The Jedburgh Podcast with FRAN RACIOPPI
About The Episode
Over 40 million people are the victims of Human Trafficking. It’s the fastest growing crime in the world, a $150B industry, and disproportionately affects women and children. Mitzi Perdue is the founder of Win This Fight!, a non-profit dedicated to eradicating this vicious crime. She is the heiress of Sheraton Hotels; widow of another family business, poultry magnate Frank Perdue of Perdue Farms; a businesswoman in her own right; and an author.
Mitzi joins host Fran Racioppi for a candid discussion on how we must all jump in to combat labor and sex trafficking, the keys to running and scaling a successful family business, and in a surprising twist, Mitzi calls out her rival in the battle for hotel chain heiress superiority – Paris Hilton.
Join the fight to raise $100M by visiting winthisfight.org or text ELEVATE to 55312.
Read the full episode transcription and learn more on The Jedburgh Podcast Website.
Highlights:
-Fran & Mitzi define human trafficking, its unacceptable practices, it’s impact on victims and the effect on the labor market.
-Win This Fight! has pioneered a method of donation through auctioning high-value items their owners just don’t really need.
-Mitzi shares the keys to success in Sheraton’s rise to the largest hotel chain in the world through a commitment to empowering people and organizations.
-How implementing “The Great Failed Project Award” allows for bottom-up input in organizations while fostering innovation and creativity.
-The lessons of Frank Perdue in investing in the development of employees and a leader’s need to focus on the present in order to fully understand and solve complex issues.
-Mitzi turns the tables and forces Fran to define his thoughts on failure and the importance of encouraging teams to learn through pushing past their limits.
-Embracing an attitude of lifelong learning will allow us to continue to grow, be genuine, human, authentic and personable; something Mitzo learned as she has overcome her fear of public speaking and being in large crowds.
Quotes:
-”If you are a trafficker, you are really trying to ‘break’ the person that you are trafficking.”
-”People live up to or down to your expectations.”
-”If you are focused on what am I going to get out of this, you are probably going to be disappointed.”
-”If I were Paris Hilton and I was reading that Mitzi Perdue – she is the Sheraton heiress – wanted to meet me, I wouldn’t believe it.”
-“To make somebody feel important, listen to them.”
-”I don’t want them to know what I want to hear. I want their ideas.”
-”95%of an award is communicating to the rest of the company what we value and what is important.”
-“People like you a lot more for being human, than they like you for being perfect.”
Mitzi’s Three Daily Foundations of Success:
-”Eat a live frog” – do the hardest thing you need to do today first
-Make a list of tasks to be completed
-Focus on that which energizes us and provides positive mental energy
This episode is brought to you by Analytix Solutions; improving the efficiency of your business across people, process and technology through multi-divisional outsourcing solutions.
About The Podcast
Fran speaks with leaders in business, athletics, academics, and public service about their personal leadership stories of success, failure, and the road to continuous improvement. The Jedburghs of World War II were the first Special Operations forces and lived by the mantra, how you prepare today, determines success tomorrow. Today’s leaders are no different.
Our discussions focus on the nine character traits of elite performance used by Special Operations Forces to recruit, assess, select and retain elite performers. Through this lens, we show listeners that success in any field must be earned each and every day.
We strive for each listener to take away valuable lessons learned and concrete action steps to improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Although developed and used by US Special Operations Forces, these characteristics are inherently applicable to building resilient and successful organizations in any sector or industry, as well as in the betterment of our personal and professional lives.
The Nine Characteristics of Elite Performance:
-Drive: Growth mindset, be better than yesterday, continuous self-improvement
-Resiliency: Perseverance in the face of challenges
-Adaptability: Adjust one’s behavior to the situation
-Humility: Recognize that you do not have all the answers, a willing learner, maintains accurate self-awareness
-Integrity: Understand what is legal and right and align actions and words to both
-Effective Intelligence: apply one’s experience and knowledge to the situation
-Team Ability: Prioritize organizational needs ahead of oneself, work as a cohesive unit
-Curiosity: Exploring the unknown, questioning the status quo in pursuit of better
-Emotional Strength: Emotional control in stressful situations, brings calm to chaos
Fran is the founder of FRsix, where he leads small to medium size businesses to scale by transforming their leadership and operations through introspection, continuous improvement, and a commitment to a talent mindset.
He spent 13-years in the United States Army as a Green Beret, deploying numerous times to The Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Fran was the honor graduate of the Special Forces Qualification Course, as well as the US Army Ranger School. He has served as CEO, COO, and CSO as well as Director of Global Security, where he was recognized by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security for his leadership and innovation.
Fran earned an MBA from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BA from Boston University in Journalism. Fran holds the highest civilian accreditations including Certified Protection Professional, Certified Business Continuity Professional, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.
Fran volunteers teaching Veterans to sail as the Race Director for Sailahead, a Veterans organization dedicated to reducing the Veteran suicide rate, and is the former Treasurer of the United War Veterans Council.
Talent War Group is an executive search firm and talent advisory comprised of highly experienced and proven business executives, special operations leaders, combat aviators, who recognize and understand the strategic value of Talent and Leadership.
We’ll drive you to attract, retain, and develop top talent. With services like Executive Search, Talent Advisory, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Speaking & Keynotes we work with you to create talent solutions to business problems. Contact us at www.talentwar