We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Joe Tye. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Joe below.

Hi Joe, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

After graduating from Stanford with an MBA in 1985, rather than getting a job like all my classmates I started a nonprofit organization called STAT – Stop Teenage Addiction to Tobacco. During my second year I’d done an independent study project on ethics (and the lack thereof) in the tobacco industry. I interview senior industry execs, including inviting one to a class at the biz school, and was horrified at the way these white collar drug pushers were deliberately targeting children for a lifetime of addiction. It was a risk because I had a wife and two young children to support, plus school loans to pay off. After about a year I went back to work in hospital administration but continued leading STAT for the next 15 years. Our most significant accomplishments were helping to outlaw cigarette advertising targeting youth, including paid promotion in movies, and making it harder for children to access cigarettes including outlawing cigarette vending machines. The work received a number of mentions in the Pulitzer Prize winning book “Ashes to Ashes” by Richard Kluger.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Between 1973 and 1995 I worked in hospital administration. In 1996 I started Values Coach Inc. to help hospitals and other healthcare organizations build a culture of ownership on a foundation of values. I’ve been an active keynote speaker and workshop leader. I will be retiring from the work at the end of 2024 to focus on writing.

I’ve authored or coauthored a dozen books. In my consulting work these include “All Hands on Deck: 8 Essential Lessons for Building a Culture of Ownership” and “The Florence Prescription: From Accountability to Ownership” and with Dr. Bob Dent “Building a Culture of Ownership in Healthcare.” I also write inspirational fiction including “Never Fear Never Quit: A Story of Courage and Perseverance” and “The Healing Tree” and “Your Dreams Are Too Small” and most recently “Pray For Your Friends: The 8 Prayers of Job.”

I live on a small farmstead in Iowa and my second home is a tent in the Grand Canyon.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

The most important attribute is determination to not quit in the face of apparent failure.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theflorencechallenge.com/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joetye/

Image Credits

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