Steve Fernlund and The Long Way Home

You may not know this about me, but I'm passionate about small businesses. Small businesses and those who build and operate them play a vital role in our country. My favorite features to write for publication are about the entrepreneurs who do the tedious, often aggravating, but always satisfying work of operating a small business. As I found myself in the quiet days of late November, I couldn't help but reflect on the countless individuals I’ve known over my five decades of business experience. They were all great mentors, although I never labeled them as such. To me, they were just friends or someone I knew. This informal mentorship, often undervalued, holds a profound value. The word “mentor,” like “networking,”  is overused in the business press today. It's a term that's lost its true meaning in the sea of articles and online resources. The notion of mentoring has been formalized online and in print, and I can't help but feel that this has diluted its value. Eag...

“The important thing is the obvious thing that nobody is saying” --Charles Bukowski. The obvious, the important thing, often threatens reputations, feelings, and identity. Who else grew up hearing, “We don’t say that here.” When it comes to politics, our tendency to not say the obvious thing is apparent from city council and county commissioner meetings to the White House. I visited my favorite library to understand what happened with the election last month. I checked out The Populist Explosion: How the Great Recession Transformed American and European Politics , published in October 2016.  Its author,  John B. Judis, defines populism as a political ideology pitting "the people" against "the elite." Populist leaders mobilize a broad base of support by appealing to the frustrations and anxieties of ordinary people against a perceived corrupt and self-serving establishment. Ironically, over the last couple hundred years, those populist leaders were themselves part of...

The Book of Face recently reminded me of the eighth anniversary of our return to Grand Marais. On the day we unloaded the Uhaul, truck and trailer, an early winter storm greeted us with sleet, wind, rain, and snow. With the invaluable help of friends and family, we triumphed over the weather and settled into what we hoped would be our forever home, where we truly belong.  One of the joys of Facebook is the daily reminders of past experiences. As a long-time user, these memories often stretch back a decade, reminding me of events and people that fade all too quickly from my aging brain. As nostalgia wafted over me, I realized I’d been writing this column in the Northshore Journal for two months shy of three years. If you’re wondering, that means I’ve penned 148 columns, and based on my average word count per column, I’ve used enough words to more than fill the average novel. I am deeply grateful to Christine, the publisher of this wonderful community weekly, for taking me on as a fr...

At this point, the road ahead is much shorter than the road behind me. (I stole that from someone, but I can’t remember who.) So, for what it’s worth, here’s my take on the recent leadership departures in Cook County government.  If you haven’t followed local media, here’s the scoop. In recent months, Cook County EDA Director Theresa Bajda resigned in August after less than a year on the job. Jason Hale, who was hired to head the new Housing and Redevelopment Authority in April 2022, also took over the additional role of acting EDA Director when Bajda left. On November 8, he tendered his resignation. Between these two resignations, County Attorney Molly Hickens tendered her resignation to accept a job in the private sector. Then, County Administrator James Joerke resigned following the tragic loss of his wife to a vehicle accident in Kansas City.  Four crucial, albeit not mission-critical, positions were left vacant in a span of less than three months What could be happening? ...