5 HE SAID/SHE SAID: The news and views of area executives on pertinent business issues of the day.
12 CORPORATISM:
Jim Blasingame says after 10,000 years, the nature of fear and greed as motivators is changing.
O2 AT A GLANCE
A look at persistent market fallacies in the agricultural sector in Canada.
2 CROSSWORD
Take a coffee break from work and challenge yourself with our crossword.
3 ESSEX ECONOMICS
A series of guest columns by business executives on various trends in the region.
6 PRIME PROPERTY
A look at recent commercial property transfers in the city of Windsor.
8 PRIME HOME
A look at recent residential property sales in Windsor and Essex County.
10 BUILDING PERMITS
A compilation of construction activity in the Windsor and area market.
11 START UPS
Newly incorporated firms launched in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.
11 WORLD OF WORK:
A career advice column by two workplace consultants and career coaches.
ne of Canada’s top metal recyclers has purchased DS Commercial Inc. and its Wallaceburg Stealth Metal Recycling, although local management remains in place.
Former owner Scott Kelvin called the transfer “just a business decision.” The plant, which recycles ferrous and non-ferrous metals, has been run by Scott and his wife Charlene Kelvin, who will be staying on.
That’s the way Montreal-based American Iron & Metal (AIM) prefers it, with owners maintaining their firms’ local identities, despite being owned by a multinational with operations in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico. In fact, the company has two Windsor recycling locations on the city’s east and west sides.
The Wallaceburg plant has been rebranded AIM Recycling Wallaceburg
“That’s the best part about these partnerships,” said Corey Cooper, AIM’s
Continued on page 4
An area metal recycler was sold to multinational corporation, AIM Recycling. From left: Steve Trupp, Operations Manager; Mike Moir, Regional Manager Southwestern Ontario; and Scott Kelvin, Site Manager at the plant in Wallaceburg. By Ron Stang
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• A recent white paper on the world’s agricultural industry has found Canadian farming productivity will be positively impacted by global warming.
• Global warming is expected to result in longer summers, allowing farmers to plant crops earlier and harvest them later. It also offers opportunities to introduce new crops previously unsuited to the region, such as cotton and soybeans.
• Warmer temperatures can promote crop growth rates, enhance seed germination, and increase photosynthesis, ultimately leading to higher crop yields.
• The projected increase in rainfall due to climate change could lead to higher yields and more consistent output in Canadian agriculture.
• Despite being recognized as highly efficient in their use of nitrogen/ammonia-based fertilizer, Canadian farmers are now facing potential reductions in nitrogen-based fertilizer use mandated by the federal government.
• Canadian farmers are low absolute users of fertilizer per hectare of cropland, which is a testament to their sustainable farming practices. However, reductions in nitrogen-based fertilizer use could lead to challenges for farmers in maintaining their crop yields and productivity levels.
BUSINESS BOOST
“Ranking employees as a measure of their productivity is not common. Where ranking is used, it’s almost always misused and therefore it should be eliminated.
“That’s a bit counterintuitive. You’d think it would be possible to look at 10 employees doing the same job and determine which is the best, then next best and so on, all the way down to the worst. But you can’t do this meaningfully and you can’t eliminate ranking perils.
“Is ranking ever appropriate? Yes. Where employees are expected to create one or two very specific results and they can be measure accurately, ratings can be used. A real estate agent could be evaluated in terms of a very few criteria – number of sales, dollar value, number of new clients secured.
“If that’s all you care about, then ranking can work. But what about the agent who interferes with other agents through cutthroat practices? Maybe you expect the agent to do more than sell, to contribute in other ways to the success of the company. Ranking then becomes a problem.”
Robert Bacal in How to Manage Performance: 24 Lessons for Improving Performance, McGraw-Hill.
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 4 • AUGUST 2024
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia H. Shousher
ART DIRECTOR David Cowx
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Blasingame, Dale Dauten, Paul March, Devan Mighton, J.T. O’Donnell, Ron Stang, Joe Symchyshyn
Windsor Business is published monthly by The Page Publishing Corp. and is distributed through Canada Post to every business address in Windsor and Essex County and Chatham-Kent. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. Copyright The Page Publishing Corp., 2024.
Iwas glancing back at earlier editions of this magazine, and found one from 2006 in which I gave kudos to my beloved papa, the consummate business professional.
He passed away a few weeks ago, and of course I am devastated. But beyond all the love, support and encouragement he provided throughout my life, he also taught me some great life lessons I’ve used in business.
My dad was the personification of entrepreneurialism. Like most immigrants, he arrived in Canada very young and with only a few dollars in his pocket. But he had lots of ambition, often working two and three jobs to support a large extended family. With amazing prescience, my dad bought farmland all around the city of London, somehow understanding how the city would grow over time and in which direction.
He bought and sold rental housing, commercial properties and land, classic cars and small companies. He was a dedicated community activist and a long-time volunteer in various charities. He invested in himself and in his new home, believing it important to give back to the society that embraced him.
Most of all, my dad sold his ideas and enthusiasm to the public, and was thus able to provide us a great life from his combination of honesty, foresight and plain old hard labor. What a legacy.
It touched me to see that, decades after selling his last car in a GM dealership, old customers would hunt him down at home, asking for help in replacing their vehicles. To paraphrase one caller, she wouldn’t trust any other salesman with the job. What a testament to my papa’s well-earned reputation.
Some of his advice in particular stuck with me through the years, such as:
• Start off the way you want to finish. Present yourself as a self-confident, respectable person and you will eventually be one.
• If you can’t keep a promise, don’t make one. Nothing is more important than your word.
• It takes forever to build a good reputation and only a minute to lose it, so protect yours throughout your life.
• Don’t procrastinate, even with small jobs or projects. Delaying action makes it harder to get started, so be decisive and get to it.
• Apply yourself 100 percent to everything you do. Even if it’s as a volunteer, work thoroughly and honestly in all things.
• Do what you say you will do, and mean what you say when you say it. My papa has been the absolute largest influence on my life, and I am grateful I had his example to learn from. Rest in peace, papa.
Nadia
H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
JULIE BEE
Overcome small business burnout
Lately you’re just not “feeling it” as you lead your small business. You’re apathetic and operating on autopilot. You aren’t even sure why work isn’t working anymore. Things may be going great, so what gives?
It is common for entrepreneurs to hit a wall and feel they’re “over” the small business they once launched and nurtured. It’s likely something about your small business really isn’t working for you.
When you’re first started, you may have done things a certain way because you lacked time, manpower, resources or knowledge. As time goes by, the ways you adopted early on became entrenched. But what if one of those things is draining your energy, causing you unnecessary stress or keeping you from doing what fulfills you?
Feeling burdened is often a sign you’re headed toward burnout, which can cause major damage to your business, relationships and health. Every entrepreneur has red flags that signal when something isn’t working, and it probably won’t be difficult to identify some of yours.
For instance, you’re having trouble sleeping (or you’re sleeping too much), your interactions with others have become more contentious, you’re finding it difficult to focus and/or come up with new ideas, or you’re constantly putting out fires at work, instead of handling the important tasks that will grow your business.
Figure out what’s causing the problem. Identify elements of your work that put you at risk for burnout. For instance, maybe rapid change makes you feel drained, or you thrive more when working independently than when leading a team.
Carve out space to make changes. Put energy and thought into addressing whatever isn’t working. Before you can make productive changes and grow your business, you need to make space to address your pain points as a business owner, and prioritize your personal well-being.
Ask for help if you need it. If your best efforts have created a work environment that isn’t working for you, you may need some outside assistance to improve things. Asking for help is hard for high performers, but there’s no shame in it. The support and advice of a mentor, therapist, business partner or loved one can make a big difference.
Business ownership isn’t one-size-fits-all. There isn’t a single ‘right’ way to do it. Before you assume your work will never work for you again, and throw in the towel, take the time to look inward. Chances are your relationship with your small business isn’t irreparably broken; it just needs some targeted tweaks.
Julie Bee is the author of Burned:
International metal recycler buys area plant
Continued from page 1
director of marketing. “As a family-owned organization, we see the value in family-owned, familyoperated firms. In a lot of the yards we’ve purchased, the same owners are still running the yard, operating the facility and managing the staff.”
AIM was started in 1936 by Peter Black, and is a two-generation, private family-owned firm currently run by sons Herbert and Ron Black.
AIM has 135 sites, more than 700 trucks and 2,500 rail cars. The Wallaceburg plant, serving Kent and Lambton Counties and parts of Middlesex and Essex counties, has a lugger truck and a roll off truck for carrying, and tilting hoppers and bins. The plant, at 100 Mason Street, has been open since 2014 and has eight employees.
The $1.3 million-sale of the 21acre site took place last spring.
The Wallaceburg plant serves the municipality as well as individual accounts, and “local peddlers that come in over our scale,” Scott Kelvin said. “We purchase the metals based on the weight from our commercial and industrial accounts.” The materials, in turn, are sent to AIM’s sorting facility in Hamilton.
“They’ve got a shredder there, so they shred all the tin and shreddable materials,” he said. “All the non-ferrous materials (metals with no iron, such as aluminum or cop-
per) are typically sent to Montreal. And then all of the heavy steels are sent direct to mills” to be melted down for new products.
AIM’s services are wide ranging, from public recycling depots to industrial scrap management, demolition and site cleanup, and even international trade.
Said Cooper: “Our goals are to always develop our presence, and ensure metal recycling is publicly accessible across all the regions in which we operate. So, with Wallaceburg being added to the portfolio, it adds to that public accessibility and helps expand our footprint.”
BY RON STANG
Oldcastle mold firm bought by local construction company for $2.8 million
Amodern factory in Oldcastle has been sold by Dezyntech Inc. to locallyowned Sernacon Holdings Inc., affiliated with well-known Windsor company Wincon Construction
The approximately two-acre site on O’Neil Drive, including the two-storey blue and grey building, transferred hands for $2.8 million.
No representative from either
RETAIL
BY RON STANG
company responded to requests for comment.
Wincon, founded in 1966, has wide experience in industrial, institutional and commercial construction. It has built such well-known local sites as Heritage Park Alliance Church in LaSalle, Tecumseh Vista Academy , a University of Windsor student residence, the Talbot Trail Public School, St. Clair
Beach Retirement Residence and an Applebee’s Restaurant Dezyntech was established in 2012 and serves the plastic injection mold industry, using state-ofthe-art high speed CNC machinery.
In 2018 it acquired Urgent EDM, focusing on rapid customer turnaround; the two firms are combined at the one site.
Fast food plaza on west side sold
The Harvey’s/Swiss Chalet Express property, a mainstay of Wyandotte Street West and the University district for decades, has been sold.
The buyer is Windsor-based I. El-Cheikh Mohamad, who would only confirm the sale to Windsor Business, adding his plan for the site is “a surprise.” Several attempts to reach the Harvey’s and Swiss Chalet’s parent company, RecipeUnlimited (formerly Cara Operations), were unsuccessful.
The $1.65-million sale closed in June by an Ontario numbered company to another numbered company associated with Mohamad. The property at the corner of Wyandotte and California Avenue measures less than a quarter-acre.
Greg Atkinson, manager of
development planning and a deputy planner for the City of Windsor, said “We don’t have any active development applications for that corner,” adding the zoning there is “pretty flexible. So, if someone is going to do something different, they don’t necessarily need any planning approvals. We call it a Main Street zoning; it permits a number of commercial uses and also dwelling units above on the second, third or fourth floors.”
Meanwhile, a few kilometers away on Huron Church Road, a new A&W helms an 8,000-squarefoot, five-unit reimagined space where a former Rexall stood. New Brunswick-based Plaza REIT purchased the property, demolished the store and sought new tenants.
But that property too was
recently sold to Ancaster ONbased Kazel Holding Inc. The principal, Luay Al-Kazely, could not be reached.
Plaza’s COO Jason Parravano said it was simply time to sell the site. “I think we’ve completed our value add-on to the property. It was time for us to sell and recycle that capital into newer projects,” he said.
Plaza is based in New Brunswick, but has offices in Toronto and Montreal. It has properties in more than one hundred communities in eastern Canada.
Plaza’s other Windsor properties are the Rexall on Ouellette Avenue, a Shoppers Drug Mart on Seminole Street and Value Buds (Nova Cannabis) on Wyandotte Street West.
“The power of people! No matter the interaction, my focus is always on the individual and fostering a kind and respectful relationship. We can have the most ambitious business plan, but it takes us nowhere without the people bringing it to life.”
Lena Bidawid, VP Operations, Troup Group Inc. and Co-Owner, Nuts4Dates.
“With my profound passion for human rights and equal opportunities, I could deliver a compelling 15-minute presentation on equality at a moment’s notice. Advocating for fairness and inclusivity is ingrained in my beliefs, and would guide my presentation.”
Taylor Kuharic, Management, Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario.
“I am often asked about the new Gordie Howe Bridge. People are often surprised by the amount of trade that crosses at the Windsor border, and how this new crossing will position Windsor-Essex County to be a logistics hub.”
Joel Bezaire, President, Townline Parking Windsor Inc.
“I could give a presentation on the importance for businesses to move to the cloud. With my extensive telecom experience, I can discuss the convenience, such as hosted telecom solutions and cloudpowered platforms, as well as enhanced collaboration, scalability and cost savings.”
“I could give a 15-minute presentation on ‘effective communication skills’ without preparation. Topics would include active listening, nonverbal cues and structuring clear messages for different audiences, drawing from experience and general knowledge on this subject.”
Willis Goyea, Co-Owner,
Goyea Mechanical Services Inc.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
SOLD Address: 2570 Dougall Ave.
Selling Price: $5.5 million
Vendor: Galifi Enterprises Inc.
Purchaser: Galifi Holdings (Windsor) Inc.
SOLD
Address: 591 Wellington Ave.
Selling Price: $2.39 million
Vendor: 2734844 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 2674404 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 250 Tecumseh Rd. E.
Selling Price: $8 million
Vendor: 1974468 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: AZ Growth Inc.
SOLD
Address: Wildwood Dr.
Selling Price: $3 million
Vendor: Greater Essex County
District School Board
Purchaser: The Corporation of the City of Windsor
SOLD
Address: 3950 Dougall Ave.
Selling Price: $9.4 million
Vendor: 3950 Dougall Inc.
Purchaser: 1987303 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: Ducharme St., Walker Rd.
Selling Price: $2.5 million
Vendor: 1741078 Ontario Inc., 1156664 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 1741078 Ontario Inc., 1156664 Ontario Inc., 1903330 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 2751 Temple Dr.
Selling Price: $3.2 million
Vendor: 679711 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: Extreme Holdings Inc.
SOLD
Address: 10150 Tecumseh Rd. E.
Selling Price: $12,513,600
Vendor: Gus Revenberg
Chevrolet Buick GMC Ltd.
Purchaser: Revenberg Holdings Ltd.
PRIME PROPERTY
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
Address: 200 Heritage Rd., 389 County Rd. 20, Kingsville
Selling Price: $7,044,883
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Truax Development Corp.
Address: 313 & 323 Erie St. N., Leamington
Selling Price: $4.75 million
Vendor: Diniro Farms Inc.
Purchaser: Meadow View Growers Inc.
Address: 328 & 332 Erie St. S., Leamington
Selling Price: $2.925 million
Vendor: 1256577 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 1000927479 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 78 Mill St. W., Tilbury
Selling Price: $2,608,650
Vendor: Lally Sales & Service Ltd.
Purchaser: The Lally Group Ltd., Lally Sales & Service Ltd.
PRIME HOME SALES
Where: 1437 Redwood Ave.
Property Size: 47’ x 84’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,268
Listed For: $389,900
Sold For: $410,000
Where: 2519 Dominion
Property Size: 60’ x 106’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,336
Listed For: $499,000
Sold For: $508,000 SOLD
Where: 1835 Dacotah Dr.
Property Size: 37’ x 92’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,579
Listed For: $299,900
Sold For: $360,000
Where: 478 St. John St.
Property Size: 51’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 4
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,259
Listed For: $439,900
Sold For: $460,000 SOLD
Where: 3896 Vaughan St.
Property Size: 44’ x 110’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,600
Listed For: $449,900
Sold For: $470,000 SOLD
Where: 3660 Roxborough
Property Size: 60’ x 105’
# Bedrooms: 4 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,485
Listed For: $499,999
Sold For: $507,000 SOLD
Where: 1643 Seneca St.
Property Size: 30’ x 35’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,687
Listed For: $275,500
Sold For: $290,000 SOLD
Where: 885 Arthur Rd.
Property Size: 30’ x 100’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,357
Listed For: $279,999
Sold For: $320,000
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where: 1545 Bouffard
Rd., LaSalle
Property Size: 150’ x 200’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $4,000
Listed For: $599,900
Sold For: $480,000
SOLD
Where: 206 Clubview Dr., LaSalle
Property Size: 100’ x 241’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $6,450
Listed For: $899,900
Sold For: $1.1 million
SOLD
Where: 579 Stallion Ave., Lakeshore
Property Size: 63’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 3
SOLD
Where: 108 Maple Lane, Essex
Property Size: 90’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,285
Listed For: $549,999
Sold For: $520,000
SOLD
Where: 125 Bellcraft Dr., Harrow
Property Size: 50’ x 72’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,321
Listed For: $449,900
Sold For: $410,000
SOLD
Where: 22 Taylor Trail, Chatham
Property Size: 31’ x 125’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $5,800
Listed For: $999,900
Sold For: $952,500
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,700
Listed For: $459,900
Sold For: $430,000
SOLD
Where: 171 Woodlawn Cr., Kingsville
Property Size: 50’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,500
Listed For: $519,000
Sold For: $500,000
SOLD
Where: 122 Sturgeon Meadows, Leamington
Property Size: 32’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,439
Listed For: $399,900
Sold For: $453,000
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL
• County Fair Mall (Wallaceburg) Holdings Inc. is building a new restaurant on McNaughton Ave. Value of construction: $1.1 million.
• Tatro Properties Ltd. is doing interior renovations to recreational facility on Richmond St. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Individuals are building a new agricultural building on Creek Line. Value of construction: $1.4 million.
• Individuals are erecting an agricultural building on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $300,000.
• 12131013 Canada Inc. is building warehouse on Richmond St. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Lambton Kent District School is doing renovations to an elementary school on McNaughton Ave. Value of construction: $550,000.
• Individuals are erecting two agricultural buildings on Talbot Trail. Values of construction: $700,000 each.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Cedar Hedge Line. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Multi-Construction (Chatham) Inc. is doing an addition to a single-family home on Creek Rd. Value of construction: $75,000.
• Unique Homes (2003) Inc. is building a single-family residence on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $320,000.
• Unique Homes (2003) Inc. is building a condo unit on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $320,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Klondyke Rd. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building two units of a semi-detached on Brighton Place. Values of construction: $300,000 each.
• First Family Homes is building a single-family home on Lagoon Rd. Value of construction: $550,000.
• Maple City Homes Ltd. is build-
ing a single-family residence on Ironwood Trail. Value of construction: $500,000.
• CKSL Development Ltd. is erecting five single-family residences on Indian Creek Rd. W. Values of construction: $500,000 each.
• Gary Field Homes Inc. is building a single-family residence on Lindsay Rd. Value of construction: $1.64 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Erie St. N. Value of construction: $600,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building two units of a semi-detached on Brighton Place. Values of construction: $400,000 each.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Kenesserie Rd. Value of construction: $280,000.
• Creative Touch Ltd. is building a new single-family home on Paulus Rd. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Multi Construction is building a new single-family residence on Cabot Trail. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Sunbuilt Custom Homes Ltd. is
building a single-family home on Bloomington Way. Value of construction: $650,000.
• Rumble Homes Ltd. is building a single-family home on Valencia Dr. Value of construction: $2 million.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building a single-family home on Bloomington Way. Value of construction: $345,000.
• Liovas Homes is building two single-family homes on Indian Creek Rd. W. Values of construction: $500,000 each.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE COMMERCIAL:
• D. C. McCloskey Engineering Ltd. is erecting Part III of an industrial building on Seacliff Dr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Nor-Built Construction is building Part III of a commercial building on Road 8 W. Value of construction: $1.6 million.
• Nello Construction Inc. is building Part III of an industrial building on Setterington Dr. Value of construction: $750,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a new single-family residence on Erie Ave. Value of construction: $412,450.
• Individuals are adding an accessory structure to a residence on Graham Sideroad. Value of construction: $150,000.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Giardini Side Rd. Value of construction: $1.05 million.
• Bart DiGiovanni Construction is building a single-family home on Bear St. Value of construction: $700,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on 4th Conc. Rd. Value of construction: $1.14 million.
• Essex Non Profit Homes Inc. is building three, three-dwelling units on Michael Dr. Values of construction: $800,000 each.
THE WORLD OF WORK
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Unleash the power of your UVA in interviews
Christina: I am struggling in job interviews. I don’t seem to impress the hiring manager. In the last three interviews I’ve had, they said I did a good job, but then I get a rejection Email the next day. What can I do to convince them I’m the best candidate?
J.T.: The key to your success in landing your dream job is to clearly identify and communicate your Unique Value Add (UVA) throughout the interview process. Your UVA is the powerful combination of skills, experiences and personal qualities that sets you apart from every other candidate vying for the same role. It’s what makes you not just qualified for the position, but the outstanding, undeniable top choice that can drive exceptional results for the employer.
What specialized knowledge, proven accomplishments and distinct strengths do you possess that could allow you to solve the company’s challenges better than anyone else? Your UVA should highlight how you can provide unparalleled value that directly addresses the potential employer’s needs and propels their goals forward.
Then it’s time to masterfully brand and market yourself around this compelling narrative. Weave your unique selling points throughout your resume, LinkedIn profile and, most crucially, your interview responses. However, don’t just state your qualifications; bring them to life through vivid storytelling. Real-life examples will make your worth memorable and tangible to the interviewer.
The aim is to shift the perception from you being just another capable candidate, to being the outstanding, future-proof hire the company cannot afford to let go. You want the interviewer to envision you as the invaluable puzzle piece that will complete their team and propel their organization to new heights of success.
This level of strategic branding and UVA communication takes practice. I’d recommend doing mock interviews, getting feedback, and continually refining your messaging. Consider also joining support programs that can provide professional guidance, role-playing opportunities, and accountability to ensure you’re effectively marketing your unique worth.
You have the power to turn interviews from being an obstacle, into being your shining moment to demonstrate you are the “musthave” candidate. You can separate yourself from the pack, and make hiring managers see you as the
game-changing asset their company needs. With commitment to this approach, I’m confident your dream job is within your grasp.
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder and CEO of the job search career coaching platform Work It Daily. Visit workitdaily.com to submit your questions.
• 1 Parnell Corp.
• ACFM ENC Canada Inc.
• All Things Contracted Inc.
• Banastar Investments Inc.
• Beauty Locks Ltd.
• Canada's Next Great Startup
• Deschamps Windows & Doors
• Donfrank Investments Inc.
• Dr. A Niec Dentistry
Professional Corp.
• Dr. Abeer Tarab Dentistry
Professional Corp.
• Dr. Brian Monaghan Dentistry Professional Corp.
• E. Jordan Counselling Services
• Essex Holdings Corp.
• Fineway Inc.
• Galifi Holdings (Windsor) Inc.
• Kaiser Logistic Inc.
• Kevin Kane Construction Inc.
• Krave Micro Markets Inc.
• KS Enterprises LaSalle Inc.
• Laschuk Walker Dentistry Professional Corp.
• Life Cycle Home Care Services
• M.C. Land Holdings GP Inc.
• Marshall Insight Executive Coaching & Consulting Inc.
• Montell Beauty Inc.
• North Shore Construction Group Inc.
• Pelka Health Care Services Inc.
• Perfect Spaces Interiors Inc.
• Poseidon Pools & Landscape
• Procrafts Solutions Inc.
• Robert J. L'Ecuyer Professional Real Estate Corp.
• Rowdy's Raw Dog Food Inc.
• Shaar Auto Repair Ltd.
• Southwest Media Corp.
• T.F. Green AG Solutions Inc.
• Trail King Logistics Inc.
• Valkyrie Auto Group Inc.
• Windsor Precious Pet Cremation Inc.
The nature of fear and greed as motivators is changing
Fear and greed, it has been said, are the two primal emotions that have propelled human civilization. Of course, both have their dark side, too.
Greed is positive and productive when channeled toward personal and professional improvement, but it turns ugly in pursuit of a single-minded or selfish outcome. When fear delivers important information it’s not only useful, it’s essential. But it can also
morph into paranoia, or cause inaction.
At this very moment, the nature of fear and greed is changing. For 10,000 years, the only form humans have known is analog. This means any leveraging of them was likely mechanical, moving no faster than the speed of sound.
But today, we’re fully across the digital Rubicon and there’s no turning back. In this new universe, fear and greed are being leveraged
with a force that moves at the speed of light. And the new rules of this paradigm shift – transitioning from analog RPM to digital GHz – is putting pressure on our ability to keep up, armed only with ancient analog ethics.
But fear and greed are not our only productive motivators. In fact, six others not only contributed to human development alongside fear and greed all those years, but have also had a more consistently positive impact on the
marketplace.
Security: Being warm-blooded, humans come with a high-maintenance physiology that requires regular nourishment and protection from the elements. When a customer does business with a friend of mine, instead of saying, “Thanks for the business,” he says: “Thanks for the food and shelter.”
Family: Human children take a long time to fledge the nest. Our
familial instincts are very strong, motivating us to do quite a bit of aggressive hunting and gathering. And the natural byproduct of this is the order and productivity of communities and markets.
Self-respect: As social beings, we’ve created and lived in communities. But the price of community is paid with the currency of responsibility. Our ability to think in the abstract produces the concept of self. And when self-awareness is forged with responsibility, it produces the very powerful emotional alloy of self-respect.
Ambition: The harness-mate of self-respect, ambition motivates us beyond mere survival, and is the more elegant cousin of greed. When ambition pulls against the load, side-by-side with selfrespect, a positive force is born: the quest for personal excellence.
James Labiak (Client Service Associate), Mark Abraham (Senior Investment Advisor), Lori Seguin
Creativity: There are many things that separate humans from other life forms, but perhaps the most interesting is our tendency to tinker. Creativity, our primordial passion to make something that doesn’t exist, wells up from a visceral spring. It’s the free-spirit emotion that always asks “why,” with an impertinent “why not” preloaded and ready to fire. True creativity is its own reward. Creativity is to the marketplace what water is to life: you can have one without the other, but not for very long.
Curiosity: Curiosity may be our most powerful and elemental emotion. It’s the spark that ignites understanding, learning, empathy and growth. Curiosity is part of the nucleus of the other five.
The good news is, unlike fear and greed, these six motivators are likely to be less affected by digital pressures, and should remain, more or less, as we’ve always known them.
Write this on a rock: Nowhere in the marketplace are these six motivators more evident and beautiful than on Main Street in a small business.
Jim Blasingame is the author of The 3rd Ingredient, the Journey of Analog Ethics into the World of Digital Fear and Greed. Visit jimblasingame.com.
