figurative pie that we all want a slice of. I’m talking about beginning to understand that we can have a slice of pie and that others can have a slice of pie and that, if needed, we can make more pie as well as help others make more pie. Many of us are lucky to have a good slice of pie, but what is even better is that our pie allows us to help others make a pie. Even if all you can give is a cup of flour or just the filling, help make a pie.

SERVING SPRINGFIELD SINCE 1977 SERVING SPRINGFIELD SINCE 1977

WHERE & PURPOSE MEET INSPIRINGDESIGN SPACES CREATE INSPIRED PEOPLE SERVING SPRINGFIELD SINCE 1977 SERVING SPRINGFIELD SINCE 1977

WHERE & PURPOSE MEET INSPIRINGDESIGN SPACES CREATE INSPIRED PEOPLE

COMMERCIAL FURNITURE DESIGN • • INSTALLATION COMMERCIAL FURNITURE • •DESIGN • SPACE SPACEPLANNING PLANNING • INSTALLATION

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 9

John Widiger

Visualizing change?

Build new or renew with Kenmar Construction.

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Leave your ego at the curb.

1637 W. College St. | (417) 863-1313 | kenmarconst.com

You will always accomplish more in your business by being humble. Arrogance will make you unapproachable or intimidating to your people. It is very important to have frank and open lines of communication with all of your employees, because you can’t fix what you don’t know is broken. If your team fears you or feels that they can’t communicate with you, it can be devastating to your business.

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Communicate your expectations daily.

Meeting as a team with your key departmental management every morning before their day starts will get your people focused on the daily tasks at hand. This also gives you the ability to cover what was accomplished yesterday in addition to where the company is pacing based on monthly goals. Cross departmental communication also tends to take place, bringing out great ideas from outside the box and other departments assisting with challenges someone else may be having.

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Get there early and be prepared.

As a leader, it is your responsibility to yourself and your team to be ready to communicate your expectations. This can’t be done without preparation and a consistent plan. Being one of the first people to your business sets the pace for all other employees; then following up with enthusiasm and communicating a plan is infectious.

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Challenge the people on the front lines to create positive, memorable experiences for your customers.

We give a $20 “spiff” to any employee that can give the customer what we call a “Ritz-Carlton memorable experience.” A recent example: During a vehicle purchase, the salesperson found out that Walmart had discontinued carrying a specific meat product that the customer and her husband loved and was one of their favorite dinners. After the sale, we found this specific product and had it here for them when they took their new car. They said they will never forget what we did and how completely unexpected this unique gift was. The salesperson received the bonus in the sales meeting in front of their peers, and the customer wrote about what happened all over social media.

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Make your least-desired activity or call the first thing you do.

Stop everything when a team member needs you.

Your team members are always watching you very closely as their leader. Your overall attitude and pace is vital to the success or failure of everybody’s day. Putting off a call or task that you are not looking forward to will always be on the back of your mind until you handle it. So, make it the first thing you do! Once it is done, your attitude and overall aura will be dramatically improved.

For most businesses, your most valuable and important asset is your people. We can all get very busy, and interruptions in your day can be frustrating; however, when a team member needs you, shut everything else off and focus on the immediate needs of the team member.

Grow talented people from within.

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Allow your most talented and loyal people to rise to the top of the organization. We committed to only promoting from within over eight years ago, and this has completely changed the culture of our business for the best. Entry-level workers see the opportunities available to them and strive to become better for an opportunity at advancement. Those who do not also tell a story about their ambitions to grow.

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Invest in constant training and people development.

Hire the unexpected/don’t judge a book by the cover.

Ask them to talk to you about the bouncing ball of their life since they graduated high school and you will be shocked at how much you will learn about their lives. One recent example was a single mother with five children who she had basically raised on her own with never more than a $30,000 per year of income and absolutely no sales experience. During the interview, I saw an inner strength in her that caused me to offer her an opportunity in our sales department. Not only has this changed her life financially for her and her children; she has turned out to be one of my top producers. These types of stories are all over our dealerships.

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Your people are your biggest asset, so make the investment in them to be exceptional.

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

Your people are your biggest asset, so make the investment in them to be exceptional. Every position in the organization should have a written process for the best success. Train constantly on what you expect from them, and they may surprise you and exceed your expectations.

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Raise the bar on your industry.

Through our information-based sales processes, our people are trained to supply the customer with all of the information they want during their visit, whether that be on the web, phone or in person. The biggest difference from our competition is we never ask the customer to commit to a purchase in order to get it. This no-pressure, open-book experience really backs up our “we make it easy” slogan. Between this and the search for an opportunity to give the customer a Ritz-Carlton memorable experience, we believe this sets us apart from the competition in town.

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 11

Betsy Fogle Missouri State Representative

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Invest in our children.

Children are the future of our community, and we can’t take that for granted. Get involved. Support our public schools. Volunteer for Big Brothers, Big Sisters. Not all children are lucky enough to have a happy and healthy home life, but as a community we can fill in those gaps. Our collaborative and loving spirit is what makes Springfield great, and every child deserves a strong foundation.

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Normalize mental health.

On a plane, you have to put on your own oxygen mask before you can help others. Your mental health is the same way. Life can be tough and it’s OK to admit that. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Find a therapist you trust and talk to them about the good, the bad and the ugly. We all win when our community is happy and healthy.

Love Springfield, and scream it from the (Vantage) rooftops.

Stop trying to impress anyone but your 10-year-old self.

During my first campaign, I would turn on the TV and radio or open my mail and see unkind and untrue things about myself everywhere I looked. At first, it really bothered me and kept me up at night. Then I thought about 10-year-old Betsy, and about how proud she would be that I am fighting for a better Missouri. I promised myself that night to stop worrying about what other people think and to focus only on making the little girl who believed in a loving world proud.

Springfield is the best place to live! I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I choose to live in Springfield and will do so for the rest of my life. I’m proud to call it home. Support our local businesses and the people and places that make Springfield unique.

My hope is that everyone can find the same joy in Springfield that I have found. I want everyone to know the Springfield that I know: a Springfield that is loving, welcoming and supportive.

There’s always room for compassion (and coffee!).

You are never too busy to be nice. You are never too busy to sit down over a cup of coffee and build relationships with the people who share your community with you. No matter what your job title is, you should enter into each interaction with the compassion it deserves. Job titles change, income levels fluctuate and friends come and go. You know what never leaves? The little voice in your head asking yourself if you have led your life with compassion and empathy.

Change doesn’t happen on its own.

Sometimes it requires discomfort, friction and gentle and not-so-gentle nudging. If you are met with roadblocks, don’t quit. Most of my accomplishments in life have come after people telling me, “You’ll never be able to pull that off.”

Prove them wrong.

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Don’t be afraid to poke the bear.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it. Find a therapist you trust and talk to them about the good, the bad and the ugly.

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

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Hold your elected officials accountable, and run for something.

There are so many decisions that impact your day-to-day life being made by people in city hall, Jefferson City and Washington, D.C. No one knows your community better than you do, so hold your elected officials accountable, ask a lot of questions and pay attention to the laws being passed on your behalf.

Ask yourself, “Does this person represent my Springfield?” If not, don’t be afraid to put your name on the ballot and do it yourself.

58

Your budget is a moral document.

Where you put your money matters. If you are a CEO, pay your workers well knowing that they are the backbone of your business. When your family is Christmas shopping, consider spending your money at locally owned businesses instead of large corporations headquartered in other states. These decisions add up and can be the difference between a small business thriving or having to shut its doors.

59

Enjoy and preserve the Ozarks.

We are so fortunate to live near so many lakes, rivers, caves and trails. Go out and enjoy them and do your part to preserve them. Put down your phone, stop checking emails, grab your family and friends, and hit one of the beautiful hikes or floats at your fingertips. There is no pride in overworking yourself.

Take time to enjoy the beauty around us.

60

You are not an island.

The last year and half living through a global pandemic has shown us how interconnected we are. What happens to one of us happens to all of us.

We need to care about the issues that impact our community because one day those issues will impact you. Crime, poverty, mental health, public health and education are all community issues that require a community-driven response.

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63

Ruell Chappell

President, Ruell Chappell Music; Founder, Ozark Mountain Daredevils; and Member, Play it Forward SWMO

61 Be honest with yourself.

62 66 65 64 68 67 69 70

Be honest about who you are and what you want for your life. I knew early on who I was and what I wanted. Some do not come to that knowledge until later in life. Only when you know who you are and what you want will the path present to your passions. A one-sizefits-all approach to life may get you through life, but it won’t allow you your best life.

Know your value.

Know your unique ability.

Be truthful with others.

Think critically and listen to the little voice it drives. It will always tell you the truth – if you listen and are honest. It is the voice that lives in love for your fellow man and logic. Lifelong credibility and all relationships demand reliability and truth. It doesn’t mean you won’t do things wrong. You most certainly will. It does mean that telling the truth is the quickest way to redemption and growth.

Look for the better way.

The conventional corporate model is suffering currently due to lack of employees. The baby boomers went home with the pandemic, and the young are not filling the bill. A lot has changed. The ability to work, learn, communicate and be entertained remotely has revolutionized the opportunities for the labor force and produced any number of new business models.

Study them all, and see where your value lies. 2022 will find me doing audio production for clients around the world. Your market is no longer the Springfield metro area or southwest Missouri. It’s the world.

You would do well to constantly define your unique ability. It’s not always what you think, but it is what delivers for you. Learn it and use it. For instance, I do a lot of single shows. I speak to my audience as well as play piano and sing for them. I tell stories to get a few laughs and set up the next song. I noticed, over time, that I got more compliments on my stories than for my playing and singing. I realized just how much I loved telling stories. Now, if I could only dance.

Tech and human systems change at lightning speed. The future belongs to those who can see the next steps in the evolution of process, service or product.

Constantly look for a way to do what you do better, more efficiently. You will become indispensable to those who rely on your service.

Be civil.

Treat your neighbor and your brother as you would have them treat you. You don’t have to agree with them to be civil to them, even friends with them. One of my musical partners has been my best friend and bandmate for 45 years. We couldn’t be any more different when it comes to politics.

Don’t let politics choose your friends or your friends choose your politics.

Be grateful.

Make your happiness.

Happiness isn’t something you find; it’s something you make.

If you know who you are and what you want, you can honestly pursue your passions in career and life. But you need to decide what enough is. You have to come up with a life mix of work, family and education/entertainment that works financially for you and/or your family. The income my wife and I produce is adequate to support the life mix we want. We are not wealthy, but we most certainly are happy!

Wake up every day and be grateful for your life and all it holds. Be grateful, and then act on it. The best way I know to feel grateful is to help those less fortunate in our community.

Better your community.

Be part of a charitable program in your community.

Nothing will make you feel better. Nothing will inspire you more. Community residents love to hear what you and/or your business are doing in the community. I direct Play It Forward SWMO, and my wife, Jill, participates in the Gathering Friends for the Homeless program. Helping those in need in our community will bless us. I promise.

Work for or build the business with three bottom lines.

A friend of mine, Galen Chadwick, gave me this concept years ago, and it makes so much sense.

American business will have to support the fight against climate change. In order to do that, they must be honest about how their business impacts the public and the environment. To that end, business must self-regulate by assessing, No. 1, environmental impact, No. 2, population impact, and No. 3, profit. I guess you could call it a greener, more compassionate capitalism. It’s simple, honest and addresses the problem directly, and that’s the reason it will never happen until we get youth in positions of power. They have a stake in the world to come. It seems my generation is trying to cash in, at all costs, before they leave this place.

14 · SBJ.NET

MCKENZIE ROBINSON

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

Anne Williams

73 71 72 76 74 75 78 77 79 80 President, JobFinders Employment Services Co.

Realize that your personnel are your biggest resource.

Staff are the most important part of any business. Without the people who run the day-to-day operations, you would not have a business. Respect them, listen to them and never ever be late with their payroll!

Know that education is not interchangeable with experience.

In many professions, education is a must to get into a career, and in others, it’s not. Don’t just hire someone because they had good grades or an Ivy League degree. Instead, search out and allow people with experience into your company. You may be surprised how much more they bring to the table in a short time.

You do not need to be a superhero anymore.

Know your priorities.

Superheroes are for TV, not the business world.

Remember, very few people can do everything and do it all well. Being a businessperson, parent, PTA president, Rotary chair and the company clown are great – but the time, work and stress are not healthy for anyone. Sit down with your family, team and supervisor to talk it through. Tell them your priorities and how you feel you can best use your time. Give yourself permission that you do not have to be all and do everything all the time!

Take responsibility.

Treat the company assets, liabilities and resources like they are your own.

When you own them, you tend to protect them. You will be more aware of your department’s culture, its workload and spending habits, as well as the effect every aspect of the department has on the company.

You cannot pull the wool over their eyes (very long).

Priorities are the things that give life meaning and purpose.

They drive you to a successful goal. Once you name your priorities, you can start using them to manage your work, as well as your home life. You can focus on the preference and quit wasting time. Get started by making a list of five to seven. That should be manageable. When you keep them in mind as you go about your day, you should find that decisions become easier, your time is freed up and your mind is clearer.

Every employee, department and company has stuff they want to hide from their superiors, department heads or whole staff. Generally, the small stuff does not matter; go ahead and keep it to yourself. The big stuff you can only hide for a bit. It comes out. Don’t start telling lies, thinking people won’t find out. It causes a lot of worry and stress.

The customer may not always be right, but they are always the customer.

Let your gut help guide your decisions (sometimes).

We all have gut feelings, and we need to use them at work more often than we do. In the world of recruiting, I have learned to use that sense when hiring for myself or my clients. I use it when negotiating with vendors or going after new business, too. To me it is a feeling in the pit of my stomach. It hurts when I think of whatever the subject is, and I’m usually trying to make it a positive thing when it truly is a negative one. Think long and hard when you have the feeling!

We all have had customers who were not right. Perhaps you could not please them, no matter what. It happened to me. I could not fire my customer and had to resolve the issue. My team and I sat down and brainstormed. First things first, we remembered who paid the bills. Once we kept in mind that the customer was not leaving and I could not assist them, it was easy. My counterpart took over the account. Moral of the story: Don’t be reactionary, talk it out with your team, make a plan and save the business.

Be grateful.

Count your blessings every day. First, be proud of yourself for the things you have accomplished. Give yourself a daily affirmation. Say thank you! Don’t forget to say “good job” or give a “woot-woot” to those around you who have helped accomplish your goals, small or large. Remember, everyone matters – the kids, teachers, nurses and docs, your coworkers, staff and boss. Be grateful to your customers, your vendors and all who affect your daily business life. Writing a reminder of what/who to be grateful for is a good idea.

Listen, learn and laugh with those around you.

I hire smart people! Some are much smarter than me, many younger than me. I have learned to listen to all of them instead of being the center of attention and telling them how “we used to do things.” When I started listening, I learned so much. I learned what motivates younger people.

I learned a great deal about technology and why they prefer texting. They learned a little, too.

They have learned that their leaders can listen, learn and provide them with information. Most importantly, we all learned to respect one another and laugh together.

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MCKENZIE ROBINSON

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Brandon Welch President and Chief of Strategy, Frank & Maven

Give away your secrets.

Make radical generosity your new normal.

Worn and tattered from the winds of change, we continue to ask, “When will things finally get back to normal?” Leading through rapid change is not for the faint of heart. But the process has proven one thing to me beyond question: Radical generosity is the only sure way to get through it. If we pursue generosity in all storms, we will not only survive but also arrive at a far better place than “the way things used to be.”

When you freely give away your secrets, you allow future giants to see farther than you have seen by standing on your shoulders.

Aside from how fulfilling it is to be a part of someone’s success, the impact you make by teaching will echo for generations beyond you. Icing on the cake: This is the most sure way to become a sought-after pro and do more of the work you’re passionate about.

Be more curious, less judgmental.

Somewhere between the ages of 3 and 13, the world told us to stop asking questions (and we listened). Break that mold by unleashing curiosity for why situations and people are the way they are, rather than quickly judging them. Triple the number of questions you ask. Get obsessed with “why.” Curious leaders are passionate leaders. And passionate leaders are the ones people trust and follow.

Disarm your doubts.

Be aware of what you allow your mind to believe is possible. Doubt enables the part of the brain that only sees problems. One negative thought produces another negative thought, and before you know it, you’re trapped in a cycle that can only produce negative results. Breaking the cycle is as simple as deciding to believe something is possible, choosing to focus on the reasons it can be done, and continuing to follow that path of possibilities to the result you desire.

“

Get obsessed with “why.”

Curious leaders are passionate leaders.

16 · SBJ.NET

85

Put your brain on a diet.

The media you choose for your mind is just as crucial as the nutrients you choose for your body. Sure, you can binge-watch the occasional show, but offset that with equal time spent consuming a podcast, book or quality time with a mentor who challenges you to grow. You become what you consume most.

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

86 89

87 88 91 90 Be the guide.

How often are you talking about the dreams and goals of the people around you? Are you checking in on them? Are you nudging them along? If not, what in the world are you good for? Ask with genuine curiosity. Encourage with contagious excitement. Celebrate their wins with a full heart.

Celebrate, celebrate, celebrate.

It’s not uncommon to celebrate big accomplishments. But how often do you celebrate the stepping stones that lead there? When you are generous in acknowledging small wins, they will happen more often, and you’ll get to the big thing you’re after more quickly. Start your week by writing down team wins from the last seven days of every shape and size. Then show some gratitude, clap your hands or even ring a giant gong for the progress you’ve made.

Be frank.

We live in a world that often chooses safety over truth, but there are people counting on you to help them on their journey. Are you giving it to them straight? Or are you letting an uncomfortable conversation keep them from realizing their fullest potential? When someone trusts you, do the courageous thing and tactfully point out when they are off the course that you know they would rather be on, because the cruelest thing you could do is let them give up on their own greatness.

Cheer for people who leave your company.

Assuming your company actually cares about people and that someone isn’t malicious in pursuing a new venture, cheer for them on their way out the door. This is the most crucial time to prove who you are. It can hurt to see your best people go, but it hurts everyone even more to realize the leader they thought cared about them was full of hot air. If someone has left you for something that serves them and their family better, swallow your pride, be happy for them, and throw them an epic goingaway party.

(BONUS)

Barbecue.

Write letters, not classified ads.

There is no better way to bond with your team than over a meal you cook together. Hit a pause button on work mode, fire up a grill and sizzle away the stress every week or two.

Don’t worry about the time and money it costs; the byproducts of having fun together are far greater than could ever be measured on a spreadsheet.

When you write your classified ads that only talk about the position and pay, you’re telling people that’s all you care about. Instead, talk about the person and their purpose by writing a letter to your future awesome employee. Write as if you already know them, talk about their awesome qualities and quirks that make them perfect for the gig, and especially speak to how your company will make an impact on their life.

Pro tip: When you get extremely specific, you will repel all the mediocre candidates and attract the few unicorns that will rock your world.

2021 Presenters

PRESENTED BY

You’ve read their ideas, now listen as they each pick their favorites and take a deeper dive into the stories behind the ideas and how they have been put in practice.

Ruell Chappell

M. Elise Crain

Betsy Fogle

Ryan Grabill

Jhasmine Watson

Brandon Welch

John Widiger

Anne Williams

Grant Wistrom

Purchase tickets at

SBJ.net/90Ideas

Dec. 8 | 7:15-9:30 a.m.

Alamo Drafthouse

NOV. 29-DEC. 5, 2021

SPRINGFIELD BUSINESS JOURNAL · 17

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