December In Review: From Financial Clarity to Cultural Legacy and Leadership in Action
A look back at December’s most meaningful articles and insights.
As we close out the year, December stood out as a month focused on three interconnected themes that matter deeply to leaders in the ground transportation and service industries:
Understanding the financial language that drives valuation and growth
studying the cultural legacy of leaders who build organizations around people
and embracing everyday behaviors that shape workplace culture
Below is a look back at the three articles published this month — and why each one resonated.
What Is EBITDA — and Why It Matters More Than You Think
Published December 4, 2025
Read it here: https://busbusinessconsultant.substack.com/p/what-is-ebitda-and-why-it-matters
We began December by breaking down a financial metric that continues to influence lending, valuation, and acquisition conversations — yet often feels complex or inaccessible: EBITDA.
Anchored by Stephanie Stuckey’s humorous remark —
“I thought EBITDA was a Swedish rock band.” —
The article translated financial jargon into plain English.
It covered:
What EBITDA measures
Why depreciation and amortization distort profit
How lenders and buyers use it to evaluate performance
and why it’s especially relevant in asset-heavy transportation businesses
More than anything, it underscored that understanding EBITDA isn’t about accounting.
It’s about leadership confidence—especially in negotiations and growth conversations.
Building More Than Hotels: The Leadership, Culture, and Community Lessons I Learned from Harris Rosen
Published December 10, 2025
Read it here: https://busbusinessconsultant.substack.com/p/building-more-than-hotels
Mid-month, the focus shifted from financial clarity to leadership legacy.
Through the story of Harris Rosen — his beginnings on New York’s Lower East Side, Cornell, Disney, two firings, and ultimately his ownership journey — the article examined what made his leadership enduring:
Investing in employees
Treating culture as a strategy
Philanthropy rooted in impact, not recognition
, and turning setbacks into turning points
Rosen didn’t just build hotels.
He built opportunity, community, and culture.
His story is a powerful reminder that leadership’s long-term impact is measured in people—not only profits.
Kindness Isn’t Soft. It’s Strategic.
A Conversation with Mike Bismeyer on Leadership, Culture & the Power of Everyday Actions
Published December 17, 2025
Listen here: https://busbusinessconsultant.substack.com/p/kindness-isnt-soft-its-strategic
To close the month, we shifted to a new format — the first audio-only post — and a robust conversation with Mike Bismeyer.
Together, we explored:
How simple recognition strengthens morale
Why mentorship supports succession and resilience
How cross-departmental understanding builds trust
and why culture is shaped more by daily behaviors than policy
Mike’s message reframed kindness not as “soft,” but as strategic.
In service-based industries, where people are the differentiator, how leaders treat others is not peripheral—it’s core.
A Month of Lessons Worth Carrying Forward
December illustrated that:
Clarity builds confidence
culture compounds
and leadership is reflected in actions, not titles
Three articles.
Three different lenses.
One consistent theme:
Leadership is both practical and personal.
Coming on December 31
I’ll be publishing a separate Year in Review on December 31, highlighting my ten most-read or most impactful posts from 2025.
Until then, thank you for reading, engaging, and supporting Ground Transportation Insights this month.
Happy Holidays, and thank you for being part of this community.
— Brian
Great review! Merry Christmas To All!
Great stuff, appreciate all you do!