Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Ken Green. I am a small business entrepreneur responsible for the day-to-day operation of a manufacturing facility. My duties include the oversight of the financial department, operations, sales and marketing and research and development.
What has been one insight or lesson that has been most helpful in your career?
A business (management) should never be satisfied with the status quo. You should always be looking for ways to streamline the organization and to advance the technology of your business.
What has been your favorite mistake? A mistake that in retrospect led to a great lesson and progress.
My favorite mistake was not listening to the experts in our field. Just because everyone said it can’t be done doesn’t necessarily mean that it can’t.
Project forward ten years. How will your industry or field be fundamentally different then? What opportunities do you see?
I anticipate our industry to become more and more automated for the production of our products. I also see a shift in the type of energy used – away from nonrenewable and toward renewable sources. This shift will give us an opportunity to design and manufacture a new set of tools for the maintenance and repair of pipelines.
What are some bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?
Recommendations to completely change our toolset because of the change toward renewable energy sources.
In the last two years, what have you become better at saying no to?
I am better at saying no to starting a new project prior to finishing the current one.
What is the one book you recommend most often and why?
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
One of the most important thing in business is the ability to think.
What advice would you give a smart and ambitious recent college graduate? What advice should they ignore?
My advice to succeed in business and life is to realize what you have a passion for, surround yourself with people that support that passion, treat people with dignity and respect and realize that success is measured over time. While there may be instances where success is immediate, successful businesses are built over time and by far the most rewarding.
Ignore – “We didn’t do it that way last year.”
What is your favorite quote, one you aim to live by?
Never say no.
Connect
khg@timberlinetool.com