Last week, I received the above question from an MBA candidate who will be graduating in May. He was looking to start or buy a business in the near future and was wisely contacting as many alumni as possible for advice, and simply to network. Like many business owners, I really enjoy getting these calls... Continue Reading →
The Importance of Choosing the Right People to Recognize
Let me start by saying this blog is a bit weightier and controversial than most blogs on the site. I do not pretend to have all the answers, and I am not sure I am even asking the right questions. But I do believe the topic is worthy of a discussion. Two recent events, one... Continue Reading →
Participation Trophies Are (Still) Not Causing Moral Decline
In starting and running a trophy and awards company for over 20 years, you can imagine that I am often asked about the ubiquity of participation trophies and jokingly (at least I hope jokingly) blamed for the moral and intellectual decline of our younger generations. And I am not alone. Memes about the issue pepper... Continue Reading →
How Have Trophies Evolved Over The Years
I have a confession to make. I really don't remember receiving my first trophy. I was not much of an athlete so it was probably for "Best Effort" or "Best Teammate" rather than for "Most Goals Scored" or "MVP". Some of those early trophies which I once proudly displayed on a shelf in my room... Continue Reading →
Are Trophy Businesses Successful?
For the past 15 years or so, I have presented a case study to MBA students at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. The structure of the case is simple: I present the basic economics of a typical trophy business and ask the students to debate whether or not it makes... Continue Reading →
Can I Buy Sustainable Awards?
The quick answer is yes. The longer answer is the awards industry has a long way to go in becoming more environmentally friendly. The good news is we have come a long way. The bad news, as the following anecdote illustrates, we had a long we to go. When I first got into the awards... Continue Reading →