Welcome to the latest edition of the Social Capital Newsletter. Social Capital is an intangible asset at the heart of a new and dynamic view of success, one that is changing business and the world as we know it during one of the most difficult and turbulent times in recent history. The No. 1 fear of many business leaders is becoming irrelevant. If you don't matter to your customers, your employees and your community, you're finished. But how do you stay one step ahead of the Zeitgeist? Northwest Mutual CEO John Schlifske offers a fascinating perspective shaped by 30 years at his company, which embodies Social Capital principles. He believes staying relevant is all about deepening customer relationships, prioritizing trustworthiness and creating a company for all economic seasons. Of course, that's easier said than done. He offers a playbook on the practicalities in "Relevance Brings Growth." And if you're looking for more ideas on how to make sure your company matters, check out "How Can We Save the Private Healthcare System in America?," which is chock full of inspiration from leading CEOs transforming the public-private partnership that supports healthcare for every American. Here's the latest from Social Capital CEOs and companies you'll want to follow in the future. 

Northwestern Mutual CEO shares strategies from a 165-year-old company to win the next 165 years.

A Social Capital approach is the answer, and these incredible business leaders are proving it.

Empowerment: The Ultimate Social Capital
Antidote to the Great Resignation: Finding and Putting Meaning in Work 
Constant Chaos and Leadership Burnout

Aron Ain grew Kronos, a global provider of workforce management and human capital cloud solutions, into a billion-dollar company. It won a place on prestigious lists like Fortune's "100 Best Companies to Work," thanks to its groundbreaking methods for making employees feel cared for, respected and energized. How did he achieve this at a time when Gallup has found that less than 15% of workers in the world are engaged? In WorkInspired, a must-read for Social Capital CEOs, Ain shares his simple rules for allowing any company to replicate his success: over-communicating and truth-telling, trusting your people and keeping them safe, allowing employees flexible schedules and open vacation time, to name a few. If you believe people are your greatest asset but aren't sure how to make it clear to your team, this book is the instruction manual you've been waiting for. 

Mother's Day is coming up on May 8, and it's easier than ever to support local, Made in America brands while showing Mom you care. Farmhouse Fresh Goods offers a wide selection of organic, locally made products, including favorites like the Love You to the Moon and Back face and body mousse set ($83) and the Picture Perfect Skin Set, complete with Green Tea Milk Wash, a mud mask and exfoliating moisturizer ($109). Even better, the company raises the microgreens used in its products on its own farm and uses its profits to fund an onsite, nonprofit animal sanctuary for rescue animals. Mom can find out which animals your purchase has helped to save by using the batch code on the package. 

The Virtual Cyber Battle That, As Ukraine Shows, Is Having Real Consequences: Cybersecurity veteran & KnowBe4 founder reveals the scary truth and how to save yourself.

Middle market companies–a hotbed of both job creation and Social Capital innovation–are on the move, according to the National Center for the Middle Market. The Center's recently released Year-End 2021 Report found that the vast majority reported year-over-year revenue gains, and 57% expanded the size of their workforce. Most companies predicted healthy revenue and employment growth for 2022. That's good news, given that there are now 200,000 middle market firms in the U.S., employing about 48 million people.

Commercial real estate has historically been what Jonathan Keyser, founder of the firm KEYSER, calls a "very cutthroat, take-no-prisoners, dog-eat-dog kind of environment." There's a lot at stake when you're part of the industry that markets properties on the scale of the Empire State Building, the Shanghai Tower or the U.S. Embassy. But, in true Social Capital CEO spirit, Keyser decided to create a unique culture in his own company, one built around a very different mission: "Changing the business world through selfless service." He shares how he pulled it off in "Keyser Proves You Can Sell Real Estate With Selling Your Soul," which includes a video interview with IB Times Social Capital Editor-at-Large Chris Benguhe. It's a transformative, 27-minute crash course in building the Social Capital culture of the future. 

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