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WANT TO EXPERIENCE MORE PERSONAL GROWTH?
Vulnerability also plays a role whenever we start something new. You have to be willing to be bad at something before you’re okay, and you have to be okay before you’re great. It takes time, and you’ll have to be vulnerable with yourself to see progress. Let me give you an example. I’ve been a runner ever since I was in the military. One Saturday afternoon, I went on a long run in Houston and felt lazy throughout the rest of the day. I turned on the TV and happened to catch the Hawaiian Ironman World Championships. I was amazed at how these people were able to compete in this event, which I didn’t even know existed. FYI, an Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile swim, then a 112-mile bike ride, and finally, a 26.2-mile run. I was not a swimmer at the time, and I didn’t even own a road bike. I could get in the water and make it from Point A to Point B without drowning, but that was about it. Even so, I was determined to compete in an Ironman, so I started training. I had to be very vulnerable initially, as I had to admit to myself and others I wasn’t a strong swimmer. I even had to start taking swimming lessons. It was a similar situation with the road bike. I had to ask others how to do it and learn the basics before I could get better. I ended up finishing multiple Ironmans and got my finishing time down to under 13 hours. I regularly finished in the top 25% of my age group, and I was extremely proud of my progress, even though I never did qualify for the opportunity to compete in Hawaii. I had to be vulnerable with myself from the get-go to see improvements and reach a point where I could compete and do well. It was a great experience, and I’m so glad I took that chance on myself. Whether we realize it or not, vulnerability plays an important role in our growth. When you’re starting something new or looking back on past actions, be vulnerable with yourself, and you’ll likely experience immense personal growth. You’ll Have to Be Vulnerable
Back in January’s newsletter, I wrote about the idea of comfort versus growth. It’s something that’s been on my mind frequently over the past few months, and I recently read something that correlated heavily with this topic. It discussed vulnerability and how, in many ways, it’s equal to courage. Being vulnerable can be incredibly uncomfortable, but it can also lead us to immense growth. When you expose your true self and show vulnerability, you risk being rejected or hurt, but you also open yourself up to the possibility of love, acceptance, and greater connections with others.
We wear many masks throughout our lives. How we interact with one person often differs from how we interact with another. My church has often talked about the importance
of authenticity. If you’re going to be authentic, you have to be vulnerable at times. I teach a class at a local prison called Authentic Manhood, where I talk with guys within the prison about authenticity, intentionality, discipleship, and what the Bible says about being a real man.
Most of those men are in there because they screwed up in life and let themselves or their families down. Many of our conversations focus on getting past the shame,
guilt, disappointment, and frustration they may feel. To do so, they must be vulnerable and open with their emotions. It’s not always easy to admit you’re disappointed with your actions, but when you do, you can experience tremendous growth and become a better person.
–Brad Johnson President, Risk Services of AR
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FEAR FACTOR DOES YOUR MARKETING RELY ON SCARE TACTICS? Fear-based marketing is as old as advertising itself. Many companies have succeeded in scaring their customers into opening their wallets. But despite its proven effectiveness, there are limits to fear’s ability to sell. So, when is amping up your customers’ anxiety a good thing, and when will it just make them tune out? Fear inspires us to take action. When we’re worried about our finances, safety, relationships, or social acceptance, we want to eliminate the anxiety as quickly and painlessly as possible. Therefore, companies can effectively convince people to purchase a product by introducing fear and promptly providing a solution. But while fear motivates us, it’s not the only emotion we respond to. Advertisers have long understood the best marketing generates strong feelings among its audience, and research shows emotional triggers are effective selling tools. But should you always target fear when other options are available? Relying on fear can turn off your potential customers. For a start, people don’t like to feel manipulated. We’ve all seen overblown fear-based marketing that suggests catastrophic consequences in a relatively low-stakes scenario. Generally, we roll our eyes and turn away. And at that moment, we lose faith in the company’s willingness to be upfront and honest with us.
You might have expected 2020 to be the most stressful year for business owners, but 2022 has taken the cake. QBE’s 2022 Mid-Sized Company Risk Report showed that executives’ anxieties increased due to the pandemic’s aftershocks. Some of the significant risks these companies were worried about were inflation and worldwide political unrest. Yet, out of all the dangers surveyed among these executives, four set themselves apart and have remained leading stressors for multiple years. Organizational Hazards Organizational concerns have shifted higher up the index as companies are transitioning to remote or hybrid environments. Some organization hazards that were plaguing mid-size companies include talent attraction/ retention and evolving work environments. Within the organizational risk category, mergers and acquisitions (M&A) were the top threat. M&A agreements have been made primarily over video calls, which could have led to the deals becoming less effective than in-person arrangements. Business Interruptions COVID-19 has also made business interruptions a widespread danger. Issues such as loss of critical suppliers or weak supply chains increased the possibility of business interruptions. Additionally, the rising costs of securing these supplies and services are becoming problematic. Cybercrime Concerns In 2020, 62% of executives reported being extremely concerned about digital threats such as cybercrime, which increased to 64% in the following year. In 2022, that number jumped to 73%. In an even more alarming report, the costs of preventing and resolving cybercrimes are estimated to be a whopping $10.5 trillion worldwide annually by 2025. The most prominent cybercrime fears were reported to be data theft/ransomware and corporate espionage. Financial Risks Our unstable economy and inflated costs are becoming a burden on mid-size companies. The most significant financial risks executives face are a potential recession, increased employee benefits costs, fraud, and theft. The fear-inducing survey did shine a light on the importance of risk management. Significant percentage gaps were found between executives who were worried about risks and those who were prepared for them. To prevent living in constant fear, executives should develop solutions and plan for all possible risks they may encounter. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Further, too much fear numbs us, and we become complacent. When every commercial on TV or email in your inbox presents a new threat, we no longer feel heightened emotion — and we stop paying attention. Too much fear also gives way to disgust; some things are so awful we don’t want to think about them. Consider those infamous SPCA commercials showing abused and neglected animals. They may inspire some people to give, but most of us change the channel. Meanwhile, other brands like Disney rely on nostalgia, togetherness, and joy and have seen excellent results. Of course, making people feel warm and fuzzy about car insurance or mold remediation is much more challenging. But many companies have succeeded by turning the usual message on its head and focusing on peace of mind instead of fear. While fear-based marketing can work, it’s easy to go overboard. Only use fear in moderation, and don’t forget to close with a message of hope. You want to leave your customers feeling empowered, not helpless or manipulated.
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Can Solar Energy Boost School Funding?
HOW THIS SCHOOL DISTRICT RAISED TEACHERS’ SALARIES
and keep quality instructors from feeling forced to find better-paying positions. With an increase in dedicated educators, students’ test scores also began to rise. The Batesville School District quickly climbed higher in Arkansas’ school ranking. Nearby school districts were shocked at the difference solar energy could make and swiftly followed suit. And Arkansas isn’t the only state making the energy switch. In 2020, 5.6 million students were attending schools run at least partially by solar power. The number only increased in 2022, with over 6 million students enrolled in environmentally friendly schools. According to Generation180, the number of solar-powered public schools in the U.S. is at a whopping 8,409, which accounts for 1 out of every 10 schools.
Our country is known for its subpar pay for public teachers, yet this Arkansas school district decided to try something different. Like many school districts across the country, the Batesville School District was struggling with budget deficits, unsuitable teacher salaries, and having talented educators leave their positions as a result. So, Superintendent Michael Hester came up with a risky plan. Hester discovered that the electricity powering the six different school buildings cost the district over $600,000 yearly. In hopes of repurposing that hefty price tag, the Batesville School District took out a bond to finance 1,400 PV solar panels. While this may seem an odd move, it turned out to be an ingenious strategy. The results were incredible. After just three years, the school district not only escaped a $250,000 budget deficit but also made an additional $1.8 million. This surplus allowed the district to raise teachers’ wages
Solar panels are an all-around valuable energy source, and we can’t wait to see more institutions follow Batesville’s lead.
Solution on Pg. 4 Have a Laugh!
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1501 Mart Dr. Little Rock, AR 72202 501.666.6653
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INSIDE This Issue
Vulnerability’s Role in Personal Development page 1
The Limits of Fear-Based Marketing 4 Risks All Companies Should Prepare For page 2
Why Schools Are Switching to Solar page 3
Make the Most of Your Day With ‘Free Time’ page 4
Beating the Clock
‘Free Time’ Helps Us Save Our Most Precious Resource
for some, but not everyone wants to scale their business endlessly.
creating workable systems and a winning team. Many tasks we think no one else can handle can often be automated and outsourced to others. While many entrepreneurs think their only options are to do it all or hire a small army, Blake advocates for a “delightfully tiny team” that can get more done with improved processes. There’s no one-size-fits-all system for every business, but “Free Time” will help any reader discover theirs. The
Time is money, as the adage goes. But author Jenny Blake believes time is our life force, making it much too precious to waste. In her 2022 book, “Free Time: Lose the Busy Work, Love Your Business,” she argues that many entrepreneurs aren’t making the most of this crucial resource and suggests sustainable changes to how many of us do business. Being busy has become a virtue in our culture. People who aren’t constantly busy are seen as lazy and unproductive — and no one expects an unbusy entrepreneur to be successful. But Blake turns this thinking on its head. She argues that you can build the business you want without sacrificing the rest of your life. Further, many things we spend so much time on are unnecessary. Blake’s approach to conquering the hamster wheel of entrepreneurship involves
Sometimes, small-business owners want to keep their businesses small — and there’s nothing wrong with that. Blake shares that she limits her work to 30 hours a week because she values her other pursuits. The idea may sound impossible now, but there are many ways to reduce your current workload without sacrificing your continued success.
“Free Time” is for people currently bogged down with “The Burdensome B’s.” If you’re bored, bottlenecked, burned out, or buried by bureaucracy, this book will help you reclaim your life. Blake reminds us that our time is much more precious than money. Isn’t it time you learned to use yours more wisely?
exercises and recommendations will give you plenty of food for thought and actionable ways to find your ideal work/life balance — which, as Blake notes in the book, is different for everyone.
Business leaders are used to books and courses that promote growth at all costs. That’s fine
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