The late W. Clement Stone is a personification of America’s self-made man. He started with less than $100 in capital and built a multi-million-dollar organization. If you started at the bottom of the rung or may still be there, you will appreciate and be thrilled with his story. By the way, he was born in 1902 and died in 2002, living to be 100 years of age. As you read along, you will see the power of his influence. He was born on the south side of Chicago, his father…

While I don’t know who said it first, there is an often repeated truism that goes, “We don’t miss the water till the well runs dry.” And I might add, you don’t miss your community newspaper until you don’t have one. Back in the prime of my weekly column in the late 1990s, I had more than 300 newspapers running it, and more than 375 in 35 states that ran it at one time or another. But due to the Internet and other electronic media, plus more than 32 million…

There is an old joke about this man who heard that 80 percent of all accidents occur within 25 miles of home -- so he moved. Well, apparently a lot of people are moving, but not for the same reason. There is an alarming trend taking place in America today that is cause for concern, at least in some circles. This is the loss of population in rural areas that has caused the majority of our citizens to believe that “rural America is dying.” The 2020 census is likely to…

Back in the early days, Truett Cathy, founder of the Chic-fil-A restaurant chain, had a very special tip for training employees. When he had them seated before him he would pose this question: “How do you know when someone needs encouragement?” After a bit, and a few puzzled stares, he would answer his own question. The answer is, “It is when they come in the door.” Now that is pretty simple, but it is also true. This is just another way of saying that we all need encouragement every day…

Laughter is good medicine. If you have not had a dose in a while, it’s high time you did. Here is what George Bernard Shaw, the Irish playwright and philosopher, had to say about laughter. He said, “Laughter is that older and greater church to which I belong: the church where the oftener you laugh the better, because by laughter only can you destroy evil without malice, and affirm good fellowship without mawkishness.” As a quick aside, the word “mawkishness” is one that I was not familiar with and had…

Today I would like to share something that may provide some important insights into what is happening to many people in our country today. My hope would be that if I can get this across where it is clearly understood, we may be able to make a positive difference in the lives of many people. This is the purpose of each one of my columns, and while I am sure I don’t succeed every time, that is my goal and also my heart’s desire. The truth is, we can’t help…

It has been said that the only way to have friends is to be a friend. Over the years I have found this to be so true, and I have been blessed to have some really good friends. When I thought about this, the one who came to mind first is a man by the name of Mickey Cox. Mickey retired after many years in top management with the Entergy Corporation, and I have known him now for almost 30 years. Several years ago, after we first met, he became…

Have you ever heard someone say, “That old boy is tied to her apron strings”? Of course “apron” is synonymous with cooking. My wife, Janis, has written four cookbooks and loves to cook. She also watches a plethora of cooking shows on television. We have made many advancements in the past 50 years, but many people do not know that an apron was used for many different things back in the old days. As I thought about this column, my friend Ruth Baker from the great state of Alabama came…

Sometime back I wrote a column titled “Everyone does not need a college education,” which is certainly a true statement. At this time I stated that everyone DOES need a quality high school education. Anyone who understands the economy very well will tell you that many people who have a trade -- like auto mechanic, carpenter, welder, dry wall hanger, electrician, painter and many others --earn more money than many college graduates. It all comes down to the law of supply and demand. When the need is greater than the…

Charlie Ward died when he was 73 years of age, but oh, what a life he lived. When I read this true story of Charlie Ward in the excellent book “The 25 Most Common Problems in Business” by Jim Zabloski, I knew it was a story that I had to share with you. The reason I wanted to share his story is because it represents thousands, perhaps millions, of people across America who started out on the wrong side of the tracks but became an exemplary model of what a…