1. The first day of the World Business Forum (#WOBINYC) left guests eager to connect with the illustrious
roster of presenters featured on day two. On Friday, November 18th conference-goers entered the Koch
Theater in New York City to a host of musical performances that breathed life unto the #WOBINYC stage.
Afterall, who more appropriate to warm up the crowd for former CEO of Ford Motor Company, Alan Mulally,
than an opera singer!
Alan Mulally
Alan Mulally is most famously known for his leadership at Ford Motor Co. during the U.S. economic
recession. It’s important to note that Ford was the only major American car manufacturer that avoided a
government bailout. During his presentation entitled “Practices and Principles for Working Together”, the
former CEO at Boeing and Ford Motor Co. shared his guides to managing effectively and with care.
Mulally began by posing the question, How do you build a motivated team? The answer was quite simple,
“Respect, listen, help and appreciate one another”. Four easy to understand methodologies, he joyfully
admitted to implementing at home with his children.
The renowned engineer encourages business leaders to try and understand their employees before seeking
to be understood. Admitting that when a leader shows vulnerability to their team, it allows for open
communication, honesty and accountability.
Dambisa Moyo
Zambian-born economist and global affairs analyst, Dambisa Moyo took the stage to deliver a sobering
account on the effects of geopolitics and the global economy citing relationships among countries,
immigration and environmental instability as the lens by which makes her points.
In her presentation, Moyo highlights the six challenges impacting the global economy: Technology,
demographics, income inequality, natural resource scarcity, debt and productivity. According to Moyo, these
six areas face unprecedented, irreversible damage unless there is a true shift in the principles of policy
makers and citizens of the world.” Moyo implores, “To be effective policy makers, we need to be less
ideological”.
Erik Wahl
Two easels await acclaimed speed-painter and humanitarian Erik Wahl on stage. “Every child is an artist,”
exclaims Wahl, “the challenge is how do we ​remain​ an artist as we grow up.” A video montage set to music

2. appears on the screen behind the canvas’ and Wahl proceeds to paint the first of three portraits depicting
cultural icons.
Using the paintings as visual metaphors, Wahl demonstrates the beauty of storytelling, human connectivity
and innovative thinking. Later in the presentation, Wahl gifted the recently painted works to random
audience members. It is through this act that he alters the definition of art from a noun- something you hang
up on a wall, to a verb, something you use to disrupt the [art] market.
Why would a former employee at a business firm want to disrupt the art market? Wahl lost his job during the
dotcom bubble burst in the early 2000’s. “Everything that had been programmed into my hard drive about
what what it meant to be successful was taken from me.” It was then he decided to focus on his craft as an
artist, later becoming a motivational speaker and consultant.
It wasn't long before Wahl gained popularity among the celebrity circuit for his vibrant paintings, that ceased
accepting payment for them. He no longer sold his work to galleries nor accepted commissions. In fact, the
only way to acquire an original is through a charitable auction.
He is a champion of daydreams and and small data, the intricacies that thread us all together and help us
reach our highest potential. “Growth and comfort cannot co-exist. It’s time to change the landscape and think
the way no one else has thought before.”
Chris McChesney
Chris McChesney is co-author of The 4 Disciplines of Execution, a guide to assist companies of all sizes
complete a goal in a world filled with distractions. Essentially, what are the fewest battles necessary to win
the war?
“There will always be more good ideas than there is capacity to institute” explains McChesney. “Narrow your
objective and focus on the wildly important.”
In a room filled with entrepreneurs and innovators, recommending that ideas be shelved or completely shut
down may not go over well. Contradictory to the usual entrepreneurial rhetoric, McChesney encourages his
fellow business leaders to say “no” to great ideas in order to focus on the ones we’re currently working on in
order to achieve excellence.
Daymond John
Fashion mogul, investor and entrepreneur, Daymond Johnson offers the keys to his personal and
professional growth in “5 shark points”: set a goal, homework, amor (love), you are the brand and you must
keep swimming.
Set to the classic eighties hip hop music that defined his formidable years, the ​Shark Tank​ star shares the
memories of his first start up, building a business empire in his mother’s living room and a painful lesson in
love that redefined his purpose as a father, friend and innovator.

3. For a young John, hip hop wasn’t something you listened to. It was something you lived. In fact, his role
models were the very musicians and producers themselves-- like Russell Simmons for example who John
credits taking hip hop to the global market.
He very quickly understood the exploding musical genre beyond the scope of record sales and air time, but
how can you make money doing something you love? John admits that lack of financial intelligence and
keeping likeminded people around around him led to setbacks in his career. However, understanding hip
hop’s cultural significance and vowing to always remain true to his passion, made this New York City native
evolve into one of the most successful entrepreneurs in the country.
Andre Agassi
In a candid conversation with #WOBINYC host, living tennis legend Andre Agassi, shared his journey about
making it to No.1, the fall to despair that ensued and overcoming his greatest obstacle-- himself.
At the peak of his career, Agassi was one of the most dominant players fit, disciplined and hungry for the
next win-- until he wasn’t. In the late 90’s, Agassi’s personal life began to deteriorate. In a decision to live to
for the purpose and not the prize, Agassi decided to transform himself.
With the help of his mentors, especially his father, Agassi was able to once again dominate the world of
tennis while becoming an advocate for children’s education. In 2001, after taking out a $40 million mortgage,
the tennis star opened Andre Agassi Preparatory Academy, a tuition-free charter school dedicated to
improving the lives of underserved youth in his hometown of Las Vegas.
Agassi continues to champion youth empowerment through education and sports reaction. Remembering
the values that his family instilled in him, Agassi calls us to remember that “just because you don’t choose
your life, doesn't mean you can't have ownership over it.