By Dar Schwanbeck, Managing Director, NABI

If you’re not worried, maybe you just don’t understand the situation. As we begin 2012, many economic challenges are emerging and we’re not immune.

 

A Book Review by Kendra Brosseau

In this ever-changing, competition based society, there are so many challenges and demands that an entrepreneur faces in order to succeed in business. The book, “How Stella Saved the Farm” by Chris Trimble and Vijay Govindarajan, is a “wild and wooly yarn about making innovation happen”. This parable helps you understand that your idea is only the beginning, and examines ways in which to take your thoughts, and make it into a reality. ”How Stella Saved the Farm”, delivers eight core ideas to guide your own innovation initiatives to success; and will help you avoid some of innovation’s most “toxic myths”. You will discover how to build the right type of team, and how to learn quickly from experiences as your initiative proceeds. In this short, 130 page book, you will examine different types of leadership abilities, evaluate your organizational history, review your company’s finances, employee attitudes, new product introduction, and organizational charts; learn the value of flexibility;  understand how to make tough hiring and promotional decisions, and examine the cultural diversity that may exist within a company. By having the main characters as animals, it makes those difficult issues, somewhat less “bullying”, but still very realistic, and enjoyable to read. This book was a quick and amusing, and would really benefit anyone who currently has a business, wants to expand, or is just looking into an idea they have. It ultimately makes you look at your company’s next step(s) and who truly stepped up to “save the farm”.

...

A Book Review by Dar Schwanbeck

SWITCH How to Change Things when Change is Hard by Chip Heath and Dan Heath

A Book Review by K. Janzen  

Change is a constant in our lives and yet how much do we really understand the process of change.

If you have tried to change your eating habits to lose weight, you know that it is difficult. If you are trying to influence change on a global level (like, for example, the Global Organization for Parliamentarians Against Corruption) it is really, really hard.

Many business challenges also involve change; you may need to change the attitudes of customers or a business or a corporate environment. Sometimes a small change can make a big difference in your business.

The authors break change down into three main elements: First, the rational mind (the Rider), needs to understand why the change is important, how it will work and the small steps that will...

How to turn your good idea into a great opportunity - an Entrepreneur's Workshop

Several small offices are currently available in our Campbell building.

Contact Kathy at 780-544-2213 or kathy@nabi.ca for more information.

Come out and enjoy a beer and cheese and meet some of our NABI businesses. Have some fun and increase your business network.

NABI Campbell Center
200 Carnegie Drive, St. Albert, AB
4 - 7 pm

October 19, 2011