In life and business, we have a desire for coaches, counselors and mentors. Since 1992, I have been fortunate enough to have a front row seat to my mentor, Starkey Owner and Chairman Bill Austin. Having this steady mentor throughout my life and career has not only shaped who I am as a leader, but [...]
Mike Tyson famously said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” For most of the world, 2020 was a sharp left hook. At the start of 2020, no one could have imagined how the year would have played out. In January, Starkey hosted 3,600 hearing health care professionals from around the [...]
Kindness is good for business. It sounds like a simple point because it is. Kindness makes people better, which, in turn, makes business better. And when people are your bottom line, kindness is an investment you have to make. Despite its simplicity, actually promoting kindness in your company isn’t always top of mind. Here are [...]
I’ve always believed that it’s important in business to not only have mentors, but to be one. It’s the responsibility of those who have benefitted from a mentorship relationship to also guide others down the path. But there’s also an unspoken reciprocity that comes from sharing guidance with those just beginning their career or starting [...]
Most have heard me say “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” It’s great advice whether you’re changing the way you run your business, learning to use and appreciate new technology or trying to understand someone else’s point of view. But sometimes things happen, and the discomfort is overwhelming. Sometimes you’re looking for answers that are not readily [...]
I believe in looking for the opportunity in every situation, no matter how difficult. You can’t sit around and let the future define you; you have to define it. This is easier said than done -- especially when that difficult situation you’re faced with is a global pandemic. COVID-19 has changed everything. In January, I [...]
Helen Keller once famously said, “Blindness cuts us off from things, but deafness cuts us off from people.” Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic I have heard, read, and been asked the question, “Are hearing aids essential?” When posed this question, I suggest taking out the word “aid” and asking it again. “Is hearing essential?” For people [...]
As a leader, your number one job is to get out of the way. This doesn’t mean you can’t, or shouldn’t, be involved in the process. It means the process does not revolve around you. Some leaders learn this lesson the hard way, but it’s what separates a boss from a leader. Assemble the Right [...]
Hosting 3,400 hearing professionals from 64 countries for a four-day expo to talk about everything from revolutionary new technology to the future of hearing healthcare is no small task. We, at Starkey, started planning for the 2020 Starkey Expo as soon as we wrapped up our previous expo in 2018. While each one is yet [...]
Growing up in a small town in Southern Illinois, I learned the importance of three holidays: Memorial Day, the Fourth of July and Veterans Day. The town had many veterans from World War II and Vietnam. These holidays weren’t about being out of school, fireworks or simply putting up an American flag. They were about [...]