Prosperity

The Turn of the Potter's Wheel

admin — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 13:28:28 -0600

It began unexpectedly in my last year of college. During a classroom pottery-making demonstration, a teaching assistant created an exquisite tall vase in what seemed a very short time and with a mastery that was absolutely fascinating.

That's what I really want to do! I said to myself. I even thought of making my living at the pottery wheel. But it was a goal that seemed impossible.

One Man's Winning Ways

admin — Fri, 01 Jul 2005 10:02:00 -0500

Folks marvel at the way Willie Davis, a custodian at Arthur F. Smith Middle Magnet School in Alexandria, Louisiana, took on coaching boys' basketball. In 10 years he has led his players to a 163-33 record and three district championships, not to mention regular appearances on the honor roll.

How did an unassuming janitor, who was forced to drop out of high school, take to being a role model so naturally? For Willie—or "Coach D" as his players call him—the answer is simple: His father set a high standard.

Start at the Bottom Again?

admin — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:45:20 -0600

One sunny afternoon in 1982 I stood looking out over Minneapolis; the city below, seen from my office on the 31st floor of the glittering new Pillsbury headquarters, seemed spread at my feet. In a way it was.

I had good reason to be satisfied. After all, I was the man responsible for the completion of the building. Getting it finished and moving everyone in, in record time, had earned me a vice presidency and all the perquisites that went with it. After 10 years of hard work, I had arrived in the corporate world.

Six of the Coolest, Greenest Work Perks

mcherkezian — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:51:53 -0500

Free bikes and beer for employees. Time off to rock climb or do yoga. Paid sabbaticals. Sustainable practices. It’s absurd to think anyone can find dream jobs with perks like that, right? Wrong, believe it or not.

Presidential Pastries

mcherkezian — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 09:33:06 -0600

After working at some of the world's top hotels, Chef Roland Mesnier landed a sweet position in the White House back in 1979: Executive Pastry Chef.

For the next 25 years, he served several presidents his delicious creations.

Daring to Dream Big!

mcherkezian — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 16:06:48 -0600

Many of us, I think, can look back and recall certain specific moments in our lives that take on greater importance the longer we live.

"The past has a different pattern," T.S. Eliot wrote, when viewed from each of our changing perspectives.

For me, one of those moments occurred when I was 17 years old. I was a high school senior in Louisville, Kentucky, representing my state in the 1963 America's Junior Miss competition in Mobile, Alabama.

Can Unemployment Be the Healthiest Time of Your Life?

mcherkezian — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:45:05 -0500

When I heard the news that I was being laid off, I felt like I’d been punched in the gut. My face grew hot, my stomach tightened, and I felt a little unsteady on my feet.

So far, unemployment felt awful.

Over the next few days, the knot in my stomach slowly unwound itself. I woke up in the morning and remembered, “I don’t have to rush to any meetings. I don’t have to commute. I don’t have to drink office coffee!”

Positively Contagious

mcherkezian — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:18:25 -0600

The Swine Flu is not the only thing you catch at work. Turns out you are just as likely to catch someone’s bad mood and negative attitude.

Yes, the latest research demonstrates what we’ve all known to be true, that emotions are contagious. Researchers call them emotional contagions and they impact our work environments, productivity, teamwork, service and performance in significant and profound ways.

The Most Inspiring Tough Times Stories of 2009

mcherkezian — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 12:56:07 -0600

Most of us have been touched by the recession in some way.

In the past year, we’ve seen job loss, savings shrivel, foreclosures, and severe cuts in social services. But we’ve also witnessed the ingenuity and generosity of the human spirit, exemplified in these stories.

Plowing for the Pantry

Fife Lake, Michigan gets piles of snow in the winter, but because of Dave Browning, its church pantries also got piles of food.

My Grateful Heart

test_1 — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 18:11:40 -0600

Before the tragic deaths of her mother and brother, GUIDEPOSTS spoke to Jennifer about the influence of her grandmother on her singing and her meteoric rise to fame.