5 HE SAID/SHE SAID: The news and views of area executives on pertinent business issues of the day.
12 CORPORATISM:
Jim Blasingame says as a small business owner, you are the futurist of your company.
C2 AT A GLANCE
A look at how global consumers are managing the increased cost of living.
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 residential property sales in Windsor, Essex County and Chatham-Kent.
10 BUILDING PERMITS
A compilation of construction activity in the Windsor and area market.
olchester Bar & Grill, a roadhouse institution along County Road 50, has been purchased by the owners of Kingsville’s Elite Restaurant. But the well-known eatery and entertainment venue will continue as it always has, albeit with some minor upgrades.
Long-time owner Julie Appleby retired and put the restaurant up for sale. Elite owners, brothers Bimi and Iris Rexhepi, bought it and began renovations soon after. The venue should reopen by May.
“It’s been (Appleby’s) life for the past so many years. I think it’s a good opportunity for her and for us as well,” said Rexhepi Bimi.
The brothers always wanted to own a restaurant in Colchester along the popular County Road 50 tourist route, which is filled with vegetable stands, wineries and bordering Lake Erie.
on page 4
Bimi Rexhepi is the new co-owner of the long-standing Colchester Bar & Grill on County Road 50 in Harrow. By Ron Stang
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• A recent study found consumers across the globe navigate rising costs with focused spending.
• Even prior to the U.S. tariffs taking effect, consumers were feeling worried about overspending, primarily with food and fashion.
• Four distinct consumer mindset profiles emerged balancing the tension between material desires and financial realities.
• These are Strugglers (who get through life with minimum spending), Escapists (who keep calm and don’t worry), Content (who believe the important things in life are not for sale), and Strivers (who believe what you own defines who you are).
• Baby Boomers are more likely to fall into the Content segment, whereas higher income individuals are more likely to be Strivers.
• The study found 58 percent of respondents feel they spent more money than they should have recently.
AND WHAT SPECIAL SKILLS OR EXPERIENCE DO YOU THINK YOU WOULD BRING TO A JOB IN THE RAT RACE?
BUSINESS BOOST
“A company is a direct reflection of the CEO. Think of some good CEOs or presidents you have known or have worked for, and whether their companies are successful. Then, think of some rotten leaders and consider what happened to their companies and sales people.
“There’s probably a link there, because good executives have a much greater chance of creating good companies. Conversely, bad executives are more likely to create bad companies, irrespective of the quality of their products.
“A bad leader will eventually make your life miserable by creating policies that will hinder sales. Sadly, some CEOs make the sales people suffer first. One big misstep by this leader can tank your career and your earnings. The CEO cannot be ignored in your company examination.
“The leader’s interests, skills and faults permeate the entire company. The apprehension that numbs a company when the CEO is replaced is justified. No one knows how this change of captains will work out.”
VOLUME 29, ISSUE 1 • MAY 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.
The other day I was traipsing down memory lane (I so love to traipse!), fondly recalling my prior fervor of socialism. It came to mind because, in the process of purging an old box of papers, I remembered my naiveté when starting my business. It hit me why I left that ideology behind.
For one thing, starting a business put me clearly on the other side of “red,” and how could I explain that to my comrades? For another, it became obvious there is an intrinsic impracticality to socialism on a large scale. While it looks great on paper, it is almost impossible to uphold in real life.
Sobering thoughts followed me around while I tried to figure out if there exists a happy medium between a diehard “others above self” perspective, and an “anything for a buck” mentality.
I came across this by Winston Churchill: “The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery.”
One of the aspects of capitalism I’m still not comfortable with is the ugly truth of what seemingly decent people will do for money. Yes, money makes the world go ‘round, it’s necessary to live, and there’s nothing wrong with hoping to live well, in comfort and without fear. But when is enough actually enough?
How low will you go to make a buck, or save one? What price do you put on your integrity? How offensively or selfishly are you willing to conduct yourself, operate your business or treat people to get ahead? Do we scam our customers? Rip off employees? Swindle the government on our taxes? Do we look the other way when faced with proof of another’s ill-gotten gains? Wouldn’t that make us just as liable as the actual swindler? At what point do we realize we have sold our soul for the almighty dollar?
I love those guys who plan the bankruptcy of their company well in advance: they put every asset in a spouse’s name, lease top-of-the-line vehicles and squirrel their liquid cash away so their creditors can’t touch it. They then stand in innocence, while loyal employees not only lose their jobs, but get stiffed on their last paycheques or severance (hello, Bobbleheads of the Bay).
Nice. Wouldn’t we all love to be so unencumbered?
Maybe it’s not money per se that is the root of all evil, but how we as individuals treat it. Most of us take our portion of the wealth available and spread the rest of it around, or at least agree with the concept of sharing. This is socialism as I understand it. Others, perhaps not burdened with a conscience or ideals of altruism and charity, overcompensate themselves and figure to hell with others.
There’s a fine line between one viewpoint and another. Instead of making a conscious choice of one over the other, most of us simply straddle it.
Nadia H. Shousher
is Editor-in-Chief of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
SUSAN ROBERTSON
Your brain is lying, and
it costs you
Leadership can feel like flying a plane through dense fog. You’re managing priorities, pressures and people. You’re flying through turbulence, and the instruments keep changing. But what if the threat to your trajectory is how your own experience shapes what you can no longer see?
The Curse of Knowledge is a cognitive bias that happens when we become so familiar with something, we stop examining it. Once we “know” something, our brains tag it as settled. That’s helpful for getting through a busy day, but it’s dangerous in an environment that demands change. Here’s how it shows up: “That’s how we’ve always done it” or “We already tried that.”
These aren’t facts. They’re filters – installed by past experience, running quietly in the background. We don’t notice them because they feel like truth.
The Curse of Knowledge makes it harder to see new paths and new ways to solve the new challenges you’re facing. And in business, that can cost you dearly. There’s a different way to lead through uncertainty, and it starts with possibility thinking.
Possibility thinkers don’t assume the first roadblock is the end of the road; they’re willing to look again and ask, “What else could be true?” This is disciplined curiosity, and curiosity is one of the most underutilized competitive advantages available.
Assumption Smashing: Most of what limits your thinking isn’t a real rule. It’s a made-up one. It’s created by your brain based on all your past experience and expertise. People absorb assumptions from their own history. But just because something was true once, doesn’t mean it’s true now. Assumption smashing is the act of surfacing those invisible “rules” and breaking them on purpose.
Change the Question: If a team is stuck, the problem might not be the problem; it may be how it’s being defined. Small changes in language lead to big differences in thinking. If the goal is to reduce customer churn, it could be framed as: “How can we retain customers?” or “What would make them stay, even if a competitor charged less?” Each question sends the brain down a different path.
Borrow a Brain: Sometimes teams are simply too close to the problem. That’s why bringing in someone who doesn’t “know how it works here” can be so powerful. They don’t carry the same assumptions. Invite a colleague from another department, or pair up a veteran with a next-gen team member. Fresh eyes can expose what the Curse of Knowledge has hidden.
You’re already flying the plane. Now ask yourself: Are you still headed in the right direction? The most dangerous limits are rarely external; they’re the ones that go unquestioned.
Susan Robertson has over 20 years of experience speaking and coaching in Fortune 500 companies. Visit
Gerry Cullen in The Coldest Call: Why Some Good Products Don’t Sell, McGraw-Hill.
AG companies transfer buildings
Two long-time related agribusiness properties in Kingsville have been acquired by Teccle Group Inc., owned by the managing partners of the companies operating out of them, AMA Horticulture on Spinks Drive.
They are married couple Rick Bradt and Connie Bradt-Monsma, who have been operating the family business for almost 20 years, which was started by Connie’s father Allen Monsma in 1982.
The $5.4-million sale of the more than three-acre sites, known separately as AMA Plastics and AMA Horticulture, occurred in March.
“All we did was move the buildings into a holding compa-
ny,” Rick said.
AMA the business continues operating as usual, and Rick and Connie continue with AMA. The couple also own another property at 1916 Road 3 East in Kingsville. It’s a production and warehouse facility, while 2011 Spinks Drive is used for production, shipping and offices. Another property at 2005 Spinks is a warehouse.
The firm employs almost 30 people on- and off-site.
AMA makes and distributes an array of products from containers, trays and flats, to growing media and substrates, seedlings and production equipment, racks and carts.
The firm saw a major surge in business in the 1990s “when the hydroponic vegetable growing
business started to take off,” Rick said.
AMA supplies mainly greenhouses, tree nurseries and some agricultural clients. “Mostly it’s growing containers and growing substrates,” he said.
The market – largely businessto-business – is North Americanwide. The company also sells its popular Al’s Flower Pouch online, which Allen invented. “These are the wall bags you see in the spring at the garden centers,” he said. It’s sold widely in 10 countries.
“Back in 1992, nobody had any such thing. It was something you could grow, the way you would grow a hanging basket, except it goes on the wall or fence,” Rick said.
Colchester grill sold
Continued from page 1
“I think it’s up and coming, it’s growing. It’s a good opportunity,” Rexhepi said. “It’s a cool spot and that community feels similar to what we have in Kingsville. I think it’s just going to grow from here.”
Some upgrades the brothers plan for the exterior will happen later this year. Rexhepi said they have to do with operations. “It’s a lot of functional stuff, as it’s an older building,” he said. “The place hasn’t changed in 30 years, so it’s a little outdated.”
But the overall feel will continue. “It’s got that cabin-like feel. It’s a local spot and everybody knows it. We want the people who have been coming here for years, but we
also want to bring it into the 21st century.”
They will change the atmosphere slightly. “Things are going to be a little bit different and I think it’s only natural when we take over a place, to put our twist on it.”
This allows them to expand their culinary offerings because at Elite, which they’ve run 12 years “there’s certain things we’re limited to” because it’s a steakhouse. “It gives us an opportunity to experiment a little.”
Previous owner Appleby said the business had long been a “staple in the community,” long before the winery industry became so big. “Sometimes during the year, we were the only game in town for food or drink.”
Have a commercial kitchen? Ventilation upgrades can help. Joint incentives from Enbridge Gas and Save on Energy cover up to 90 percent of costs. Have shipping doors? These
of everything.
QUESTION:
“My greatest satisfaction is coming in to work and helping businesses and residents with their communication and security needs. There are always challenges when owning your own business, but positive benefits come with seeing people excited and satisfied with their system purchase.”
Fred Raby, Vice-President, Unique Communications Inc.
“I look forward to a new challenge each and every day. I can’t imagine waking up without a purpose. The secret is to create an environment that you love, and I love my work and the people I work with day in and day out.”
Al Valente, President/Owner, Valente Travel Inc.
“After 33 years in this industry, I am still excited to see projects come together. There is nothing better than having a happy client when they see the finished project. I thrive on coming up with creative solutions.”
Lori Patterson, Business Development & Account Manager, Allegra/Image360.
“Every day I get to work with an amazing team of professionals that truly cares about the people they help on their individual wellness journeys.”
“I have a lot of fun at work, but the main thing that keeps me motivated is the opportunity for creative problem-solving. My best days are spent engaging with clients and designing solutions for their business problems.”
Doug Sartori, Principal Consultant, Parallel 42 Systems.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
SOLD
Address: 2807 Front Rd., LaSalle
Selling Price: $1.308 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: The D’Amore Group Inc.
SOLD Address: 1027, 1029 & 1033
Howard Ave.
Selling Price: $735,000
Vendor: Jezdic Holdings Inc.
Purchaser: Named Individuals
SOLD Address: 3740-3790 Tecumseh
Rd. E.
Selling Price: $2.875 million
Vendor: 1000023127 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 2779932 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 4276 Roseland Dr. E.
Selling Price: $1.83 million
Vendor: 1000873037 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: Petcon Realty GP Inc.
SOLD
Address: 2875 St. Etienne Blvd.
Selling Price: $2.7 million
Vendor: Ground Effects Ltd.
Purchaser: CCS Engineering & Construction Inc.
SOLD Address: 3955 Tecumseh Rd. E.
Selling Price: $1.25 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: 1001067046 Ontario 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: 2410-2498 Manning Rd., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $5 million
Vendor: M. Mutter & Associates Ltd.
Purchaser: Lakeshore Industrial
SOLD
Address: 5120 Halford Rd., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $650,000
Vendor: Dayus Management Ltd.
Purchaser: Dayus Roofing Inc.
SOLD
SOLD
Address: 22 County Rd. 46, Lakeshore
SOLD
Address: 332 Grand Ave. E./318
Chatham St. N., Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $710,000
Vendor: Lakeside Trucking (Windsor) Inc.
Purchaser: Named Individuals
Selling Price: $3 million
Vendor: CKVPC Realty Corp.
Purchaser: 1560000 Ontario Inc.
Address: 280-286 Sandwich St. S., Amherstburg
Selling Price: $1 million
Vendor: K. Quinn Veterinary Medicine
Purchaser: Dreamink PQ Ltd.
Address: 5349 Outer Dr., Tecumseh
Selling Price: $1.13 million
Vendor: 1277187 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: Mailloux Holdings Inc.
Address: 2590 Manning Rd., Lakeshore
Selling Price: $4.5 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Lakeshore Industrial Park Corp.
SOLD
Address: 9 Sarah Cr., Chatham-Kent
Selling Price: $2.43 million
Vendor: Foundation Capital Holdings Ltd.
Purchaser: 9 Sarah Holdings Inc.
PRIME HOME SALES
Where: 1346 Hall Ave.
Property Size: 30’ x 118’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,297
Listed For: $359,500
Sold For: $415,700
Where: 1236 Laurendeau
Property Size: 45’ x 111’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,211
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $500,000
SOLD
Where: 1530 Pillette Rd.
Property Size: 40’ x 101’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,541
Listed For: $379,900
Sold For: $367,000 SOLD
SOLD
Where: 3679 Wolfe Crt.
Property Size: 45’ x 105’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $2,950
Listed For: $499,900
Sold For: $490,000 SOLD
Where 3519 Tecumseh W.
Property Size: 47’ x 90’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 1
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,114
Listed For: $349,900
Where: 1255 Janisse Dr.
Property Size: 55’ x 110’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $3,700
Listed For: $599,900
Sold For: $645,000
SOLD
Where: 3505 Maisonneuve
Property Size: 65’ x 115’
# Bedrooms: 4
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,614
Listed For: $599,900
Sold For: $610,000 SOLD
Sold For: $345,000
Sold For: $650,000
SOLD
Where: 205 Eveleigh Cr.
Property Size: 50’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,512
Listed For: $590,000
PRIME HOME SALES
SOLD
Where: 1565 Lovell Cr., LaSalle
Property Size: 28’ x 166’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,000
Listed For: $549,565
Sold For: $540,000
SOLD
Where: 5765 Ninth St., LaSalle
Property Size: 80’ x 109’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $4,393
Listed For: $699,900
Sold For: $680,000
SOLD
Where: 328 East Puce Rd., Lakeshore
Property Size: 80’ x 140’
# Bedrooms: 4
SOLD
Where: 259 Heaton St., Amherstburg
Property Size: 56’ x 107’
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,710
Listed For: $574,900
Sold For: $565,000
SOLD
Where: 7040 Eagle Cr., Amherstburg
Property Size: 70’ x 181’
# Bedrooms: 3 + 2
# Bathrooms: 3
Taxes: $7,216
Listed For: $1.2 million
Sold For: $1.15 million
SOLD
Where: 5759 Tecumseh
Line, Chatham-Kent
Property Size: 250’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $5,831
Listed For: $799,900
Sold For: $790,000
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $2,247
Listed For: $289,900
Sold For: $305,000
SOLD
Where: 6155 McCormick Rd., Essex
Property Size: 210’ x irr.
# Bedrooms: 3
# Bathrooms: 2
Taxes: $3,251
Listed For: $1,699,500
Sold For: $1,675,000
SOLD
Where: 94 Chelsea Cr., Kingsville
Property Size: 49’x 119’
# Bedrooms: 2
# Bathrooms: 1
Taxes: $1,800
Listed For: $399,900
Sold For: $450,000
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT COMMERCIAL:
• The Municipality of ChathamKent is building alternative housing on Park St. Value of construction: $2.2 million.
• Dorner Investments Inc. is doing alterations at a manufacturing plant on Colborne St. Value of construction: $888,000.
• The Public General Hospital Society of Chatham is doing renovations at a hospital on Grand Ave. W. Value of construction: $967,000.
• Pure Flavor Farms GP Inc. erecting a new agricultural building on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $7 million.
• 2464275 Ontario Ltd. is doing alterations to an auto service station on Middle Line. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Individuals are erecting a new agricultural building on Mull Rd. Value of construction: $310,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a semidetached home on Harbour Rd. Value of construction: $600,000.
• 2479280 Ontario Inc. is building a single-family home on Rose Beach Line. Value of construction: $520,000.
• Depencier Builders Ltd. is doing renovations to a single-family home on Bayview St. Value of construction: $1.2 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Dover Centre Line. Value of construction: $550,000.
• Individuals are building a single-
family home on Furnace St. Value of construction: $130,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Klondyke Rd. Value of construction: $450,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Lyon Ave. N. Value of construction: $200,000.
• Bungalow Group is building a series of semi-detached houses on Duskridge Rd. Values of construction: $400,000 each.
• Sun Built Custom Homes is building a single-family home on Valencia Dr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Bungalow Group is building two units of a semi-detached residence on Duskridge Rd. Values of construction: $400,000 each.
• Bungalow Group is building two single-family homes on Duskridge Rd. Values of construction: $400,000 and $700,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Front Line. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Hickoryoak
Lane. Value of construction: $425,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Whispering Pines Cr. Value of construction: $1,346,072.
• Individuals are building two semi-detached dwellings on Old Front Rd. Values of construction: $1,266,600 each.
TOWN OF ESSEX COMMERCIAL:
• 5009789 Ontario Inc. is building an addition to a daycare on Irwin Ave. Value of construction: $1.5 million.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Imperium Builds Ltd. is doing renovations to a single-family home on Country Rd. 50 E. Value of construction: $450,000.
• Individuals are building a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit on Herring Ave. Value of construction: $95,000.
• Lakeland Homes is building a single-family residence on Charles St. Value of construction: $1.14 million.
• Individuals are doing an addition to a single-family home on Maidstone Ave. E. Value of construction: $260,000.
• Individuals are building a Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit on 3rd Concession Rd. Value of construction: $775,000.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit on Reed St. Value of construction: $185,000.
• BK Cornerstone is building a single-family home on Charles St. Value of construction: $931,000.
• Lakeland Homes is building a single-family residence on Dolores St. Value of construction: $1.4 million.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Fairview Ave. W. Value of construction: $580,000.
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
Several ways to get unstuck and transform your career
Mark: I’ve been feeling really stuck in my career lately. My job feels stagnant, and I’ve been venting about my micromanaging boss to my colleagues, but nothing seems to change. I don’t know where to start or how to move forward. What can I do to make real progress?
J.T. O’Donnell: Feeling stuck in your career can be draining, especially when you don’t know how to break out of the cycle. What you’re describing is what I call “unproductive discomfort.” This happens when we’re stuck in a loop of frustration and stress without taking actionable steps to solve the root of the problem.
For example, Sarah spent hours scrolling job boards after work, dreading her toxic workplace. She felt overwhelmed but didn’t take any concrete steps like updating her résumé or reaching out to her network.
Sound familiar? Many professionals fall into this cycle of unproductive discomfort. In your case, venting about your micromanaging boss feels like a release in the moment, but it’s not helping you move forward. It’s using energy without progress. Breaking free from this cycle requires trading unproductive discomfort for productive discomfort.
Unproductive discomfort is dwelling on the problem without a structured approach to solving it. This leaves you feeling stuck and frustrated. Productive discomfort is engaging in intentional, growthfocused actions that may feel challenging in the moment but lead to real progress. So, instead of venting about your boss, you might start networking with professionals outside your company.
To move from feeling stuck to making progress, focus on these three critical areas:
Skills: Take an honest look at your professional toolkit. Are there gaps in your knowledge or skills holding you back from advancing or transitioning to a new role?
Action step: Identify one skill that’s in demand in your industry and commit to improving it. This could mean taking an online course, attending a workshop or asking for hands-on experience in your current role. For example: If you’re in marketing, learning a tool like Google Analytics or brushing up on copywriting skills could make you a stronger candidate for future opportunities.
Attitude: It’s easy to let negativity take over when you’re feeling stuck, but attitude plays a huge role in how others perceive you – and how you perceive yourself.
Action step: Start by reframing
your thoughts. Instead of focusing on what you dislike about your job, identify what you’ve learned or achieved in your role so far. This can help shift your mindset from frustration to possibility. Instead of saying, “My boss micromanages everything,” you might say, “I’ve learned to adapt to a challenging management style and stay productive despite obstacles.”
Beliefs: Limiting beliefs can be a major roadblock to progress. Common ones include, “I’m too
old to make a change,” or “Networking feels awkward, so I shouldn’t bother.”
Action step: Challenge one limiting belief you’ve been holding onto. Ask yourself: “Is this belief true, or is it just a story I’m telling myself?” You don’t need hours of free time to make progress. Just 15 minutes a day focused on these three areas can create real momentum. Here’s how:
• Spend five minutes researching skills you’d like to learn or cer-
tifications that could enhance your résumé.
• Use five minutes to reflect on a career challenge you’re currently facing and brainstorm one action you can take to address it.
• Dedicate the final five minutes to networking – send a message on LinkedIn, or schedule an interview. It’s less time than most of us spend on social media, but it can dramatically alter your career trajectory. Feeling stuck doesn’t mean
you’re at a dead end; it’s simply a signal that it’s time for a change. By shifting your focus from unproductive discomfort to productive discomfort, and working on skills, attitude and beliefs, you can start building momentum toward the career you want.
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder and CEO of Work It Daily. Visit workitdaily.com to submit your questions.
As CEO, you are the futurist of your business
Every small business owner should display in a prominent place this John F. Kennedy quote: “Change is the law of life, and those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”
As the CEO, you’re the futurist of your business, and the product of a futurist’s work is foresight.
Professional futurists are neither inspired by God, clairvoyant, nor have ESP. But they do look at the world differently than the average
person. They typically see things before others do, largely because their focus is influenced by the following factors:
Extreme curiosity: This isn’t first by accident. Curiosity is to foresight what oxygen is to life.
Orders of implication: Futurists imagine the impact of multiple possibilities from a single scenario that hasn’t happened yet.
Collaboration: Futurists study the work of other futurists, work together, welcome peer reviews.
Foresight tools: Some resources are sophisticated, some not so much.
As you can see, there’s nothing supernatural about these. Nothing you don’t already have or can’t acquire, at least at the level of CEO futurist. Let me lower the intimidation factor and make foresight easier with CEO foresight tools. You’ll recognize the first two:
Curiosity: The only person who’s more curious than a futurist is an entrepreneur. Curiosity is your
most powerful tool – unleash it.
Watch for implications: When you see something new – a thing, idea or a development – unfocus your eyes and imagine the shortand long-term implications. Play the “what if” game with your team.
Read: Professional futurists call it scanning. Read everything you can get your hands on about your universe and your customers’ universes. Start connecting dots.
Pay attention: This is the first cousin of curiosity. You pay atten-
Uncovering what drives you can drive more in-depth wealth advice.
We’re redefining private wealth management
Lori Seguin
tion to your business every day. Now add what’s outside your four walls to your scan.
Experience: Never underestimate the foresight value of past successes and failures, especially to the implications element.
Peer relationships: This includes CEO roundtables, whether formal or informal, but also attending industry events to compare notes with other CEO futurists.
Intuition: This is the love child of experience and curiosity. You have intuition, plus experts say you can grow it. Intuition is educated by experience and employed by curiosity.
These CEO foresight tools will help you track trends for opportunities and disruptions in areas such as: demographics, customer behavior, society, production/supply, politics, technology and global events impacting large customers.
With tomorrow, next year and the next decade in mind, use questions like these to include your stakeholders in the foresight process: What will my industry look like? What will my market look like? What will happen to my existing customers? What will my new customer profile look like? What will be their expectations? What kinds of products and services should we sell? How will we capitalize growth? What kind of technology will I need? What will be the greatest opportunities? What will be the greatest disruptions? Use the tools, ask the questions, prepare for the possibilities that will allow you to take advantage of opportunities and minimize disruptions. Leading change as the CEO means applying the foresight tools of a futurist in order to avoid surprises. All surprises.
Even if a surprise turns out okay, you shouldn’t celebrate. In fact, you should be just as frightened as if it turned out badly. Because it got through your foresight filters unnoticed until it manifested in front of you. That means a bad surprise could do the same thing.
Remember Blasingame’s Law of Surprises: Surprises are for birthdays — this is business. Write this on a rock: “The future doesn’t fit in the container of the past.” Rishad Tobaccolwala
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.
