Category Archives: News

In August of 2011 the TEDxGrandRapids Leadership started to discuss the theme for the upcoming May 10th 2012 event.

It started over a beer (a common additive at TEDxGrandRapids Planning meetings).  The conversation ranged but we kept coming back to how it needed to be relevant – ‘recognizing these are tough times’ and yet still be an event designed to ‘inspire action’.

It is important to know that while this amazing team is made up of extreme optimists, everyone of us had a story to tell about overcoming challenges and adversity.   About perseverance and courage. About good things that happened ‘after’.

There banter about how over the last 5 years we all heard the sad-sacks media pundits compare our lives to the Great Depression.

(There was a collective groan.)

“Nice headlines but it does nothing to move us forward.”

So over the course of the next few week of August emails, phone calls and coffee shop meetings happened and we discussed the idea of theme and about how ‘good things following bad’ and  how ‘great things follow unexpected moments’.

One of the TEDx team said something very salient after one of the conversation. “I have chosen not to participate in this recession… I will be prudent and respectful of the reality of the day — but I will focus on what it will take to move to what is next.”

And guess what –we found it is an opinion with a proven track record. Not from economists or politicians but people who have earned the right to say so.   Because contrary to the sepia images  of the 1930s — life did not end when the stock market crashed, for some organizations and icons – it was just the beginning.

How about TimeWarner, who started its business in 1929.

Or IBM who was just 5 years old the day the stock market crashed.

Maybe the Allstate Insurance who began its life in 1931.

…Land O’Lakes who incorporated in1931

…Empire State Building opened their doors in 1931

…Bugatti’s firing is first spark in 1932

…Serta shipped the first manufactured mattress in 1931

So it begged  the question, are we focused so much on today that we will miss the opportunities that tomorrow will bring?

It came back to me when I was watching our own Mark Lardieri’s TEDxGrandRapids youtube video and it seems many of our successful business leaders agree.

Think about the worst time in your life. Now think about what came after.

The comparisons to the Great Depression may be appropriate but they cannot be decoupled from the unprecedented innovation, growth and optimism of the late 40’s and 50s.

Not enough to get you thinking about “what now?”   How about going back 700 years to the ‘impenetrable mindlessness’ of the Middle Ages.

Prior to the Renaissance, and the rebirth of human curiosity, the best minds were not exploring new lands or engaged in ways to innovate.…”they were focused on inane things like how many angels could fit on the end of a pin” (Michael J. Gelb, Think like Leonardo)

But in the late 1300, the black plague swept Europe. Nearly half of the entire European population was destroyed from the highest members of the Piteous hierarchy to the peasants and harlots of serfdom.    Everyone had to re-think everything.   The result? The renaissance. The greatest spark of creativity — Ever.

Arguably the most prolific, profitable and innovative period in our known history… Born out of one of the darkest times.

And so the theme of TEDxGrandRapids 2012 theme was born.

We all agreed that our goal would be to find world class speakers to help us think less about ‘What happened?’ and more about ‘What Now?’

I hope to see you on May 10th — At the Civic Theatre, TEDxLabs , online or at the Livestream for Education.

It may just be west Michigan’s  “What now?” moment.

–Kurt Nahikian, Business Designer at  CQL, Director of Good Concepts LLC  and member of the TEDxGrandRapids Leadership team.

One definition of the word, “thankful,” found in Webster’s dictionary is being ‘conscious of the benefit received.’ Today, is Veterans’ Day, a holiday set aside for people in the United States of America to remember and give thanks to our fellow citizens who have made the sacrifice of service to our country. The celebration of Veterans’ Day coincides with other holidays observed around the world such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day that have their origins with the end of World War I. The significance of this holiday being observed on November 11 relates to the fact that major conflicts surrounding World War I ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918 with the German signing of the Armistice. In proclaiming the holiday, on November 11, 1918, President Woodrow Wilson stated, “to us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations.”

At CQL, we are lucky to count one of our team members as someone deserving special recognition on this day. Staff Sergeant James VanderZouwen joined the Army in 2004 and set off to be trained at Fort Benning, GA.  His initial goals were simple: stay fit, get schooling paid, and do amazing things.  Almost eight years later, he finds his goals accomplished and new goals made.  James has a degree that was paid for by the Montgomery GI Bill.

In 2006, James volunteered to be deployed to Iraq.  He arrived in Al Qayyarah (‘Q-West’) where he drove armored semi-trucks and fuel tankers.  Moving to Balad (‘Anaconda’) to drive gun trucks was a major goal of his group. As James describes, “there is a certain level of adrenaline that came with being a combat driver and my company (the 454^th Transportation Company) was ready for this challenge.  We joined up with Task Force 106 of the 101^st Airborne and trained to conduct convoy security by way of really awesome tactical trucks with really big guns.”  On July 7 (7-7-7), a ‘Scout’crew (lead vehicle) with a truck commander that knew how to proficiently use the radios, GPS, and Jammers, was needed. James’ crew volunteered for this mission. They drove to their destination and the convoy cargo was unloaded.  On the way back, at 2:14am, the bridge they were driving over exploded.  His team was very fortunate to sustain only minor injuries and that a recovery team was quick to assist them.  James mentioned, “I didn’t even realize I was hurt until the action was over and we were again headed back to our base.  Sitting in the back of the new scout vehicle, I began to realize my back was in pain.  When we got back to the base, I was told that my tailbone and sacrum were broken.”

James stayed in Iraq for the last two months of his tour to continue helping his company with communications equipment installations and maintenance for their continuing convoys. A Purple Heart was conferred on James for his the actions surrounding the bombing on July 7, 2007.

When he returned home, the VA took care of him through their healthcare system and by financing his schooling, as promised.  James earned his degree in computer science, bought a house and began working “my dream job” as a developer for CQL.  “The Army has done much for me in my life.  It taught me about Leadership – Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal courage.  I am proud to
have served.”

We could not have said it better. Thank you, James, for your service to our country, and to the multitude of others who have donned this country’s uniforms in service to protect our liberties.