Business Leaders Blog

Jerry Foster Challenges Himself and Others to Excellence

Headquartered in West Des Moines, Iowa, Foster Group is an independent, fee-only financial planning and investment advisory firm dedicated to providing objective advice and solutions that reduce the complexity of wealth management and establish a high probability of success. The firm was founded in 1989 by Jerry Foster, CFP, whose vision was to create an organization that emphasized teamwork and serving clients first. With more than $1.2 billion in assets under management, Foster Group services over 900 clients in 38 states and works with individuals, non-profit organizations, fiduciaries, trust funds, and retirement plans to grow assets, preserve capital, and avoid marketplace risk.

Jerry Foster, who serves as the chairman of the firm, lives by the motto, “Challenge to excellence,” and challenges his team toward excellence in delivering a world-class experience for their clients on a daily basis. He was recently named an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist for the Upper Midwest program.

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Colin Williams, Children’s Television Wiz

Northern Irish entrepreneur Colin Williams is the founder of Sixteen South, an award-winning children’s television production company based in Belfast. As Sixteen South’s executive producer and creative director, Williams heads the company’s development team and oversees its major productions. He began his career in the advertising industry and spent several years working in creative agencies in Belfast. His first business was a post-production company called Inferno, which produced high quality animation, film, and interactive content for museums; television commercials; and promos. While Inferno turned out to be a successful venture, Williams was unhappy that the work the company did was all about “selling stuff to people who didn’t want to buy it.” 

After seeing an ad to pitch to New York-based Sesame Workshop to produce a local version of its popular show Sesame Street, Williams founded Sixteen South as a side project – and landed the deal. “I wanted to create content that would make a difference and be seen, enjoyed, and remembered in years to come. Children’s television was exactly that,” he says.

Following the success of Sesame Tree, the UK’s version of Sesame Street, Sixteen South created Big City Park, a live action and puppet show that aims to get children outside and rediscover nature. Shot on location in Belfast’s Ormeau Park, Big City Park was co-produced with BBC Scotland. Sixteen South has since produced three more shows – Big and Small, Pajanimals, and Driftwood Bay – and picked up several accolades for its programs, including Hugo Television Awards, Cine Golden Eagles, an IFTA award, and Emmy nominations.

The company itself has been recognized for its contribution to children’s television – Sixteen South won the Deloitte Fast 50 Rising Star award in 2011 and 2012, and is ranked among the UK’s top indie producers by Televisual magazine. Since its inception in 2008, Sixteen South has produced over 200 episodes of premium children’s television for broadcasters worldwide, including the BBC, Sprout, Nickelodeon, and ABC Australia.

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Jessica Jackley, Social Entrepreneur and Kiva Co-Founder

Social entrepreneur Jessica Jackley’s passion lies in creating innovative ways for other entrepreneurs to access the resources they need to succeed, including capital and supportive communities. In 2005, she co-founded non-profit organization Kiva, the world’s first peer-to-peer microlending website dedicated to alleviating poverty around the world. For as little as $25, Internet users can help individual entrepreneurs launch or expand a small business. One of the fastest-growing social benefit websites in history, Kiva has facilitated nearly $440 million in loans since its inception. Jackley served as Kiva’s chief marketing officer before co-founding and heading ProFounder, a pioneering crowdfunding platform for small business entrepreneurs in the US. When ProFounder merged with GOOD in early 2012, Jackley took on the role of GOOD’s first entrepreneur in residence. Currently, she is a venture partner at the Collaborative Fund and a visiting practitioner at Stanford’s Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society.

Jackley has taught entrepreneurship at Drew University and the USC Marshall School of Business. A member of the Council on Foreign Relations, she has served on the boards of several organizations supporting microfinance, tech, women, and the arts, including Allowance for Good, International Museum of Women, Opportunity International, Global Health Corps, Upstart, and more. Jackley has also worked in public, private, and non-profit organizations such as World Vision, the Village Enterprise Fund, and the Stanford Center for Social Innovation, among others. A 2011 Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, she has received the Economist’s 2011 No Boundaries Innovation Award and was named to Fast Company’s League of Extraordinary Women for 2012.

Jackley obtained her BA in philosophy and political science from Bucknell University and MBA from the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She also holds an honorary PhD from Centenary College. During her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga and surfing.

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Dr. Ivan Misner, the Father of Modern Networking

Dubbed the “Networking Guru” by Entrepreneur magazine and the “Father of Modern Networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is the founder and chairman of BNI, the world’s largest business networking company. Established in 1985, the organization has 6,200 chapters across the globe and generated more than 7 million referrals for its members in the previous year alone. 

A PhD graduate from the University of Southern California, Dr. Misner is considered one of the world’s top experts on business networking. He is a New York Times bestselling author, a keynote speaker for major corporations worldwide, and a monthly columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Fox Business News. Dr. Misner has taught business management at various US universities as well.

In addition to heading BNI, Dr. Misner serves as senior partner at the Referral Institute, sits on the board of trustees of the University of La Verne, and leads the BNI Foundation, a charity he started with his wife Beth in 1998. The BNI Foundation’s mission is to give children around the world quality education.

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Dr. Nido Qubein: A Life of Earning, Learning, and Serving

A man who wears many hats, Dr. Nido Qubein came to the United States as a teenager with only $50 and speaking little English. Today, he is a successful educator, businessman, speaker, and author, among other things. 

In January 2005, Dr. Qubein became the seventh president of High Point University (HPU), a liberal arts institution with campuses in High Point and Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Under his leadership, HPU saw significant academic growth, bringing in more students and faculty as well as increasing its campus acreage. Dr. Qubein is also chairman of Great Harvest Bread Company, a bakery franchise with 220 stores in 43 states. Additionally, he serves on the executive committee and board of financial institution BB&T, the corporate board of furniture retailer La-Z-Boy Corporation, and the board of fashion chain Dots Stores.

Prior to heading HPU, Dr. Qubein served as chairman of a consulting firm. He continues to work with some of the country’s best corporate leaders today, sharing his extensive business background to help their companies grow and succeed. Dr. Qubein also imparts his knowledge through speeches and books, having given over 5,000 presentations since 1974. He speaks about a broad range of topics, from branding to time management, and has received the highest awards in professional speaking, including the Speakers Hall of Fame, the Cavett, and Toastmasters International’s Golden Gavel Medal. Dr. Qubein has authored over a dozen books and recorded audio-visual programs about sales, leadership, communication, and more.

A recipient of High Point’s Philanthropist of the Year honor, Dr. Qubein has chaired several campaigns to assist non-profits as well as awarded scholarships to students across the country through the Qubein Foundation. Over the years, he has served on more than 30 voluntary boards, including the National Board of American Humanics and the High Point Community Foundation. Dr. Qubein is a former board member of the YMCA and is chairman emeritus of the National Speakers Association Foundation.

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Chrissy Crust: Consulting Services Especially for Small and Micro Businesses

Having worked closely with several businesses in the food, hospitality, and retail industries for more than three decades, entrepreneur and business expert Chrissy Crust noticed how smaller businesses were being neglected. Thus, she recently launched Chrissy Crust Consulting to help small and micro businesses and social enterprises succeed. Her specialized services include business planning and cash flow management, because a lot of business owners have difficulty writing a business plan or managing their finances, she says. According to Crust, having a good framework and finances are critical to success. 

“Often you’re working in your business, and not enough time working on your business,” adds Crust. “This is where I can help.” Because she’s a startup business owner herself, Crust understands what her clients are going through. Chrissy Crust Consulting currently holds monthly workshops, where entrepreneurs can learn more about business and find support from other like-minded individuals. Crust says it’s important for business owners to have a support group and believe in themselves.

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Reinier Evers, Professional Trend Watcher

Entrepreneur, presenter, and trend watcher Reinier Evers is the founder of trendwatching.com, an independent consumer trend firm with offices in London, Singapore, and Sao Paulo. Evers’ fascination with online business began in 1994 after being introduced to the web at New York University, where he obtained his degree in business policy. He also holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Amsterdam, and honed his trend spotting and business research skills, among others, while managing a team of analysts and strategists at interactive agency Agency.com. 

Currently, trendwatching.com attracts over 150,000 visitors per month and sends its monthly Trend Briefings to 160,000 business professionals in more than 180 countries around the world. A much sought-after keynote speaker, Evers has presented at online industry events, conferences, and workshops in Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, North America, and South America. Furthermore, he has been featured as a trend expert in various publications, including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Time Magazine.

Murray Koffler: The Man Who Transformed the Canadian Retail Pharmacy Industry

Pharmacist, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Murray Koffler is best known for starting Shoppers Drug Mart, Canada’s largest retail drugstore chain and leading provider of pharmacy products and services. Koffler founded Shoppers Drug Mart in 1962 with a mission to build a national organization of pharmacies that still offered the personalized service of a local community pharmacist. He introduced the associate concept, allowing pharmacists to own a business, practice professionally, and provide cooperative services under a single, trusted brand. When the first Shoppers Drug Mart location opened in Toronto, Ontario, the Canadian retail drug industry was never the same again – the innovative store brought together mass merchandising and self-service under one roof in a retail pharmacy format. 

Today, there are more than 1,240 Shoppers Drug Mart (Pharmaprix in Quebec) stores across the country. Shoppers Drug Mart owns and operates other retail and specialty stores as well, including Shoppers Simply Pharmacy, retail pharmacies located in medical clinics or buildings; Murale, a luxury beauty destination; Shoppers Home Health Care, which sells and services assisted living devices, home care products, and medical and mobility equipment; Specialty Health Network, a provider of specialty pharmacy services; and MediSystem Pharmacy, a provider of pharmaceutical products and services to long-term care facilities.

Koffler is also the founder of the Council on Drug Abuse (CODA), a charity whose mission is to prevent substance abuse in children and youth through education programs. A pharmacy graduate of the University of Toronto, Koffler funded the construction of the university’s Koffler Institute for Pharmacy Management. Additionally, he donated an equestrian estate that later became the Koffler Scientific Reserve, a biodiversity and conservation biology research and education site.

A recipient of the Distinguished Canadian Retailer of the Year Award, Koffler has been inducted into the Marketing Hall of Legends and the Canadian Business Hall of Fame.

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Lise Luttgens Leads the Girl Scouts of Greater LA to New Heights

The first CEO of the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles (GSGLA), Lise L. Luttgens assumed the role in late 2008 following the merger of six Los Angeles area legacy Girl Scout councils. Since then, she has focused her time and efforts on building a strong and effective council that serves its young and adult members. To accomplish this, Luttgens brought together a highly talented group of internal managers and board of directors, prioritized fiscal responsibility, and placed emphasis on forming relationships within the community. 

Further, Luttgens strives to raise awareness about the new inspiring Girl Scouts experience, which GSGLA delivers by offering a wide range of programs that appeal to nearly every interest of young girls. The council works to create unique opportunities for girls in LA, particularly those in underserved areas. The largest non-profit agency that caters to girls in Los Angeles County, GSGLA serves over 350 diverse communities and roughly 40,000 Girl Scouts throughout the greater Los Angeles area. In 2010, the council launched “50 in 5,” an initiative to grow its membership to 50,000 in 5 years. 

Prior to joining GSGLA, Luttgens served as principal of Luttgens & Associates, Inc., an executive coaching and consulting firm she founded. From 2003 to 2005, she held the position of COO of the Fulfillment Fund. Luttgens spent almost 30 years of her career as a hospital administrator and has fulfilled key roles at the UCLA Medical Center, the Doheny Eye Hospital, the Doheny Eye Institute at the USC-Keck School of Medicine, and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

For eight years, Luttgens served as vice president of the board of trustees of the Los Angeles Ronald McDonald House. In 2012, she was nominated as Rising Star of the Year and CEO of the Year for the LA Business Journal’s Women Making a Difference Awards.

Patricia Smith, Compassion Fatigue Specialist

Many caregivers forget to care for themselves. When this happens, destructive behaviors such as apathy, bottled up emotions, isolation, and substance abuse can rise to the surface and lead to compassion fatigue, also known as secondary traumatic stress disorder. This is why journalist and certified compassion fatigue specialist Patricia Smith founded the Compassion Fatigue Awareness Project and Healthy Caregiving. With a mission to raise awareness about compassion fatigue and its effect on caregivers, Smith is committed to providing caregivers worldwide with the latest information, materials, and strategies about healthy and authentic self-care. 

With over 20 years of training experience in compassion fatigue, Smith writes, speaks, and hosts educational workshops for caregivers of all types. She is also currently the caregiving expert for Spry Living. Smith has written training manuals and books on healthy caregiving. Her first book, To Weep for a Stranger, details the causes and symptoms of compassion fatigue and includes guidelines for beginning the healing process.