A career advice column by two workplace consultants and career coaches.
12 CORPORATISM:
Jim Blasingame says the small business owner has to resolve to overcome the bad numbers.
S2 AT A GLANCE
A look at how different global populations are utilizing Artificial Intelligence.
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.
7 PRIME PROPERTY
A look at recent commercial property transfers in Essex and Chatham-Kent area.
8 PRIME HOME
A look at recent residential property sales in the city of Windsor.
9 PRIME HOME
A look at recent residential property sales in Essex County and Chatham-Kent.
10 BUILDING PERMITS
A compilation of construction activity in the Windsor and area market.
andwich Street is hot and it’s probably going to be the new Walkerville,” said Paul Serra, who spearheads an investment group which just purchased its latest high-profile property on Sandwich Street.
The property contains the Haight Ashbury cannabis store, and at one time housed Courtesy Bicycles. Serra, a local dentist, purchased the property through a power of sale following a bank takeover from the former owner, who had great visions for the building along with another on Drouillard Road.
This marks the third Sandwich Street property the group has purchased. Another is the three-storey grey and brick building on the corner of Sandwich and Mill streets. Known as the Robinet Building, it was originally a 19th century winery owned by Jules Robinet, credited with launching the winemaking industry in Essex County. “In bootlegging days it was a cellar,” Serra said. “We want to restore that to its original glory.”
Continued on page 4
A local investment group has been investing in Sandwich Town, expected to undergo a renaissance. The team from left to right: Paul Serra, Mario Staccone, John Staccone and Sam Bazzi. By Ron Stang
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• A recent study is based on feedback from populations across 15 countries.
• It looked at how consumers think, feel and engage in activities such as shopping, travel, entertainment, socialization, technology and Generative AI, and work in our dynamic, ever-changing world.
• It found as more people engage with AI tools, concerns persist despite technology's recognized role in enabling progress.
• The study showed increasing awareness of, and engagement with AI tools.
• It also showed people are more likely to leverage AI tools for personal use versus work use.
• People are discovering a growing variety of applications for AI, such as to help stay organized, to manage one’s health, to create or build something, to research and summarize complex information, and to improve writing skills.
1. Concerns about AI’s potential dangers, biases, and data security issues underscore the need for cautious advancement.
AI could be dangerous, and we should approach this technology with caution.
I don’t trust companies using AI to protect my personal data.
AI is biased and amplifies gender and race stereotypes.
HOW TRADE WARS GET STARTED...
BUSINESS BOOST
“Except when we are deeply meditating, our mind is filled with thoughts about work. Life, kids, bills, problems, you name it. Our minds are working all the time, including when we are sleeping.
“Some of these thoughts are positive and some of these thoughts are not so positive. Some are affirming, and some are harshly judging of both ourselves and others. Positive thoughts usually provide us with pleasurable emotion and consequences. Negative thoughts usually have unpleasant emotion and consequences.
“Choose to observe and see the good in the world. Choose to find and use the positive ideas, information and feedback that will help you grow and succeed. Choose to give and forgive. Choose to see the many right ways that work can be done and life can be lived. “Choose to develop a positive attitude that brightens everyone’s path. Choose to see yourself as the brightly shining star that you are.”
VOLUME 28, ISSUE 11 • MARCH 2025
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., 2025.
Back in my 20s, I spent more of my time protesting and picketing than practically anything else. I stored dozens of signs in the trunk of my ’77 Nova, one for every possible occasion or social cause I may happen across in my daily forays into the community.
I wrote letters to the editor of various newspapers and scathing diatribes in obscure publications. I gave what I thought were stirring speeches to groups of like-minded politicos. I organized boycotts, and used my power as a consumer/student/activist/citizen to affect change in my little part of the world.
Man, I miss those days. When you’re in your 20s, it’s a lot easier to believe your views and political actions have some positive impact on a poor state of affairs. Later, as we supposedly mature to adulthood, it gets tougher to sustain that belief. We become consumed with the more serious business of making a living and being responsible. It gets harder to maintain the conviction that good will triumph over evil, that social activism is effective and worthwhile, that there is real value in speaking out.
Funny, with age and “success” come more socio-economic power, yet never have I felt more impotent against injustice or financial deceit than I do now. I can’t even count in the past few weeks how many times companies have attempted to rip me off: Incorrect change given at the till. Double dipping on my credit card. Prices determined at the discretion of the cashier and his or her mathematical dyslexia. Charging tax where it is not to be applied. Refusal to provide an official invoice, let alone a receipt for proof of payment. Are these scams? Maybe not. Were they purposefully done? Probably not. It’s more likely frontline staff is poorly chosen and then improperly trained. But more is the values of the operation, in which service, ethics and fiscal integrity are so unimportant they are practically absent in the day-to-day operations. These are not local independent firms, but large companies that have been in business long enough to have learned the customer should be the first priority. Our patronage – yours and mine – is what kept these behemoths operating, pushed the profits through the roof, and allowed their boards and higher ups the overinflated compensation they’ve enjoyed. Meanwhile down on the floor, or in the call center, the peons who are face-first with customers seem to be mostly underpaid, unappreciated, mistreated and easily replaceable. So, do we call and lodge a complaint? How to find them, is the question. Or should we grab a picket and march to and fro in front of the local storefront? The message won’t get to the top dogs, though, and they are the ones needing to hear it. Yap on our social media to spread the news? Doesn’t seem too effective. So, I boycott. My list of boycotted businesses is so long now, it’s practically a book. But maybe, if enough of us join in, something will change. I may no longer be in my 20s, but I still believe in the power of political action.
Nadia
H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
SUSAN ROBERTSON
Innovate like Easter egg decorating
Every year, Amy hosts an Easter egg decorating team building party, where she and a bunch of her suppliers spend an entire afternoon decorating boiled eggs. They do this for the sheer pleasure of out-of-the office bonding, creating interesting and attractive objects.
So why, as adults, don’t people exercise their inner child-like creativity more often? What is it about the Easter egg party that allows them to so freely generate and express such range and diversity of ideas? There are several factors, all of which also apply to innovation.
Each egg represents a very low commitment. It is cheap in both time and materials to try any idea they think of, so they try lots. If one doesn’t work, it doesn’t matter – it’s just one egg. Similarly, in your innovation work, you need to consider and try out many ideas, to ensure only the best ones move forward. As innovation projects proceed through a company, they get more expensive in money, time and labor at each successive phase. This allows you to try out lots of ideas early on, while it’s still cheap. They leverage not only individual creativity, but also use the power of the group. Someone will think of an idea to try, and then toss it out to the group. Then everyone contributes ideas for how best to accomplish it. No one ever says, “Yes, but that won’t work.” Everyone just thinks of ways to help make it better.
In many companies, the “Yes, but” phenomenon is all too common. It’s critical to create an environment that nurtures ideas rather than stifles them, so you get the benefit of the best thinking of the entire team. They are willing to start over when something clearly isn’t working. One woman brought eggs that were not naturally white; they were brown. It wasn’t clear that dyeing them would work well. And, the first few attempts didn’t work. But when she chose red, yellow and orange colors and left them in the dye bath long enough, she got some of the most uniquely rich and vividly colored eggs anyone had ever seen. Unfortunately, in organizations, too many innovation projects not quite hitting the mark proceed too far. It’s important to recognize when an idea isn’t working, and then be willing to start again when you need to. Reframing the goal results in more divergent ideas. The woman with the brown eggs also tried other methods of decorating the eggs, not just coloring them. Once she reframed the problem from coloring to decorating, everyone else also began creating the most innovative and unusual eggs of all.
The next time you find yourself with a challenge to meet, keep these tips in mind to help you think more creatively and come up with more innovative solutions.
Susan Robertson has more than 20 years of experience speaking and coaching in Fortune 500 companies, and is an instructor at Harvard. Visit SusanRobertsonSpeaker.com.
Joe Farcht in Building Personal Leadership: Inspirational Tools & Techniques for Work & Life, Genesis Publishing.
Windsor’s Hearn Industrial purchased
TFI International Inc., a multifaceted logistics and transportation company based in Montreal, has purchased Windsor’s venerable Hearn Industrial Services Inc. for an undisclosed price, closing in the second quarter.
Chartered accountants Baker Tilly Capital handled the deal.
Hearn itself is a transnational company specializing in supply chain logistics such as sequencing parts, subassembly and transportation for the auto industry. Begun by
Don Hearn Sr. in 1966 with a backhoe, it now is run by sons Don Jr. and Steven Hearn. It also operates a truck fleet including just-in-time delivery. It has facilities in Ontario and four U.S. Midwest states.
Both representatives for Hearn and TFI said they had no comment at this time.
Peter Corio in Baker Tilly’s Windsor office said Hearn will continue to operate under its own brand.
Corio called the Hearn group
“an incredible success story” and lauded the family for being “great entrepreneurs.” He said it was “a pretty special moment” for Baker Tilly to work with the firm.
“Started by Don Sr., it’s had some really great growth under his sons, with substantial operations both in Canada and the United States.”
TFI has purchased other southwestern Ontario trucking firms in recent years. These include Gorski Transport and SM Freight of Chatham.
BY RON STANG
Investment group sees Sandwich area as “hot”
Continued from page 1
Their second property is a seven-unit building, with three commercial and four residential units, nestled further west in the business district.
They then purchased a duplex on Peter Street, a block away.
“We’re committed. We think (Sandwich) is going to take off and we want to be part of it,” he said.
The latest purchase at 3150 Sandwich has two commercial and two residential units, and was recently renovated.
Serra couldn’t comment on what happened to the previous developer, but said “he didn’t spare a dime” on renovating including installing high-end finishes. “It’s an incredible property.” There will also be a mural painted on the building’s east wall incorporating the history of the neighborhood.
Serra’s group is known as SBSS Properties and includes Dr. Sam Bazzi, another dentist, and John Staccone.
Serra said the entire neighborhood is going through a transition, fueled in part by the recent street makeover courtesy of the Gordie Howe International Bridge’s “com-
munity benefits” program, as well as other commercial and residential facelifts.
The cannabis store will continue to operate, and Network Financial will go in next door. Haight Ashbury was temporarily closed because of street improvements, which limited access.
Serra said his group is excited about the area’s prospects, including a high-rise housing development near the Detroit River at Mill.
“The area’s hot and we’re happy to be part of it,” he said. “We’re looking to invest in even more properties in that area.”
Stephen Hargreaves, Sandwich Town BIA director, said the district “is on the doorstep of what I think is going to be a cultural and economic boom.”
He said improvements to the former bike shop building were a “massive architectural renovation, that pays respect to the historical nature of the neighborhood” and “attention to detail has been second to none.”
Besides Serra’s group, other investors are buying up Sandwich properties in Windsor’s oldest and most historic area. This includes a “huge” residential and commercial student-oriented development near Sandwich and Mill, postponed during Covid.
“The BIA is aware of large investments coming to the area, which shows people are confident in the growth of this community and business district,” he said.
The renovations and facelifts have also included the Sandwich Brewing Co., Rock Bottom Bar & Grill, the overhaul of a former fire hall into the John Muir library branch, and Sandwich Boutique Hotel in the former post office.
Developer’s grand residential vision now under power of sale
Ahigh-profile Windsor businessman with a grand vision for a new type of housing has had his property seized, which is now on the market under power of sale.
Tosin Bello, owner of Turn Key Real Estate, is attempting to buy back the almost eight acres at 1095 North Talbot Road between Highway 401 and 6th Concession. “I just need a new lender,” he told Windsor Business.
Bello’s BelloCorp. had envisioned his Southwood Lakes Estates, with 33 lots, to be a “green” community. In addition, he would sell duplexes and triplexes as combination equity and investment income properties, meaning owners would live in part of the building and rent out one or two units for income, all with a “traditional” home profile.
Bello began work on the site –the last undeveloped land in the Southwood Lakes area – in 2023, but his contractor surprised him with a payment demand ”ahead of schedule,” he said. He had a lender to provide funds, but only after the servicing and new appraisal was completed.
Windsor Business attempted to obtain comment from the contractor, Rudak Excavating, without success.
Bello also provided $1.43 million to the city as a deposit (65 percent of construction cost) and understood “upon substantial completion they would release some (half) of the money I gave them.”
The city requests the money in the
event a developer can’t finish a job and it would have to step in to complete, Bello said. But the city told him he had to have the entire site completed. The city wouldn’t comment on this particular file.
The ambitious project was to be
“net zero” with solar panels. “You’d have no electricity bill,” Bello said. The price points were $1.5 to $1.7 million.
Despite the high upfront prices, the units would be affordable because the owner could rent the other units.
A realtor in Woodbridge, InterCity, has the power of sale listed for $6.999 million. Woodbridge was where Bello’s lender was located. Lou Grossi of InterCity declined to comment.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
SOLD Address: 3156 Sandwich St.
Selling Price: $1 million
Vendor: Equitable Bank
Purchaser: 2611332 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1295 Wyandotte St. W.
Selling Price: $945,000
Vendor: 1000006725 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 1001043412 Ontario Inc.
SOLD Address: 1332-1344 Wyandotte St. E.
Selling Price: $1.2 million
Vendor: 1332 Wyandotte Inc.
Purchaser: EB 1332 Wyandotte Corp.
SOLD
Address: 488 Lauzon Rd.
Selling Price: $950,000
Vendor: 1000033971 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 16661441 Canada Inc.
SOLD
Address: 245 Detroit St.
Selling Price: $1.95 million
Vendor: 2541063 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: 1001090502 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 635 Tecumseh Rd. W.
Selling Price: $5.6 million
Vendor: Windsor Textiles Ltd.
Purchaser: FA Investments Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 333 Eugenie St. E.
Selling Price: $2.06 million
Vendor: Morrish Solutions Inc. Purchaser: 1890991 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1009 Niagara St.
Selling Price: $932,000
Vendor: 1137034 BC Ltd.
Purchaser: 15924642 Canada Inc.
PRIME PROPERTY
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE ESSEX & CHATHAM-KENT AREAS:
SOLD
Address: 492 Blanchard Park
Dr., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $2.25 million
Vendor: 1206660 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: Blanchard Park
Holdings Inc.
SOLD
Address: 3646 N. Malden Rd.,
Essex
Selling Price: $1.65 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Hylander Farms Inc.
SOLD
Address: 3616 Creek Rd., Amherstburg
Selling Price: $1.655 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Riverview Steel Co. Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 321 Mersea Township Rd. 8, Leamington
Selling Price: $2 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Lebo Farms Ltd.
SOLD
Address: 11361 Eds Line, Chatham-Kent
SOLD
Address: 29831 Irish School Rd.,
Selling Price: $1.445 million
Vendor: 1897802 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: Debrouwer Custom AG Ltd.
Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $2,527,966
Vendor: York1 Environmental Waste Solutions Ltd.
Purchaser: Whitestone Fields Ltd.
SOLD Address: 883 South Middle Rd., Leamington
Selling Price: $3.148 million
Vendor: Named Individuals Purchaser: Named
SOLD
Address: 57-61 & 65-67 Talbot
St. E., Leamington
Selling Price: $1.25 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Figliomeni Investments Inc.
PRIME HOME SALES
Where 3849 Hillcrest Blvd.
Property Size: 46’ x 128’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,642
Listed For: $399,900
Sold For: $365,000
Where: 856 Marion Ave.
Property Size: 28’ x 145’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,073
Listed For: $339,900
Sold For: $300,000
Where: 881 Howard Ave.
Property Size: 26’ x 110’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,222
Listed For: $249,000
Sold For: $295,000
Where: 1036 Lauzon Rd.
Property Size: 35’ x 111’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,687
Listed For: $389,900
Sold For: $380,888
Where: 5080 Malden Rd.
Property Size: 98’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,465
Listed For: $699,900
Sold For: $665,000
Where: 830 Kennedy W.
Property Size: 94’ x 153’
# Bedrooms: 4
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: n/a
Listed For: $849,900
Sold For: $870,000
Where: 3265 Bruce Ave.
Property Size: 60’ x 115’
# Bedrooms: 6
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,577
Listed For: $449,900
Sold For: $420,000 SOLD
Where: 7026 Wyandotte E.
Property Size: 49’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,500
Listed For: $349,900
Sold For: $367,500
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where:209 Bartlett Rd., Amherstburg
Property Size: 51’ x 122’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $5,200
Listed For: $719,900
Sold For: $710,000
SOLD
Where: 1116 Monarch
Meadows Dr., Lakeshore
Property Size: 49’ x 137’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $3,200
Listed For: $699,000
Sold For: $765,000
SOLD
Where: 44 Stewart Ave., Tilbury
Property Size: 72’ x 100’
# Bedrooms: 4
SOLD
Where: 71 Vermont Dr., Amherstburg
Property Size: 49’ x 107’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,032
Listed For: $445,000
Sold For: $440,000
SOLD
Where: 7055 7th
Concession Rd., Essex
Property Size: 199’ x 251’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $4,400
Listed For: $650,000
Sold For: $575,000
SOLD
Where: 22 Camelot Ave., Leamington
Property Size: 50’ x 130’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,214
Listed For: $399,900
Sold For: $400,000
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,208
Listed For: $479,000
Sold For: $472,000
SOLD
Where: 719 Cedar Island, Dr., Kingsville
Property Size: 155’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 5
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $11,848
Listed For: $1,099,000
Sold For: $1,262,500
SOLD
Where: 32 Melrose Ave., Leamington
Property Size: 61’ x 141’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,443
Listed For: $469,000
Sold For: $447,000
TOWN OF ESSEX COMMERCIAL:
• Individuals are doing interior finishes to a restaurant on Talbot St. N. Value of construction: $205,000.
• Individuals are building a warehouse addition on King St. W. Value of construction: $289,000.
• 1000346879 Ontario Inc. is doing commercial renovations on King St. W. Value of construction: $120,000.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Bart DiGiovanni Construction is building an Accessory Dwelling Unit on Bear St. Value of construction: $35,000.
• Valanova Homes is building a single-family residence on 4th Concession. Value of construction: $1.14 million.
• 1000836172 Ontario Inc. is building a 9-unit apartment building on Laird Ave. Value of construction: $3.2 million.
• Noah Homes is building two sin-
gle-family residences on Lucy Lane. Values of construction: $635,000 and $670,000.
• Individuals are doing interior finishes to a three-unit apartment on Talbot St. N. Value of construction: $250,0000
• Signature Homes Windsor is building a single-family residence on Dolores St. Value of construction: $1.193 million.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a residence on Queen St. Value of construction: $348,000.
• 2442747 Ontario Ltd. is building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a residence on South Malden Rd. Value of construction: $1.16 million.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL:
• LH Gray & Sons Ltd. is erecting an agricultural building on Beechwood Line. Value of construction: $2.5 million.
• Timbertec is erecting an agricultural building on Kent Bridge Rd. Value of construction:
$275,000.
• Zandgate Farms Inc. is building an addition on Palmyra Rd. Value of construction: $890,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• 1001066208 Ontario Inc. is building a townhouse on Winterline Rd. Value of construction: $1.4 million.
• 2622380 Ontario Ltd. is building a single-family home on Dufferin Ave. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Mi Cazza Construction Inc. is building a single-family home on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Maple City Homes Ltd. is building two single-family homes on Ironwood Trail. Values of construction: $450,000 each.
• Maple City Homes is building an addition to a multi-unit residence on Bloomfield Rd. Value of construction: $350,000.
• Rumble Homes is building two single-family homes on Charing Cross Rd. Values of construc-
tion: $650,000 and $92,000.
• Affinity Elite Homes is building eight semi-detached units on Worthington Crt. Values of construction: $350,000 each.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on County Rd. 14. Value of construction: $600,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on East Beach Rd. Value of construction: $16,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Mersea Rd. 15. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a residence on Robinson St. Value of construction: $20,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE RESIDENTIAL:
• 2601370 Ontario Inc. is building a single-family home on Laier
Lane. Value of construction: $1,208,258.
• Individuals are building an addition to a residence on Laurier Dr. Value of construction: $150,000.
• Orion Homes Inc. is building four units of semi-detached dwellings on Jolly Ave. Values of construction: $448,510 each.
• Orion Homes Inc. is building a single-family residence on Jolly Ave. Value of construction: $439,263.
• Orion Homes Inc. is building a single-family home on Pallies Dr. Value of construction: $1,022,431.30.
• 2814977 Ontario Ltd. is building two single-family homes on LaSalle Woods Blvd. Values of construction: $687,130 and $691,430.
• 1603965 Ontario Ltd. is building four units of semi-detached homes on Mayrand St. Values of construction: $415,152.50 each.
• Hadi Custom Homes Inc. is building two units of a semidetached dwelling on Valerio Cr. Values of construction: $467,810 each.
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Parents returning to work:
Sarah: I’m a stay-at-home mom returning to the workforce after several years, and I feel like I’m starting at square one. My confidence is low, and I’m not sure how to position myself to employers. How do I make this transition successfully?
J.T. O’Donnell: Let me say what you’re feeling is completely normal, but let me set the record straight: while it may feel like you’re starting fresh, you are not starting from scratch. In fact, you’ve been honing an incredible set of transferable skills, and you’re about to learn how to leverage them to your advantage.
Parenting develops incredible transferable skills; managing a household, raising children and juggling countless responsibilities require abilities directly applicable to the workplace:
• Time management: Organizing schedules, balancing priorities and meeting deadlines (like school drop-offs or managing family appointments) demonstrate organizational skills.
• Problem-solving: Parents face challenges daily, from resolving sibling disputes to managing unexpected crises. These experiences build resilience and creativity in finding solutions.
• Communication: Whether it’s navigating conversations with teachers, advocating for your kids, or coordinating with other parents, you’ve likely sharpened your interpersonal skills. Employers value these qualities. They just need to see how they align with their needs.
A common misconception is that your résumé is the key to getting back into the workforce. While résumés are important, they’re not the best tool for parents reentering the job market. Because a traditional résumé emphasizes chronological work history, which doesn’t capture the full picture of your skills and experiences.
Instead, focus on strategies that highlight your capabilities, passion and unique value proposition. This is where storytelling comes in. What makes a candidate stand out isn’t just their experience – it’s their ability to connect their story to an employer’s mission.
For example, if you’re passionate about helping people, you might say: “During my time as a stay-at-home parent, I honed my ability to manage competing priorities, solve complex problems and connect with people on a personal level. These experiences have deepened my desire to contribute to a mission-driven organization, where I can make a meaningful
impact.”
This approach helps hiring managers see your transition as a strength, not a gap.
Here’s a step-by-step plan to set yourself up for success:
1. Create a bucket list of inspiring organizations. Identify companies whose missions resonate with you. When you’re excited about a company’s work, that enthusiasm will shine through in your outreach and interviews.
2. Develop stories that showcase your capabilities. Think of specific examples where you demonstrated leadership, problem-solving or collaboration in your role as a parent. These stories can illustrate how your skills translate to the workplace.
3. Communicate your unique value proposition. Focus on the qualities that make you stand out – your motivation, adaptability and communication skills. Remember, employer-
sare often more interested in who you are and why you want the role, than they are in your past titles.
Sarah, you’re not just “starting over.” You’re bringing years of invaluable experience, wisdom and perspective to the table. Employers are looking for candidates who can think creatively, adapt to challenges and connect with others. And those are exactly the skills you’ve been building as a parent. Take the time to craft
your story, connect with the right people and show employers why you’re excited to contribute. This transition is the start of an exciting new chapter, and you’ve got what you need to succeed.
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.
There are dangerous high percentages in business
Arabbit was being chased by a hungry fox. Running for his life, he hopped over a turtle as he made haste. As the turtle tucked himself safely inside his shell, he inquired about his anxious neighbor’s prospects: “Hey, Mr. Rabbit, you gonna make it?”
To which Mr. Rabbit replied resolutely: “I’ve GOTTA make it.”
When business owners wake up in the morning, we’re sometimes like Mr. Rabbit: We don’t know if we’re going to eat or be eaten.
So, why do small businesses live so close to the edge of survival? Why are our circumstances so much more dramatic than our Big Business cousins? The answer is actually quite simple, and can be found in the math. Consider: Gaining or losing a sale or a customer. A sale and a customer for a big company are important, but the loss of either typically will not be critical to its survival. Big companies have thousands of customers and may make as many transac-
tions every day. The loss of any one opportunity will likely be no more numerically momentous to them than a lake losing a drop of water. For a small business, every sale is critical because, by definition, each represents a much larger percentage of our total opportunity universe. When we lose an opportunity, it takes a bigger mathematical bite out of our future viability.
When a key employee leaves. When a key player leaves a big business, there are probably at least
three very capable players standing by to be promoted off the bench. The word that best describes the talent pool for small business is, thin – often razor thin. When a key member of a small business’s team leaves, the impact varies from a major inconvenience to a major setback. And since there are more jobs to do in a small business than people to do them, the importance of finding the right replacement is great, but the danger in not finding the right person is greater.
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When capital infusion is needed. When it comes to capital acquisition, our larger cousins are blessed with multiple options, including the equity markets, offering corporate bonds, and bank loans. The operative term is multiple options, each of which is only a fraction of any big business’s capital acquisition universe.
Small business is the stepchild of the capital markets. Other than bank loans and whatever retained earnings we can hold on to, the best way to describe our other capital acquisition options is found in the names of the twin brothers of desperation: Slim and None. Consequently, the percentage of capital acquisition options our bank loan proposal represents is probably 100 – one of the few times when this number is considered bad.
In nature, certain organisms have acquired adaptations and defenses that allow them to succeed in environments that would be dangerous, if not fatal, to others. I think this is also the case for that organism called a small business.
Faced with limited options, small business owners acquire a special kind of “I’ve GOTTA make it” resolve, but resolve alone isn’t enough. The only way for a small business to overcome the reality of our numbers, and operate with less desperation, is to combine grit with a focus on operating fundamentals: • Service customers within an inch of their lives
• Build/maintain good relationships with banks (yes, plural)
• Hire and manage employees as stakeholders rather than workers In 218 BC, Hannibal crossed the Alps with 35,000 men and a squadron of elephants. His army faced a critical point where forward progress and options were diminishing. Sensing disaster, and realizing this was a test of his leadership, the great Carthaginian general is said to have uttered those words small business owners say to themselves every day: “We must either find a way – or make one.”
Write this on a rock: Some days you’re a rabbit, some days you’re a general. Either way, you’ve gotta make it, with a combination of grit and operating fundamentals.
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.
