Evergreen Journal by Tugboat Institute

Hosted by Tugboat Institute Members & Evergreen Thought Leaders

Business Entrepreneurship

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Episodes

191

Latest episode

Oct 2026

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About the show

CAPITALISM AT ITS BEST™ These are the stories of the Evergreen® movement. Evergreen leaders are seasoned entrepreneurs, CEOs and presidents with the vision, creativity, resourcefulness, patience and grit to build and scale a business that will stay private indefinitely. They measure success by how well they deliver on their mission and how well they embody the 7Ps: Purpose, Perseverance, People First, Profit, Private, Paced Growth, & Pragmatic Innovation. Tugboat Institute® is a membership organization that brings together Evergreen businesses across industry sectors to share best practices and unique insights, and to develop trusted bonds for their respective Evergreen paths.

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60 recent

October 20, 202621 min

Leaning into Data to Build an Evergreen Company

Michael Kiolbassa is the third-generation CEO of his family-owned sausage company, Kiolbassa Smoked Meats . In this talk, Michael reflects on a vulnerable financial period in the company's history, detailing how he navigated this critical period by leaning into data and Evergreen® values. By establishing five clear business pillars, the company executed a shift toward margin-driven growth, streamlined its management structure, and optimized its customer base. This transformation allowed the team to take the emotion out of decision-making. Michael shares how embracing one common truth through data not only stabilized the business but also built deeper trust with customers and secured the company's future.

September 30, 202624 min

Subtracting for Longevity

Leidy Klotz is a professor at the University of Virginia and the author of Subtract . His research makes the case that our instinct to add before we ever consider taking away is one of the costliest and least examined habits in business, one that only compounds the longer a company has been building. In this Tugboat Institute® Talk, Leidy traces the science behind that instinct, from a Lego bridge his son quietly improved by removing a block, to the deliberate subtraction built into games like Jenga, and makes the business case for treating subtraction as a genuine competitive advantage. For Evergreen® companies thinking in decades rather than quarters, he offers a practical way to ask not just what to build next, but what to prune along the way.

September 8, 202620 min

Creating Future Leaders

Tugboat Institute® member Cody Nath, CEO of Refined Technologies, Inc. (RTI) delivers a moving testament to the necessity of knowing and leading the whole person. In this Tugboat Institute talk, Cody shares the heartbreaking story of a beloved colleague, Barry, whose tragic loss catalyzed a fundamental shift in how RTI approaches People First leadership. Recognizing that workplace skills alone cannot sustain a healthy culture, Cody describes the creation of Imprint, a unique leadership development cohort that integrates "The Whole You" framework with immersive wilderness experiences. By stepping away from the office and into the vulnerability of the outdoors and campfire circle, RTI leaders forge deep emotional connections through personal storytelling, resulting in a high retention rate and an internal network of connected, cultural ambassadors. Cody honors Barry's legacy by challenging fellow leaders to move beyond professional metrics and embody wholeness, and creating their version of Impact that uniquely fits their own Evergreen® company.

August 18, 202625 min

How to Engineer Opportunities: Growing People from Strength to Strength

John Gavan, Executive Chair and former CEO of Evergreen® company KPFF Consulting Engineers, offers a roadmap for leadership development through his concept of Engineered Opportunities. John shares his 35-year journey from intern to CEO, illustrating how leaders must adapt as they progress in the organization and move from one role to the next. John outlines a four-stage career arc—Performer, Leader, Builder, and Guide—emphasizing that growth in leadership requires engineering success for those who follow, rather than just concern with moving oneself forward. Focusing on the later stages of the leadership journey, John draws on Arthur Brooks' research explaining the necessary shift from one of youthful fluid intelligence to one of wisdom arising from crystallized intelligence later in the journey. Listen to this talk and be inspired to intentionally engineer opportunities for the people you lead.

July 28, 202647 min

From Purpose to Real Impact

Nick Craig is the President of the Core Leadership Institute, and author of Leading From Purpose . Over the past decade and a half, he has helped thousands of leaders discover their Purpose, what Nick considers to be the unique gift they bring to the world. In this Tugboat Institute® Talk, Nick uses the world of toys, and LEGO specifically, to explore how customers deeply connect with companies that have an authentic Purpose and what happens when you depart from that Purpose. He challenges Evergreen® leaders to remain true to their company's unique Purpose, through seasons of challenge and success. Listen and be inspired to anchor yourself to your company's authentic Purpose, even when circumstances tempt you to stray.

July 7, 202625 min

Limitless Minds

Many people carry the belief that they simply aren't "math people," that ability is something you're born with, not something you build. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Jo Boaler dismantles that myth and makes the case for a limitless approach to learning, one that applies as much to leaders and teams as it does to students. Jo is a professor of mathematics education at Stanford University and co-founder of Stanford's YouCubed research center, which reaches educators, parents, and students in more than 160 countries. Drawing on her book Limitless Mind , she explains the neuroscience behind learning: every new challenge forms or strengthens brain pathways, and struggle is where the deepest understanding and creativity actually take root. Jo shares research on how mindset shapes performance and even long-term health, and describes how a mistakes-friendly culture, encouragement of skepticism and reasoning, and collaboration over individual brilliance can transform outcomes in the classroom. These same behaviors sit close to the core of Evergreen® leadership. Listen and reconsider the limits you may be placing on yourself, your people, and what your organization is capable of learning.

June 16, 202613 min

The History and Relevance of Juneteenth

Every founder and generational leader carries an origin story. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Everett Harper invites us to consider what it means to remember that story, and how the act of remembrance itself shapes the values a company passes on. Everett is the co-founder and former CEO of Truss and a longtime champion of Purpose-driven leadership. Drawing on the history of Juneteenth, and on his own family's story, he traces the entrepreneurial spirit, community-building, and resilience that emerged from freedom. He makes a compelling case that annual rituals of remembrance, whether a national holiday or a company gathering, are how values survive and travel across generations. Watch and be inspired to honor your own origin story and to pass on the values at the heart of your company to the next generation.

June 2, 202622 min

Making Great People Decisions

Luck is the number one factor for career success, said legendary executive search pioneer Egon Zehnder to a young Claudio Fernández-Aráoz early in his career. After four decades of placing leaders at the highest levels of global business, Claudio has come to agree. But luck, he argues, is only part of the story. The factor leaders can control, and the one that separates good organizations from great ones, is the quality of their people decisions. Claudio is a top global expert on leadership and talent, family businesses, and personal growth, having personally conducted more than 20,000 leadership interviews. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, he draws on decades of experience and vivid real-world examples to explain why our brains are hardwired to make poor hiring choices, how to assess both competence and potential, and why making great people decisions is the most powerful driver of lasting organizational success, one that aligns naturally with the Evergreen® commitment to building companies that endure. Listen and be inspired to raise the standard for how you find and develop the people who will carry your company forward.

May 12, 202624 min

Purpose at Highlights

Tugboat Institute® Member Kent Johnson is the CEO of Highlights for Children, a family-led legacy brand dedicated to building a more optimistic and empathetic world for children. After an early career in physics and medical diagnostics, Kent has spent the last 20 years leading a media business centered on human development. In this Tugboat Institute talk, Kent explores how their commitment to Purpose acts as both an anchor during tragedy and an engine for innovation. He shares the history of Highlights—from its founding as a "dream child" to navigating a 1960 aeronautical disaster that claimed the lives of key leaders —and explains how the company evolved from a single magazine into a global, diversified organization. By refreshing their core mission to empower agile decision-making , Kent illustrates how a Purpose-driven culture enables a heritage brand to thrive in a subscription economy and forge impactful partnerships with tech giants. Listen and be inspired to look beyond your product to your true Purpose and to build a culture of commitment that can withstand generational trauma and the constant evolution of our ever-changing digital world.

April 21, 202626 min

Innovation Begins with Observation

Jim Gilmore is the co-founder of Strategic Horizons LLP and the co-author of The Experience Economy and Look: A Toolkit for Making Better Decisions. As a pioneer in the study of consumer experiences and observational methods, Jim has spent decades helping organizations see the world—and their opportunities—more clearly. In this Tugboat Institute® talk, Jim challenges the modern habit of screen-induced tunnel vision, arguing that true innovation begins with active, intentional observation of our immediate surroundings. He introduces his "Six Looking Glasses" framework—metaphorical tools ranging from binoculars to blindfolds—designed to help leaders sharpen their looking skills and overcome confirmation bias. He demonstrates how spotting a simple detail in the everyday environment can lead to transformative breakthroughs. Listen and be inspired to reclaim the power of observation and master the art of looking as the essential first step toward strategic thinking and long-term Evergreen® success.