It was exciting to attend the Strategic Growth Forum® in California a few weeks ago.
Chevy Arnold continues to invite us to hear the greatest CEOs and motivational speakers in America share their wisdom, and we always feel so much a part of the greater EY global family (more about that later).
I was so proud to be the EY Southeast Entrepreneur of the Year in 2020, along with my good friend and Palmetto Infusion CEO David Goodall. I continue to be inspired by EY’s support of entrepreneurship in America and their ability to get the best and brightest under one roof to network and share ideas.
We had a great time in Palm Springs; the quality of the speakers and the presentations were incredible. Everyone seems to be on the same page – we need to do things differently to build a better world.
Here are the highlights and key points that stood out for me and some of the issues that made me reflect and review my opinions on how we should be doing business. I’ll also share with you some incredible next-generation leaders; they are the ones to watch, and we are the ones who can learn so much from their stories and their incredible energy.
Are you an Adaptive Leader?
Ryan Roslansky is the CEO of LinkedIn and a pretty impressive guy. He says CEOs are finding themselves in positions of pragmatism and innovation. We will all need to be flexible and adapt to changing times. As Roslansky said, “You can play down to fear as a Reactive Leader, or you can play up as an Adaptive Leader.”
He also points out that 15% of jobs posted online are remote and that 50% of job seekers are applying for that 15%, showing a significant demand for remote work, something we all need to be mindful of as we negotiate the new world of work.
He highlighted something that I write about in my upcoming book: Companies that excel in the next ten years will be the ones that find themselves at the intersection of “Doing Good” and “Doing Well.” As leaders can no longer just be focused on making money, we must be socially focused or, in some way, help others as we grow our businesses.
From the Battlefield to the Boardroom
Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour – America’s first black female combat pilot – was amazing! Vernice gave us some hard-hitting advice from her adventures on the battlefield and in business. She told stories about being over enemy lines with less than 20 minutes of fuel left, with only one missile, and only one chance to get the bad guys before they got our marines. She talked about planning, mental toughness, preparedness, and everything related to business.
What a storyteller! She is always looking for opportunities to speak to companies about transformation. I am sure she will be in great demand if she’s that fearless in battle. Just imagine what she could do for your business!
[By the way, she got all the bad guys, and our marines survived, although she barely had enough fuel to land!! She is truly a hero!]
Only in America!
Sheila Mikhail, co-founded AskBio in 2001, now one of the world’s most prolific gene-therapy companies! She has guided several strategic acquisitions (including a $4-billion acquisition by Bayer AG). Find out more about her inspiring story on YouTube. She is out there changing the world. I am so glad that young women have such an incredible role model to look up to; she made me feel optimistic about a much better America.
When Mental Health is More Important than Gold
It was also awe-inspiring to listen to Simone Biles. As the world’s most decorated gymnast, she needs no introduction. Yes, she talked about mental health, but she also spoke about her God-given talent, her struggles of being a foster child, missing her teenage years, and grinding in the gym to become one of the best athletes in the world.
My favorite quote was when she said, “Devoting time to my mental health was for the first time saying that ‘I’ was worth more than gold medals.” I mean, who walks away from the Olympics? Simone Biles does. There is still so much work to do, but mental health stigma is improving, thanks to people like her, who dared to walk away from the gold. A valuable lesson for us all.
Business is a Great Canvas for Life
The Strategic Growth Forum® is an amazing place for conversation and connection. The real gift is the lifelong relationships I have made through the forum. Friendships that feel like family! I would do anything for these ladies and gentlemen who have taught me so much about life, EY and business have been the great connector, and business is a great canvas for life. My EY family makes life a masterpiece.
To Rich Hagins, James Jordan, and Cynthia Jordan-Robinson, our host and dear friend Jessica Donan and her amazing husband, Michael Donan – thank you! And to all the amazing people I met at this year’s summit, thanks for the inspiration, and let’s move forward in creating businesses that empower others and change the world.
