shawnmdevries

Let's ask "why" together. If you want to know more about me, it's best to start with the TEACH principles. Transparency, Empathy, Authenticity, Curiosity, Humility I've always done my best work when I've been able to maintain an open mind when it comes to solving problems. While the principles of TEACH guide my path and light the way, Curiosity has been the inner fire that drives me. It is the propelling force that keeps my bias at bay, reduces preconceived notions, drives me to ask "why". A curious mind searches for non-traditional ways to tackle a challenge. Creative problem solving is what guided me towards engineering, art, and music at a young age. My application of technology and proven principles to solve a problem evolved beyond the technical and creative realm and into the complex world of global business. Along my journey I have also been lucky enough to meet some of the most creative minds on the planet across a diverse realm of arts, business, and applied sciences. Their ability to approach a problem differently than most has inspired me to continuously challenge my own view of the world. Of everyone I have met over the years, some of the most creative problem solvers I have met are growers. Yes, those individuals that have answered the call to channel the awesome power of the planet towards bringing food to our tables. Taking this one step further, let's apply this creativity to the grape vine. Our good friend vitis vinifera. For growing a grape vine, you'd be surprised at how much creativity is blended with tradition to arrive at a unique representation of time, place, and space. All of that hard work culminates in the annual grape harvest. Growers get one growth experiment per year. And maybe 40-50 growth experiences in a lifetime before they hand over the vineyard to the next generation. If you are very lucky, each year starts anew. Each growing season starts with bud break. While there are always risks, each year is an opportunity to do better than the year before. To incorporate that stored energy and lessons learned from the previous years and convert it into sustainable, organic, reliable growth. Authentic growers are proud to pass on what they've built to the next generation, leaving the world in a better place than they found it. These are the inspirations I bring to the business world. Being bold takes a curious mindset. Identifying opportunities starts with a need to ask "why".