5 HE SAID/SHE SAID: The news and views of area executives on pertinent business issues of the day.
12 CORPORATISM:
Jim Blasingame says to build a community around you in which you are a unifying force.
By Ron Stang
E2 AT A GLANCE
A look at what Canadians most want in a future home purchase.
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.
rnie’s TV, a venerable Kingsville retailer for almost 50 years, was recently sold and is moving to a new location in town to open a superstore. The retailer, which also sells furniture and appliances, will vacate its Main Street location, with its awkward layout over two floors, for 197 Lansdowne Avenue. It is set to open next summer.
This will expand the retailer’s showroom from 18,000 to 28,000 square feet, and “most importantly, be all on one floor,” said partner Jeff Smith, also owner of Jeff Smith’s County Chevrolet in Essex and Grove Brewing Co. in Kingsville. His partner is Chris Parent.
The original owners were Ernie and Donna Demarse, who have recently retired.
“We bought Ernie’s TV and so we’re finishing out the lease there. When the lease is done in June, we’ll be opening the new location,” Smith said.
Continued on page 4
Chris Parent, left, and Jeff Smith recently purchased Ernie’s TV in Essex. They will move it to a former warehouse on Lansdowne Avenue in what will become a superstore.
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• A recent survey found, despite affordability challenges, many potential Canadian homebuyers anticipate buying a new home within the next five years.
• Canadians home buyers continue to prefer renovated single-family homes in the suburbs.
• Nationwide, the single-family home is preferred most, with 64 percent of potential home buyers opting for this housing type, which includes detached and semi-detached properties but excludes townhomes.
• Potential home buyers also preferred larger, renovated homes (64 percent) with a three-bedroom being the leading choice (43 percent).
• Suburban and urban properties (at 38 percent and 34 percent respectively) are preferred over rural neighborhoods (at 28 percent).
• While just one in five Canadians currently reside in rural areas, that share increases to 50% in Atlantic Canada.
1. The Great Canadian Dream Home for buyers in the next five years:
HELLO, I.T. DEPARTMENT? I’VE RE-BOOTED MY COMPUTER, BUT IT STILL DOESN’T WORK.
BUSINESS BOOST
“Many salespeople are too preoccupied with the short-term goal of getting the order, rather than working toward the long-term goal of being of service to a growing number of clients.
“For instance, the other day I had a meeting with the chairman of the board of a large bank. He emphasized that many bankers have problems with applying good listening skills. He said there are a lot of bank execs who listen very carefully to people who are coming in for the $100,000 loans, but don’t devote too much time to the person who comes in for the $1,000 loan.
“His point was the executive who is a long-term thinker will look at every person who comes in as a potential $100,000 piece of business in the future.
“The biggest obstacle is most people never think about the importance of listening, and so don’t work at improving their skills and abilities. A second barrier is many salespeople think selling is primarily a job of persuasion, and persuasion means talking.
“The typical poor sales rep is one who is eager to deliver a canned sales pitch. Many times he is insensitive to what the customer wants to hear, and therefore antagonizes the prospect.”
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 6 • OCTOBER 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.
Ilove irony. So much so, I tend to jot down random examples of the irony witnessed in day-to-day life. I have the somewhat vague intention of one day publishing them in book form. (You’ve heard of my future book, since I mention it so often on this page, usually preceded by some profanity sanitized for print.) The working title of the book is: What on EARTH Were They Thinking? Dispatches From the Rubber Room. Here are some of the chapter headings:
Don’t Call Me; I’ll Call You: How about those company execs who are always complaining that business is “slower than molasses,” but never answer their phones? They don’t even have voice mail, an answering service or even that old relic, the answering machine. Perhaps they’re waiting for your smoke signals to separate from the general miasma of pollution wafting over Windsor?
Whining without Weight: Let’s all sit on our buttocks and complain about something incessantly, but God help you if someone else has the get-up-and-go to actually do something about it. Whether it’s littering, noise pollution, poor service, slow business or bad attitudes, one’s willingness to stand up and speak gets them labeled “Pollyannas,” “show-offs” or “city slickers.” You’re just asking for trouble. Better to stay quiet and follow along. We all know how well that affects change.
It Ain’t My Fault if You Can’t Prove It: How about the guy who got caught with his pants down in a lawsuit? “I never took payment for services I didn’t actually provide. Oh, you have a copy of the cancelled cheque? I was authorized to cash it. Oh, I have no paper trail to prove this? I had something but it was destroyed in the last tsunami. Oh, we’ve never had a tsunami in Essex County? It must have been Emailed, and that was three computers ago.” You see where I’m going with this. Huge judgment rendered against the perp, with lots of irony on the side.
Presumption is My Middle Name: I heard a story of a former commercial tenant who moved out two years ago, yet still has not redirected the mail to his new location. I’m not talking the regular flyer or oil change notice, but regular invoices, credit card bills and government documents. Why pay the post office a hundred bucks for a Notice of Address Change? Apparently, his old landlord has nothing else to do but collect and store his mail. And for free, no less. The best part is, the guy stiffed the landlord on the rent the last few months of his lease.
You see how I’ve got unlimited fodder for my book, perhaps even a series of them. The stories abound and yet, there’s just no time to put them together. Ironic, isn’t it?
Nadia
H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
JULIE GOWTHORPE
How to solve employee conflicts
Management goals commonly include maintaining harmonious work environments that make employees happy and motivated, but how do you achieve this when people don’t get along?
As teams grow and turnover happens, a variety of personalities and experiences become part of the landscape. In other words, conflict between people is inevitable. How do you, the manager, approach disputes between employees? Some steps to resolve conflict:
Identify the anxiety that blocks resolution. Until you think about who you are managing and then, what they have coped with throughout their lives, you will be unprepared. Talk with employees about who they are, before wading into the issue at hand.
Think like your employee. This effort can be proactive, so when conflict arises, you already know your employees. Ask questions like: What do weekends look like for you? Are they busy with obligations or do you get downtime? This genuine interest builds trust, so when you intervene in an employee dispute, they see you care about their overall wellbeing.
Cool your jets before taking off into problem solving. Let’s face it, most managers, owners and leaders find dealing with conflict between employees uncomfortable. This prompts a reactive response: we want the conflict resolved, and fast! Unfortunately, this approach leaves people feeling unheard, dissatisfied and vulnerable to further conflict. Instead, slow down. When your reaction is to quell your own anxiety with a quick solution, like separating them, it’s placing a tiny Band-Aid on a gaping wound. Take time to meet with them individually. Consider whether the experience has made them feel unvalued or unsafe (physically, emotionally or financially) and what would need to happen to lower this anxiety.
Keep the Relational Goal Paramount. The goal is to heal the relationship between employees. Unless they can work in complete silos, it is helpful to think of this relationship as a necessary elastic cord that must be flexible and intact for the relationship to work. Even if you can establish distance between the two, keep in mind unresolved conflict can ripple across teams. Shift from individual meetings to everyone meeting together. As the manager, take the lead with a calm, assertive and compassionate tone. Reiterate that you understand each of their experiences, and the purpose now is to find ground for resolution. Highlight the positives you have heard, and that you are pleased with the effort they have made to engage professionally. Finally, with resolution, reinforce the collaborative direction of the company.
Julie Gowthorpe, PhD, RSW, has a private practice, a weekly radio broadcast and forthcoming book I Hate People. Visit www.gowthorpetherapists.com.
Gerhard Gschwandtner in The Psychology of Sales Success, McGraw-Hill.
Private investors group buys grocer property
Area investor Darwish Alami and a group of investors have purchased the Zehrs store property on Main Street East in Kingsville.
Chicago-based Oak Street Real Estate Capital LLC, sold the property for $13.6 million. Oak Street, which did not respond to requests for comment, owns numerous grocery stores across Ontario, mostly in smaller communities.
Alami said the buy represents “diversification” within his group’s portfolio, as the team has often purchased facilities of a medical nature or retail plazas. He called Kingsville “a stable, very growing area. To me, it’s a gem in WindsorEssex. It’s a prime location.”
He also said Zehrs’ parent company Loblaws was “welcoming to have a smaller group own the property, and we love to have them as a tenant.”
The store is 60,000 square feet with the interior recently renovated. There is also a retail plaza next door with LCBO, Shoppers Drug Mart, FreshCo and McDonald’s on the town’s burgeoning east side shopping hub. More retailers are across the street.
The purchase of the single 5.2acre property, including a big parking lot, is similar to other recent stand-alone retail purchases by this group, represented by an Ontario numbered company.
Last year the group purchased the Shoppers Drug Mart property at 1760 Huron Church Road in
Windsor, with plans to add a clinic to a vacant upper floor. Alami’s group also owns the Applebee’s plaza on Huron Church, and the LaSalle Town Centre on Malden Road.
In other area sales, Leamingtonbased Carlos Martens purchased a farm from Keepsake Plants Ltd. at 268 Seacliff Drive in Leamington for $1.62 million. Martens could not be reached, and Keepsake did not return requests for comment.
“KINGSVILLE IS A STABLE, VERY GROWING AREA. TO ME, IT’S A GEM IN WINDSOR-ESSEX. IT’S A PRIME LOCATION.”
U.S.-based Keepsake is a division of Aris Horticulture, a centuryold company which produces “finished and container” plants such as hydrangeas, azaleas, poinsettias and ferns at two locations in Kingsville and Florida.
Finally, Casabella Clothing Boutique has purchased a small retail building at 119 Erie Street North for $1 million. Leamington Taxi, which operates from there, is relocating, according to a staffer.
The seller was a Leamington-based numbered company.
BY RON STANG
Long-time Kingsville retailer sold, expanding into area superstore
Continued from page 1
Parent, the store manager, has also partnered with Smith in the Chevrolet dealership. “The idea of an iconic business closing just due to Ernie’s retirement was a shame. When we got involved, we were able to make some sense out of it and it’s really worked for all of us.”
He said the store move “makes tons of sense” as Ernie’s was also renting storage space outside of the store.
The partners paid $2.45 million for the site between Mettawas Station Restaurant and Lake Erie, next to the Chrysler Greenway. Smith said renovations will cost about $1.5 million.
REVAMP
BY RON STANG
“We’re going to miss the traffic in town,” Smith said. “But it is two stories and difficult to navigate for logistics, for shipping in and out. We managed to secure this property, which sits on five acres with the opportunity for expansion down the road.”
A full renovation is being carried out on what was previously an historical warehouse, including new siding and front windows. Once open, more staff will be hired.
The building dates back from when MacDonald Tobacco ran it; more recently it hosted Action Hobbies
“It has some incredible floor to ceiling brick inside, some really cool rafters. We’re going to
enhance its roots and industrial feel,” Smith said.
The partners bought Ernie’s to diversify their business portfolio.
“Ernie’s is a wonderful institution. They’ve done a wonderful job with service over the years, and have an amazing customer base. When we got the chance to buy it from Ernie, we jumped at it,” Smith said.
The Lansdowne property’s seller, Southern Matrix Corp., had owned it since 1985.
Owner Brian Brandner said he divested because he is semi-retiring. He also leases retail space on Walker Road in Windsor for Brandner Farms Organics, which has been in business for more than a decade.
Canadian-family-owned funeral home chain sells two area locations
Arbor Memorial has recently sold off two area funeral homes, as it renews its portfolio with updated facilities to meet contemporary needs.
One is the Morris Sutton Funeral Home at 68 Giles Boulevard East, which it sold to the City of Windsor last August
for $2.2 million. The city has selected the site for a new fire station. The 1.1-acre property is strategically located on the northwest corner of Giles and Goyeau Street, two blocks from its current headquarters on Goyeau.
But the fire department has indicated it will be 10 years before construction actually begins.
Fire chief Stephen Laforet said the delay is due to the long-term “budgeting process” and the “availability of an appropriate property.”
The department had been unsuccessfully searching for a site “for a long time.” Get the property now and secure it, otherwise in 10 years when we have the money we may not have a suitable place,” he said.
Laforet said the building will be demolished and the site secured against vandalism. “We’re going to have it taken down as soon as that’s feasible.”
Arbor also sold the Marcotte Funeral Home in Tecumseh to Re/Max Care Realty broker of record, Goran Todorovic, who did not respond to requests for comment.
But Toronto-based Arbor’s VP of marketing Dustin Wright said the sales are “part of the same strategy. What we were finding is, we were outgrowing our facilities and families were looking for more space.”
In 2022 the firm acquired three Windsor Chapel funeral homes, which increased their funeral homes locally to nine. Consequently, older funeral homes near those locations would be sold. Arbor also owns a combined funeral home and cemetery, Victoria Greenlawn, on Highway 3 in Oldcastle.
NEWS AND VIEWS FROM AREA EXECUTIVES:
QUESTION: If you could choose your own bonus, would you prefer additional pay, paid time off, or gifts-in-lieu such as trips, stocks or gift certificates?
“Always more time. You can find ways to earn more or align your material wants with your needs. BUT, time is truly a luxury.”
“When I was young and starting out, extra money in my paycheck would have been welcome! In my 40s, extra time with family would have been appreciated. Now, if someone offered me a wonderful all-expenses paid trip, I would be ready to go tomorrow!”
Fadi Bidawid
, Co-Owner, Nuts4Dates.
Georgina Burns, Owner, Catering by Georgina.
“People differ vastly in the value they place on time, money, tangible items and trips et cetera. Personally, I believe time is our most valuable resource, and to me, it's priceless! Money and gifts are great bonuses, but you need to have the time to use them.”
Matt Drury, Co-Owner, Pareto Business Solutions.
“As a business owner I would definitely want time off, paid or not. Time is the only thing you can’t get more of. There are only 24 hours in a day.”
Jay Armeland, Owner, Armeland Law Firm.
“I would absolutely take the trip. It would give me an excuse to get away. There would then be no possible way to procrastinate, because the plans would be made, location and time fixed. And maybe to a place I wouldn’t have chosen myself, so even better!”
Dean Kral, Sales Representative, Buckingham Realty.
PRIME PROPERTY
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
SOLD
Address: 13009 Walker Rd.,
Essex
Selling Price: $1.5 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: 1000033594 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 10800 Lakeshore Rd.
303, Lakeshore
Selling Price: $1.13 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Randy Chevalier Agricultural Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 3045 Arner Townline, Essex
Selling Price: $1.95 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: 2743848 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1780 6th Conc. Rd.,
SOLD
Address: 14340 Henderson Line,
Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $1,098,879
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: 2732446 Ontario Inc.
Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $2.4 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Moravian of the Thames (Delaware Nation)
Kingsville
Address: 197 Lansdowne Ave.,
Selling Price: $2.425 million
Vendor: Southern Matrix Corp.
Purchaser: 1000906070 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 300 Main St. E., Kingsville
Selling Price: $13.6 million
Vendor: LOCA Properties (AB-ON) Inc.
SOLD
Purchaser: Great Lakes Greenhouses Inc. SOLD
Purchaser: 1000112999 Ontario Inc.
Address: 1002 Township Rd. 4, Leamington
Selling Price: $1.2 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
PRIME HOME SALES
$3,415
Listed For: $499,900
1932 Pillette Rd.
Size: 40’ x 101’
Bedrooms: 3 + 1 # Bathrooms: 1
$2,950 Listed For: $399,900
For: $380,000
“We continue to hear that advertising in Windsor Business, as our team does, adds credibility to our Wealth Management Process in the minds of our clients and prospective clients. The feedback we receive from the community, clients, friends and even competitors in the business has been nothing but positive.”
MARK ABRAHAM
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where: 312 Martine Lane, LaSalle
Property Size: 70’ x 123’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,691
Listed For: $599,000
Sold For: $600,000
SOLD
Where: 20 Marsh Ct., Amherstburg
Property Size: 47’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $4,464
Listed For: $699,888
Sold For: $685,000
SOLD
Where: 248 Broadway St., Belle River
Property Size: 70’ x 137’
# Bedrooms: 3
SOLD
Where: 572 Richmond St., Amherstburg
Property Size: 52’ x 132’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,558
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $470,000
SOLD
Where: 165 Kael Cr., Harrow
Property Size: 87’ x 159’
# Bedrooms: 2 + 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,186
Listed For: $649,900
Sold For: $620,000
SOLD
Where: 4015 Tecumseh
Line, Tilbury
Property Size: 61’ x 140’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,766
Listed For: $479,900
Sold For: $520,000
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,155
Listed For: $399,900
Sold For: $399,900
SOLD
Where: 206 Bernath St., Kingsville
Property Size: 44’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 3
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $4,367
Listed For: $1.09 million
Sold For: $995,000
SOLD
Where: 342 Robson Rd., Leamington
Property Size: 50’ x 182’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $4,645
Listed For: $489,900
Sold For: $420,000
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON COMMERCIAL:
• Individuals are two agricultural structures on a property on Mersea Rd. 7. Values of construction: $10 million and $900,000.
• Individuals are renovating a commercial building on Erie St. N. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Individuals are renovating a retail store on Erie St. S. Value of construction: $925,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a child care nursery on Maxon Ave. Value of construction: $5.35 million.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a duplex
dwelling on Robinson St. Value of construction: $800,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Point Pelee Dr. Value of construction: $200,000.
• Individuals are building a townhouse dwelling on Eagle St. Value of construction: $1.2 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Pinehurst Ave. Value of construction: $1 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily dwelling on Mersea Rd. 11. Value of construction: $685,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL:
• Southwest Agromart Ltd. is building a storage facility on
Centre Side Rd. Value of construction: $2.3 million.
• Timbertec is erecting an addition to an agricultural business on Scane Rd. Value of construction: $400,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• CCS Engineering & Construction is building an addition to a residence on Drake Rd. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Legacy Lane. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a residence on Devon Rd. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Agri Urban Buildings Inc. is constructing a single-family home on Dufferin Ave. Value of construction: $650,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on St. Clair St. Value of construction: $190,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Thirteenth Line. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Timbertec is building a singlefamily home on River View. Value of construction: $700,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building two sides of a semi-detached dwelling on Keil Trail N. Value of construction: $215,000 each.
• The Grove Corp. is undergoing Part 3 of renovations of a commercial property on Wigle Ave. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Marcovecchio Construction is erecting Part 3 of a commercial building on Road 3 E. Value of construction: $375,000.
• GS Engineering Consultants is undergoing Part 3 of an addition to an industrial building on Wigle Ave. Value of construction: $250,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on County Rd. 8. Value of construction: $80,000.
• Noah Homes is building a single-family dwelling on Mucci Dr. Value of construction: $700,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on County Rd. 34 E. Value of construction: $850,000.
• Brady Homes & Construction is erecting a single-family residence on County Rd. 34 W. Value of construction: $488,000.
• Solid Rock Homes is constructing a single-family dwelling on Road 2 E. Value of construction: $650,000.
Talbot St. N. Value of construction: $850,000.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an Addition Dwelling Unit at a singlefamily residence on Levergood Dr. Value of construction: $390,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on County Rd. 50 W. Value of construction: $1 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Sydenham St. Value of construction: $825,000.
• Nor-Built Construction is erecting a single-family residence on Bellcreft Dr. Value of construction: $525,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Ferris Ave. Value of construction: $100,000.
• R&S Renovations & Construction is building a single-family home on Erie St. S. Value of construction: $815,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Iler Rd. Value of construction: $1.85 million.
• Individuals are erecting an Additional Dwelling Unit to a residence on Jackson St. Value of construction: $400,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE COMMERCIAL:
• Ruthven Farms Inc. is building an addition to a facility on Road 4 E. Value of construction: $1.7658 million.
TOWN OF ESSEX COMMERCIAL:
• Boudreau Construction is erecting a new commercial building on Roseborough Rd. Value of construction: $1.5 million.
• G.L. Smith Planning is building a new Wendy’s restaurant on
• BK Cornerstone is building a single-family residence on Graf St. Value of construction: $705,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on 14th Conc. Rd. Value of construction: $995,000.
• Individuals are erecting an Additional Dwelling Unit to a residence on 4th Conc. Value of construction: $1 million.
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Callie: I have been at my company for five years and have only gotten one raise two years ago. I think I am worth more money. How can I ask for more without sounding greedy or having them fire me?
J.T.: You’re not alone, but there are powerful strategies that can help you get paid more for the job you’re already doing.
The first is to validate and quantify your accomplishments. This means transforming the bullet points in your résumé and LinkedIn profile into powerful statements backed by numbers. Remember, it’s not about how you did something; it’s about the results you achieved and the impact you made.
For example, instead of saying “Improved customer satisfaction,” try “Increased customer satisfaction ratings by 25 percent over six months, resulting in a 15 percent boost in repeat business.” Numbers are incredibly valuable on a résumé, because they quickly and efficiently demonstrate the depth of your expertise. They provide concrete evidence of your contributions and make it easier for employers to understand the value you bring to the table.
The second strategy involves creating what I call a “Job Matching Matrix.” This is a tool that helps you align your skills and experiences with the specific requirements of your current role. Start by carefully reviewing your job description. For each requirement or responsibility listed, match it with a quantified bullet point from your résumé that demonstrates how you meet or exceed that expectation. This shows you not only understand your role, but are also excelling in it.
Remember, companies hire you because you can save or make them money, or alleviate pain points. The more you can position yourself as the solution to potential problems, the more valuable you become.
The final piece of the puzzle is to adopt a targeted approach to your career advancement. This means moving away from the mindset of a desperate job seeker willing to take anything, which can make you a commodity and limit your earning potential.
Instead, create an “Interview Bucket List.” This is a carefully curated list of 10 to 20 companies you would genuinely love to work for. Instead of applying online, use your network to back-channel into these companies.
When you reach the salary negotiation stage, be clear about
your motivations. Remember, the key to a successful salary negotiation is preparation and confidence.
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.
START UPS
THE FOLLOWING WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT COMPANIES WERE RECENTLY ISSUED CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION UNDER ONTARIO’S BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT:
• Anax Epoxy Solutions Corp.
• Austin Group America Holdings Corporation
• Ayat Trucking Inc.
• Bobaroma Two Inc.
• Brad Thomas Investments Inc.
• Canada Render Ltd.
• Chatham Bowlerama Inc.
• Congress Annual Services Inc.
• Cooke Mechanical Inc.
• County Powder Coating Ltd.
• Dataguardian Inc.
• Discerning Services Group Ltd.
• Fastlink Distribution & Logistic Inc.
• Garreffa Software Solutions
• GJ Windows & Doors Ltd.
• Heatherbrenn Investments Inc.
• HSP Solutions Inc.
• Hypersphere Global Solutions
• Lariviere Mechanical Contractors Ltd.
• Lets Eat & Sweet Inc.
• Liquid Luxury Mobile Bartending Inc.
• McLean Property Assets Inc.
• MKF Trucking Inc.
• NMT Petroleum Inc.
• O & S Capital Investments Inc.
• Omega Star Construction Corp.
• Pack’d Inn K9 Services Inc.
• Polanco’s Art Media Inc.
• Pro-Fit Investments Ltd.
• Quality Flooring Solutions Inc.
• Rehab Therapy Solutions Inc.
• Revive & Thrive Centre Inc.
• Rhodes Business Center Inc.
• Robotic Technology Solutions
• Rx Staffing Solutions Inc.
• Safan Math Center Inc.
• Selects Auto Service Inc.
• Shlok Security & Investigation Services Inc.
• Shoreline Group Holdings Inc.
Continued on page 12
Build a community in which you are a unifying force
Iam a rock, I am an island.
Those lyrics are the theme of the 1967 Simon and Garfunkel song, “I Am A Rock.”
When it first came out and was being played on the radio, I remember telling a friend I liked the song, and asked if he did. His answer was something I will never forget: He said, “No, I don’t. I don’t want to be an island.” That was the first time I had ever thought about identifying with a lyric. My friend certainly understood Paul’s words and
took exception. I never hear that song without thinking of my friend’s comment, and about how right he was. Success in life can’t be found if you isolate yourself.
So, how do you make sure you don’t become an island? Build a community. Webster says community is “a unified body of individuals.” Now let’s take it to the next level by putting a possessive adjective in front, like this: my community. Not “my community” as in the
place where you live. I’m talking about the community of people who know, support and depend on you, wherever they may be.
A community that belongs to me. Have you ever thought about your friends, family, business associates and acquaintances that way? Everyone you know is a member of your community.
And here’s a pivotal thought: in “my community,” I am the unifying force, as you are in yours. I use the word “pivotal” because there is
great power in recognizing the unifying influence you have, and exercising that influence.
It’s important to think about the power of “my community” as leverage in our effort to carve out a niche in the marketplace. Being able to create and “unify” a community that is available to you –and you to it – is essential to success as a small business owner.
In Masters Of Networking, coauthored by my friend Ivan Misner, I found this: “Successful people do
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not achieve their success on their own. Instead, they surround themselves with a well-developed, sophisticated support network.”
So, how do you create your community? In terms of your personal penetration of the marketplace, the egg – networking –comes first, followed by the chicken – results. Networking is definitely the egg which, when done well, produces lots of different kinds of chickens: a customer, a friend, a partner, a center-of-influence, an acquaintance.
I like things with handles; especially things my brain uses. That’s why I coin phrases and acronyms, which become handles that help me remember an idea or concept to be handy for later and regular use.
A carpenter’s hammer and saw aren’t productive unless he is building something. Networking, as a lever, is a tool that is not productive unless you are consciously working on strengthening your community with it. You use a hammer and saw to build a house, and you use networking to move, build, unify and influence your community.
Recognizing you have a community, which you influence and unify, and identifying the profile of the members, will help you focus your future networking activity more productively.
Write this on a rock: Master carpenters build houses. Master networkers build communities. Get off of your island and start building “your community.”
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.
Mark Abraham, B. Comm. (Hons), CIM®
Associate Porfolio Manager and Senior Investment Advisor
Abraham & Associates
Wealth Management Group
156 Ouellette Avenue, Suite 300, Windsor, ON N9A 1A4
