Econ 101
Just about 32 years ago I graduated from Saint Vincent College (SVC) in Latrobe, PA. I’d transferred from William & Mary—much to my father’s chagrin. What neither my dad nor I realized at the time was that I would receive a very valuable gift in Latrobe—a Bachelor of Science in Economics with a heap of […]
Survival & Forgiveness, Life Lessons from Louis Zamperini
Louis Zamperini having reached his 97th year went to heaven on July 2, 2014, after living what can only be described as a miraculous, amazing, extraordinary life. For those who have not read the book about his life Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption (2010) by Laura Hillenbrand, I highly […]
Risk and Reward, the Economics of Immigration
In 2018 controversy and rage around immigration—illegal and otherwise—seemed to dominate the news cycle. As I took off over the Atlantic today, leaving behind the coastline and eastern border of the United States, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own family’s story. In 1910 my great grandfather Onorato Cecconi left a small village north […]
It Really Is a Wonderful Life …
At this time of year in the Cecconi family, one of our favorite ways to celebrate Christmas and the end of another year is to watch Frank Capra’s 1946 film It’s a Wonderful Life. Along with A Christmas Carol, Holiday Inn and White Christmas, these movies exemplify the best of the holiday season no matter […]
Vision Without Execution is Hallucination
Factors to Close the Execution Gap Thomas Edison’s quote, uttered more than 100 years ago, rings true across organizations of all sizes in the year 2013. In fact, in a wobbly economy where entrepreneurial activity is on the rise, execution is even more critical for success and survival. There was a time when strategic planning […]
Project YOU
A new client joined the ranks of PNG this month and as I typically do—when I see something really interesting that I know they’ll relate to—I send them a link. A post caught my eye this morning; a presentation on SlideShare by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha called Start-up of You. Any PPT that kicks-off […]
Prohibition & Entrepreneurialism
This is Ersilia Conjoli Cecconi. In this picture (circa 1900) she was 22. I believe it to be her wedding photo. Ersilia is my great grandmother, and my hero. In fact, I made Ersilia my confirmation name (for all you Catholics you can appreciate the grief I took for not picking a Saints name—the Nuns […]
Hope for 2013
As we near the end of 2012, a difficult twelve months for many Americans both personally and professionally, a Forbes article by Kevin Kruse caught my eye this morning Schwarzkopf. With the passing of General Norman Schwarzkopf (Stormin’ Norman to those of use who remember his leadership during Desert Storm) I can’t help but be […]
A New Spin on Marketing: The Art of Communicating from the Inside Out
A sharp friend introduced me to this May 4, 2010 TEDx Presentation by Simon Sinek, a sharp/tragically hip leadership guru who has a unique spin on the art of marketing. On his web site he starts his own bio with “Simon Sinek is an optimist.” I like that, and I believe it (The Nun is […]
On Taking Chances
On nearly my 48th birthday I did something a little crazy—I jumped out of a plane at 14,000 feet, yep more than 2 ½ miles straight up and then—straight down at 120 miles an hour. I’d wanted to do that for 25 years but money, time, guilt over having small kids, fear, (life) got in […]
