Category Archive

Download Interview with Duncan Mathison, author of “Unlocking the Hidden Job Market” (mp3)

Duncan Mathison is an executive career coach and co-author of “Unlock the Hidden Job Market: 6 Steps to a Successful Search When Times Are Tough.” For 18 years he served as Vice President and consultant for Drake Beam Morin, an international career transition firm working with thousands of people to find new careers whether they were entering the job market or looking for new careers after job loss.

Visit the Unlocking The Hidden Job Market web site which features a blog and includes sample chapters of his book.

Community forum aired on CNBC special ‘Keeping America Great’ on November 12

On November 12, more than 700 Columbia Business School students had the rare opportunity to connect with two icons of American business—Warren Buffett, MS ’51, and Bill Gates. During the event, Buffett and Gates responded to student body questions about a variety of topics, including the economy, investing during an economic downturn and the fruitful careers and industries of the future. Buffett and Gates also gave career advice and discussed the mentors and habits that played a role in their success.

When asked about the prospects of the American economy, both Gates and Buffett avidly expressed that they never lost faith in the capitalist system during the economic downturn. They stressed that the fundamentals of the market and the innovative nature of American business will continue to bolster the American economy. Gates identified areas of economic growth in the U.S.—including information technology, healthcare and clean energy – as well as areas of improvement, including risk management in the financial markets and the K-12 school system.

A variety of students asked for life and career advice. Buffett stressed the importance of pursuing work that one was passionate about, rather than pursuing work considered to be lucrative. Gates stressed the need to stay inquisitive and read and research topics of interest regularly. Both Gates and Buffett said that preparedness allowed them to take advantage of a variety of opportunities in their careers, and gave them the confidence to take risks.

It is the first time Buffett and Gates, who met each other in 1991, have appeared together at Columbia University. The last student forum they participated in was in 2005 at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Information courtesy of www.gsb.columbia.edu

Bentley University, a new national sponsor, salutes the next generation of leaders with the international Tomorrow25 competition. Launched in 2005, the program honors 25 outstanding high school juniors who demonstrate leadership and accomplishment in a variety of ways, including academic excellence, initiative, citizenship, cultural awareness, social responsibility, and a commitment to making positive change in the world. If this description fits you, talk with your adviser about nominating you for this incredible award. Nominations are accepted from business and community leaders, teachers, mentors, and guidance counselors.

Winners receive national recognition and interact with high-profile leaders at the annual Bentley Leadership Forum (all expenses paid). The Tomorrow25 also appear in a national ad in Time magazine. Deadline for submission is January 15, 2010. Learn more at www.bentley.edu/tomorrow25.

The PBL Business Leader is now sent electronically and is available as an exclusive membership benefit to PBL members. The new reader allows users to view the publication online and search the document for information, send articles to friends, print out the publication, save as a PDF, and easily view interactive videos and web links.

Find the Fall 2009 edition HERE.

Don’t know your membership number? Click HERE!

AICPA is giving away ten (10) iPod touches every week through December 18th. Go to AICPA’s revamped Web site www.StartHereGoPlaces.com and explore careers in business and accounting. While there create and save your FutureMe™.  When you save, make sure to opt into the contest so you’re eligible to win.  If you’ve already been to the site and saved your FutureMe™, you’ll need to login and opt in to be entered in the contest. Good luck!

Registration for the NFLCs is open! The Registration/Information page has links for chapter and individual registration, the NFLC Guide, the workshop presenter forms, hotel information, exhibitor prospectus, and the promotional video.

Early bird registration rates for the NFLCs are $60 through October 9. The regular rate is $70, and the on-site rate is $80. Hotel and conference payments may not be combined. Hotel reservation forms and payments should be mailed to the hotels.

We are looking for presenters! A workshop presenter may be an adviser, student, businessperson, professional division member, and/or state committee person. Please use the workshop presenter form.

Do you know any potential exhibitors? For more information, see the “exhibitor prospectus” form.

Today, a sound financial education is more important than ever. To help advisers and educators give their students that education, WeSeed and FBLA-PBL have created the Chapter Challenge where chapter advisers will compete to develop innovative stock market lesson plans using WeSeed. The chapter with the most innovative plan will win $5,000, a laptop, and a trip to the Chicago Board of Trade!

How to get started:

• Sign up for your free WeSeed account
• Build your Portfolio
• Set up a classroom group for your chapter so you can all share ideas. To create a group, click “My Groups” at the top of your Portfolio page.
• Create your one-of-a-kind lesson plan
• Submit your lesson plan by April 30^th, 2010
• Results will be announced at the 2010 National Leadership Conference in Nashville, Tennessee

Download Interview with Vanessa Hall, author of “The Truth About Trust in Business” (mp3)

Vanessa Hall

Vanessa Hall, founder and president of an Australian consulting firm, Entente Pty Limited, is the author of The Truth About Trust in Business. It was originally published in Australia and is now scheduled for release in China and the United States. The book won a Bronze Medal in the Axiom Business Book Awards for Business Ethics and a silver medal in the Nautilus Book Awards for Conscious Business Leadership.

The award-winning author, speaker, entrepreneur, and advisor to business leaders is a globally recognized thought leader on trust. Her clients include the Financial Planning Association, CEO Institute, CGU Insurance, Macquarie Bank, Deloitte, PRD Nationwide Real Estate, and Optus.

Over a 22-year business career that stems from her consulting and numerous jobs at banks as a compliance and risk manager , she has learned what it takes to receive, give, manage, and seek out trust in the workplace and corporate arena. She regularly facilitates trainings and workshops on the three R’s of Trust (results, retention, relationships). Based on research, CEO interviews, and discussions with psychologists, professors and teachers on issues of trust in business and personal relationships, Vanessa developed a 10-step method to building trust. She also designed a trust survey to help facilitate more efficient business interactions.

Vanessa developed a uniquely simple, but powerful and memorable model to expose the truth about trust—what it is, how we inadvertently break it down each day, and how to harness its power and learn to build it in our business and personal lives.

Free E-book: 7 Truths about Trust Every Leader Needs to Know.

Download Interview with Charles Garcia, author of “Leadership Lessons of the White House Fellows” (mp3)

Charles Garcia

Charles P. García leads Cabrera Capital Markets, LLC, an investment banking group focused on the global hispanic market, in the media, healthcare, real estate, energy, food and beverage, consumer products and project finance sectors in the U.S. and Latin America. In 2002, his company was named as the  8 fastest growing privately held company in the country by Inc. magazine and he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by three national organizations.

Hispanic Business magazine recognized Mr. Garcia as one of the “100 most influential Hispanics in the United States” and he received the Congressman Henry B. Gonzalez Public Service and Integrity Award for his leadership championing rights for all persons, especially Latinos.

Garcia currently serves as the chair of the U.S. Air Force Academy Board of Visitors which oversees all operations at the military academy. The 15-member board, includes four U.S. Senators and four members of the U.S. House of Representatives. Mr. Garcia also serves on the Board of Directors of Winn Dixie Stores.

Mr. Garcia graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Air Force Academy achieving the rank of Deputy Wing Commander.  A distinguished graduate of the skydiving program and the Army Reconnaissance Commando School, his peers elected him to serve as the Chairman of the Cadet Wing Honor Committee and he was awarded the “Class of 1983 Honor and Ethics Trophy.” He has a Masters degree in Public Administration from the University of Oklahoma and law degree from Columbia Law School.

Charles Garcia was part of the 1988 – 1989 class of White House Fellows. The White House Fellows program is one of America’s most prestigious programs for leadership and public service. White House Fellowships offer exceptional young men and women first-hand experience working at the highest levels of the federal government.

Selected individuals typically spend a year working as a full-time, paid Fellow to senior White House Staff, Cabinet Secretaries and other top-ranking government officials.

Download Interview with Alan Deutschman, author of “Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders” (mp3)

Alan Deutschman

Alan Deutschman is one of America’s most provocative thinkers about leadership and change. In his highly anticipated forthcoming book, Walk the Walk: The #1 Rule for Real Leaders he presents a compelling new theory of leadership.

His earlier books include, Change or Die: The Three Keys to Change at Work and in Life, The Second Coming of Steve Jobs and A Tale of Two Valleys: Wine, Wealth and the Battle for the Good Life in Napa and Sonoma.

In a 22-year career as a journalist, Alan Deutschman has been Fortune magazine’s Silicon Valley correspondent, GQ’s “Profit Motive” columnist, and a contributing editor at Vanity Fair and New York Magazine. Most recently, he was a senior writer for Fast Company.

He has taught at General Electric’s Crotonville executive training center and delivered keynote addresses to leadership conferences for organizations such as National Public Radio.

Keeping members active at the chapter level can be a challenge, especially when you can’t come up with new ideas to implement. This resource guide is aimed to provide chapters with new ideas in the areas of fundraisers, socials, membership recruitment, business development, and community service as well as workshop topics that can be taught, so that you can keep your FBLA chapter improving and active!

Please submit all ideas you may have in these six categories so that we can share the innovative ideas we have throughout the nation. Ideas submitted will be used to update the FBLAction Packet.

Submit your chapters’ best practices!

Visit the FBLA-PBL Regions Web site

We are pleased to provide this additional resource to our members. You can visit the FBLA regional information here, or PBL’s region’s here. Your national officers and the entire national staff will be working hard this year to help ensure that each of you are “Simply the Best” with FBLA-PBL. Visit these sites often to find new and updated information to help you stay in touch with other FBLA-PBL members and your national officer teams. You will also find information that will enhance your FBLA-PBL experience and assist you in your personal, professional, and academic growth and success.

Want to make the best use of your time and get the most out of your attendance at this year’s NLC in Anaheim? Get the Edge in advance by reading the NLC Guide online in this cool new reader!

You can also download and print out a PDF copy of the pages you need to take with you to conference.

In May of 2008, there was a devastating earthquake in Sichuan province, China that caused much sadness for the people of that area. Two months later, FBLA chapter president Donald Qiao of St. Croix Lutheran High School, MN represented the Future Business Leaders of America by giving a speech in China to the surviving children. Qiao made 600 yellow t-shirts with FBLA logos for the children attending “tent schools” as a symbol of renewed hope. Donald picked the color yellow because it stands for a flower bud and the FBLA logo because it stands for the promise of a great future, especially for the children who were suffered from this catastrophe. 

Since Donald’s father is an owner of a Landscape Company in Beijing, he was also given a bag of grass and flower seeds. Donald planted sixty pounds of grass and flower seed with his new friends at four different local schools to help rebuild their life and dreams.       

Donald experienced three major aftershocks during his FBLA volunteer service time. For the last night in his earthquake volunteer experience, Donald experienced a 6.5 magnitude aftershock which caused the banks of the river to collapse. Donald’s tent was flooded around midnight. When Donald woke up, his laptop and bags were already part of the flood. Donald was really upset after this experience. He drew a parallel: what if his bags and laptop were one of the sixty nine thousand victims? He then realized that the people after that catastrophe need more aid than they have been given. 

As business leaders, we can choose to take responsibility and be assertive in our leadership to help people that have suffered the tragedy of any natural disaster. Donald Qiao’s dream is to one day get into Harvard University, and then create the biggest company in the world so he can raise enough money to help more people who suffer from natural disasters like the one in Sichuan.

Ready for March for Babies? You’re starting to raise money for an important goal: to make sure that one day all babies will be born healthy. March for Babies is the March of Dimes largest fundraiser. The money you raise supports programs in your community that help moms have healthy pregnancies. And it funds research to find answers to the serious problems that threaten our babies.  

March for Babies takes place in more than 900 communities across the country. You’ll be joining 1 million people walking with their families and schools. 

Make sure you sign up online at marchforbabies.org/fblapbl —choose your division from the options listed, and search for your team by state. Can’t find yourself there? Just go to marchforbabies.org and sign up as a new team! Be sure to use FBLA, PBL or ML and your school’s name in your team title. 

Want some great easy ways your FBLA chapter can help raise money for the March of Dimes? Check out their new glitter awareness wristbands! You can also sell March of Dimes cut-outs in your school and ask for permission to hang them in the cafeteria or the front office where everyone can see who has donated to help babies. Ask your local March of Dimes office for cut-outs; you can find their phone number by visiting marchofdimesyouth.com and entering your school zip code in the box at the top. Let them know how it goes at teamyouth@marchofdimes.com! 

It’s time to start our countdown to Get the Edge at the 2009 National Leadership Conference (NLC) in sunny Anaheim, California. The 2009 NLC is only a few months away, and Anaheim is a great location for this year’s conference, taking place June 20–23 for PBL and June 25–28 for FBLA. In early March, you’ll be receiving the 2009 NLC Guide. It will have everything you need to know about this year’s conference including competitive events, photography, discounted tours, attraction tickets, and travel.

Online registration for the conference will open March 1, 2009. Registration for members and advisers for FBLA is $95, and for PBL is $105. When planning to attend the NLC, don’t forget to take advantage of our premier training event—the Institute for Leaders (IFL)^sm. The IFL is held immediately preceding the NLC. It brings together FBLA-PBL’s best and most promising leaders for two days of intensive leadership development. The cost to attend the IFL is $115 for members, $50 for advisers, and $100 for candidates. 

Take a glimpse at the excitement you can expect at the 2009 NLC in Anaheim by accessing this link:

NLC 2009, Anaheim

Please go here for up-to-date NLC and IFL information or to register.

See you in Anaheim!

Contact us at:  rbowen@fbla.org or rsmothers@fbla.org.

703.860.3334 x119 

FBLA-PBL sets aside the second week of February each year as National FBLA-PBL Week. Chapters are encouraged to use this time to publicize their activities and successes, boost their membership, and gear up for their spring activities. In addition, FBLA-PBL recognizes the Wednesday of this week as Adviser Appreciation Day. Members are encouraged to use this day to pay special tribute to the dedicated individuals who make the association possible on the local level.


Many chapters plan special activities for each day of the week. These include everything from Professional Attire Day to FBLA-PBL T-shirt Day to Faculty Appreciation Day and Career Awareness Day. As FBLA-PBL Week coincides each year with National Career & Technical Education Month, this is an excellent time to inform the public about the purpose of school-to-work activities and programs in general. The momentum of a national event provides the perfect occasion to spotlight the value of membership and of career education.

Monday—Kick Off Day: Make an announcement in your classes about FBLA-PBL Week and the importance of joining student organizations. Talk to teachers/professors and gain their support!
 


Tuesday—Gear up for Valentines Day: Sell March of Dimes bears (a great Valentines Day gift!) or “March to Anaheim” feet in celebration of service and to raise awareness of FBLA-PBL at your school. Proceeds should go to the March of Dimes or the charity of your chapter’s choice.



Wednesday—Adviser Appreciation Day: Honor your adviser and other teachers, professors, and administrators by bringing coffee and doughnuts for them. Take your dean, department chair, or principal out to lunch.



Thursday—Dress For Success Day: Join your fellow FBLA-PBL members nationwide in wearing business attire to school or work. 

Friday—Wrap-up Day: Hold a reception for school administrators, advisers, members, Professional Division members, and local business partners. Plan a social for your chapter members—meet for a group dinner, host a bowling tournament, sip some lattes at a coffee shop, or go out dancing!
 


Saturday—Community Service Day: Plan an amazing service project for your chapter. Partner with a local volunteer center or another FBLA-PBL chapter and make your community a better place.