Bill Bishop’s The New Factory is a worthwhile 10 minute read for entrepreneurs. The author suggests that traditional business models, which focus first on products and services, are vulnerable in the new economy. The new factory, as the author calls it, is about choosing your customers first, and a big idea that draws them in.… Continue Reading

“OH, HOW BLESSED YOUNG MEN ARE WHO HAVE TO STRUGGLE FOR A FOUNDATION AND BEGINNING IN LIFE.” John D. Rockefeller “HE SAYS THE BEST WAY OUT IS THROUGH AND I AGREE TO THAT, OR IN SO FAR AS I CAN SEE NO WAY OUT BUT THROUGH.” Robert Frost “WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY BECOMES THE WAY.” Marcus Aurelius Source

The Economist is out with a first class post on Barrick Gold founder Peter Munk. Munk’s tale How a former refugee from the Nazis made and lost several fortunes Apr 19th 2014 | From the print edition YOU can’t be right all the time. In a 1995 profile of Peter Munk, the founder of Barrick Gold,… Continue Reading

Name one valuable commodity of which both you and Bill Gates have the same amount. Or Warren Buffett. Or Carlos Slim.

Spritz will change the world. This screen you’re “reading” is essentially just a digital stone tablet. Think about how far communication tech has advanced. From carrier pigeons carrying tiny notes, to fibre optic cables carrying zeros and ones. One thing has remained constant, acting as a bottleneck to the speed with which a literate human… Continue Reading

“Everyday we have an opportunity to create a living masterpiece.” – Michael Gervais “That’s what I’m f%&*ing talking about!” was not the typical conclusion of the presentations at San Francisco’s Wisdom 2.0 conference — where Zen teachers, such as Eckhart Tolle or Jon Kabat-Zinn, spoke on the role of mindfulness in the tech community —… Continue Reading

Some are better at allocating the pie than others I am not personally a fan of most “How CEOs Succeed” books because: a) I’m not one and; b) most are pretentious self-serving ghost written cookie cutter full of tired clichés. However, to do CEO.CA justice, I thought it would be worthwhile to sing the praises of… Continue Reading

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

If you’re in the investment business in Canada, you may be just a little jealous of Deans Knight Capital: it’s a super successful small company with savvy entrepreneur clients and a fun, friendly corporate culture. And if you’re a Deans Knight client, you’re probably a happy camper — the company has produced better than 15%… 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 stopped going to classes. I had a scholarship that paid all my living expenses ($1200/month) so I didn’t want to quit (ugh, and get a job?). So I stayed a student but I failed every class I took for three semesters in a row. Finally Merrick Furst the Dean, wrote me a note that… 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

Malcom Perry of the Vancouver Sun reported that Ted Turton, who co-founded Canaccord Genuity Group (CF:TSX) with Peter Brown, died this week at the age of 84. Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family. Mr. Turton and Mr. Brown paid $23,000 in 1968 for a small brokerage firm called Turton & Co. which became Canarim Investment… Continue Reading

Millions around the world have been inspired by Nelson Mandela’s dedication to freedom and human dignity.  After being imprisoned in Apartheid South Africa for 27 years, he came out and created a free, united country based on dialogue between all citizens.  Humanity is forever indebted to him. RIP Madiba “I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature… Continue Reading

Readers with interest in learning about famous business personalities ought to check out Ann O’Neill’s profile of CNN’s founder, Ted Turner wants to go to heaven, which is running on CNN.com today. A film about Mr. Turner will also air on the network he founded in 1980 tonight at 7pm eastern, but the article is as… Continue Reading