Larry Swank is the founder and chairman of Sterling Group, a developer and manager of multi-family housing and self-storage units based in Indiana. Larry joins host Tim Leman on The Edge to share his journey as an entrepreneur. He discusses the importance of intuition, learning from mistakes, and staying focused, while also providing valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of running a family business.
Host Tim Leman introduces the dynamic trio of co-hosts for Season 6: Alex Rodriguez, Courtney Montfort, and Taylor Covey. Together they dive into their motivations for becoming co-hosts and share their passion for connecting with people. Tune in to discover how these hosts find their edge and embrace the thrill of trying new things.
Throwback Thursday: This blog was written in January 2020. Four years (and a pandemic) later, here I am getting ready for another Gibson State Of The Company meeting - this time with over 170 employees tuning in from offices in Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Utah! It has been exciting to see these meetings evolve with our organization, but even if some of the elements have changed, the essentials are the same – we are paying close attention to the details to make this meeting a great experience for our people, employee recognition is a BIG part of the day, and we always try to have some fun!
Earlier this month I attended my first Gibson State Of The Company (SOTC) meeting. All 140 Gibson employees gathered in South Bend for the day to reflect on the past 12 months and ignite our energy for the year ahead.
I have never been one for making New Year’s resolutions. In my experience, these grand promises we make to ourselves often prove to be more daunting than beneficial and are rarely sustainable beyond the first few weeks of the year, leading to feelings of failure.
This year, I am taking a different approach. I’m focusing on gradual, consistent improvement—implementing small, manageable daily changes that allow me to do better work and commit to being excellent in what I do.
Setting my focus on doing better work does not mean my current work isn’t great or impactful. It means I am setting a goal of sustainable excellence—and creating a system that allows me to support myself in reaching my greatest potential.
Below are a few simple strategies I’m incorporating into my work routine in 2024. I encourage you to try integrating one, two, or all these habits into your work life, too. I am confident these little steps, taken consistently, will lead to big achievements over time.
We started our Gibson leadership blogs over 10 years ago – wow! I’ve especially enjoyed the unique collection of leadership thoughts, perspectives, and insights our guest bloggers have provided. I also want to thank our Gibson team for sharing their voices throughout the year – it was great to have so many of my fellow employee-owners featured in our posts!
Let's celebrate our most popular blogs of 2023.
What a year for The Edge Podcast! We recorded 21 episodes – featuring leaders from across the country and a vast array of industries and experiences. We even had a very special Mother’s Day edition featuring the one and only Ruth Leman.
I learned so much from these guests and their journeys. They each have a unique edge in life and lessons to share. I hope you enjoyed listening to their stories!
Let's celebrate our most popular podcast episodes of 2023.
To cap off the holiday chaos, our family celebrates a sweet tradition on Christmas morning that's far from ordinary – we eat ice cream for breakfast!
This tradition started as a fluke in 2020. In an effort to make Christmas as special as possible after a year of chaos, I had planned on decadent cinnamon rolls that morning. I envisioned a Hallmark-worthy moment; the house smelling of cinnamon, kids tearing into presents followed by family time around the table with the kids devouring their treat. Turns out…my kids don’t like cinnamon rolls…at all. Desperate to save the moment, I said they could have whatever they wanted for breakfast. My then 7-year-old says “Even ice cream????” Why not! A year later, when we were preparing for Christmas, both kids reminded me about the AMAZING thing we did last year...ice cream for breakfast. A tradition was born.
Throwback Thursday: This 2015 blog shares important reminders for the holiday season. Take some time to listen - what bells are you hearing?
You would be hard pressed to miss the sound of ringing bells this time of year. Church bells, sleigh bells, and of course Salvation Army bells all proclaim the joy and happiness of the Season. It makes me wonder – do we all hear the same bell?
“The purpose of my life is to be a connectingsuperherofor every Visionary who shares their stories with the world." - Justin Breen
Justin Breen, a self-described “dad who happens to be an entrepreneur,” joins host Tim Leman on The Edge Podcast. Justin is hyper-focused on connecting Visionaries – he has made it his life’s work. He and Tim also discuss the importance of family and how Justin strives to “win at the right game,” to always keep trying to be a better dad.
“The equity and inclusion pieces are just as important to enable and empower diversity within the insurance industry." - Grace Grant
Grace Grant is Executive Director of Gamma Iota Sigma, a collegiate organization for students interested in insurance & risk management. Grace joins host Tim Leman on The Edge to discuss diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts in the industry and explore what students are looking for from internships & careers, as well as what makes for transformational teams and where she has found her edge.
