Toby Teeter, president of the Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce, says the biggest challenges are memories of the 2011 tornado. He says rebranding has helped Joplin attract and retain talent and …

Tim Potthoff, project manager with Nabholz, says it’s important to be active in groups and charities. He says you should give back to the community that has given to you. Potthoff is a 2020 …

Mark McNay, senior vice president and general manager of SMC Packaging Group, remembers lessons he and friends learned on a bicycle trip to Alaska more than 40 years ago. He says learning to listen and …

Boys & Girls Clubs CEO Brandy Harris says learning to slow down and listen helped her craft a well-informed strategic plan for the organization. She also stresses the important of being adaptable and …

Gary Gibson, general manager of City Utilities, says he’s been very fortunate to have good mentors in his life. Gibson says he tries to give back by mentoring through work and volunteering with Big …

Motivational speaker Zach Troutman says his grandmother and a coach helped him discover his passion. He founded Follow the Leader to normalize conversations about mental health after dealing with …

Speaker, coach and writer Erika Gerdes says there is a deep seated belief that you must choose between fulfillment and success. Gerdes says she had to change her mindset to see it’s possible to …

Brett Curry, CEO of OMG Commerce says leaders should create scenarios where they help each other grow, embrace problems and enjoy growth and development. Learn to see your challenges as opportunities. …

Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth, says the window of time when you can effect change is very brief. Edwards says one leader demonstrated the boldness to push forward and defy the status …

Patrick Nett, owner of Thai Express, says keeping a good work atmosphere helps him and his employees keep their minds off the pandemic. He says his family and customers’ appreciation make it easier …

When singer-songwriter Justin Larkin had gigs cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic, he decided to see it as an opportunity. Larkin is spending his downtime with family, staying positive and …

Zachary Troutman, motivational speaker, says his children are the number one motivation in his life. “While I want to impact so many people, I want to be able to leave a legacy to my sons,” …

Ashley Fletcher, licensed clinical social worker, says her mentor was excellent at helping therapists understand their own self worth as well as that of their clients. Fletcher says this helps …

Donald Babb, former CEO and executive director of Citizens Memorial Hospital, says his grandfather was his first mentor. “He always told me, you can do whatever you want to do,” Babb says. “You …

City Utilities’ Gary Gibson says he sees the promotion from associate general manager to general manager as both a challenge and an opportunity. Gibson says it’s the GM’s responsibility to set …

“If you’re not doing what you love, then change what you’re doing. It’s simple as that, because again, life is too short. There’s something out there for every one,” says Janice Goocher, …

“There are no self-made people. There are people who have been successful because others have helped them achieve that result,” says Nathan Adams, CEO of Epic Strategies, LLC. Adams says his …

“We have to be the example of not being negative,” says Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma, Glenna Wallace, Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma. Wallace says she likes to …

Danielle Kincaid, attorney with Ozarks Elder Law, says she learned in her first externship to trust her gut feelings. She says second guessing and looking back is never good for your client. …

“There’s times when I kind of have to pinch myself and say, ‘listen your job is to help people succeed, what better job could you have than that?’” asks Chris Bryant, Development and …