Bob Troop, Author at Shamrock Companies

Bob’s family-first mindset guides all that he does: The fearless founder of Shamrock celebrates and supports people in a manner that makes people feel good about themselves – and what they accomplish. He’s a mentor, strategist, problem solver, confidant, entrepreneur, civic do-gooder. An adventurous spirit, Bob has no reservation about exploring uncharted waters, which explains his nautical prowess – and his business success.

NOTHING PERSONAL: BUSINESS IN SWEDEN IS STRICTLY IMPERSONAL. This week, Bob looks forward to the Olympics countdown with a focus on the medal-winning Swedes.

General BusinessBy Bob Troop July 25, 2012

Finally, I can grab a beer and get my fill of the global games of summer! The Olympics officially begin July 27th, and Sweden is set to compete in events ranging from Archery to Wrestling with a total of more than 20 events. Here’s an interesting fact I read on Wikipedia about Sweden and the…

THERE ARE NO CASUAL FRIDAYS IN GERMANY, BUT THERE IS MORE FREE TIME. This week, Bob talks about the differences in business attitudes between Germany and the U.S.

General BusinessBy Bob Troop July 18, 2012

As we get closer to the Olympics, this month we decided our focus will be on other countries. Today, I’d like to focus on my observations and reading about Germany. One major difference I’ve noticed is, like many countries overseas, employees in Germany are more serious in the workplace, but it seems when German employees…

WHAT IS IT ABOUT “TAKING ONE FOR THE TEAM” THAT BRINGS A SENSE OF OLYMPIAN-LIKE FULFILLMENT TO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS? This week, Bob talks about the importance of the team vs. the individual in Japanese culture.

Culture, General BusinessBy Bob Troop July 11, 2012

Naturally, there are some cultural differences between Asian countries, but all seem to believe in putting oneself second to the team, or group, for the betterment of all. I greatly admire that in Asian culture. Japan is definitely among the Asian cultures that subscribe to the philosophy of the team vs. the individual. This is…

WHAT CAN THE OLYMPICS TEACH US ABOUT BUSINESS? As a prelude to the upcoming Olympics, this month Bob explores global cultures.

General BusinessBy Bob Troop July 6, 2012

There’s a different kind of competition in business than in the Olympics. In business we’re expected to make or earn money. We compete based on the best price for the best product. I believe the playing field is more level in sports. In sports, we compete for the joy of winning and the thrill of…

WHAT MAKES A COMPANY? This week’s blog post celebrates the 30-year-anniversary of Shamrock. It is written by the people who have worked with Bob and for Bob. Friends. Employees. Business Partners.

CultureBy Bob Troop June 28, 2012

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. — Shamrock employee, Jen Hall, provided this quote, and summed up who Bob is: his grace under pressure, his resilience, his…

DOES IT MAKE DOLLARS AND CENTS TO HAVE WELLNESS PROGRAMS AT WORK? Bob certainly thinks so; see why, here.

CultureBy Bob Troop June 20, 2012

I am certainly concerned about the health and welfare of my family. That includes my private family and my family of employees. I’ve made significant plans to provide health benefits for my wife and children. And, as a caring CEO and a smart businessman, I am also concerned about the health and welfare of my…

WHAT’S THIS BUSINESS ABOUT SUMMER CAMP? Bob considers the positive aspects of business summer camp.

Culture, General BusinessBy Bob Troop June 13, 2012

For years we’ve had new employees participate in an orientation to gain a greater understanding of our Shamrock. This generally happens six months after an employee has been with us. New employees experience a daylong session to learn about each department, how we integrate among departments to achieve specific goals, and how we effectively work…

ARE SUMMER INTERNS WORTH IT? In addition to the pleasure of having young, fresh faces to cheer up the workplace, Bob says “yes” to interns.

General BusinessBy Bob Troop June 7, 2012

A good internship creates a classic win-win situation for everyone involved. The biggest benefit for interns is the chance to work with professionals in their field of interest. It also gives them an opportunity to decide if this is the best career choice to pursue. The employer wins, too. Most companies that hire interns say…

WOMEN THE WOMEN OF SHAMROCK MOST ADMIRE

General BusinessBy Bob Troop May 30, 2012

At the close of this month’s blog topic about influential women, the women of Shamrock came up with their most-admired list and asked me to choose one to focus on for this week. First, there is Spanx’s Sara Blakely, who developed Spanx women’s undergarments. I’ll let the women of Shamrock suggest why she’s so admired.…

I DON’T, BUT I KNOW SOME PRETTY INFLUENTIAL WOMEN WHO DO… This week Bob interviews Kasey Crabtree, a local influential “twitter-er.”

General BusinessBy Bob Troop May 23, 2012

I don’t tweet and I don’t have a Twitter account. But I recently discussed the topic with Kasey Crabtree to learn more about who tweets on Twitter and why, since I wanted to learn more and share it on my blog. I learned from Kasey that up until last year most Twitter users were men,…