Comments

***** :)

Tom, I'd love to endorse Ashoka's place here as enthusiastically as I cheer others. However, even their fostering of social entrepreneurship falls foul of political sledgehammers in some respects. I contacted them recently to suggest we might have interests in common, and found they are barred from doing work here in Syria. You'd think even GWB would applaud a bit of non-profit social entrepreneurship in the A of E, but sanctions are sanctions irrespective of collateral. So Ashoka is not quite "worldwide" just yet I'm afraid. C'mon Obama, bring some common sense to things.

Posted by Rob at January 26, 2009 1:27 PM

Arianna Huffington over Matt Drudge???
I don't think so!

Posted by Walt B at January 26, 2009 3:02 PM

Tom - fabulous to see my business leader heroine, the late, great Anita Roddick in your list. Disappointed not to see Sir Richard Branson in the list but hey ... I guess 1 Brit in a list of 41 is ok :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 26, 2009 5:59 PM

Tom - appreciate making your list as a moderate in the sea of neoliberal selections!

"Contraire Worldwide" prides itself on innovation & fast action. For example in this downturn we rushed to cut costs by swiftly laying off the front-line Obama-ites & those that spoke of Brand You - rather than brand us & brand profit.

We had the O-ites/You's escorted out of our offices the same day as the decision - ready fire aim! Then we all had a good long laugh - oh how we laughed sipping wine & snacking on lobster from our Barack bailout funds while on elite management retreat at the Bob Hope Desert Classic!

Posted by Contraire at January 26, 2009 6:29 PM

$68B reads like $68B too much! Like many I'm with B of A & Wells Fargo - & dreaded when they just had to acquire Merrill & Wachovia to muddle their management & books even more!

The Great Recession gets fierce in '09 - 100 Alcoa workers laid off locally & the state local college dropped 90 courses & laid off all temporary employees & the local Office Depot & Circuit City & & & ...

Posted by Contraire at January 26, 2009 6:45 PM

Whoops - $68B comment above refers to Pfizer/Wyeth "Idiots on the Loose" deal!

Posted by Contraire at January 26, 2009 6:49 PM

Great list... so many of the 41 here are or have been inspirational for me... this list could be extended of course... I see the ones I know on this list as 'social change evangelists'...

Examples from the ones I know about or knew about include -

Susan Frampton (getting beyond the sick role) Jim Penman (owner occupied job creation) Wendy Kopp (re-wiring teachers - exceptional work)

Muhammad Yunus (worked with some of his people on what I term "self-help" loans) John Bogle (did some work that involved taking advice from Vanguard in 90's - they do "investing for life") Steve Jobs (product-based communities - Apple did not discount after Christmas and yet its Stanford Center store was packed! as reported by Guy Kawasaki on his blog 'how to change the world')

David Kelley, IDEO (liaised with IDEO about my health care model - social change architects)

Oprah (social media) Carly Fiorina (business innovation - focus now on small business) John Doerr (John is a true gentleman and bright as all get out - now funding 'green technologies' and key input to Google health care project) Bo Burlingham's (tribal business communities) Michelle Rhee (take no prisoners Michelle - transparency, accountability, and equity in schools)

Pastor Rick Warren (political/organisational genius - taking on Aids in Africa, poverty, homeless in California, etc) Sheikh Mohammed (building sandcastles in a dessert as his way to construct 'social cohesion') David Petraeus (regime change)

Lee Kuan Yew (apprentice in economic and social miracles) Ronald Reagan (crusading for freedom with responsibility) Arianna Huffington (finally found her calling as the conductor of 'web-based conversations') Ted Turner (a pain the butt at all times - but his 24/7 news cycle changed social mores)

Dame Anita Roddick (the great communicator - environmentalist - sold nature's cosmetics) Howard Dean (networked political activists).....

If that mob does not motivate you to make your world a better place in 2009 then no one can....

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 26, 2009 9:55 PM

****TP, the Entrepreneur Agent for entrepreneurs!

Posted by Terry Ransbury at January 26, 2009 10:13 PM

Ditto, Terry. Nice.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 26, 2009 10:31 PM

Tom, Dame Anita Roddick tops my list, bang on the money that the banks neither have such thinking or come to that women in such positions.

Posted by patrick at January 27, 2009 3:39 AM

A great list, which leads to a great discussion. Stopping at only 41 is a feat in and of itself. I'd be curious to see more nominations from the readers. Two of my own: Bill Rasmussen, founder of ESPN (in 1979, as if we need reminding how time flies!). His interesting story is at www.espnfounder.com. My other is Herb Kelleher of Southwest fame. Just think of the list of carriers that have gone under in one way or another since it began service in 1971 (anyone remember Ozark? Then TWA? or Pan-Am, etc.)

Posted by Bruce at January 27, 2009 6:11 PM

Hi Patrick – hope you are well. What a terrific role model Anita Roddick was. It is so sad she is no longer with us. The business world surely needs her type more than ever these days. I just love the story told so vividly by Anita in her brilliant book 'Body and Soul' how back in the early 1970’s her bank manager would not lend her just a few hundred pounds without a proper business case. She had turned up at the bank with nothing more than passion for her idea (for what eventually became The Body Shop) She was dressed in casual clothes and carrying her new baby. The following week she arrived with her husband dressed in his business suit and he presented a business case whilst she sat – more conservatively dressed and without the baby and she kept quiet. Surprise, surprise she got the money … SO MANY LESSONS THERE. She said in ‘Body and Soul’ which she wrote after being awarded business woman of the year, words to the effect (I can’t remember her exact words) that in all her years in business she had not yet been inspired by any business man dressed in a suit.

Here are two other wonderful and so typical quotes of the great woman.

“If you think you're too small to have an impact, try going to bed with a mosquito.”

“If I can't do something for the public good, what the hell am I doing?”

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 27, 2009 7:00 PM

Bruce,

Herb was/is awesome. He truly redefined the way airlines carry their cargo. Frontier Airlines, a very similar animal, is quite impressive to me as well. I was on a Frontier Airlines flight once and the pilot shook my hand and told me "thanks" for keeping him employed. The moment was so extraordinary, I thought the handshake was a gag or something goofy. The guy was serious.

Enter my vote for #42...Mr. Trevor Gay with his Simplistic style of management. The Simplicity with which he presents his thoughts and compassion to a worker of any nationality is glorious to me. I'm glad that I found his blog way back when, because I thought I was going mad with all of the BS being tossed around in marketplaces today.

Here's to keeping things Simple and Entrepenurial at the same time!!!!!!!!!!

Judith Ellis...

You're #43 to me because you fight like Rocky Balboa...I understand you were affiliated with Sylvester's last movie (I liked it---believe it or not). Even though Stallone got hosed by Madoff recently, you're one heck of an entrepenurial fighter.

Contraire...

You're #44 because you have some of the most comedic/entrepenurial posts. I love your sense of humor! Very entrepenurial in my book. You make me laugh from day-to-day, which I find very rewarding in today's world.

Posted by Candy Man at January 27, 2009 9:36 PM

Bruce...Herb Kelleher is an outstanding choice. A credible "People First" work culture can produce "best in class" results....year after year after year!

Michelle Rhee is also an excellent choice. A "front liner" whose real world experience in getting results is bringing real change to a stagnant and abysmal educational system. A benchmack of leadership to be sure!

Posted by Dave Wheeler at January 27, 2009 9:37 PM

Funny, Contraire, the Rocky Balboa reference, that is. I guess I could be a cross between Rocky and Brunhilde--NOT! Wagner, I could never sing! You are the Google King. I indeed was a lead member of the team that brought the national premiere of Rocky to Michigan. Sylvester Stallone was great!

The wonderful thing about being a lead in the Rocky premiere, beside its great success for which I handled the finances, was that I was able to get many donors to participate in the red carpet event. These funds were given to one of my favorite charities that help at risk youth.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 27, 2009 10:22 PM

The comment above should be addressed to "The Candy Man."

For you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqHxoYXmND8

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 27, 2009 10:30 PM

fantastic and - hopefully to many - a deeply inspiring list.
great, tom. a lively outline of a world to come that - as you show - is already here.
excellent.

Posted by jkh at January 28, 2009 4:21 AM

Candy Man, Judith, Trevor & fellow citizens - sometimes laughter is all we have left as the front liners try to sneak into our luxury lifestyles!

No I don't like having to put electrified razor wire on walls that surround my 3 mansions (plus the nuisance of hearing the frontliners scream out - while we are trying to watch my 65" Aquos) - but it creates jobs & that is part of my vision as the USA crumbles, then breaks apart into warring nation states as Richard might say!

Remember the old saying - "Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity." We can learn from that while hiding out in Switzerland, Canada or Australia! :>)

PS - If you do not like my values - I shall change them to fit the times as an adequate & yet somehow flexible entrepreneur!

Posted by Contraire at January 28, 2009 7:08 AM

This week is the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Swiss resort town. (You know it's a sweet spot when the billing is notably named for the posh town and not the event itself. The Forum is simply known as Davos.) Considering the climate, I wonder what the bankers and financial analysts will say and to whom will they be saying it? The likes of themselves? Will there be a lot of understanding among these? Will they pat each other on the back in affirmation that they did the best they could do? Will they sit in natural hot springs sipping champagne and noshing on caviar after a day of insightful sessions?

Besides the bankers and financial analysts from Morgan Stanley and Charles Schwab, there will be quite a few distinguished guests, including World leaders. Among these are: Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. These sessions should also be interesting.

Arianna Huffington will be attending the conference and it looks like she will be chairing a few really interesting sessions on technology and social media. She is without doubt a pioneer of social media. Her sessions should be quite interesting too. But I would most like to hear the bankers and financial analysts at Davos talk about the lapse of ethics, and deregulation in the form of free trade and globalization that have brought us to this global economic crisis. I have a few question to asks. Do you?

Another question: Who in the heck is Matt Drudge???

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 28, 2009 7:44 AM

Contraire – thanks for the upbeat message. My advice - Laugh a lot each day as if it were your last ... 'cos one day you’ll be right :-)

I keep laughing at Liverpool FC Manager trying to take on the great Sir Alex in the ‘mind games’ …and falling flat on his face... ‘Don’t mess with the master’ would be my advice to Mr Benitez!

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Have a great Wednesday all!!

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 28, 2009 9:25 AM

One more I thought of on the way home last night - Frederick Smith of Federal Express. He had the conviction to take a concept from a term paper at Yale and actually do it, and ended up creating a whole new level of service that no one contemplated or thought could be done. My other general nomination goes to anyone who puts their own money on the line - usually mortgaging their own home and using their life savings - to start a business they have faith will succeed. So my tip of the hat to the sandwich shop in a strip mall franchise buyer, the chef who opens a restaurant, the yard maintenance/snow plow guy, etc. I can't imagine the anxiety of seeing whether month to month you can make the loan payments and keep the dream alive. That's entrepreunership! generic viagra online canada

Posted by Bruce at January 28, 2009 9:45 AM

Patrick - we also have Sir Richard Branson of course on this side of the pond. He definitely deserves a mention. I love the following Branson words that I recently featured on my Blog and which generated interesting discussion.

"Business has to give people enriching, rewarding lives, or it’s simply not worth doing.”

Oh how I wish ALL managers believed that and acted that way about the welfare of their employees. I know Candy Man will agree :-)

Branson and Roddick – two of the best entrepreneurs in UK business history.

Amen Sir Richard!

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 28, 2009 12:12 PM

Hi Candy Man - To be considered in the same trio as Judith and Contraire is an honour that leaves me humbled. I do hope you’ll forgive me not bursting into tears as I deliver a Kate Winslet type Golden Globe speech thanking all my family members of the last 100 years and of course my two dogs …. Just joking, Ms Winslet – you’re very good REALLY! :-)

Seriously – I appreciate your words Candy Man. I’ve always been - and will remain - anti-BS. I try hard to get beyond the pretentiousness of some managers who use BS as their prime language. I do this by asking such people simple questions. It seems to me, time and time again, simple questions are the most difficult for those who are on another planet from the one I inhabit and who are not grounded in reality. Sorry if that offends anyone – just my opinion of pretentiousness – the worst trait I see in some managers. Pretentiousness often starts with the words used to create this false image of somehow being superior. It’s a silly game that we need to expose.

Phew … I feel better now!

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 28, 2009 12:36 PM

Bruce - I love your last comment. Thank you. I also very much second the Frederick Smith addition.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 28, 2009 1:26 PM

Thanks for the opportunity tompeters! to mention a few people who continue to inspire me to do my small bit to make this world a better place....

Chris Anderson (and everyone involved with TED), Marissa Mayer (Google's human face on artificial intelligence), Professor Eric Von Hipple (community-based innovation), Jake Nickell and Jacob DeHart (open source community business), Michael Crichton (1942-2008 writer, film maker, TV series creator), Lee Scott (WalMart's perennial shopkeeper), Clint Eastwood (actor/director [Gran Torino] director [Changeling], etc, etc......

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 28, 2009 6:28 PM

The rise of new nation states is an important part of entrepreneurship coming out of this great recession. My minions are hard at work designing Contrairestan which roughly is composed of Washington, Oregon, northern California & Idaho.

Once the USA breaks apart I shall be ready to harbor those dedicated to the luxury lifestyle we all so deserve - a Heaven on earth. Plus plenty of seafood & easy access to our Pacific Rim Asian friends, trading partners & buyers of Contrairestan T-Bills!

Posted by Contraire at January 28, 2009 6:42 PM

Contraire you won me with 'seafood'...

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.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 28, 2009 6:58 PM

Barf! :-)

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 28, 2009 7:46 PM

Does a smile make light of a thing?

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 28, 2009 7:47 PM

Mexico is due to collapse any month now - and in its stead shall rise Contraireopolco - tourism, beautiful beaches, cheap & easy labor, plus a salsa dip to die for!

Governance shall use the House of Lords' model - friends, lapdogs, benefactors - the wonders of TP-like pay for play entrepreneurial government - appointed for life (until jailed of course)! :>)

Posted by Contraire at January 28, 2009 8:37 PM

Tom, Why did you find it necessary to apologetically include Rick Warren to your list ("Rick Warren, love him or hate him, Saddleback monster church, bestselling book ever")? There are others on your list who those of us on the right side of the aisle find less-than-desirable, but no alibis were offered for them. I just don't think it's necessary to politicize everything we say or do.

Posted by Chuck at January 28, 2009 10:31 PM

Does a smile make light of a thing? - Great question Judith. One of the regular slides I use in my presentations reads:

“It’s really not compulsory to be miserable at work”

The problem in my experience of 40 years working in the 'corporate' world since 16 years of age is that too few people smile. Smiling is good. Having a laugh at work in no way undermines our professionalism – it shows we have feelings and can often improve job satisfaction of teams. I love the badge that reads ‘If you see someone without a smile in this organisation, lend them one of yours”

There are rumours that our esteemed leader Contraire is to form a new political party in the state of Contrairestan. The party is to be known as “Smiles R Us.” I have it on good authority I am to be offered the position of Secretary of State for Smiles. I will humbly accept if this position is offered to me. I await the call from Contraire but I am ready.

:-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-) :-)

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 29, 2009 4:12 AM

Chuck's question simply evades the real issue of what actually occurred when President Obama chose Pastor Rick, who, by the way I fully supported. This issue being that it was a real issue at the time Pastor Rick was chosen to do the inaugural invocation. People, please. Let's not be petty; it's like trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. This is simply silly. If you have an objection to the choice for whatever reason, let's hear it. But if you simply want to assuage some petty political wrangling, well, I guess the community will hear that too.

The biggest problem we face is petty partisan politics that do not get anything moving and in this particular time we really can't afford any pettiness. An apology was not offered for those on the right or left with the inclusion of Pastor Rick in my opinion. An explanation was given due to the very real controversy, which I thought ridiculous, of the choice at the time. Which would you rather have policy and people that includes everyone or a pastor who prays?

Get over it and move forward in reality. Please, people, let's not overlook reality and focus on pettiness.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 29, 2009 7:27 AM

Yes Trevor SSS Gay! And Judith Neoliberal Pettiness Police Ellis! And Richard nation state design Lipscombe! Candy Man minister of Luxury!

In Contrairestan - we often say "screw TP excellence - adequate is plenty good enough as the world implodes - so screw it let's just do it!"

And as far as the eye can see in C-stan - we see Wal$Marts, McDonalds & Taco Bells!

All making a profit & offering such to Contraire & his pal Carlos Slim - new co-owner with Rupert Murdoch of the NY Times (renamed Adequate Times) - after my mentor Carlos bankrupted them with his 14% $250M loan - adequate rules the roost!

Mortals see a great recession, Contraire sees world domination in his image! :>)

Posted by Contraire at January 29, 2009 8:09 AM

Contraire - Got "Milk"?

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 29, 2009 8:14 AM

Contraire - I humbly accept the position of SSS. I just hope I can do justice to this awesome responsibility. I feel I am doing this for the people of Contrairestan. As part of this new nation state I feel that together we can change the history of business.

Can I humbly make an original suggestion o'great one? - How about we write a new book called "In Search of Adequacy"

Yours adequately (and humorously)

Trevor 'Smiler' Gay
SSS :- )

Posted by Trevor Gay at January 29, 2009 9:20 AM

Here is the ever bright and brilliant Arianna Huffington at Davos. There appears to be a lot of contrition going on in Davos. But my question is how long will it last and what is the outcome? Who will be held accountable for this massive mess? My advice? Follow the money.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=1016622346

Her book, Pigs At The Trough - How Corporate Greed And Political Corruption Are Undermining America, was mentioned. Perhaps it should be required reading for all of those in attendance in Davos.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 29, 2009 11:51 AM

Social change is happening at such speed now - it truly hard to keep up... For example, Robert Scoble is streaming live interviews from the World Economic Forum in Davos. When you watch them you feel like you are right there. In some sessions you can tweet in your questions for the presenter. Just a few years ago "web-based communities" were being discussed at Davos as 'the next big thing'.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 29, 2009 3:39 PM generic viagra without prescription in australia

Contraire when Rupert Murdoch finally does buy the NYT it will be a big social change. Rupert surely thinks the NYT is currently inadequate so your suggestion that he rename it the Adequate Times will probably make perfect sense to him.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 29, 2009 3:45 PM

viagra canadian pharmacy discount Richard - the sooner the better for Mr. Murdoch to take over the TIMES!

Trevor SSS Gay - "In Search of Sanity in Times of Insanity!" is what we need perhaps!?

Judith - thanks & appreciate you sticking with that trailer trash Huffington - loyalty counts even to those lobster & French wine slurping Davos-ites!

PS - I am sponsoring a free service to turn your tap water to all Digital all HD all the time:

Please send $1000 US to cover postage & handling for your rush delivery converter box to:

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PSS: Cathy Moscow is the new Minister to the Kremlin; Erik Hansen as Prince of Iceland

Posted by Contraire at January 29, 2009 7:14 PM

Richard - Wow! I would have liked to have listened to streaming live videos in Davos.

Is the Forum over? I know someone who is back already.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 29, 2009 9:12 PM

Judith this is for you....

Nassim Nicholas Taleb joins the Davos Debates.....
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=YHZfnNtqd7o

As you might appreciate we just love Black Swans down here in Australia,....

Posted by Richard lipscombe at January 29, 2009 10:21 PM

Thanks, Richard. Cool! Nassim's great! Humm,? I wonder why you guys "just love Black Swans down" there "in Australia. :-)

Sorry about Dokic. But as you might appreciate we are excited about Serena! We think she'll do it again for a forth down there.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 29, 2009 11:04 PM

Serena is looking great - she will become #1 again if she wins this Australian Open...

We love Black Swans because there are so many of them in Albert Park Lake just a few kilometers from Rod Laver Arena where the finals of the Australian Open are played... It is great to see kids 5 years old and younger feeding them great hunks of bread... Nothing more graceful than a Black Swan just gently cruising around on Albert Park Lake...

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 29, 2009 11:34 PM

Actually, Serena, has not looked great throughout the entire Open until the last two sets of the semi-final match. Had Azarenka not retired, she may not have made it to the finals. But then again, you can never tell with both Serena and Venus.

These sisters could have double digit errors and come back in the third set and win while their opponents have been playing their very best with mostly winners. They are not given enough credit for their mental toughness, skill sets, and pure stamina.

Come to think of it, these things are all essential for entreprenuers. Those on the list must have many stories to tell.

Safina has been playing well but I don't see her taking out Serena. But we'll have to see.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 30, 2009 9:55 AM

Serena steamrolls Safina! Goodnight.

Posted by Judith Ellis at January 31, 2009 4:46 AM

Serena Williams rules - she is #1 again as well as Australian Open Champion.

Scobleizer rules at Davos with his Nokia phone 'live streaming' interviews over Kyte - Robert asks his Twitterers questions.

Randi Zuckerberg is running 'Facebook Question' at Davos - she has a 1.000 web-based community that is posing questions for the key sessions at the World Economic Forum and then being polled on their answers to the queries posted. This is an 'inclusion tool' that brings social change to Davos itself.

Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, and Robert Scoble are 'real time' social change agents.

Great to see that Erik is taking TPC into the new world of work by running a Twitter discussion on a key US social event - The Super Bowl. Well done - finally TPC is joining the most popular conversation medium on the web....

In my lexicon - discussed here before - Twitter is a "open access network" that links Chattering Clusters (to better understand these communities read anything by Don Tascott). Facebook is a "facilitated network" that links Chattering Clans (early adopters and innovators - read blogs including Guy Kawasaki). MySpace is a "purpose-driven network" that links Chattering Tribes (these are what Seth Godin writes about in his latest book) which are more stable communities.

Posted by Richard Lipscombe at January 31, 2009 10:02 PM

Tom - I have admirred and been much inspired by your books, audio and video. Your list of people you admire reflects well that business is more than corporates and -in the sense of the meaning of the word - what we are busy at doing, so a wide ranging list across indviduals and organisations.

But there is being busy for good, being talented for good or for bad.

Dubai is an autocratic monarchy, a system of government the Toddpuddle martyrs fought and overturned. Surely you know about the "freedom" and "great jobs" and lives lived by their "guest workers". And the environment ............. ??????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?????????

Posted by tim waygood at February 3, 2009 7:17 PM

Lorenzo Zambrano, really?

Last time I heard him present Cemex, his greatest pride was how centralized they were and how controlling he was of all operations worldwide from his HQ. So much for "Autonomy and entrepreneurship" (principle #3 of Excellence).

Posted by Arnaud at February 13, 2009 9:59 AM