How to Do the Right Thing

Take the High Road to Raise the Bottom Line

How do you think of successful businessmen?  Selfish and greedy or generous and thoughtful?  I’m guessing there have always been both kinds, but overall, I’ve tended to think about people with a LOT of money in less than charitable terms. Pun intended.   

What if I told you about someone who has generated $100Million in annual business revenues, and not only gives generously, but wants others to be able to do what he’s done?  We were privileged to talk with a man who made his fortune and realized that money and achievement alone didn’t bring him satisfaction.  Come with us to find out what does. 

Guest Bio:
Jeff Morrill started Planet Subaru in Boston years ago with his brother and brought with him into his business life, the ideas of win-win, superior service, and a culture of inclusion, mentorship, kindness, and sustainability that extends to employees and customers alike. At Planet Subaru, Jeff knows that those values must come with concrete steps… they must be implemented to be real and to mean anything. So Jeff’s team decided to power the whole facility with solar panels. They hired sales people from diverse backgrounds, who other dealerships wouldn’t hire. And they created an apprenticeship program to train women for higher-paying service jobs. 

This approach, along with hard work and savvy, made Jeff’s “un-dealership” a success. 

Now in a new season of life, Jeff seeks to mentor others in leadership and promote the ethical business practices that he says made his bottom line all the better.  Jeff wrote the book Profit Wise - How to Make More Money by Doing the Right Thing to share what he learned. The book teaches 10 principles for running a successful business that is also ethical and sustainable. See the list of principles in the Show Notes on this page. 

Instead of the shady, ruthless, or corrupt approaches to business that we’ve seen unfold all too often, stay tuned to hear how businesses… maybe even the one you run… really can, as Jeff says, “take the high road to raise your bottom line.”

Explanation: Just so you know, dear H.tties, this episode is actually part one of a two-episode arc with Jeff. This week we are releasing the parts of the conversation that focus on business, community, and how Jeff’s values of inclusion and abundance infuse his projects. Although this episode focuses on Jeff’s business, we believe that everyone will find inspiration in his life story, his powerful ethics, and his genuine human warmth. 

​Toward the end of the original recording, Jeff turned the tables and started asking US questions about interpersonal communication and about our relationship. It became an “un-podcast.” It’s such a special and unique conversation, that we’re releasing it as its own episode next week. 

Rate, Review, Connect

• www.podchaser.com/heretogether
• Email us at contact@rocketfeather.com
• Leave a voicemail at anchor.fm/heretogether​

SHOW NOTES: 
Key Takeaways: Being ethical, kind, and sustainable is good for business and good for us.

Do Jeff's Science:
Jeff Morrill  recommended we

1. Sent an intention and then
   
2. Make sure to take a concrete step toward that intention every day.
   

(This is a good science to pair with a Bucket List item from Travis Bell!)

“I really believe in the American Dream. I lived it. I am living it. You can accomplish so much because there’s so much opportunity. But there’s a responsibility that comes with the American Dream, too, and that’s to make sure you turn around and pull some people along in your wake.”
​~ Jeff Morrill 

Episode References:

• Jeff’s Website
• Jeff’s Book​​​

About Planet Subaru

• Human + Canine Employee Bios
• Diversity: People from backgrounds traditionally excluded from retail automotive careers constitute the majority of our team, including:
• 28 women in every department, including 5 female mechanical technicians-
• 15 team members representing diverse ethnic and racial backgrounds;
• 7 LGBQT team members;
• 4 current and former active-duty military service members

Other Relevant Episodes: 

• Episode 65 How to Have a Heart in Business with Mike Spangenberg  
• Episode 50 How to Be a Local Hero with Thomas Barr 
• Episode 42 How to Turn Setback Into Success with Melanie Banayat

Dive Deeper on the Topic: 

• John McPhee 
• Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist