Building From Crumbs
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Tugboat Institute® member Ford Mennel is the fifth generation leader of his family company, The Mennel Milling Company. In their 139 years, the company has been through many phases, some marked by prosperity and expansion, and some by stagnation and risk. Through it all, the series of family leaders who have shepherded Mennel have succeeded in building an Evergreen® company that is strong, continually expanding, diverse, and surprisingly innovative, given that their industry is one of the oldest in human society. In this talk, Ford not only shares his family’s and company’s history, the...
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Fireside Chat with Dave Thrasher, Dan Thrasher, and Dave Whorton
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Dave and Dan Thrasher grew up in the house that served as the first HQ for their parents’ basement waterproofing company, which they had started and grown slowly over decades. By the time the two brothers stepped into the business, their parents had grown it to about $4 million in revenues. In the 20 years since then, Dan has taken over leadership of Thrasher Group, Dave leads the newer company, Supportworks, and together, they have built their companies to an impressive $400 million in revenue. In this Fireside Chat with Dave Whorton, Dave leads the brothers through stories from their...
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The Science of Happiness and Social Connection
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Sonja Lyubomirsky is an experimental social psychologist at University of California, Riverside. She has been studying the science of happiness for decades and her work has included consulting on projects like the film Mission: Joy, featuring the Dalai Lama and Bishop Desmond Tutu. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Sonja poses the question, “Is it possible to become happier?” and shares the findings from her many years of research in order to answer it. Happily, she found that there are many things we can do. Even better, the most powerful ones align with Evergreen® best practice...
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Collaborative Landscapes: Shaping Successful Partnerships with Design
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
How do creativity and productivity thrive simultaneously in a business? The creative and the business mindsets are often very different in their approach to problem solving and innovation, yet in most professions, success in each area is necessary for companies to grow and thrive. So what are the conditions that make space for both? Paul Seck is a landscape architect and Partner at MVVA, a leading landscape architecture firm nationwide. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Paul shares how MVVA makes space for both. It starts with a plurality of voices and with a commitment to collaboration....
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The Return on Philanthropy
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Tugboat Institute®’s Gary Kunkle spent many years advising companies around sustained growth and then completing a PhD thesis on the true drivers of sustained growth. Through this work, he has built up an impressive store of data and insight. Gary leads Tugboat’s Paced Growth Team Training and our Executive Team Training Series and has helped many Evergreen® leaders and executives understand their own companies better and set the conditions for sustained growth that will last 100 years or more. In this Tugboat Institute talk, Gary shares a quick insight into why philanthropic...
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Looking for Work/Life Harmony
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Most company leaders can attest to the fact that finding a way to be a present spouse, parent, and even friend while building a business can be extremely challenging. But it is critical for creating a life and lifestyle that are good and sustainable. People often talk about “balance,” but sometimes balance is simply not possible. So seek harmony instead. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Paul Mears III, President, and CEO of Hello! Destination Management, shares his own journey as a CEO, a husband, and a father. Through the different chapters of his life, he tackled this tension with...
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The Making of a 100-Year Company: My Journey to Employee Ownership
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Brad Herrmann learned about building and running a business from his father, who had done just that. But then his father sold the company, and the company and the team Brad had grown to love disappeared. He partnered with a friend and founded a new company, and they vowed that would not happen to them. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Brad shares his journey to find a way to ensure that his company, Text-em-All, lasts far beyond his own tenure. The company has grown substantially since its founding in 2005, and Brad and his co-founder were committed to finding a way to ensure it stayed...
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Transitions Either Happen to You…or Because of You
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Change is uncomfortable, especially when we did not seek it and when it sets us on paths we would never have chosen. How we choose to deal with the inevitable surprises life has in store for us is where we really find out who we are and what we are capable of. This is true in our everyday lives, as well as in our jobs and careers. In this talk, member Elizabeth Glasbrenner shares her story of dealing with change. Elizabeth co-founded her company, , with her brother after their father sold his own company and they perceived a window of opportunity. Over the following years, as she started her...
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The Secret Sauce: A Culture of Connection = A Thriving Organization
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Tugboat Institute® member Kirk Aubry leads Savage Services, a transportation company based in Utah that moves and manages critical materials. In the years he has led the company, they have seen impressive growth. Rather than simply sit back and admire their success, Kirk asked himself, why? He spent dedicated time and effort exploring this question, and has reached a clear conclusion: connection. Connection is, in Kirk’s words, “The Secret Sauce” that has allowed for Savage’s success and growth. Connection amongst team members, with their customers, and with their community....
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Culture is not Enough: Evergreens Need Strategy to Survive and Thrive
Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute
Jeff Patterson is the CEO and founder of Gaggle, an EdTech software company that exists to protect students in schools. As a company founder, he has fought hard to create and build Gaggle, and along with it an entire industry, and he has remained committed to the Evergreen® path throughout. However, as committed as he is to the Evergreen 7Ps® principles, he has had a nagging feeling for years that he needs more than a wonderful culture to survive for the long term. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Jeff shares his own journey toward creating a meaningful and effective strategy for...
info_outlineTugboat Institute® member Ford Mennel is the fifth generation leader of his family company, The Mennel Milling Company. In their 139 years, the company has been through many phases, some marked by prosperity and expansion, and some by stagnation and risk. Through it all, the series of family leaders who have shepherded Mennel have succeeded in building an Evergreen® company that is strong, continually expanding, diverse, and surprisingly innovative, given that their industry is one of the oldest in human society.
In this talk, Ford not only shares his family’s and company’s history, the risks they faced, and the strategies that allowed them to survive and thrive over time. He also demonstrates creativity in his approach to Pragmatic Innovation, not just in Mennel Milling’s products and services, but also in his strategic approach to accessing capital for acquisitions while safeguarding the company’s Evergreen® independence.
Watch and be inspired to be innovative in all areas of your company, and to build something that will last.