Alternative Energy Opportunities in Small Markets

August 18, 2010

I recently attended a bio-energy seminar at the 20th Annual PNWER Summit in Calgary. The seminar was informative showcasing innovative companies, new technologies and covering topics such as growth strategies and market demand for biomass energy. What I found most interesting was a common problem faced by all emerging alternative energy companies. There is a [...]

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Failing for Success? The Anomalies of Business!

August 16, 2010

Great team, great leadership, tremendous skill and a 1st place finish in the regular season. We had everything we needed to win the title this year, but we got knocked out in the semi-finals. What happened? We played well but still lost. Sometimes you can’t explain the dynamics of sports and just like in business [...]

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An Open Letter to New Supervisors

August 11, 2010

Congratulations! You are about to begin an exciting chapter of your career. Your power and responsibility have surged. Regardless of how much training you’ve received, there is no substitute for experience. I’ve seen a lot of supervisors get off on the wrong foot. Some survive this, others don’t. Here are some of the most common [...]

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Do You Have What It Takes To Be An Entrepreneur?

August 9, 2010

There are many reasons people look at going into business for themselves. It could be that they hate their current job and yearn to be their own boss. Maybe a tradesperson feels that he or she could run a better business than the company they work for. It’s important that people go into business for [...]

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Lean or TOC?

August 4, 2010

When looking at ways to improve businesses, managers have resorted to many methodologies over the years. People around long enough remember Total Quality, Just In Time, Manufacturing Resource Planning and their modern counterparts: Six Sigma, Lean and Enterprise Resource Planning. While we have heard of the companies that have benefited greatly from these efforts, it’s [...]

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Some Business Advice From an Olympic Champion Coach

July 28, 2010

Most people don’t know Marcel Lacroix’s name, but anybody who watched our Canadian Speed Skating team at the Olympics saw him coaching our athletes. My kids are at the Olympic Oval in Calgary this week in a speed skating camp. He is giving talks to the kids about what it takes to get to the [...]

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Things To Consider When Buying A Franchise

July 26, 2010

Franchises are attractive to the first time business owner. They are sort of like one of those home theatres in a box. The business owner doesn’t have to pick individual components and make sure they work together. The franchisor has already determined all of that. The franchisee has to take the training, follow the instructions [...]

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How to Pick a Banker

July 21, 2010

Picking the right banker to deal with can make all the difference when it comes to get financing for your business. You might think that picking the right bank is the most important thing, and while it’s important, picking the right individual to deal with is equally important. The first thing I would look for [...]

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My Hunt for a New Car Part 2: The Purchase

July 19, 2010

On Friday, I bought a 2004 Nissan Maxima off a dealer lot.  It’s a nice looking car that filled my requirements – price, space, perceived reliability and safety.  While this is all fine and good, it doesn’t make for an interesting blog.  How the deal was made makes for a much more interesting story. On [...]

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My Hunt For a New Car

July 15, 2010

Two weeks ago, my car was flooded in a flash rainstorm. It’s a 1998 Honda Accord with 280,000 km on it and I bought it new. That car is by far the best I ever owned and I was pretty sad to see it go. It was as inexpensive and reliable as it gets. Here’s [...]

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