The Business Roundtable includes CEOs from some of the most recognizable large companies in the US, such as Chase, GM, Johnson & Johnson, and Apple. Think of it as the bluest chips of the Blue Chip listings. Collectively these companies employ over 15 million people, buy almost half a trillion dollars annually from small and medium-sized businesses, and donate eight billion dollars to charities. Frankly, if politicians followed their advice, we’d have a lot more innovation and infrastructure in our nation. At long last, the Business Roundtable CEOs have outlined – in a policy position – a radical change in the stated intent of a corporation and its leadership. The new direction: that the purpose of a corporation is not to maximize shareholder return but rather to pursue a fundamental commitment to all stakeholders. The stated policy places employees, suppliers, and communities…
What a Beat Street Coffee Co. & Bistro waiter could teach GM’s CEO
The waiter at San Antonio’s Beat Street Coffee Co. Bistro held the large vintage door for a long time while my mother entered with her walker. The restaurant’s hipster ambiance was just what she needed as a meal break from living with 24 other people aged 80-103 at Chandler Estate Assisted Living. Needless to say, neither Mom nor I looked like the other diners. But this waiter treated us throughout the evening as if we were his target market. The food at Beat Street is terrific, each menu item offering unusual ingredient combinations. It was the kind of food that attracts the first-timers the restaurant needs for a chance to succeed. Its service, however, is what will build the repeat visitors any restaurant must win to secure its future. After our second visit Mom asked the waiter if he was the owner. “No,”…