5 HE SAID/SHE SAID: The news and views of area executives on pertinent business issues of the day.
12 CORPORATISM:
Jim Blasingame says disappointment is par for the course for entrepreneurs, so turn them into opportunities.
National waste behemoth acquires the assets of a Chatham-Kent recycler in a $4.5-million deal.
By Ron Stang
W2 AT A GLANCE
A look at statistical data on the private business sector in Canada, especially SMEs.
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.
10 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.
aste Connections of Canada, a large international firm, has purchased the Chatham-Kent Recycling Inc. facility last month for $4.5 million. Company officials from either firm did not respond to requests for comment.
Chatham-Kent Recycling Inc. has been a family-owned and operated business since 1994. The property is located at 6584 Middle Line in Merlin.
Chatham-Kent specializes in industrial recycling. It started as B&K Salvaging and incorporated in 1994, and was owned by John Kervoelen. It was run by him, wife Tracy and sons Derek and Darren.
It, too, expanded by swallowing another local firm by the current name, Chatham-Kent Recycling of Merlin, a “post-consumer” recycling company that handles the sorting of blue box waste and E-waste in Chatham-Kent. In 2012 the company began purchasing ferrous and non-ferrous steel.
Continued on page 4
AT A GLANCE
• In 2022, private sector businesses employed 12.2 million people in Canada. Most of these employees, 46.8% (5.7 million people) worked for small companies, compared with 36% (4.4 million) for large businesses and 17% (2.1 million) for medium-sized businesses.
• In total, SMEs employed 63.8% of the private sector workforce (7.8 million individuals), highlighting the important role SMEs play in employing Canadians.
• A small business has 1 to 99 paid employees; a medium-sized business has 100 to 499 paid employees; and a large business has 500 or more paid employees.
• More than 55% of small businesses in Canada have only between one and four paid employees; 73.8% have between five and nine employees.
• Total private sector employment in Ontario and Quebec amounts to 7,547,109 jobs, which represents 61.8% of Canadian private sector employment.
• In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges to the Canadian economy. However, in 2021, the economy started recovering. In 2022, we observed a positive net employment change in the private sector of 802,550, which corresponds to an annual growth rate of 7.0%.
• The net employment change among small businesses was 329,491, compared with 146,570 among medium-sized businesses, or an annual growth rate of 6.1% and 7.8%, respectively. Consequently, the contribution to net employment change was 41.1% from small businesses and 18.3% from medium-sized businesses. SMEs were responsible for 59.4% of net employment change over the last year.
Ontario Quebec B.C. Alberta
ACTUALLY, WE’RE LOOKING FOR SOMEONE IN MARKETING AND SALES, NOT SOMEONE WHOE DOES THE MARKETING AND SAILS...
BUSINESS BOOST
“There’s always the urge to cook the books when running a small business. It exists in its strongest manifestation when the business is healthy and throwing off profits, which will be taxed. While most small businesses run some lifestyle through the business, it is still contrary to the tax rules.
“I’m a proponent of running a business in a completely legal fashion. Playing with the books not only makes you vulnerable to getting caught, but it sets a terrible example for your employees as well as distorting real business performance.
“When you’re buying a business, the seller is motivated to tell you how much he ‘cheated’ because he wants to recast the expenses lower, which increases the earning of the business to show you why you should pay more.
“And you should pay more if the recast expenses do accurately reflect the true business performance. But if you see that the ‘cheating was frequent and widespread, and if the seller seems to have no issues with having done it, be on the lookout for more cheating. “Cheating that might affect the product or service, cheating that might mean unresolved safety hazards at the premises, or a boatload of other areas where cheating will hurt you, the buyer.”
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 7 • NOVEMBER 2024
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia H. Shousher
ART DIRECTOR David Cowx
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Blasingame, Mike Chase, 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.
The other day I found myself wandering around the office, a stack of papers in hand, wondering what I was meaning to do with them. Was I supposed to scan and E-mail them? File them? Copy them for posterity? What, oh what was I thinking when I initially grabbed them off my desk?
And then there was that time I stopped at a nearby grocery store armed with a list. Or so I thought. I stood there for at least 15 minutes, trying to remember what I was supposed to buy. Did I even make a list? If so, where did I put it?
I left the store empty handed, and came across that list in the bottom of my handbag a few days later.
Seems strange to me in the light of day. But is it?
This gradual loss of my short-term memory really became pronounced quite a few years ago, when I briefly attended an event at Caesars Windsor. For the life of me, I could not find my car afterward in the parking garage. I walked around and around, on every floor, pressing the panic button on my car’s key fob and waiting for the answering horn to guide me. Nothing. There was no cell reception in that garage, either, and I wondered: did I even drive here? Maybe I walked from the office! Oh, the anguish. I must have looked pretty pathetic, as an older American couple found me wandering and offered to drive me around to find my car. How humiliating. Yes, I own a business and a home and have travelled the world, but I couldn’t find my large, white SUV in a parking garage!
Is this just everyday forgetfulness or the portent of something worse to come?
I embarked upon my usual quest for public feedback, and found this type of short-term memory loss is pretty common among local executives. These are some of the explanations I heard:
• We’re just plain old, having aged more quickly since opening a business
• It’s from sleep deprivation, also the result of owning a small business
• It’s the sign of early onset dementia or Alzheimer’s, exacerbated by owning a small business
• It’s because we have too much “stuff” in our brains, competing for storage and attention, also made worse by owning a small business
• We’re so stressed from this frenetically-paced world, it’s harder to focus or process information, especially info related to our small business
• It’s a carryover from the Covid-19 pandemic, worsened by owning a small business Apparently, owning a business destroys one’s memory! But it was comforting to learn I’m not the only one with bursts of absentmindedness. But then, what was my point in this column anyway? I forget …
Nadia H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
MARGARET GRAZIANO
A blueprint for a growth mindset
When Satya Nadella took over as CEO of Microsoft in 2014, the company was known for its rigid, competitive and toxic culture. Instead of fostering collaboration, Microsoft had become a place where people withheld information, blamed others and engaged in defensive behaviors. Nadella knew that for Microsoft to thrive, it needed to shift.
One of his first actions was to transform Microsoft’s culture into one that embraced continuous learning, encouraged collaboration and fostered innovation. Microsoft is now one of the most innovative and successful companies in the world, which empowers employees to take risks and learn from failure.
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, fostering a culture of innovation is no longer just a nice-to-have. It's a must. One of the most essential elements in this equation is the cultivation of a growth mindset – the belief that talent and abilities can be developed through dedication, effort and openness to learning.
Individuals with a growth mindset view challenges as opportunities to grow, rather than as obstacles to avoid. They embrace failures as part of the learning process and are more resilient when faced with setbacks. The opposite of a growth mindset is a fixed mindset, where individuals believe their talents and intelligence are static traits. Those with a fixed mindset may feel threatened by challenges, and often shy away from opportunities that could lead to failure or expose their perceived limitations.
Here are some elements to cultivate a growth mindset:
Shaping the Environment for Growth. It requires an environment where calculated risks are welcomed, trial and error is part of the process, and regular feedback loops are established. In organizations with growth mindsets, teams are encouraged to try and fail, with a focus on learning rather than consequences. Developing the Architecture. To optimize collective genius, leaders must create an architecture that promotes creativity and collaboration. This begins with a clear intent – defining the purpose of meetings, projects or initiatives. What is the goal? Clarity builds trust and ensures teams can focus on innovation.
Proactivity and Solution-Oriented Thinking. A growth mindset promotes proactive problem-solving. Instead of waiting for issues to arise, employees are always looking for ways to improve and optimize.
A culture of people with the growth mindset continually evolves, leading to breakthroughs in innovation, engagement and long-term success. Just as Microsoft’s transformation illustrates, committing to a growth mindset can unlock unprecedented levels of performance and creativity.
Margaret Graziano is the founder and CEO of KeenAlignment, as well as a Wall Street Journal BestSelling Author for her book “Ignite Culture.” Visit www.MargaretGraziano.com.
Robert Sher in The Feel of the Deal: How I Built a Company Through Acquisitions, 1 to Ponder.
Dormant former Dresden Martinrea plant sold MANUFACTURING
The other shoe has dropped for the one-time Martinrea Fabco Metallic plant in Dresden.
The Toronto-based company closed the operation last winter, leaving 60 people without work. According to a company statement, the cause was due to the loss of contracts with Stellantis
The contracts were for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300C. The remaining work went to the firm’s other area facility in Ridgetown, which has recently seen a major investment.
MEANWHILE, MARTINREA
ANNOUNCED A PLAN TO INVEST $35 MILLION IN ITS RIDGETOWN PLANT, ABOUT 35 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF DRESDEN.
Unifor Local 127 National Representative Jeff McFadden said he was “shocked” when first informed of the news, according to a local press report. He said the vehicles were “coming to the end of their run” as Stellantis was moving into the electric vehicle market.
Most of the workers were let go before last Christmas, but a handful remained into the new year.
The plant had long been a fixture in Dresden, which has a popu-
lation of 2,800. The town also hosts ConAgra Foods’ tomato processing plant, which announced last year a significant upgrade and expansion. There are also a few other smalland medium-sized manufacturing firms in the town.
Meanwhile last June, Martinrea announced a plan to invest $35 million in its Ridgetown plant, about 35 kilometers southeast of Dresden. The 100,000-square-foot expansion, now under construction, will house a 3,000-metric tonne stamping press.
“The new stamping press will allow for the production of larger and more complex parts for customers, including body-in-white components, battery enclosures and chassis part,” said the company at the time. “It will also enhance production efficiency and quality, minimizing waste and energy consumption.”
The Ridgetown factory dates from 1987 and was acquired by Martinrea in 2006. It employs 150, producing metal stampings and welded assemblies for automotive. Martinrea is a multinational with 56 locations across 10 countries.
A Martinrea official did not return requests from comment.
Meanwhile the Dresden plant has been acquired by Dennis Hewko of Burlington ON for $4.25 million. A person by the same name is co-CEO with Enviroshake, a Chatham green roofing and building products company. He did not return requests for comment.
BY RON STANG
International firm buys area recycling plant for $4.5 million
Continued from page 1
It purchases copper, brass, stainless and aluminum, then upgrades, packages then sells to smelters and refineries across North America or overseas.
“Today the company strives to be a leader in industrial and consumer recycling through the Chatham-Kent & Windsor-Essex areas,” states the firm on its website.
BY RON STANG
The rural processing site measures almost 30 acres.
Meanwhile, Waste Connections of Canada is currently the third largest privately-owned waste management company in North America, with 71 recycling facilities.
Based in Toronto and headed by CEO Ronald Mittelstaedt, the firm itself was formerly known as Progressive Waste Solutions. It handles a wide variety of non-
hazmat waste such as recycling, composting, landfill disposal and even renewable energy waste. Its operations straddle Canada and the United States, and serve private and non-private customers including commercial and industrial sites, as well as municipalities. It has operations in five provinces and 29 states. Both companies have been leaders in employing robotic recycling machines.
Long-time Anglican church set to become ecumenical education center CONVERSION
Along-time church in south Windsor has been sold, with the building to be turned into an educational center.
St. James Roseland, at 4276 Roseland Drive, was built in 1951 but put on the market earlier this year. The $1.45-million deal closed in August.
The buyer, Sukhjeet Dhoat, was listed at a residential address in South Woodslee but could not be reached for comment.
Sales representative Cesar Arazian, Sales Representative with Deerbrook Realty, said the buyer wanted to keep his intentions for the building “under wraps.” The former church sits on a 1.25-acre
triangle of land in a sedate residential neighborhood near the Roseland Golf Course
The property, with an attached hall, also comes with a house which had served as the rectory. Arazian said the buyer is “keeping the roots and structure of the property intact,” adding there would be minor updates and renovations to the building.
Its future use will be “literally an (ecumenical) educational facility for children,” he said.
The property was listed for $999,900 and sold within 90 days.
Diocese spokesman Davor Milicevic said the diocese doesn’t act to sell, until the local church
makes a decision. “They know if they can pay the bills and pay their clergy,” he said.
The sale follows others in recent years due to declining church membership; these parishioners are now attending St. Matthew’s on Norfolk Street.
The diocese still has more than 20 churches within Windsor-Essex County.
“It’s never an easy decision for any community,” Milicevic said. “And this is definitely true for this particular community, with a very long and rich history.” He said “quite a few churches” were built at the same time in the aftermath of the Second World War.
“We’ve been at this address since 2012. Since then, we’ve had seven break ins, with damages each time between $1,000 and $1,500. I’ve seen on the cameras lately more people doing drugs behind the store every night, so I invested in a new alarm system, more cameras and light sensors.”
Ammar Kafelghazal, Owner, Smartphone Clinic.
“I have always had to take the security of my business seriously because of what we deal with on a day-to-day basis, and the information my business is privy to. We deal with very sensitive financial information, and strive to keep everything safe from a paperwork standpoint and our computer files.”
“I have just gone through every social media platform I am on and checked the security settings, to be sure my information is not being shared. This, after receiving 14 Emails from Donald Trump’s campaign requesting money. Thanks X and Elon!”
Dan McCulloch, Realtor, Re/Max Capital Diamond.
“The majority of breaches occur via information ‘voluntarily’ provided. Remember, the government, your bank, credit card, utility companies and cell phone providers will never call or Email you for private information!”
James Labiak, Associate Investment Advisor, Abraham & Associates Wealth Management Group
“I have to. I’ve been living in Windsor for 34 years and have noticed an increase in unemployment, in crimes and car thefts, increased homelessness, higher property taxes and a higher cost of living. It has gotten worse since I moved here. I hope to see a better Windsor soon.”
Ali Taleb, owner, Assitara.com.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
SOLD
Address: 3242 Sandwich St.
Selling Price: $2.4 million
Vendor: 3242 Sandwich Development Inc.
Purchaser: Northern Horizon Holdings Inc.
SOLD
Address: 407, 415 Bruce Ave.
Selling Price: $800,000
Vendor: Algo Capital Holdings Inc.
Purchaser: 1000645315 Ontario Inc.
SOLD Address: 1832, 1838 Meighen Rd.
Selling Price: $1,854,195
Vendor: Bayside Homes Ltd.
Purchaser: Sonus Real Estate Investment Corp.
SOLD Address: 249 Pillette Rd.
Selling Price: $3,149,533
Vendor: 1000432 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 1000997746 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 477 Detroit St.
Selling Price: $1.5 million
Vendor: Windsor-Essex Catholic
District School Board
Purchaser: Corporation of the City of Windsor
SOLD
Address: 2 Eugenie St. E.
Selling Price: $1.4 million
Vendor: Spenjord Management Inc.
Purchaser: Douron Holdings Inc.
SOLD
Address: 2730, 2740, 2760
Howard Ave., 526 Vanier St.
Selling Price: $2.9 million
Vendor: WFT Investments Ltd.
Purchaser: 2322272 Alberta Ltd.
PRIME PROPERTY
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
SOLD
Address: 548 Walker Rd., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $1.05 million
Vendor: Echo-Cad Design Ltd.
Purchaser: National Vehicle Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 245 Erie St. S., Leamington
Selling Price: $800,000
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Jason Daraiche Holdings Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1340 County Rd. 13, Harrow
Selling Price: $2.7 million
Vendor: UCG Land Inc.
Purchaser: Colchester Bay Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1128 County Rd. 8, Leamington
Selling Price: $3 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Pomas Farms Inc.
SOLD
Address: 20585 Charing Cross, Chatham-Kent
SOLD
Selling Price: $431,404
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: J & L Jenner Farms Ltd.
Address: 6584 Middle Line, Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $4.549 million
Vendor: Chatham-Kent Recycling
Purchaser: Waste Connections of Canada Inc.
SOLD
Address: 450 Highway 77, Leamington
Selling Price: $850,000
Vendor: 1037200 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 2815464 Ontario Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 1130 Wellington St., Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $4.25 million
Vendor: Martinrea Metallic
Canada Inc.
Purchaser: 1001005296 Ontario Inc.
ERIE ST. E.
PRIME HOME SALES
Where: 346 Bruce Ave.
Property Size: 27’ x n/a
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $853
Listed For: $249,900
Sold For: $250,000
Where: 2740 Curry Ave.
Property Size: 135’ x 108’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,500
Listed For: $499,000
Sold For: $515,000
Where: 8085 Riverside E.
Property Size: 60’ x n/a
# Bedrooms: 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,700
Listed For: $399,000
Sold For: $411,000 SOLD
Where: 3726 Myrtle Ave.
Property Size: 40’ x 106’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,764
Listed For: $369,900
Sold For: $340,000
Where: 3456 Everts Ave.
Property Size: 60’ x 119’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,699
Listed For: $549,000 Sold For: $540,000
SOLD
Where: 655 Roseland Dr. S.
Property Size: 65’ x 132’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $5,305
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $573,600 SOLD
Where: 8504 Darlington
Property Size: 33’ x 89’
$1,707
Listed For: $329,000
For: $350,000
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where: 8 Sandwich St., Amherstburg
Property Size: 39’ x 112’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,200
Listed For: $364,990
Sold For: $380,000
SOLD
Where: 12121 Intersection Rd., Tecumseh
Property Size: 95’ x 125’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,645
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $495,000
SOLD
Where: 1507 Shawnee Rd., Tecumseh
Property Size: 70’ x 220’
# Bedrooms: 3
SOLD
Where: 69 Cooper Lane, Amherstburg
Property Size: 120’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,959
Listed For: $550,000
Sold For: $515,137
SOLD
Where: 2647 County Rd.
20 E., Essex
Property Size: 130’ x 262’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,250
Listed For: $689,000
Sold For: $678,000
SOLD
Where: 11 Miami Ave., Leamington
Property Size: 80’ x 120’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,500
Listed For: $575,000
Sold For: $550,000
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,400
Listed For: $380,000
Sold For: $378,000
SOLD
Where: 1019 Erie St. S., Essex
Property Size: 298’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $4,221
Listed For: $699,900
Sold For: $694,111
SOLD
Where: 2 Sutton Dr., Leamington
Property Size: 56’ x 110’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,200
Listed For: $549,900
Sold For: $535,555
BUILDING PERMITS
THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS RECENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT:
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON COMMERCIAL:
• Abraham Construction is doing alterations on Seacliff Dr. Value of construction: $30,000.
• E-Foam Insulation is building a new Bunkie on Road 3 E. Value of construction: $178,000.
• Nello Construction Inc. is doing renovations to a commercial building on Road 3 E. Value of construction: $500,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON RESIDENTIAL:
• Timberland General Contractors is building a single-family home on County Rd. 34 W. Value of construction: $1.8 million.
• A contractor is building a singlefamily home on North Talbot Rd. Value of construction: $800,000.
• Noah Homes is building a single-family residence on Regent St. Value of construction: $900,000.
• Timber Valley Homes Inc. is building a single detached residence on Spruce St. N. Value of construction: $300,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL:
• Brad-Lea Meadows Ltd. is building a restaurant on Grand Ave.
W. Value of construction: $990,000.
• Brad-Lea Meadows Ltd. is building a retail store on Grand Ave. W. Value of construction: $1.1 million.
• Martinrea Metallic Canada Inc. is building an addition to a manufacturing plant on Golf Course Line. Value of construction: $10.5 million.
• JG Tilbury Inc. is renovating a restaurant on Dufferin St. Value of construction: $260,000.
• The TDL Group Corp. is renovating a restaurant on Dufferin Ave. Value of construction: $430,000.
• Waltron Ltd. is building an addition to a manufacturing plant on Marsh St. Value of construction: $350,000.
• 2831004 Ontario Ltd. is doing renovations to a hotel on Victoria Rd. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Individuals are doing renovations to a restaurant on McNaughton Ave. Value of construction: $460,000.
• Tatro Properties Ltd. is doing renovations to a health care property on Richmond St. Value of construction: $300,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• 1000384221 Ontario Inc. is
building one unit of a semidetached residence on Park St. Value of construction: $600,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $280,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building a single-family home on Valencia Dr. Value of construction: $450,000.
• Unique Homes (2003) Inc. is building a single-family home 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.
• CKSL Development Ltd. is building eight single-family residences on Indian Creek Rd. Values of construction: $500,000 each.
• MGA Professional Real Estate Corp. is doing renovations to an apartment building on Main St. Value of construction: $175,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily dwelling on Sleepy Meadow Dr. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Maple City Homes Ltd. is building two single-family homes on Ironwood Trail. Values of construction: $450,000 each.
• Individuals are renovating a single-family home on Four Rod Rd. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building a single-family home on Fenceline Dr. Value of construction: $215,000.
• Rumble Homes Ltd. is building a single-family residence on Pinehurst Line. Value of construction: $700,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Winners Cir. Value of construction: $50,000.
START UPS
THE FOLLOWING WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT COMPANIES WERE RECENTLY ISSUED CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION UNDER ONTARIO’S BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT:
• 11 Arrows Property Solutions Ltd.
• Abcodeworld Digital Media Inc.
• Agriculture Contracting Inc.
• Alaq Solution Inc.
• AMGTruck House Ltd.
• Anywhere Home Healthcare Inc.
• Ardaas Construction Canada Inc.
• Asiana Investments & Commerce Inc.
• Ayat Trucking Inc.
• Bamburgh Industrial Construction Services Inc.
• Blinkcart Services Inc.
• Boltvision Services Inc.
• Bricksure Construction Ltd.
• Canada Digital Health Wellness Nutrition Technology Center Corp.
• Canada Quick Biz International Trade Inc.
• Canada Render Ltd.
• Capturease Creations Inc.
• Chatham-Kent Crowfest Inc.
• Dr. Engine Auto Repair & Service Ltd.
• Dry Edge Solutions Inc.
• E & A Auto Center Inc.
• Elite Interiors Better Building Group Inc.
• Elite Lawncare & Landscaping Inc.
• Fixit Automation Inc.
• Fresh Start Service Inc.
• Ghotra22 Logistics Service Inc.
• GN Truck Mechanic Centre Inc.
• Good Land Home & Essentials Ltd.
• Great Lakes Online Inc.
• Greatway Transportation Canada Inc.
• H. Paras Trucking Inc.
• Jean Daniel Cleaning Company Inc.
• JJ Jenner Family Foundation
• KH Family Store Inc.
• Lakeside Little League
• 1000126008 Ontario Inc. is building an apartment on Sheldon Ave. Value of construction: $570,000.
• 1000858759 Ontario Inc. is doing renovations to an apartment on Victoria Ave. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Leaguers Training Facility Inc.
• MLDL Business Solutions Inc.
• Myers/Riverfront Control Solutions Ltd.
• Naomee's Limitless Life Media Inc.
• Next Dimension Homes Inc.
• Nordic Retreat & Spa On The Sydenham Inc.
• Nova Renewables Inc.
• Nova Tool & Mold Inc.
• PGMZ Investments Inc.
• Pho #1 Vietnam Restaurant Ltd.
• Pickleplex Windsor Inc.
• Prachi Datainfer Inc.
• Pressmatic Prints Inc.
• Reejh Trucking Inc.
• Robby's Barber Shop Inc.
• Rose City Football Club
• Shoptale Store Inc.
• Shwery Health Facility Ltd.
• Sikh Cultural Society Chatham-Kent
• Skytech Windows & Doors Systems Inc.
• Smart Renovation Solutions Inc.
• Socially Collected Inc.
• Soulfulgaze Creative Designs Inc.
• Southwestern Ontario Driving School Inc.
• Talbot Mobile Truck Repairs Ltd.
• Tandem Group Consulting Solutions Inc.
• The Barbers In Inc.
• The Decorating Store Inc.
• The Gift of Clean Inc.
• Triangular Trucking Inc.
• Ums Automation Inc.
• Valencia Pro Trucking Inc.
• Varstar Alliance Inc.
• W & S Charbonneau Investments Ltd.
• W. R. Barry Truck Service Inc.
• Wallaceburg Hometown Bingo Association Inc.
• WFIO Capital Corp.
• Windmill Cabinet Shop Ltd.
• Windsor HVAC Home Comfort Inc.
• Windsor Logistics Services Inc.
• Windsor Orthopedic Surgical Centre Inc.
• Windsor Racquet Sports Centre Inc.
• Windsor Selects Baseball Club Inc.
• Windsor-Essex Aquarium
• Winland Studio Inc.
• World Flavour Foods Inc.
• Yes Sir Cleaning Inc.
• Yom Trading And Business Consultants Corp. WB
Michael Campoli Owner Steven Caruso Sales Manager
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Shawn: I am looking for a new job and am shocked at how low the salaries being posted are. Just two years ago, jobs for my skill set were around $80,000 a year. Now I’m seeing the same jobs listed for $50,000. What is going on?!
J.T.: You’re not alone in noticing this troubling trend. Salary reductions have left many job seekers wondering why the numbers don’t match the market we were seeing just a couple of years ago. Let me break down what’s happening and how you can still position yourself to get the compensation you deserve.
The pendulum swing: why salaries are dropping. The job market is like a pendulum, swinging between favoring employers and favoring candidates. Two years ago, we were in a post-pandemic hiring frenzy where companies were desperately seeking talent, and employers were willing to pay top dollar to fill roles. But today, the pendulum has swung the other way. With economic uncertainty, layoffs and more people re-entering the job market, many companies feel like they have the upper hand again. Employers believe they can pay less because there’s an oversupply of talent willing to take a job at a lower rate.
The law of supply and demand. Right now, companies are adjusting their salary bands downward because they believe there are plenty of qualified candidates who will accept less pay. But job markets are cyclical, and eventually, things will stabilize. The key for you right now is navigating this temporary low in a smart and strategic way.
Become a must-have candidate. How do you stand out and get the salary you deserve when employers are trying to lowball? It’s all about positioning yourself as a “must-have” candidate, someone so valuable that they can’t afford to lose you over a salary disagreement.
The aspirin vs. vitamin approach. Right now, companies are hiring like they need aspirin, not vitamins. A vitamin is something nice to have. It improves your overall wellbeing, but you could live without it. Aspirin, on the other hand, is what you reach for when you’re in pain and need immediate relief. It’s essential. You need to show companies that you’re the aspirin. You are the candidate who will solve their most immediate and painful problems. When you position yourself as the solution to their headaches –whether that’s boosting sales, streamlining operations, fixing a
broken process or leading a struggling team – they’ll see you as indispensable. And when a company sees you as indispensable, they’re much more likely to stretch their budget and offer you a salary that reflects your true value.
How to prove you’re the aspirin. Before you walk into an interview, do your homework. Research the company’s challenges and the specific pain points they’re facing in the role you’re applying for. Then, when you interview, don’t just talk
about your qualifications. Talk about how you’re going to solve their problems.
Instead of saying, “I have five years of project management experience,” you could say, “I know your team has been struggling to meet deadlines on key projects. I’ve developed a streamlined approach that reduced project completion time by 30 percent in my previous role. I’d love to bring that expertise to help you meet your deadlines more efficiently.”
When you position yourself as the person who can alleviate the company’s pain, that’s how you justify a higher salary.
The bottom line, while it’s frustrating to see salaries dropping, this isn’t the time to give up or settle for less than you’re worth. By positioning yourself as the musthave candidate and mastering the art of negotiation, you can still secure a job that pays you what you deserve.
Remember, the pendulum will
swing back. It always does. Your job right now is to navigate this market smartly, position yourself as an indispensable asset, and make sure you’re getting paid what you’re worth.
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.
Disappointment is par for the course for entrepreneurs
All of us have disappointments, but they’re an especially abiding element in the lives of small business owners. By definition, an entrepreneur is a risk taker. If risk was an object it would be a coin – one side success and the other side failure.
Statistically, a coin flipped 100 times will land on either side pretty close to the same number of times. But entrepreneurs take lots of risks, and even with better than 50-50 odds of success, that still leaves a
lot of disappointments.
Entrepreneurs also have this crazy tendency to try to do things we have never done before, sometimes even things no one has ever done before. In those cases, the opportunity for disappointment increases significantly.
And even if we should actually do something no one has ever done before, like produce a perpetual engine or find a cure for the common cold, there is a truck loaded with disappointments before it.
Albert Einstein said: “I think and think for months and years. Ninety nine times the conclusion is false. But the hundredth time, I am right.” In her book, If Success Is A Game, These Are The Rules, my friend Cherie Carter-Scott wrote:
“Disappointment is similar to grief. You must be willing to feel the experience of it and not just gloss over it, if you hope to recover from it.”
I agree with that statement, but it presents a particularly tough chal-
lenge for small business owners, because we often associate disappointments with failure, and failure is our enemy. Entrepreneurs are hard-wired to fight the enemy, not “experience” it. Consequently, we have to deal with disappointment in a way that doesn’t make us feel like we are accepting defeat.
For those who work alone, disappointments can land especially hard and rattle around inside of us, because disappointing news can cause you to question your vision, especially when you’re alone. If you have family, you probably won’t tell them about a setback, because you try to protect them from what you think they would consider bad news. Even if there is someone you could talk to, you probably won’t because you hate failure, and just don’t like to talk about it. Talking about it makes you feel weak.
Each disappointment hits you where it hurts, and with an impact commensurate with the seriousness of the disappointment. Cherie says, “You need to give yourself time to process what has happened,” and that “we process disappointment in different realms:”
“DISAPPOINTMENT IS SIMILAR TO GRIEF. YOU MUST BE WILLING TO FEEL THE EXPERIENCE OF IT AND NOT JUST GLOSS OVER IT.”
Physical. Literally, what you have to do as a result of a disappointment. If you lose or have to terminate a valued employee, you must to begin taking the steps to find a replacement without delay. If you lose a sale or a bid, you have to notify whoever may have been standing by to begin fulfillment in the event you were successful. While these tasks may be distasteful and regretful, they must be done, and they can serve to help you replace negative energy and self-pity with productivity and possibilities.
Psychological. In the marketplace, when someone says no, it’s easy to take it as an assault on your dream, your vision and your passion. It’s neither. It’s just business. But the pill is no less bitter, and the best antidote to a rejection is an acceptance. That’s why it’s important to have several options working on any project.
Write this on a rock: The issue isn’t whether we will have disappointments. It’s what we do with the ones we’re destined to have. Acknowledge, accept, process and talk about them, then turn them into opportunities.
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.
James Labiak (Client Service Associate), Mark Abraham (Senior Investment Advisor), Lori Seguin (Client Service Associate)
