Bob Richards - Evangineer - Program Lead

I'm Bob Richards, Founder of RICHCO Venture Management (est. 1975). I'm an Evangineer. I evangelize breakthrough strategy frameworks while engineering sustainable business growth. 

My specialty is helping CEOs not to get stuck in indecision.

“Strategy is the response to the challenges and opportunities on your journey to achieving your ambitions.” 

People, partners, and technology are the glue holding these strategies together.

As a serial entrepreneur, I've founded three companies over the past 50 years: a corporate communication company, an animation/video production studio, and a knowledge management firm. 

In the non-profit sector in Ohio and Kentucky I've led county-wide workforce development programs, adult education reorganization and board governance. 

Now I'm working with organizations that want to leverage their strategy to stakeholder values. 

We set the philosophical foundation for iterative development, flexibility, and customer collaboration, and use Scrum teambuilding to provide a specific framework with defined roles, events, and artifacts to guide teams through an Agile journey.

THE BOB RICHARDS EVANGINEER FRAMEWORK

Bob Richards:  Evangineer 

Fee Structure:   

SCRUM Readiness Audit ($995 flat): 

• 2-hour call with CFO + Stakeholders
• Current workflow and backlog review
• Customized "Agile Readiness Scorecard" report

Pilot Engagement - 60 Days ($6,500)

• 4 onsite team "scope of work" sessions (1.5 hrs. each)
• 1-on-1 coaching for CFO (biweekly)
• Sprint planning + retrospective facilitation (2 sprints)
• Performance dashboard

Ongoing Quarterly Coaching ($2,000/month)

• Monthly team check-ins
• Quarterly SCRUM workshops
• Leadership coaching for CFO & department heads
• Continuous backlog grooming + optimization

Geographic Locations:    Florida / Ohio / NKY

Collaboration Environment: 

My career working with open innovation organizations has provided me with the tools to achieve success. 

Since 1998 RICHCO Venture Management has collaborated with communities to build a robust workforce development strategy that champions STEM and technology. Bob Richards led strategic initiatives in NKY to advance student engagement.  

https://youtu.be/e_CUaM0Wtx4  (see Richards TV Interview)

https://1drv.ms/p/s!AiGm44129GzquSkj_wfxW3ZZC3jB

As Director of Commercialization at Avetec provided an opportunity to advocate for open innovation. It also provided a platform to advance the benefit of STEM to students. 

Female Labor Force Participation...Will They Come Back?

 

According to a 2021 ManpowerGroup survey, talent shortages in the U.S. have more than tripled in the last ten years, with 69% of employers struggling to fill positions, up from just 14% in 2010. Globally, estimates show that by 2030, the talent shortage could reach 85.2 million people, resulting in the loss of trillions of dollars in economic opportunity for companies.

YouScience garnered the insights by analyzing student’s self-defined interest in top careers versus their aptitude for success in those careers, including STEM and other high-paying opportunities. The data includes the top 50 most frequent career matches from a selection of 500.

Key highlights from the report conclude that women have:

• More than 10x the aptitude than interest in careers in architecture and engineering
• Nearly 4x the aptitude for careers in computers and mathematics than interest
• 31x more aptitude than interest for careers in installation, maintenance, and repair across numerous industries such as computers, automotive, telecommunications, and more
• Nearly 13x more aptitude than interest for careers in production industries such as aviation, food processing, electrical, among others

Providing students early career exposure in key industries and providing insights as to where their natural talents lie can help reduce or eliminate the country’s talent shortage. Self-bias and traditional career exposure through family, friends and media often limit student’s, especially women’s, perception and knowledge of potential college and career pathways. (Source: YouScience)

In Volusia County, we are available to leverage employers with the Workforce Development Hub. Richards created the Metropolitan Workplace Trust as a "think tank" for communities to scale their workforce challenges. Research was collected from across the U.S. in a five year "Tour Across America" visiting 501 cities in search of best practices. 

Beginning 'Manufacturing Growth' Tour

Richards Motor Coach to 'Tour USA'

The target cities have been selected and a trial-run through Florida this winter has been completed. The "Manufacturing Growth Innovation Road Trip" is about to begin. For c-level manufacturing executives, visit linkedin.com/in/brichco and learn how knowledge management can change your organization and your workplace.

Confessions of a Serial Intrapreneur

Bob Richards became a 'serial intrapreneur' in 1975 with a contract to the Procter & Gamble Company and HBJ Publishing. His projects took him to Japan, Mexico, Canada, and across the U.S. In 1995 Richards sold his animation and video production studio and contracted with the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce to assist with workforce development for three counties. Now he's touring Florida discussing how to build an In-Migration Talent Pipeline to Florida.

BE AMONG THE FIRST TO EXPERIENCE THE METROPOLITAN WORKPLACE TRUST

This Community of Practice (CoP) is your key to accessing the creative and collaborative space to develop the ability to 'smartly' distribute knowledge across the entire organization.

Get an overview of the SCRUM* methodologies and values of focus, courage, openness, commitment, and respect used to engage the community into a sustainable workplace.
*(a flexible, holistic product development strategy which now helps economic & workforce development)

Improve the authentic engagement of your community stakeholders as we share insights for leveraging four forms of capital (physical capital, economic capital, knowledge capital, and social capital).

Richards is offering a one-day 'Serial Intrapreneur Boot-Camp' to County Economic Development organizations.

Serial Intrapreneur Bob Richards will discuss participating in a two year project that brought a workforce development strategy to three Northern Kentucky counties. In addition, he'll provide a business case canvas for pulling new companies, and incumbent companies, into a county-wide plan of action.

Learn more about Bob Richards at www.linkedin.com/in/brichco.

What You Will Learn:

• The 'Intrapreneur DNA Test to build stakeholders
• Back-Pocket Metrics and a community Balanced Scorecard
• Internet access to the Metropolitan Workplace Trust Community of Practice 
• Business Case: "Capacity-to-Change: How Bob Richards Did It; Why Companies Worked with Him

Who Should Attend:

• Economic Development Leaders; Company CEOs, Education Leaders, and Social Capital Organizations

Libby Richards Joins Metropolitan Workplace Trust

Libby Richards - Special Project Coordinator

Libby Richards joins the Metropolitan Workplace Trust (MWT) as its Special Projects Coordinator. Richards will work with MWT members to advance the MWT community of practice. In addition, she will coordinate with the MWT partner Strategic Talent Connections in recruiting a talent-pipeline for manufacturing. Richards recently retired from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati as a Certified Payroll Specialist.

 

Richards To Speak On Sustainable Workplace & Serial Intrapreneur Strategies

The Business Technology Summit for Southwest Ohio has announced its speakers. Bob Richards, Managing Partner - Metropolitan Workplace Trust, will discuss the changing world of work and how companies need to build a 'sustainable workplace.'

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLVwYtcouIiLOB73AvG72maulFKD4t0Byu

Advanced Manufacturing Campaign

Metropolitan Workplace Trust Launches National Campaign

On October 29 the Metropolitan Workplace Trust (MWT) will begin to advance the talent pipeline campaign to introduce Advanced Manufacturing as a career path. Working with its strategic partners, the Triune Group and Avetec, MWT will provide manufacturing CFOs the opportunity to access the MWT Community of Practice (CoP).

The Metropolitan Workplace Trust champions Advanced Manufacturing CFOs. We work, both through our MWT Community of Practice (CoP) and with our expert team, to balance four forms of capital. These include Physical Capital, Economic Capital, Knowledge Capital, and Social Capital. 

On October 29, CFOs can participate in a workplace survey that will help to set strategy and advance a sustainable workplace.

For additional information contact Bob Richards, Founder - Metropolitan Workplace Trust (brichco@gmail.com)