It’s really humiliating to ask for money from people. When I was a venture capitalist I hated everyone who asked me for money. And I hated my partners who pretended like they had the ability to make important life or death decisions over people. All we really wanted to do was make a lot of… Continue Reading

iPosture. Ever heard of it? It’s the hunch in your spine that forms from too much time slumped in front of a computer or squinting at a smartphone. With daily physio exercises, you can halt or reverse this condition. But a kink in your spine is not the only thing that sitting like this will… Continue Reading

I came across a 2011 article about Canaccord Financial founder Peter Brown, and I particularly enjoyed the following excerpt: In 1968, Brown and partner Ted Turton bought 51 per cent of a struggling Vancouver brokerage for $23,000. They soon ran into problems with an “irresponsible” financial partner who bankrupted the company, he said. “We started… Continue Reading

One time the Federal Government Shutdown came into an apartment I was sharing with a bunch of roommates. It tied us all up and blindfolded us and made us do things to each other. It made us call it “Ted” but I don’t really know if that was its name. Another time I was riding… Continue Reading

I am fortunate to have a copy of Donald Rumball’s 1996 biography of Canadian business legend Peter Munk, The Making of a Modern Tycoon, on my bookshelf.  The unauthorized account covers Munk’s escape from Nazi occupied Hungary to Canada as a Jewish teenager, where he went on to found Claritone, Canada’s preeminent stereo manufacturer, in 1958. Munk was… Continue Reading

Our current system of education judges individuals against a preconceived idea of the optimal academic mind. In this RSA Animate video Sir Ken Robinson claims that our conformist method of education is antiquated, and needs to be updated if we are to reach our full potential. Robinson illustrates how our children are “living in the most intensely stimulating period… Continue Reading

Bloomberg|GAMECHARNGERS aired a documentary recently of one of my personal hero’s, Ervin ‘Magic’ Johnson. In this 44 minute film we learn from and are inspired by Magic’s successes as a human being both on the court, in dealing with HIV, and in building a business worth over $700 million dollars. In this video we witness the… Continue Reading

Made A Stupid Mistake? Own it. Many people who make mistakes tend to skulk away in embarrassment and hide forever. But we all make mistakes, and this is precisely the wrong thing to do. That skulking could mean that others will forever judge you as weak. Is the smarter strategy not to show up immediately… Continue Reading

My big bro Adam (pictured) has become a budding businessman after several years of thumbing his nose at commerce. This is a good thing as he’s very talented and competitive. Adam now has to deal with frustrating client emails, the way I used to in spades running the Pacific Website Co. I made a million… Continue Reading

One of the most common ways to become wealthy is to come up with an idea that requires capital (such as buying a building or a company) and pitch it to a sophisticated investor. If the investor wants to back the idea, the pitcher may get a piece of the action for coming up with… Continue Reading

Growing up my mother always told me, “You can be anything you want in life, just not a promoter.” She should have known her statement would have the reverse effect as I’ve been a proud promoter all my life. I’ve promoted ideas, products, services, sweatshops, stocks, websites and conferences, to name a few, but most… Continue Reading

I’ve always felt listening to be a focused endurance activity. It’s different than a debate and different from a session of small talk. I further liken it to searching for something in the dark. We are looking around when we listen, getting to know the environment of the other person’s mind, drawing out as much information as… Continue Reading