SMITH BRAIN TRUST — Kimo Kippon earned generous tips as a waiter in Hawaii, so he actually took a step down in pay when he moved into management.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — Children don't care about supply chain challenges when they want a new toy, which is fine with Peter Gibbons.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — U.S. expatriate Erick Haskell spoke no Mandarin when he moved to China in 2005, and none of his employees spoke English. He knew little about the country and had little experience in retail.

SMITH BRAIN TRUST — Everybody has an opinion. How do you get yours noticed in an organization full of smart, ambitious people?