Rick was with Tupperware for nearly 30 years, including stints as president, CEO, chairman and chairman emeritus. He was also an executive with Avon Corp., in Europe and the U.S.. He recently teamed up with leaders at Rollins College in Orlando to launch a new executive education institute: The Rick Goings Institute for Management and Education Leadership. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Rick talked about his long and varied career, having started two businesses prior to leadership roles with Avon Corp. and Tupperware. Rick also talked about how his first job — being a caddie at a country club — impacted his life and leadership approach.

3 Takeaways:

1. (08:40) Real leadership is about collaboration
2. (15:00) Life needs to be an adventure
3. (17:55) “We are today the person we are, and our goal is to become the person we can become”

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Rick Goings, Retired CEO, Tupperware Brands

(04:55) What is the Rick Goings Institute for Management and Education Leadership?

(06:50) Rick’s life story, meeting the Pope, and starting in the Navy

(09:40) Starting a business and mentorship by Paul Harvey

(12:00) Why did you go to Avon?

(14:20) Rick’s career adventure

(16:00) Becoming CEO of Tupperware

(17:25) Taking feedback

(18:50) Advice from mentors

(22:00) World Youth Clubs

(25:20) Rick’s legacy

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Jessica is the general manager of the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay. She has more than 20 years of experience in full-service hospitality, including sales, events and hotel operations. She’s been with the Hyatt brand since 2008. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Jessica talked about her start in hospitality — it includes answering a pay phone in her family’s upstate New York restaurant — and what motivates her to be a better leader. Jessica also talked about what’s influenced her leadership style, including things she aims to not do in building high-performing teams.

3 Takeaways:

1. (07:40) Hospitality is about making people feel like they belong
2. (10:50) Good leadership is creating an environment where people are valued
3. (19:20) Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it, have composure

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Jessica Cain, general manager, Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay

(05:50) What motivates you, winning or not losing?

(06:55) Jessica’s hospitality career started from the beginning

(09:15) About Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay

(10:45) What is good leadership to you?

(12:30) Developing better leaders from within

(15:10) Leadership influences

(17:00) Hard to hear feedback

(18:20) Leading through uncertainty

(22:45) What is coming up in 2026 for Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay?

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Rick has been the Executive Director of Samaritan Counseling Services, based in Sarasota, since 1999. A native of Tampa, he earned a master’s in Divinity and a master’s in Theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. He was ordained into the ministry in 1986. On this episode, Business Observer Managing Editor Mark Gordon and Rick talked about how and why he got his start in counseling — it was a personal experience of high stress — and how that’s helped him be a better leader. They also talked about why he believes passion is a No. 1 leadership attribute and how looking out for teammates and employees as a leader is never time wasted. And listen for a cool story about his first car — and a teenage trip to London.

3 Takeaways:

1. (11:00) Passion sustains you through hard times
2. (14:30) You are not solely responsible for the success of your organization
3. (15:30) If you see a turtle on a fencepost, you know it didn’t get there itself

Timestamps:

(00:00) Introducing Rick Howell, executive director, Samaritan Counseling Services

(04:05) What is Samaritan Counseling Services?

(06:00) How did you get into this line of work?

(08:00) Day-to-day role

(09:30) What trends are you seeing in your clients?

(10:45) What characteristic does every leader need to have?

(13:00) Listening versus speaking as a leader

(14:10) What do you wish you knew earlier as a leader?

(15:30) Who are some of your mentors and what did you learn from them?

(17:45) Leading in uncertain times

(19:50) What is coming up for Samaritan Counseling Services?

Join us every week as we interview business leaders to learn what makes them great, what they look for in growing leaders, and much more.

Visit businessobserverfl.com for more.