We are excited to host the 2019 What’s The Risk Summit on Wednesday, May 22 at the Century Center in South Bend. Our goal at Gibson is to provide you information on topics relevant to YOUR business.

We have identified those key topics and will bringtogether industry experts to educate and answer all of your questions. We hope to see you there! 

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Bethany Hartley, Director of Diversity & Inclusion at South Bend - Elkhart Regional Partnership. We hope you enjoy Bethany’s wisdom and perspective.

Each year, National Work Zone Awareness Week brings attention to these safety, mobility, and constructability issues. As a driver, you must use extra caution in work zones to keep yourself and others safe. 

Spring has sprung and for many that means outdoor sports are about to begin! April is National Youth Sports Safety Month and a great opportunity to bring awareness to keeping our kids safe when playing sports.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Sue Hawkes, Certified EOS Implementer, Certified Coach, Keynote Speaker, and Best-Selling Author. We hope you enjoy Sue’s wisdom and perspective.

Imagine driving on a highway you’ve never been on before. Preferably you’re driving a convertible and the views are breathtaking. In this scenario, it’s unlikely you’ll notice the guardrails. However, the guardrails are almost invisibly keeping you on track, guiding you safely and efficiently to your desired destination. In your business, your Core Focus™️ functions the same way.

Your company is the vehicle and your Core Focus is the guardrail for your journey; keeping you moving forward, allowing you to focus on what you do best.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, John DiJulius, Chief Revolution Officer & President of The DiJulius Group. We hope you enjoy John’s wisdom and perspective.

I recently was in Las Vegas to speak to a homebuilders association. The night before at the reception, my host was introducing me to their members as the keynote speaker for the next day. One of the members asked me what my topic was. When I told her it was Customer Service, she responded with, “I need to hear it, because my customers make me crazy.” She went on to give me an example, “One woman was building a 1.5-million-dollar house and you wouldn’t believe how she was losing her mind over the caulk. It is caulk!”

I found this story funny. It is the same story in every industry. Employees are not trained correctly to see things from the customer’s viewpoint. What they are struggling with, their fears and concerns. It is never about the caulk or the shipment being late. Those are just the tipping points to why someone may become irrational.

National Poison Prevention Week is always the third week of March. It’s an opportunity to emphasize the dangers of poisoning for people of all ages and highlight prevention strategies.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Erik Johnson, Principal at J2 Marketing. We hope you enjoy Erik’s wisdom and perspective.

Businesses start making brand decisions before they gain a single customer. When you plan the interior vibe of your restaurant, you’re making brand decisions. When you choose a logo, you’re making a brand decision. Even the typefaces you use are part of your brand.

There are two pitfalls we’ve seen a lot of businesses run into before they come to us.

1. New businesses often make brand decisions without finalizing their brand.
2. Businesses that have been around a while don’t have established brand standards and overtime, get off track.

In both cases, business owners, brand implementers (like employees, printers, or designers), and potential customers get confused.

A recent article by forbes.com claims that “Consistent brand presentation across all platforms increases revenue by up to 23 percent.”

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger, Steve Gawronski, Founding Partner at Lachesis LLC. We hope you enjoy Steve’s wisdom and perspective.

Earlier this year, the founder of Southwest Airlines, Herb Kelleher, passed away. Mr. Kelleher openly dismissed business strategy, often uttering his famous, sarcastic quote when questioned about Southwest’s strategy: “We have a strategic plan. It is called doing things.” Reading of his passing made me think of some recent conversations I have had with our clients about strategy, operations, and data analytics.

There seems to be an undercurrent of thinking that strategy is one thing and operational excellence is another. Our clients are very much focused on operations, as they should be. They see great merit in getting things done and driving initiatives towards completion. And this is all good and necessary and admirable. But in fact, strategy and operations are so closely interwoven that, in a well-run company, one does not exist without the other. There is no better example of this than Mr. Kelleher’s own Southwest Airlines.

Daylight Saving Time (DST) was created with the intention of giving people more time to either work or enjoy the sunlight during the summer months. So, every year, on the second Sunday in March, our clocks “spring forward” an hour. One hour might not seem like a big deal, but for many, the transition can be hard on our bodies and psyche.