Small Business BC

October 15 2016

Small Business BC – 7th Annual INSPIRE Celebration of Entrepreneurship

ftyang Archive, Business Seminar Alexander Fernandes, Bradford Cooke, Business Seminar, Charles Chang, Darryll Frost, Peter Higgins, Small Business BC, Sunny Lenarduzzi, Tom Leavitt 0

Date: September 29, 2016

Name: Small Business BC – 7^th Annual INSPIRE Celebration of Entrepreneurship

Presenters: Tom Leavitt, Charles Chang, Darryll Frost, Bradford Cooke, Sunny Lenarduzzi, Alexander Fernandes, and Peter Higgins

October is recognized as the month of small businesses in Vancouver. Moreover, local entrepreneurs are willing to celebrate their contributions to local economy with others. Small Business BC forms a technology panel to discuss the insight on how technology drives their business. This presentation also features 2 major keynote speakers, Alexander Fernandes, the Founder of Avigilon Corporation, and Peter Higgins, the President of Purdy’s Chocolates, to discuss their road of success in their entrepreneurship. Passion in creativity and building community are the keys to build small business in Vancouver. In this presentation, entrepreneurs will inspire by success and experience from others.

Technology Panel Discussion

The panel includes Tom Leavitt, the Founder of Leavitt Machinery, Charles Chang, the Founder of Lyra Growth and Vega, Darryll Frost, the Founder of Central City Brewers and Distillers, Bradford Cooke, the Founder of Endeavour Silver Corp, and Sunny Lenarduzzi, the Radio and Television host from City TV.

There are some foundation components entrepreneurs need in any successful business. Cooke believes entrepreneurs need 4 things. First is the entrepreneur spirit. Second is the passion to build business. Entrepreneurs need to build business, manage the growth and go to expert to bring good management. Third is the innovate business plan and last is quality. Quality comes first because quality is the key building block for any business. Chang believes entrepreneurs need to get going on sales effort. They need to create sales and learn; moreover, entrepreneurs need to focus on topline. Frost believes structure is important. Entrepreneurs need to understand the importance of finance in incorporation. Lenarduzzi believes entrepreneurs need a strong 5 year vision that can impact the public. Entrepreneurs should outsource or delegate as soon as possible. Moreover, listening is the key because social platforms are full of clues and opportunities. Leavitt believes customer satisfaction is important. By knowing what customers want will be direction for the entrepreneurs.

Leavitt and Frost comment that it is important for entrepreneurs to establish a good relationship with the bank.

Comparing profit versus revenue growth, Frost believes entrepreneurs need to give time to scale first. Structure must be in place first. They need to build scale, then profit. Lenarduzzi shares entrepreneurs should aim for breakeven in first year. Leavitt believes net profit is important because without profit, there will be no retain earnings. Profit is everything because it drives everything. Therefore, retain is important, so entrepreneurs must invest wisely.

Personal brand is essential for entrepreneurs. Lenarduzzi believes with a great brand, it benefits all. It creates authority in industry space, and it also creates a strong competitive advantage. With the right social media strategy, entrepreneurs can reduce bad press because it ranks up with good information. Entrepreneurs must remember that people google them before they hire them for service. Cooke agrees with Lenarduzzi. People deal with people and brand is a step to success. It creates high accessibility and high engagement. Leavitt believes a strong brand brings people through the door. Chang believes it increases reputation and personal integrity. How people do something is how they do everything. Frost believes branding has three steps: create, evolve, and protect. Entrepreneurs need to recognized their physical brand. Hiring marketing team or having spokesman can help focus on branding.

System and process are important for entrepreneurs. Lenarduzzi shares she started as one to one, then she transferred to video answers and online courses. Cooke believes it starts with redefine and recognize what entrepreneurs are good at. They need to deliver online and tight up the focus. Frost suggests entrepreneurs not to start with ERP right away. Instead, they can use excel first to establish the foundation before enhance right away.

Leavitt suggests entrepreneurs to “stick to their knitting” first. Change believes people is the best advantage, so entrepreneurs must always prepare before delegate. Frost suggests entrepreneurs to prepare to take risks because if they do not try, they will never succeed. Cooke wants entrepreneurs to remember 3 words: passion, perception and persistence. Passion drives accessibility, perception creates awareness, and persistence allows entrepreneurs to keep trying. Lenarduzzi suggests entrepreneurs to look and check what is currently working. They need to hire people who are willing to learn, and face challenges.

Disruption is something all industries are facing. Chang believes entrepreneurs should think well and ask questions. They need to figure out what they can control, stop blaming and take accountability. Leavitt wants entrepreneurs to focus on current resources, diversify out and figure out what is coming. Frost believes if entrepreneurs think they will fail, they will fail for sure.

Chang comments sustainability is the driver in his market. As for mentorship, the panel agrees that mentees must be patient. Lenarduzzi suggests entrepreneurs to do research on the mentor and understand how they make money from business. Hiring family members can be difficult. Lenarduzzi thinks it is a great opportunity to create great relationship, but policy must be in place. Leavitt believes it is better not to hire people they know.

Cooke identifies business starts with the right people. Leavitt comments if entrepreneurs offer to the same price to the same competitors, they will never make money. Therefore, they should always aim for premium pricing. The biggest challenge Frost faces is raise money not giving out too much equity. Chang agrees and comments that managing cash is an important lesson for entrepreneurs. The first job in startup is survival, so entrepreneurs should take the time to learn cash flow.

Lessons from Alexander Fernandes

Alex Fernandes makes a strong and bold statement in the presentation.

“Time is money; however, I cannot make more time, but I can make more money”

Fernandes believes to become the industry leaders, they need 3 elements.

Advancing teams
Technology
Innovation

Fernandes shares some ingredients of a recipe for success.

Ingredient #1: Push yourself

Fernandes believes success is not for the faint of heart. It requires passion and desire. Entrepreneurs need to envision their goals by writing them down on paper with step by step plan. They need to constantly reading them. Entrepreneurs need to strive for excellence, but not perfection. They should deliver no matter what obstacles they come across. Entrepreneurs need to remain steadfast and maintain long term focus. When entrepreneurs focus on achieving goals, executing business plan and developing personal wealth, they will ensure wealth follows when business is successful.

Ingredient #2: Build and motivating an all-star team

Fernandes reveals 2 main ingredients for success.

The plan
Execution

Entrepreneurs need to look for “A” players and sold “B” with potential and ambition to become “A” players. When entrepreneurs combine “A” players and “B” players, it creates a winning team, which leads to success. Usually “C” players hire “D” or “F” players. Entrepreneurs must aware of carrot and stick and reward and consequence logics.

“100% of failure comes from internal, not external”

“Before hire someone, ask yourself, ‘Can you fire them?’ If not, do not hire”

Ingredient #3: Viewing your business as an outlet for competitiveness and winning

Fernandes summarizes there are only 3 ways to make money in business.

Services
Products
Dreams

Whatever entrepreneurs choose, they must be better than competition. The differentiation comes in many forms, especially in innovation.

“Success is internal. If you fail, or succeed, it is internal”

Ingredient #4: Investing in innovation and product development

Based on statistic, every dollar entrepreneurs invests, they should expect to get 3 dollars back within 3 to 5 years. They need to focus on design the near future by anticipating and predicting technology evolution. Fernandes suggests entrepreneurs not to design based on state of the art technology and do not look too far ahead. They should expect and plan for setbacks, delays and the unexpected. For instance, if entrepreneurs do not have plan B or C, they will fail plan A.

“If your plan is based on everything going well, you will have a plan for failure”

Comparing young or experience, Fernandes believes entrepreneurs should hire people who are young and creative. To have an inspire team, entrepreneurs need to help the team find their career objective. They can promote within only if they demonstrate loyalty.

“Do you want to eat or eaten?”

Lessons from Peter Higgins

Peter Higgins shares the history of Purdy’s Chocolates. Richard Carmon Purdy founded Purdy’s Chocolates in 1907. The company went through war and depression period from 1907 to 1963. Charles Flavelle brought the company in 1963 and started to grow in shopping malls. In 1999, Purdy’s executes the ‘E’ Commerce sales strategy and began the Ontario expansion in 2004.

During 1965, Charles Flavelle created the Purdy’s Vision Statement.

“Purdy’s will be a place where people like to gather, as in a community, to work effectively at jobs they like and are challenged by, amongst people they like to be with”

Until now, Peter Higgins believes there are 3 core mission in Purdy’s.

Fantastic chocolates
Fantastic people
Fantastic services

With these 3 core mission, Purdy’s is able to create Purdy’s moments for customers.

There are 4 values for Purdy’s.

Never compromise quality
Be customer obsessed
Respect and support each other
Make us better each day

Higgins wants entrepreneurs to think about these 3 questions. The first question is “what is your niche?”, the second question is “How can your team be stronger?”, and last question is “What are your strategic actions?”.

Purdy’s strategic actions comes into 3 parts: packing, services, sales. Traditionally, it is based on how fast they can pack; however, the strategy changed in 2010 because of changing culture. They are now focusing on 3 things.

New shop design
Create, go crazy, and invert
Team to hire for passion and chocolate education

“Combine passion and knowledge is the customer connection”

The next evolution for Purdy’s is sustainable coca. The company will work directly with farmer by paying them premium. They will provide farmer education and increase living standards. The advantage Purdy’s chocolates give to people is “premium chocolate giving direct to customer”.

October 10 2015

INSPIRE – Celebrating Entrepreneurship

ftyang Archive, Business Seminar Arran Stephens, Business Seminar, Christine Day, Kate Ross LeBlanc, Sean Clark, Small Business BC, Terry McBride 0

Date: October 1, 2015

Name: INSPIRE – Celebrating Entrepreneurship

Presenters: Terry McBride, Kate Ross Leblanc, Arran Stephens, Sean Clark, and Christine Day

October is the month for entrepreneurs to celebrate their contributions to their local communities. Moreover, it is important for entrepreneurs to take time to inspire the success of others. Small Business BC presents INSPIRE event to provide opportunity for local entrepreneurs to inspire other successful entrepreneurs’ strength, determination, and passion. The panel includes Terry McBride, the CEO and Co-Founder of YYoga, Kate Ross Leblanc, the CEO and Co-Founder of Saje Natural Wellness, Arran Stephens, the CEO and Co-Founder of Nature’s Path, and Sean Clark, the Co-Founder of SHOES.COM. Entrepreneurs will also get the opportunity to listen Christine Day, the CEO of Luvo, to discuss her journey and experience of entrepreneurship. Moreover, entrepreneurs will receive their personal advices in this presentation and discover the key aspects of a becoming a successful entrepreneur.

The Masterclass Panel

Every companies have their own culture. People can sense the culture. Kate Ross LeBlanc believes culture can attract light-minded people. Culture can identify the real values, and values should not mainly focus on aspiration. LeBlanc believes companies want to connect deeper and meaningful values. If people show they care, they will nurture the culture.

The setback can be different for many entrepreneurs. Terry McBride shares that there was a time when he sold his house to ensure capital for his business expansion. Many great leaders lead by example and they all make decisions from love and passion. Moreover, love and passion are natural characteristic of leadership.

Success does not come easy for Sean Clark. He mentions he started his business in his basement. He never gave up of becoming an entrepreneur, and he did all he could in order to make his dream into reality. The process allowed him to learn the value of dollar in business. Entrepreneurs need to focus on sales because cash flow will run out one day. For many entrepreneurs, they will face the outcome of either bankrupt or becoming the next billionaire.

The tipping point for Clark is to when he made the decision let go all his staff. Clark took the opportunity to search deep about himself and the business, which made him grow. Clark encourages entrepreneurs to spend time on personal development.

Arran Stephens believes success only fail when entrepreneurs give up. 80% of entrepreneurs fail and only 20% of entrepreneurs will continue. Furthermore, 80% of those 20% who continue will succeed. The value and principles are important, and entrepreneurs should never sacrifice money for quality. Stephens suggests entrepreneurs should only expand until they are in control.

“Entrepreneurs build business to last, not to sell”

If business is at the point of sell, McBride believes finding the person who will move forward for the business is significant. LeBlanc and Clark both agree that the person must add values, create values, and align with mission of business.

In order to maintain strong relationship, LeBlanc suggests entrepreneurs to share the right values because the right values will lead to the right direction. When there is disagreement, Stephens believes it is a good thing. Disagreement can help people understand the differences. As long as there is generous heart, entrepreneurs will find the way to resolve disagreements.

Entrepreneurs have their own ways to motivate. For Clark, it is wine. McBride will do yoga and Stephens will do garden and meditation. McBride will mediate 4 or 5 o’clock in the morning. 15 minutes of meditation is equivalent to 4 hours of energy rest. Moreover, Stephens understands meditation will inspire and energize for entrepreneurs to make better decision.

LeBlanc ensures her employees understand the values in corporation. A part of orientation for Saje Natural Wellness is to ensure the new employees are clarified with the corporate values. Clark encourages his employees to hashtag the values because it will help them reinforce the message.

“Align the value with people is critical”

The biggest challenge for McBride was when he took off the training wheel for his business too early. The result of that costed him a significant amount of learning curve. Stephens shares he once opened up a breakfast cereal company, but it failed. However, He did not give up and soon the company has silver lining. LeBlanc had once lost her trademark. Because she could not able to downsize the company fast enough, it took her years to recover the damage. Stephens also mentions there are many incubators in the industry to help startups. Moreover, they will learn by challenge their mistakes.

“No such thing as mistake; mistake is opportunity”

Stephens recommends entrepreneurs to reinvest themselves, prepare to change and change every mark. Clark recommends entrepreneurs to implement system and think big all the time. LeBlanc recommends entrepreneurs to document everything and create the right structure. McBride wants entrepreneurs to understand instead of holding what they had, they should throw it out open and understand the emotional behaviour of their customers. They need to have dialogue with customers and understand who they really are.

Keynote Presentation

Christine Day, the CEO of Luvo, believes her career journey in StarBucks and Lululemon have strengthen her to become what she is today. By helping these top brand corporations, she learned that her path of entrepreneurship does not get easier, but she gets wiser.

Day will share her top great values she learned from her experience.

Great #1: Purpose

Employees will join with the right purpose. With the right purpose, they are able to share branding experience and create loyal customers. Purpose can help people engage, and employees will challenge new problems to align the purpose. When employees are inspired with the purpose, they will stay. Day believes every entrepreneur needs to live the value and share the value. Moreover, public companies with good values create opportunities.

Great #2: Differentiation

Entrepreneurs should not be afraid to go first. They will seek what they need to accomplish their purpose. Entrepreneurs will look for white space in the market to add value to the exiting consumers. They look for patterns and analyze insights. Connection and communication are important for entrepreneurs because it can help them scale with multiple global systems. Day believes by mastering customization for consumers, entrepreneurs will seek new disruptive opportunities.

“Speak the patterns and differentiate with others”

Great #3: Knowledge

Entrepreneurs need to know the business, the frontline, and the scale. They need to know what it takes to survive in their market. Entrepreneurs need to be clear what good looks like. Entrepreneurs need to build models with good qualities. Efficient and effective are two drivers for entrepreneurs. By knowing what matters, entrepreneurs can make decision that match with the brand.

“Do not run your business with average”

Great #4: Team

Successful entrepreneurs engage with high potential team. The team can help entrepreneurs to develop strategic planning. When entrepreneurs create opportunities big enough for their team, they will build the better values. Entrepreneurs should always hand off opportunities to others and allow them to perform. Sometimes strong culture can prevent people from reaching potentials. Day believes team should not be any contests; instead, it should be collaboration.

Day believes all entrepreneurs have these 2 abilities.

The ability to make future
The ability to create opportunity for others

Entrepreneurs will make risks into values and allocate resources to accomplish the purpose. Great entrepreneurs know themselves well and take on great responsibilities. Entrepreneurs lead themselves and other. They also teach and coach others how to lead and manage. Entrepreneurs develop internal talents and never disconnect to themselves out of the market.

Sometimes ego can get away from ideas for leaders. When people are treating them as authority figure, they are not connecting in business. Therefore, Day suggests entrepreneurs to listen and embrace awareness and values from other people’s talents.

“Be bold and brave; if not, you will be talking about someone who does”

The scariest thing for Day is the fear of failure. Day conquers the fear by trying her best, and have confidence that purpose will get her though. The advice she will give to old self is to dream a bigger dream.

Feedback is a gift and it is the responsibility for entrepreneurs to tell others to perform well. Day advices small business owners to be nimbleness, authentic , and proximity to the truth. Many big corporations are stuck with their legacy traditions. They could not get away from the brand they created. Day believes small business owners can scale up their business by creating new attractions to inspire new consumers to buy. Do not be afraid to create new attractions.

“nimbleness, authenticity, and proximity to the truth”

July 19 2015

Succession Planning – Staying connected with the family business

ftyang Archive, Business Seminar Business Seminar, Local Leaders, Small Business BC, T&T Supermarket, Tina Lee 0

Date: July 16, 2015

Name: Succession Planning – Staying connected with the family business

Presenter: Tina Lee

A good succession planning will drive business forward. In addition, succession planning can help leaders to identify and fill key business leadership positions. Local Leaders event, hosted by Small Business BC, invites Tina Lee, the CEO of T&T Supermarket, to share her business journey with T&T Supermarket. This presentation will inspire many leaders to understand how the value of family business can optimize in the future of corporation. Moreover, Tina Lee will share her experience to overcome challenges of developing current T&T Supermarket customer base.

Tina Lee is the CEO of T&T Supermarket. She also received honours in BBA from University of Western Ontario and also completed her MBA from the Anderson School of Business at University of Los Angeles. Tina Lee was a Strategy Consultant at Deloitte Consulting. When she moved back to Canada, she started in T&T Supermarket as the Chief Strategy Officer that oversees the eastern region operation. Her passion to bring the best asian fresh into Canadian market has inspired her to advanced in her current role. Furthermore, she manages to increase up to 5000 employees in the operation of T&T Supermarket.

Before accepting the CEO role, Tina Lee understands her path in Deloitte Consulting will bring her bright career, but it can also easily replaceable. Lee moves back to her family business of T&T Supermarket because she believes her mother, Cindy Lee, the founder of T&T Supermarket, has given her the platform to create wealth. The decision is tough, but Lee believes it is a chance to build family equity.

“Be brave enough to give away the golden handcuff”

Lee shares her experience in the succession plan involves 3 major components.

Component #1: Love & passion

Lee believes she needs to learn to love the family business. Lee understands the vision behind the T&T supermarket and she evolves her passion towards that vision. Lee needs to learn to love her employees. T&T Supermarket is a platform that provides opportunity to new immigrants. People appreciate it and T&T appreciate them.

The most important lesson she learns is to learn to love her mother and herself. When Loblaw company decided to acquire T&T supermarket in 2009, it was a difficult choice for Lee. Her mother disagreed Lee to continue her career. Her mother knew the hardship of flying from Ontario to Vancouver can be tough for Lee. However, Lee wanted to lift the pressure from her. She finally compromised her mother’s decision to sell the business, but she felt emptiness in her. However, Loblaw company chose Lee to become the CEO after acquisition. Lee persuaded her mother for this role because nobody cares about the business more than her. Lee could not leave the organization because she already fell in love with the family business.

Component #2: An earth with two suns

When her mother steps down the executive position and retired, the company now has two different leaders, which can potentially be distractive for employees. In order to resolve this issue, her mother and Lee agree to complete 3 important tasks The first task is to allow her mother to list 5 points that she thinks it is significant to pass over to Lee. Lee uses this opportunity to learn and give her mother the chance to say everything she needs to say before her retirement. Her mother announces to all employees to appoint any future events to Lee.

The second task is to allow her mother to provide advice but not too upset. Both Lee and her mother have the same vision, but the road can be different. The third task is to allow her mother to give positive support to the management.

Lee respects her mother at work since she is the one who created the T&T Supermarket. In addition, Lee suggests leaders to learn to admit when they are wrong because everyone is learning. When mistakes happen, Lee admits the mistake to show her mother that she is learning. Her mother will build confidence in Lee. Lastly, Lee lets her mother do the final decision until the transitional phase is complete.

Component #3: Phoenix takes flight

Lee describes the succession plan is like a pass from mother to daughter. In Asian culture, phoenix is a god figure that takes the sacrifice. Lee calls the succession plan as “Phoenix”. Lee recruits new Chief Operating Officer and Chief Finance Officer. Moreover, she believes she needs to build the right team, the right culture and the right structure.

Lee believes the culture of T&T Supermarket builds up from these 3 phases and she does not want the business to fade away the foundation that makes up the culture.

I choose you
I believe you
I trust you

In order to frame the right strategy, during the succession planning, Lee takes the whole executive team to Phoenix Arizona for offset. The trip helps the team to build self awareness, introduce new vision, implement new framework and improve new value evaluation. Lee emphasizes the right corporate culture is important to T&T Supermarket.

Lee indicates she needs to drop the bad and keep the goods. She terminates the top down hierarchy model and implements the empowerment structure. Lee encourages staff to develop innovation because she believes constant innovation is the future. Moreover, she resolves the issue of pointing fingers by giving new level of authorization to the team.

Questions and answers

Lee’s mother wants to fade away her existence in T&T Supermarket. She illustrates the phase as “becoming the moon instead of the sun”. She is currently enjoying the retirement because it is her next goal of life.

Lee suggests all women leaders not to limit themselves in leadership. Lee wants them to always concern with the customer by understanding their needs. By meeting their needs, leaders can continue learning. Leaders can learn from their bosses and help others succeed. When others succeed, leaders will succeed. It is important for leaders to always think about win-win situation.

Traditionally, many women leaders are not confident in their opinions. Lee recommends all women leaders to learn how to talk with more confidence. Never drag when communicating with people. Leaders need to speak up and ask for more.

Many leaders, especially male leaders, have difficulty to swallow pride. It is important to give their boss the idea that they are still learning; otherwise, it will be difficult to go up the ladder.

Lee explains T&T Supermarket has established 4 areas of potential customer base.

First generation of East Asians
Second generation
South east Asian
Asian Cuisine

T&T Supermarket will keep on improve to breakthrough the language barrier in the current market. By engaging more online platform, such as social media, it will bring more energy to the business.

June 14 2015

Local Leaders – Turning a simple, local concept into a serious business

ftyang Archive, Business Seminar Andrew Shepherd, Business Seminar, Small Business BC 0

Date: June 4, 2015

Name: Local Leaders – Turning a simple, local concept into a serious business

Presenter: Andrew Shepherd

Many local leaders start their entrepreneurial journey from a simple idea. Furthermore, with enough executions, they turn their ideas into profitable business. Local Leaders event, hosted by Small business BC, invites Andrew Shepherd, the CEO of Vancouver Island Salt Co, to share his journey of building his company from scratch. In this presentation, leaders will learn the challenges and strategies from Andrew Shepherd and apply them into their businesses. Moreover, Andrew Shepherd will discuss the motive behind his business.

Andrew Shepherd, the CEO of Vancouver Island Salt co, came from the background of culinary arts. With over many years of working in the kitchen, Shepherd established the passion toward gourmet retail products. Based on rare bet for a case of beer, Shepherd discovered the sea salt from Vancouver Island. Shepherd was awarded as one of the Western Living Magazine’s Top Forty Foodies Under 40, Canada’s Top 20 Food Artisans, and 2014 Winner of the Telus and The Globe and Mail’s Small Business Challenge.

Shepherd mentions within the 6 years of business, he focused 5 years on sustainability. There is a huge demand market that wants the sea salt. Shepherd starts his business from a simple concept of boiling water. By continuously boiling water, he managed to discover a system to process sea salt with efficient procedure. Shepherd considers himself as the expert of sea salt.

Canada is a country with clean water. Shepherd believes Canada has the prime position to make sea salt. The opportunity can potentially turn Canada into sea salt nation. Shepherd shares it is important to build the industry because it can create opportunity for people. When they begin to see the trend, they will become the innovator to evolve a simple idea into an amazing business.

It is important to differentiate from locals. Shepherd believes his company value comes from delivering high value of sea salt globally. The growth is unlimited.

Shepherd suggests local leaders to be the first, be the best, be the fast, and be different. Leaders should review their current services and try to discover ways to be different from their competitors.

“Be the first, be the best, be the best, be the fastest and be different”

Many people think they need business plan to start a business, but Shepherd started his business without a business plan because he did not have the chance to do it and he was forced into it. Shepherd recommends leaders to think simple. Business does not need to be fancy. At the start-up phase, business should only be simple and focus. The primary mission is to bring people who are interested into business. Everything can be self-taught from experience. Overall, Shepherd shares his 3 simple strategies.

Start small
Go beyond and change the market
Expand

The important concept in Shepherd’s business is to set a strong price point. Shepherd believes it is important to keep it affordable for locals. This will narrow the economy of scale. Vancouver Island Company starts at a small percentage of the market, but with enough execution and actions, the company is able to sustain growth for future.

The advice Shepherd wants leaders to learn to be patient because business eventually will grow.

Shepherd mentions in his business, it is important to have FDA approval. The paperwork is required for going global because other countries only recognize approval and qualification.

Many major cities have gourmet stores except for Canada. Canada is missing out the opportunity. Shepherd believes salt is the next global impact. Moreover, Shepherd only focus on the quality of the sea salt. In his vision, the quality will help the company to rebrand for competitors advantage.

Shepherd spends a huge amount of time to know the clients. He discovers people are starting to care about health in this generation. Originally, Shepherd only focuses the target market from end users; however, it will miss out the business relationship. Therefore, he refocuses the primary market to wholesale or distributors.

There is a trend for local leaders to implement environmental aspects into their business strategies. Shepherd emphasizes the only way to do that is to allow government to subsidize the green. This will help reduce the price and help everyone to save the environment.

Shepherd has won the Telus and The Globe and Mail challenge award. He shares it is important to show a clear vision. The strategies must relate to local community. It is not necessary to project the future if the company is going to burst. By telling a good story, leaders will leverage their ways to enter the challenge.

In order to have the clean water, leaders can test the water sample. The conclusion shows the best water comes only in peak tide.

Shepherd believes the local community supports him all the way. With farming background, Shepherd mentions people do not make, they harvest. It is difficult to discover the right talent. The work from Vancouver Island is not normal.

Over sea discovery is one of the best way to improve the culture. Shepherd believes on day he will bring from Canada to Hong Kong.

“If your product is good, people will not ask money at front”

May 11 2015

Leadership, Culture and Growth: Strategies for driving bottom line results

ftyang Archive, Business Seminar Brian Scudamore, Business Seminar, Local Leaders, Small Business BC 0

Date: May 7, 2015

Name: Leadership, Culture and Growth: Strategies for driving bottom line results

Presenter: Brian Scudamore

Entrepreneurs need to find ways to build their own culture, their right people, and the right tools to sustain the best result of their companies. In addition, many entrepreneurs are searching for ways to utilize their resources effectively for maximum outcome. Local Leaders event, hosted by Small Business BC, invites Brian Scudamore, the Founder of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, to discuss his leadership journey from zero to the top. Entrepreneurs can find this event benefit with the information and guidance from Brian Scudamore.

Brian Scudamore is the CEO of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?. As one of the BC’s most successful entrepreneurs, Scudamore receives awards from The Globe & Mails’ Top 40 Under 40 and Fortune Magazine’s Small Business Best Bosses. Scudamore founded his company since 18 years old and successfully franchise his operation across Canada, US and Australia. His passion is in leadership pushes him to develop two more brands. Furthermore, Scudamore’s leadership skills drive many of his motivated staffs to the top.

Brian Scudamore shares during his early years, he dropped out 14 high schools from San Francisco to Vancouver. Even though Scudamore could not stay in school, he still has the passion of learning, especially learning from others. Moreover, Scudamore believes as a learner, it is important to keep asking questions. Scudamore emphasizes if there is rule, he will find a way to break them.

Scudamore believes there are three elements every entrepreneur needs to have to create their businesses: vision, people and system. Vision is considered to be the most essential because entrepreneurs need to know where their directions. Afterwards, they need to find the right people. Lastly, there must be process system to do things well.

Scudamore began his journey at the age of 18. He purchased a truck and implemented a basic business model of recycling. This basic business taught Scudamore the mission of vision. There was a time when Scudamore decided to sell his business to focus on school, but he declined because Scudamore learns more in business than school. By talking to the press, Scudamore had a rare opportunity to share journey to the world. His enthusiasm and passion expose his business on the front page of local newspaper.

In 1993, his dad wanted him to finish his college degree. Scudamore wanted to prove his dad he could do it; therefore, he managed to triple the current business operation. In 1994, he successfully reached half million revenue in his business, but he realized he has the wrong people. After he lay off all employees, Scudamore took the full responsibility. He believed it is important to find the right people and treat them right.

“If people are not fit, it is hard to continue”

In 1995, Scudamore build the business like a franchise. The year after, he managed to reach 1 million dollar revenue in his business. His business is qualified in Young Entrepreneur Organization. In the organization, Scudamore learned many valuable lessons, tactic and strategies to expand his business vision. Moreover, Scudamore created a program called “Mental Business Advisor” to mentor young entrepreneurs to growth their business.

In 1999, He felt unsatisfied with his business and started to question his own leadership ability when he discovered the people around him are building more success than him. He later discovered his new vision and saw the new possibility. Scudamore shared his vision to people and work with them to make it happen.

“Crazy ideas will only be great idea if you stick with it”

In 1998, Scudamore reached out for mentors. He took all the business rejections and tried to find ways to solve them. In addition, he redesigned his logo and obtained the ownership of the phone number of 1-800-GOT-JUNK?

In 1999, Scudamore found his first partner. Scudamore believed by sharing the great vision to great people, they will come and help. In fact, his partner successfully expanded the business in Toronto.

“People will follow the first leader”

In 2002, people were seeking franchise opportunity from Scudamore. By using the power of PR, Scudamore managed to achieve the goal of franchising 30 locations in 30 different cities. 2004 was a celebration year for Scudamore and Scudamore will continue support people and focus to take his great company to even better.

Scudamore believes by treating people right, he should not just look at the finance. Instead, he should look at the people side as well. Therefore, he changes employee vacation from 3 weeks to 5 weeks.

In 2005, he made one of the hardest decisions in his business life, which is to fire his best friend. Scudamore suggests entrepreneurs to divide the page into half. One side shows what entrepreneurs are good at and the other side shows what they are weak at. Next, entrepreneurs need to find people who have the ability to complete the weak side of the list.

“I love what I do, and I make the ordinary thing to exceptional”

Questions and answers

Scudamore mentions the most important moments from his mentors are that they give him confident and inspiration to continue his vision. Scudamore believes intrapreneurship is important. He loves to see people grow and show how great they can be. In his business, he lets his employee to feel they are working in the best business in the industry.

A great mentor will introduce other mentors when they are not able to answer the question. It is important to keep in contact with them. Scudamore recommends entrepreneurs to ask because people are willing to help. Scudamore will invite his competitors to events to learn from them.

Technology plays a huge role in his business. It systemizes the operations. Scudamore encourages his employees to take the business model and expand it to other businesses because this shows they are doing it right.

Force, faith and effort are the three words that Scudamore goes by. To create trust, entrepreneurs need to constantly connect with people to build trust. Entrepreneurs need to create a one page system. They need to start small and keep it simple.

“Find the right people, they will retain themselves.