LINKING IN

Before I presume to ask you to read my new LinkedIn newsletter, let me introduce myself and explain why, after a long career as an entrepreneur and business leader, I want to start talking about it. And why now.

Over 43 years in the trenches, the one thing that has always driven me is my curiosity. I am insatiably curious about other people, what they are doing, and what they are thinking.

I make a point of reaching out to all sorts of people and asking them to speak with me and tell me more about themselves. After all, the very worst that could happen is that they say no.

As a result of this lifelong practice, I have the exceptional privilege of regularly meeting and speaking with some fascinating, accomplished people who are undisputed leaders in their field. What I want to do in this space is share my conversations with those people, along with some of my ideas from the front lines of business building and management.

What else do you need to know?

Well, I started my first business in 1980 at 22, renting a second-floor walk-up space above Enchin Leather at 466 Bathurst Street in Toronto for $125 a month. I was full of excitement and hope and big ideas, and I was hellbent on being The Next Big Thing.

But also consider this: 1980 was the start of the worst economic recession since World War II. Inflation was running at 10.2 per cent and it popped to 12.5 per cent the next year. Interest rates were 21 per cent and unemployment was at a record high, resulting in the perfect storm known as stagflation.

In thriving, was I dumb or was I lucky? It’s a fair question. I’d argue that I was neither dumb not lucky. I was incredibly determined and focused, which trumped everything and everyone else. I just refused to be deterred.

Frankly, there is never a perfect time to get started on any journey. There will always be excuses and multiple reasons to delay. You to tell yourself it is better to defer a risk or to bet on yourself when things are a little more stable and predictable.

But guess what? One thing that is as true today as it was in 1980: opportunity is a state of mind.

I am not advocating recklessness or irresponsibility. Not in the least. But I am firmly in favour of having the courage of your convictions – even when you face stiff headwinds. It can be tough to stay the course, but in the face of uncertainty and disruption, those with the ability to look past the smoke and noise, will always find abundant opportunity for growth, diversification, and the recruitment of top talent.

Furthermore, if you start and expand a business in tough times, you will develop a toughness that carries you through whatever adversity arises in future. And there is always some new form of adversity to deal with.

You will also develop the practice of being brutally honest with yourself – and others. Anything else is a waste of time and energy and leads to squandered opportunity. But do not mistake honesty for negativity – a thin but important line divides those two mindsets.

Honesty is a muscle that gets stronger with use and can be leveraged to accomplish remarkable things. Negativity is a bad habit. It is a passive reflex that is reactive rather than proactive and it leads to a corresponding weakness.

Surround yourself with people you trust and respect. They will help to keep you honest, and they will tell you what you need to hear, but in a constructive way. If, that is, you have the discipline to listen to others – something that doesn’t always come naturally to entrepreneurs.

Going forward, my intent is to use this space to share my conversations along with some of my thoughts on the current state of business, and to provide some context - along with the occasional hot take.

Let’s go!