April 7, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

Today, I’m sharing two inspiring stories that I think will help motivate college students looking to have an impact on society as they embark on their careers.

This article is in response to a request I received from Professor Deborah Cours, dean of the College of Business and Public Administration and executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at California State University, Bakersfield, California:

“Mr. Beaver, our students often ask about societally impactful inventions and ventures. You have interviewed many highly successful people. Do you have examples that are specifically relevant to university students looking to make their way in society that I could share with them?”

I’m happy to answer Dean Cours’ question. Over the years of writing this column, I’ve learned what it takes to turn an idea into something that matters, that has real — not hyperbolic, but real — societal impact.

For any entrepreneur, inspiration is important, but it’s only the beginning. Societally impactful ventures face a long process of turning those inspirations into something that people use, rely on and, in some instances, depend on to make better decisions.

I have two examples to share: One is a device you can easily hold in one hand that has the ability to both keep the owner out of jail and save a life at the same time.

The other is a book that can provide students with usable, practical insights into themselves and the world of employment.

So, what sparked the inventor’s and author’s recognition that a societal need existed, the equivalent of seeing someone in a wrestling match with their arms tied behind their back and feeling the need to free them?

‘I can fix this problem’

History has made clear that a common denominator in inventive creativity is the thought, “I can fix this problem. I can help.”

That is what Keith Nothacker, at the time a twentysomething University of Pennsylvania undergrad economics student, thought more than 20 years ago. The device he developed, of which hundreds of thousands have been sold in over 20 countries, has saved countless lives and kept a vast number of its users out of jail.

Most of us know someone who has been pulled over by law enforcement, suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI). They are asked to blow into a breathalyzer to measure their blood alcohol content (BAC).

If the resulting number is over their state’s limit (most often, .08), typically it’s off to the slammer for a few hours, a fine to rival the size of our national debt and auto insurance rates through the roof for years, not to mention the possibility of losing their driver’s license.

“It seemed so unfair that the general public had no way to measure their own BAC and, knowing that figure, make an informed decision to not drive,” Nothacker told me.

He was asking the key question that led to some of the most meaningful ventures ever started: “Why does this problem exist?”

He wondered why consumers couldn’t purchase a personal breathalyzer, and how he could make that happen.”

Answering those questions, with help from a team of Penn colleagues, led to the development the BACtrack family of personal breathalyzers.

Of the many entrepreneurs I have interviewed over the years, Nothacker stands out as someone who has directly impacted many people, saving lives, marriages and families.

He can help you get and keep a job

Here’s another example of societally impactful innovation I’ve encountered.

Getting hired today and keeping a job is not a given.

Job-related advice is offered everywhere, but the advice provided by William Vanderbloemen, founder and CEO of Vanderbloemen Search Group and author of Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest, is among the best I’ve seen.

In his book, Vanderbloemen zeros in on life and business personality characteristics that lead to success on the job — even in marriage — and explains how to implement them. He helps readers avoid common pitfalls that lead to being fired and, instead, become the most-sought-after person on their team.

Had I been able to read Be the Unicorn at the time I joined the working world, I would have made fewer dumb mistakes. This book can help Dean Cours’ students avoid the quicksand of their minds and keep clear of what can cause failure on the job.

I can’t overemphasize the value of Be the Unicorn and its companion book, Work How You Are Wired, which avoids the nonsense advice of “follow your passion,” providing a data-backed method for discovering your unique “wiring,” your innate strengths and the roles where you will excel and find purpose.

The takeaway for the dean’s students

Several of their employees told me that Nothacker and Vanderbloemen — as accomplished as they are — remain humble, and success hasn’t gone to their heads.

They recognize in their bosses a deep sense of wanting to help and not being motivated by money. Many noted that these two “brilliant, inspiring men make coming to work a true joy.”

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

The post These Real-World Examples of Societal Impact Can Inspire College Students for Their Next Chapter appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

March 3, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

“Vincent’s” tone of voice sounded urgent: “Mr. Beaver, I run a construction company in the Pacific Northwest, and we are facing a situation that I hope you can help us with.

“I’ve read your column in Kiplinger for years and recall two stories where you pulled rabbits out of a hat, convincing people to do the right thing.

“In one, you persuaded a badly near-sighted carpenter to get a pair of eyeglasses (Can an Employer Fire an Employee for Not Wearing Glasses?), and in the other, a married father with a young daughter refused to wear a motorcycle helmet (Employee Refuses to Wear a Motorcycle Helmet: Can He Be Fired?). You spoke with him, and he actually sold the bike!

“I hope you can work your persuasive magic with ‘Nicole,’ our wonderful-to-work-with 45-year-old crane operator. She has hearing aids but won’t wear them! Adequate hearing is crucial for recognizing warnings, such as horns, sirens and shouted instructions, on noisy job sites.

“Nicole is becoming a risk to other employees who work with her. Her family tells me about serious communication issues at home, and she is the family’s breadwinner, earning over $80,000 a year. Finding a high-paying job like hers, in our area, isn’t easy.

“Maybe you can get through to her — and, by the way, everybody in the office, including Nicole, reads your column, because I print each week’s story and leave it in our break room, so you would not be a stranger to her. You are my last hope.”

I agreed to try, but first I needed to understand the dynamics of someone in Nicole’s shoes and find out how I could enlist her family as a tool for change.

For the record, simply having a hearing impairment is not grounds for termination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but that protection is not absolute. An employer could fire a crane operator for refusing to wear hearing aids if it created a “direct threat” to safety that cannot be eliminated through reasonable accommodation.

How do you motivate someone with a hearing problem to get help?

I spoke with Dr. Greta Stamper, a clinical and research audiologist and chair of the Audiology Division at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

“How do you begin the conversation with someone who might or might not recognize their hearing problem?” I asked her. “Also, how do you motivate them to get help, or even wear hearing aids if they already have them?”

“The problem needs to be identified before there can be any motivation to do something about it,” she said, and suggested an approach using these or similar questions:

• Have you noticed that you are struggling to hear me or don’t notice when the microwave beeps?

• Remember last week at the meat market when they called your name, but you didn’t respond?

• When we are watching TV, you turn the volume really high and use closed captioning. You never did this before. Why do you think you do it now?

“Once you have their attention,” Stamper said, “if they’ve never had their hearing evaluated, then suggest, ‘This might be a good time for a hearing evaluation.’ If they already have hearing aids, ask, ‘Can you help me understand why you don’t want to wear them?'”

Stamper added, “It is important to discover the why — the obstacle stopping them from addressing their hearing issues. Some people do not see a problem. For others, there is a perceived stigma of aging. Without some internal motivation to move forward, it is unlikely that anything will change.”

Behind the scenes with Nicole’s family

Vincent, the reader who reached out about Nicole’s issue, cares deeply about his employees and their families. He arranged a Zoom session for Nicole’s parents and me the day following my interview with Stamper.

For over an hour, they poured out their hearts about the daughter who is their sole source of support. They clearly love her and are worried about what would happen if she lost her job, but they have no idea why she is refusing to wear hearing aids.

I asked them to describe her demeanor when arguments break out, as they do in every family. “How does Nicole react when this happens? Does she participate? Think of her body language. Is she involved in the argument or discussion? Describe her facial expressions. Do family arguments seem to frighten her?”

“Yes, always. The louder we talk, the more upset it makes her,” Nicole’s mother replied.

They gave me a clue. It was time to speak with Nicole.

Zooming with Nicole — it’s all about the noise

The afternoon of February 25, it was a chilly 40 degrees in much of the Pacific Northwest, where Vincent’s company is located. It was 75 here in Bakersfield, California. Within minutes, some of our Southern California warmth made its way into Vincent’s office, where Nicole was on our Zoom call.

“Vincent wants you to convince me to wear hearing aids, right, Mr. Beaver?” she asked.

“Partially correct, Nicole. Partially. And with your help, we are going to make a whole bunch of people as happy as can be, beginning with you, because I think I know why you don’t want to wear hearing aids. Noise — loud, aimless, jarring sounds drive you up a wall, right?”

“How did you know, Mr. Beaver? It’s true! I hate those hearing aids when my family gets into yelling contests, and when I wear them on job sites, it feel like my head is in a metal trash can and someone is banging on it with a hammer.”

“Nicole, our office has several clients who have recently purchased hearing aids with noise-reducing AI technology, and they just love them. I know for sure that Vincent will buy them for you, so please ask him to join us.”

She found Vincent and brought him back into his office, and I briefed him on what he could do for Nicole, her family and his company. He agreed.

I’ll keep you in the loop on what happens next.

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

The post How a Simple Clue Unlocked a Workplace Safety Crisis: All We Had to Do Was Listen appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

February 3, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

Today’s story will be valuable to anyone who is presently looking for a job, or will be in the future.

Graduates are finding now to be one of the most difficult times to land a job. They need every tool available to convince a hiring manager that they are the right fit.

William Vanderbloemen’s Work How You Are Wired: 12 Data-Driven Steps to Finding a Job You Love offers job-searching readers insights such as, “Who am I? What am I wired to do? What should I steer clear from? These are qualities that job seekers need to be aware of and prepared to articulate during an interview to be hired for work that they are best suited to do.”

I consider Work How You Are Wired and Vanderbloemen’s Be the Unicorn, which I reviewed in my 2023 article Four Easy Ways to Get Yourself Fired, as the ideal graduation presents for the business major or MBA in your family, or anyone who wants to learn how to be a standout at whatever career they choose. (I wish that they’d been available when I joined the working world. I would have made fewer dumb mistakes!)

Also, if you know someone who wanders from job to job, Work How You Are Wired will help them to figure out why they are stuck in that revolving door and to find work that matches their motivations, personality, skills, strengths and values.

Here are some of the main points that I discussed with Vanderbloemen in our Zoom meeting:

1. Begin your job search by asking, ‘What am I wired to do?’

If you feel you must take any job to put food on your family’s table, or you are hired for something that you are not wired to do, you will most likely end up hating the job. Unfortunately, many Americans do not like their jobs, according to the Pew Research Center.

So the question is: How do you make sure you don’t interview for a position you’re going to absolutely loathe?

The answer to that begins with a journey of self-discovery and figuring out what you are wired to do — your natural abilities.

Most people have one or two “strength zones,” or areas of competence where they excel. The challenge is discovering what they are.

2. Knowing yourself is imperative before that job interview

There are several commercial personality assessment tests that help discover how we prefer to communicate, work and make decisions — in effect, what occupations we are best suited for and will enjoy doing and even what we should avoid.

These include DISC, Enneagram, Myers-Briggs and the Vander Index, which draws on the 12 success-building habits discussed in Be the Unicorn.

Vanderbloemen notes that Work How You Are Wired provides much of the same useful information as commercially available products without the need to take a personality test. He presents objective data that will help refine the search for employment that matches your strengths, personality, habits and values — in effect, how you are wired.

So, for anyone pounding the pavement and perhaps not feeling on top of the world after meeting with hiring managers, Work How You Are Wired is a gift, as it can show the reader how to discover and articulate their strengths and abilities and figure out which types of positions they are best suited for.

3. Determining your ideal work

Vanderbloemen zeroes in on objective categories of data that can point you in the direction of what you are wired to do, including your communication style, core values, ideal work environment and skills.

The book also helps identify what motivates you and your calling or purpose. Do you have a desire to effect change and have an impact? Do you seek recognition? Do you work best on a team or alone? Are you the one who has a plan or carries out the plans of others? Are you a leader or a follower?

These objective data points open a door to finding not just any job, but the right job for you.

Being prepared for AI-directed interviews

Today, when you sit down for an in-person interview, you’ve got to assume that the questions are provided by AI, and the human interviewer will be looking for clarity, logical structure and consistency in the applicant’s narrative rather than focusing on the applicant’s personality and charm.

After reading Work How You Are Wired, you’ll be more self-aware, and it will be far easier for you to explain why your skills and abilities are a good fit for the job.

Over the years, I have read several “how to get hired” books. Wired and Be the Unicorn are the best I’ve found when it comes to providing job applicants with the insights they truly need in order to land the right job for them, the job they are meant for.

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

The post This Is How You Can Land a Job You’ll Love appeared first on Dennis Beaver.