Differentiate or Die!
One of my favourite strategists, Jack Trout, wrote a book called Differentiate or Die. We live in a niche world. Whatever it is that you do, you must find a way to stand out. For example, many people would love…
Why Do Entrepreneurs Frame Their First Dollar?
Immediately out of high school, I moved to the Rocky Mountains to work in the resort industry – Jasper, Banff, Lake Louise. At first, I lived in staff accommodation. It was like all the fun of university dorm life – except without…
What’s Your ‘Founder Story’?
One Spring, when I was about 9, I saw Dad sitting at our dining room table doing what looked like homework…
“What are you doing Dad?”
“I’m doing my Income Taxes. Would you like to help?”
My father never missed…
Big Hearts Remember Little Things
I’m blessed to work with an absolutely amazing team. My Renovator, Jim, is a big man with a big heart.One Winter afternoon Jim called to check in with me. He wanted to be sure that we were moving the right projects forward in the right order so that prospective tenants, scheduled to view properties, would have
#1 is the Worst Number!
The number 1 is absolutely the worst number in business. It may be bad for you too!
Think about it: 1 customer; 1 supplier; 1 bank; 1 employee; 1 market; 1 product; 1 service. It sounds simple, yet the number 1 can be devastating in any business. If you lose…
Why I Should Never Visit My Own Renovation Projects…
One weekend early on, I thought I’d give my contractor a hand, so I offered to drop by on a Saturday afternoon and do just that – hold stuff for him while he measured and cut and glued and attached. Jim didn’t ask for my help. I just offered it.Why was that a mistake? Well,…