Value Geeks
The world is moving in favor of value geeks – those who know and apply the 4 guiding principles of the value creation algorithm.
Hi, Hunter Hastings here - I'm an economist by education, a marketer in my professional track, a venture capitalist in my current business life, an Individualist in philosophy, and a passionate supporter of entrepreneurship in whatever form I can practice it, support it and advance it.
The world is moving in favor of value geeks – those who know and apply the 4 guiding principles of the value creation algorithm.
Moshik Temkin is a historian who offers an alternative perspective on leadership. He asks, do leaders make history or does history make leaders? Those two forces can’t be separated. While leaders contribute to shaping history, they are also molded by powerful historical forces. This nuanced perspective is evident in analyses of historical figures like FDR, Margaret Thatcher, Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcolm X, emphasizing the role of circumstances in leadership’s response to complex historical challenges, ultimately leading to significant changes in their respective nations. The conversation explores moral leadership in the civil rights movement, comparing the approaches of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X. Despite their distinct styles, both leaders shared a commitment to collective progress and justice, challenging the prevailing emphasis on individual success. Temkin addresses the ethical dilemmas leaders encounter during crises, prompting reflection on the justifiability of extreme measures for the sake of victory.
How does this discussion contribute to the question of leadership in business? Leadership is subjective. We look to those who we feel can guide us, whether in politics or business. There are principles that cross both fields.
Big thinking, global networking, big value, big opportunity – there’s nothing small about small business.
We live in a video age, which opens up a vast array of entrepreneurial pathways. Video is a field for open-ended free creative expression, as well as for tightly managed business tools built for ROI. It’s the ideal field for creative entrepreneurial small business innovators. Cynthia Kay of CK and CO is both a business founder and CEO of a video production business, and a consultant and advisor to small businesses. She shared some of her insights and a preview of her 2024 book Small Business Big Success.
LaSean Smith outlines a business investment partnership built on permanent capital, emphasizing long-term commitment and trust-building between an investor/source of capital and a business. The discussion covers disciplined methodologies, leadership transitions, and a unique compensation approach using Phantom Stock Shares. LaSean predicts a rise in smaller, values-based companies, and underscores the significance of audience and automation in acquiring and revitalizing brands.
There can be a shift towards stable, smaller businesses connected to communities, challenging the trend of dominance by larger and larger corporations.
No-one predicted the hybrid workplace. It’s an emergent phenomenon of a complex evolving system which explores many new configurations before selecting the one that functions best.