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March 2023
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THE BEAUTY OF ARKANSAS IN THE SPRING
Trips to Bentonville and Driving Along Scenic Byway 7
We’re finally getting away from the winter chill and heading toward warmer weather. I have to say that there is arguably no better place to enjoy the spring than here in Arkansas. We’re far enough north that the winter season kills most of the bugs and far enough south that the weather warms up early to give us a beautiful spring. The trees will bloom any day now, and we’ll be able to enjoy everything the season of renewal has to offer. I’m looking forward to driving around the state with the top down in my Jeep Wrangler this spring. Last summer, we traded in our Harley for the Wrangler, and we’re more than ready to take it on the road and put some miles on it. We loved our Harley, but because of my age, we decided that discretion is the better part of valor and made the change to four wheels instead of two. My wife and I are eager to get out and explore. We’re going to do the same things we did on the Harley, but in the Jeep instead. We’re really looking forward to traversing the treasure that is Scenic
Byway 7. It is one of the best drives in the country — traveling through the Ozarks is awe-inspiring.
They even have the Bentonville Bike Festival toward the end of May, which brings mountain bikers from across the country to the community. I haven’t been to the festival before, but I’m planning to go for the first time this year. The whole Northwest Arkansas area is a great area to explore if you’ve never been or if it’s been some time since your last visit. They have state parks, breweries, coffee shops, great restaurants, a world class art museum, and much more worth checking out. They have beautiful lakes there too, but it might still be a little early to go boating in March. Arkansas is one of the most beautiful states to enjoy the spring season. You’re bound to enjoy your time around the state, regardless of whether you’re heading to Bentonville for some mountain biking or cruising on Scenic Byway 7. I hope you all have a wonderful start to your spring! –Brad Johnson President, Risk Services of AR
In my opinion, the best part of the drive is from Russellville to Jasper. It’s full of gentle curves that take you up the mountain and back down. You ride along a ridge for part of it, with some fantastic views from up high. They even have restaurants along the top of the mountain where you can enjoy a delicious burger while taking in the scenery. Harley Davidson has consistently ranked this drive as a top-10 must-ride in America. I think it will be just as enjoyable, if not more so, in the Jeep. Another great spot that everyone should check out in Arkansas is Bentonville. This beautiful city is the birthplace of Walmart, and the Walton family has donated a lot of money to the community. Bentonville recently declared itself “The Mountain Biking Capital of the World” due to the world- renowned biking trails around the area. Bentonville has a rating system for their trails, much like ski resorts, to ensure you don’t get in over your head.
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DO YOU WANT YOUR BUSINESS TO THRIVE? CONSIDER READING ‘GOOD TO GREAT’ BY JIM COLLINS! “Good is the enemy of great.” This is how Jim Collins begins his book “Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don’t,” which discusses how a handful of companies perfected their business strategies to create great businesses. If you’ve ever wondered why some businesses only last a season while others last 15–20 years, then “Good to Great” is a must-read. Over the past three decades, Collins has analyzed 28 businesses by studying their leadership skills, practices, and business strategies to understand how these companies skyrocketed past their competitors. After conducting dozens of case studies and analyses, Collins outlines several results that make excellent companies stand out. Here are three takeaways from “Good to Great.” The first key takeaway is determining your “hedgehog concept” — a strategy you can use for many years. This approach is based on Greek philosophy: “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing.” To find your hedgehog concept, ask yourself these questions: What can your company be the best at? What can you and your colleagues be passionate about? What economic indicator should you focus on? When creating habits and using technology, you don’t need to use everything on the market. There are millions of platforms, software, tools, and technologies to use within your business, but which one will strengthen your hedgehog concept? Collins suggests only implementing technology that complements your business. He
There’s no question that natural disasters are incredibly costly, and these disasters hit the United States especially hard in 2022. According to a recent National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration analysis, the U.S. faced 18 major disasters last year that accounted for $165 billion in damages and the deaths of at least 474 people. These disasters made 2022 the third most expensive year for billion-dollar disasters, only trailing behind 2017 and 2005. Severe weather that ends up costing billions of dollars is becoming a regular occurrence in our country. People are continuing to build in high-risk areas, which puts them in even more danger as the planet gets warmer and wetter. Insurance company Munich Re estimates that severe weather events across the globe cost around $120 billion in insured losses and $270 billion in uninsured losses. The costliest event we experienced in America last year was Hurricane Ian, which caused $112.9 billion in damages. Munich Re claims that Hurricane Ian was the most expensive disaster for insured losses for the entire world in 2022. Roads were flooded and destroyed, communities were torn apart, and the loss of life was significant. Another major disaster we faced in 2022 that was quite costly was the yearlong droughts throughout the western and central states. A study published in the journal Nature Climate Change estimates that this prolonged period of dryness that started well before 2022 was the longest in over 1,000 years. It caused $22.2 billion in damages, and hundreds of people lost their lives. On top of Hurricane Ian and extreme droughts, we also saw wildfires out west, flooding throughout Kentucky and Missouri, tornadoes in the South, and winter storms across the country. At the time of writing, the cost of damages from the winter storms we experienced in December is still being assessed. There’s no telling if this extreme weather will continue in 2023, but 2022 served as a strong reminder of the importance of insuring your property, as severe weather can strike anywhere at any time.
recommends waiting before jumping onto a new trend, software, media platform, or technology. Be sure it aligns with your values, goals, and hedgehog concept. What do you do when your business is faced with uncomfortable situations, facts, or data? Great companies and business leaders don’t sweep hard facts under the rug and deny them. However, leaders don’t wave the white flag or give up. Instead, great companies and business owners acknowledge hard facts, identify pain points, and implement strategies to help overcome struggles and strengthen abilities. Along with learning tips and strategies from these three lessons, you will also have a chance to learn more about Collins’ case studies, what companies he studied, and the techniques used to create business powerhouses. You can find “Good to Great” online and anywhere books are sold. Happy reading!
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Do you have a little extra spending money every month? What do you usually do with it? Many people use that money to go out to eat with their families, buy gifts for their significant other or children, or save it for a future vacation or expense. One Alabama man defied expectations and gave $100 a month to those in need for over 10 years. His donation was kept anonymous until he passed this past January. Hody Childress was an Air Force vet who worked at Lockheed Martin for over 20 years before his retirement. He met many hardships in his life, including losing his son and father in a tornado in the ‘70s and losing his first wife in 1999. After he retired from Lockheed Martin, Hody turned to farming to pass the time and keep himself entertained. His town of Geraldine, Alabama, had a population of under 1,000 people, with many living below the poverty line. In 2012, Hody walked into Geraldine Drugs, his local pharmacy, and talked to the owner and pharmacist, Brooke Walker. He asked her if she ever had anyone who couldn’t pay for their medication. She responded affirmatively, and he handed her a folded hundred-dollar bill and said, Donating in Secret ONE MAN’S MONTHLY GIFT TO HIS COMMUNITY
“The next time that happens, I want you to use this. I want it to be anonymous. I don’t want any details on who you use it on. Just tell them it is a blessing from God.” A month later, Hody returned to the pharmacy with another $100. He continued this practice until 2022 when he became too sick with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to leave his home. This was when his secret came to light. He confided in his daughter that he had been making contributions to the pharmacy for the past 10 years, and she agreed to continue the tradition after he passed. Hody’s donations came in handy for many in need of their medication. On average, he helped two people a month who could not cover the cost of their medicine. One family’s teenage son required an EpiPen, but the price was too high for the family to afford. When they let the pharmacist know, she turned to her envelope of donations from Hody to help cover what they couldn’t pay. The mother broke down in tears over her gratitude and the generosity of others.
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
Nothing Is Better Than Spring in Arkansas page 1
Have You Found Your Hedgehog Concept? 2022’s Costliest Disasters page 2
Anonymously Helping Neighbors Pay for Prescriptions page 3
How to Avoid Being Overworked Remotely page 4
Work From Home? Tips to Ensure You Aren’t Overworked
working from home, maintain regular working hours and avoid the urge to “check just one work thing” outside of your set hours.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the number of people who work out of a home office has tripled between 2019 and 2021. This massive increase is mainly due to the pandemic. Prior to COVID-19, it was believed that if workers were not in an office setting, they would slack off while working remotely. However, the opposite has proven to be true. In fact, some studies show that many employees working from home are overworked as their personal and professional lives start to blend. When their home is also their office, do they ever really transition out of work mode?
Log all overtime. On that note, if you do end up working after-hours or more than your slotted hours in the day, record it and “flex” your hours on a different day to balance out the overtime hours. Even if you are just putting in an extra 15 minutes on a Wednesday evening, mark it down — this way, you know just how much extra work you put into a particular task or project. Be vocal. If and when you become overwhelmed, it’s important to say something. When employees are outside of a traditional office setting and faces and body language can’t be observed throughout the day, it can be difficult to know when someone has too much on their plate and is on the verge of burning out. To bridge this gap, be vocal about your workload!
If you have adopted the remote work lifestyle, here are some tips to help ensure that you are not overdoing it.
Stick to a start and stop time. In an office setting, employees are instructed when to show up and go home. Some even clock in and out, even for lunch breaks. If you are
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