People who find ways to make a difference in the lives of others have a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment
A certain young man spent five years in university, graduating with a professional degree. He then started down his career path, in search of success and fulfilment, with hopes of changing the world for the better. But it wasn’t long before a harsh reality set in: What started out as a passion became a task…
Using practical measures to test the validity of our creative output is even more essential than the creativity itself
When I was a boy, our family of eight lived in a small house. In the corner of the basement was an art room for my father. In the evenings and sometimes on weekends through long winters, he would go down and work on his oil paintings. I remember watching him as he mixed his…
For many, the current economic climate is very difficult. There are serious challenges ahead
It had rained all day and as I walked that evening with my wife, I noticed the worms on the road, clambering to escape the torrents of water that were flooding their living spaces. Finding a discarded drink cup, I started collecting them for our garden. Counting them as I went, I was taken back…
Entrepreneurs can feel extraordinary pressure. But there are steps you can take to find an emotional equilibrium
I was in a funk this week and couldn’t shake it. I was disillusioned, grumpy, lethargic. I was tired of being stuck with my family, sick of hearing the news repeat itself, worried about one of my investments and fed up with a lack of progress on some projects. At least one whole day was…
The world has changed as a result of COVID-19. You have uncertainty. So you need to carefully consider your next steps
Over the next few days and weeks, businesses across North America and around the world are going to unshutter their doors and invite their customers back in. However, the world has changed while the economy has been shut down by governments, and when you reopen, you may be faced with new realities. Here are five…
If your business is to survive the next few years of economic constraints, you need to passionately create value for your customers
There’s a restaurant in my community that has been around for almost 40 years. It doesn’t provide fancy meals but you get plenty of good wholesome food like your mother used to make. The food is piled high on your plate, leaving no doubt that your appetite is going to be satisfied. At the end…
Don't just wait for the COVID-19 crisis to end. Take a look at your planning, profitability, team, systems and business value while you have time
When I was about four years old and playing cars on the floor with my brother Rob, my other brother Paul started making a funny noise. Looking over, I noticed that Paul’s face was a funny bluish colour, his mouth was open and inside I saw he had a wooden building block with the letter…
Locking down society, and business, makes no sense in the battle against COVID-19. It's time to take a more measured approach
Chris Hadfield has posted a video on YouTube entitled An Astronaut’s Guide to Self Isolation, in which he offers some valuable advice. The Canadian pilot and astronaut spent 166 days in the International Space Station in isolation. He says it’s an extremely dangerous environment where astronauts thrive in finding ways to be productive. The number…
Not every home should be isolated. Not every business should be shut. The harm is too great to society. We need better solutions
As Canada enters its fifth week of restrictive measures as a result of COVID-19, money is starting to flow from governments to individuals and businesses. Yet, despite these measures, businesses are struggling and many won’t reopen after the lockdown ends. A survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business published on April 5 found that…
He was a man of great compassion, ingenuity and philanthropy, particularly during difficult times. Can you or your business do the same?
Milton Hershey had a couple of failed attempts at business before he founded and built the empire of Hershey Chocolate Co. If the story of Milton Hershey ended there, he would have been seen as a success and an inspiration to many. However, there’s much more to Hershey than just a successful business, because he…