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Are you an ambitious young entrepreneur? Do you consider yourself a role model and leader of tomorrow? If so, this is going to be the show for you. Leaders Of Tomorrow is a show dedicated young and ambitious entrepreneurs looking to forge their own path in this world. Each week, we will bring you an inspiring interview and share with you behind the scenes some of the values and beliefs of our 8-figure business; Student Works Management Program. From interviews with young millionaires and personal anecdotes from our head coach; Chris Thomson, this show will give you everything you need to know to become a Leader Of Tomorrow.
Episodes
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Friday Feb 19, 2021
Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs and professionals manage to pivot in times of massive uncertainty? And how do they broaden their horizons and gain some enriching experiences while they are at it?
On today’s show, we interview Michael Rudzki, Application Sales Manager, Oracle who shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship, grit, and persistence. He shares with us his different work experiences, and reveals some of the most important lessons that he has learnt along the way.
Michael is a second-generation immigrant with Polish lineage. After moving to Canada, Michael’s father and uncles ventured into real estate and construction. And this turned out to be Michael's first exposure to business as he eagerly lent a helping hand to the family business.
When Michael came across the Student Works internship, he saw it as another opportunity to build his foundational base. Particularly, Michael learnt how to research new markets and discover hidden opportunities during his internship.
Michael’s Student Works experience led him to his next business – a Service Master franchise. One of three partners, Michael built an extremely profitable commercial cleaning in Waterloo over the next three years.
During this period, Michael got exposed to the technology industry while working on some projects in the start up hub in Vancouver. Inspired, he decided to pivot and get his MBA in his late twenties. This was certainly not an easy decision, and Michael shares how he eventually decided to put up with the short-term pain and income loss for potential long-term gains.
Upon graduation, Michael worked in start-ups like Mobify and Procurify before working in some larger, established organizations like Egencia and Oracle.
While large organizations have greater resources at their disposal, Michael shares how working in the start-up space was an equally enriching experience that allowed him to greatly broaden his horizons.
In November 2020, in the aftermath of the pandemic, Michael was laid off from Egencia (an Expedia company) barely three months after his marriage. Fortunately for him, an ex-colleague from Oracle reached out to him to offer the role of an Application Sales Manager.
This show is loaded with some great nuggets guaranteed to inspire you forward.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Biggest lessons learned after working in the startup space
- How to successfully pivot in the times of massive uncertainty
- What are some of the biggest benefits of working in larger, established organizations?
- How to research new market opportunities
- And so much more…
Resources
Tuesday Feb 16, 2021
Tuesday Feb 16, 2021
Wondering how to grow your business in a competitive and commoditized market? And how to add value and make yourself irresistible to your ideal clients?
Back in 1980, Bill was working as a waiter at The Keg restaurant when he hit upon a “magic formula” to sell lobsters to restaurant customers. Using his formula, Bill managed to sell 1400 lobsters in 3 months. And to put things in perspective, the waiter who came in distant second just sold 90.
Bill figured out soon enough that he could apply this same magic formula to other businesses as well. And this led to him forming The Big Idea Company in 1987.
“So, what was the magic formula due to which Bill ended up selling an obscene number of lobsters?”, you may ask.
Well, his lobster story taught Bill the importance of understanding his clients and then rewiring his thinking.
Unless you are willing to expand your thinking to make it more aligned to the current scenario, you will end up fighting a losing battle where you are just struggling to survive.
Bill has since taught hundreds of clients to profitably and sustainably scale their businesses by providing more value and differentiating themselves in a commoditized market.
You will learn the three things that you can do right NOW to get rid of your fears and embrace this new-age thinking.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Scaling and growing your business in a commoditized market
- How to make “gourmet” offers that win your ideal clients over
- The three things that you can do to stop managing and start entrepreneur-ing
- The five super-powers that robots do not have
- And so much more…
Resources
Friday Feb 12, 2021
Friday Feb 12, 2021
Ever wondered how million-dollar deals are closed? What is the level of effort, diligence, and teamwork required for successful culmination?
In today’s show, Chris interviews Christine Purvis, Senior Account Executive, SAP who shares her work experiences and some of the biggest lessons learned over the years.
Back in high school, Christine was a busy-bee doing great in academics as well as in extra-curricular activities, constantly making sacrifices so that she could remain focused on her big goals.
Student Works was her first real-life business experience and a great one at that. You will learn how Christine picked up an entire gamut of skills ranging from sales to operations.
Upon graduation, Christine worked with some stellar organizations, starting with a financial analyst role at Pepsi, then working as a staff accountant at Deloitte before moving on to SAP.
This next segment of the show will be particularly interesting for those who are trying to gain a foothold in the highly lucrative cloud software space. Christine gives us a peek into the rigorous recruiting process, her work profile, and the overall culture at SAP.
You will learn about the thoroughness, preparation, and teamwork that goes into closing million-dollar deals.
We also have an interesting discussion about how COVID has taught us some important lessons in gratitude and empathy.
Tune in to this inspiring show today!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why great sales skills are at the core of a successful career
- How to close billion-dollar accounts
- How the pandemic has taught us some important lessons in gratitude and empathy
- And so much more…
Resources
Tuesday Feb 09, 2021
Tuesday Feb 09, 2021
What if you could get a peek into the billionaire mindset? And learn how to make decisions that multiply your growth and success?
On today’s show, we interview Geoff Woods, co-founder, and partner, ProduKtive who shares with us his wisdom on entrepreneurship, core values, and mentorship. ProduKtive is a training company and community based on The One Thing.
Growing up, Geoff was always driven and motivated to set and achieve big goals. However, he had little clarity about the path he had chosen and where his life was headed.
Geoff’s big AH-HA moment was when a young co-worker had a heart attack and shortly after that the company announced the commission structure was revised and he lost 40% of his income just like that. Geoff realized that he needed to be in better control of his destiny.
As he was looking for better career alternatives, he ran into Jay Papasan at the national sales meeting for his book, The One Thing. Geoff felt an instant connection to Jay as he shared his thoughts on focus and time management.
One thing led to another and Geoff partnered up with Gary and Jay for ProduKtive. In this segment of the show, Geoff shares some great tips for operating efficiently in a virtual setting.
When the pandemic broke out, Geoff and his partners were quick to pivot to refocus on the ONE thing that mattered then – client retention. And in the process, they ended up having their best year ever.
You will learn how sticking to your core values always pays off in the long run. And how learning from the right mentors can collapse your time while accelerating your money.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Sticking to your core business values and why it pays off in the long run
- Investing your time wisely
- Unpacking the billionaire mindset
- Virtual training hacks and how to unlock the collective genius
- How to pivot and navigate black swan events
- And so much more…
Resources
Friday Feb 05, 2021
Friday Feb 05, 2021
In today’s show, Chris interviews Ahsan Khan who shares his distilled wisdom on financial planning, mindset, and success. Ahsan is the VP and financial planner at BMO Nesbitt Burns.
Ahsan lost his father when he was just 10. Fortunately for him, his courageous mother and his uncles mentored him in the right way to set him firmly on the path of success. Ahsan grew up to a confident young man who was certain in his ability to make a difference.
So, it was hardly surprising that Ahsan’s Student Work stint turned out to be a resounding success. As a young adult, Ahsan managed to net $16,000 in a single summer (mind you, that was thirty years back!)
You will learn Student Works taught Ahsan the importance of taking responsibility and doing a good job – no matter what.
Since the age of 24, Ahsan has been working in the financial planning industry. Drawing from his two decades of experience, he shares his wisdom on compounding and retirement planning in this segment of the show.
You will also learn about his passion project, The Awesome Life. In his Awesome Life Book, Ahsan lays out the 12 important facets of personal development. You will learn how to reign in negative chatter so that you can maintain your forward momentum. Ahsan also shares how maintaining an equable attitude towards failure as well as success can help you evolve into a well-adjusted human being.
This show is full of great nuggets guaranteed to inspire you and put your best self forward. Tune in now!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- How to reign in the negative chatter that runs through your head
- Best financial planning practices
- How to evolve into a well-adjusted human being
- How to maintain an equable attitude towards success and failure
- And so much more…
Resources
Tuesday Feb 02, 2021
Tuesday Feb 02, 2021
In today’s show, Chris interviews Patrick Lalonde, VP, Student Works who talks about shedding the victim mindset and taking full and complete responsibility for your life.
Unless you realize that no one but you is responsible for the consequences of your actions, you will never achieve the level of success that you are yearning for.
When you fail, it is tempting to blame things that are beyond your control. You blame society. You blame the government. You blame the economy. And you blame your luck. And when you embrace this victim mindset, you are essentially relegating yourself to backseat driving. You are not in charge of your life.
However, if you lead with 100% accountability, you will learn from your failures. You will evaluate every setback, harness your learnings, and put structures in place so that you don’t make the same mistake again.
Towards the end, we discuss how taking responsibility can help you build stronger personal relationships as well. Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Taking full and complete responsibility for your personal and professional life
- Shedding the victim mindset, and taking responsibility for your actions
- Why spectacular success is not possible without failure
- And so much more…
Resources
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Thursday Jan 28, 2021
Ever wondered how top sales executives stay ahead of the curve? What is their “secret sauce” that catapults them miles ahead of the competition?
In today’s show, we interview Michael Patterson, IBM Key Client Executive BD Bank who shares some expert tips for staying on the top of your sales game, and the importance of continuously reinventing yourself.
Growing up, Michael was always hugely driven and entrepreneurial. After a successful stint with Student Works, he teamed up with Steve, also a Student Works alumnus to start a property maintenance business, Patty Mac.
After Patty Mac, Michael decided to go the corporate route. He shares his experiences with SalesForce, ScribbleLive, and his current employer, IBM.
Here, Michael makes some interesting comparisons between working in a large organization like SalesForce and ScribbleLive, a small start-up.
Currently, Michael is the IBM Key Client Executive for TD Bank. A pioneer in the computing space, listeners will learn how IBM has completely reinvented themselves by gravitating towards AI and cloud services.
Michael also reveals his big WHY that pushed him to recently get his MBA. Can an MBA help you out professionally? Michael shares his experience.
Tune in for some great insights. Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Why continuous evolution is the key to success in sales
- Will an MBA help you out professionally?
- A “peek” into the work cultures of some of the most iconic organizations in the world
- And so much more…
Resources
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
In today’s show, Chris interviews Mike “C-Roc” Ciorrocco, CEO, People Building Inc. who shares with us his thoughts on leadership, culture, and unlimited success.
Coming from a broken home, Mike’s childhood years were really tough. The emotional abuse took a toll on him, and Mike dropped out of college, and got hooked on drugs and partying.
Fortunately for him, finding the right life-partner steadied him up, and he rediscovered his life’s purpose. After working in sales for a while, Mike went into the mortgage industry with Nations Lending, a business that he has helped scale to 7 branches and 37 employees.
As the CEO of People Building Inc., Mike is inspiring others to light their fires and achieve greatness. Mike has also been recognized by Yahoo! Finance as one of the “Top Business Leaders to Follow in 2020”.
You will learn why culture is the glue that holds an organization together. And Mike shares the Four Building Blocks for building dream, high-performance teams in this segment of the show. He also has some inspiring thoughts on mindset and 10x growth. And how you can chase down bigger and bigger goals provided your success is built on the right foundation.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Overcoming emotional turmoil, and regaining focus
- How finding the right life-partner can have a transformational impact on your life
- The Four Building Blocks of Culture
- How do you attract the people that you want to work with?
- And so much more…
Resources
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
In today’s show, Chris interviews Erin Roininen Butler, Director of Sales Strategy and Shopper Marketing, Weston Foods.
Erin shares her life story, recalls her super-successful Student Works stint, and gives us a peek into her role at Weston Foods.
Even before Student Works, Erin was always motivated to give her best. Be it academics or athletics, Erin gave it her all. So, when Erin joined Student Works, she was intent on breaking the then all-time sales record of $200,000. And to fulfill her audacious goal, Erin prepared a detailed business plan, managed multiple crews, and initiated a massive cold-calling campaign.
Running a large business at just 18 was a huge confidence-booster for Erin. Additionally, her Student Works stint also taught her another valuable lesson – work hard and play hard – something that she abides by, to this day.
Next, Erin talks about how she landed 5-solid job offers at the height of the economic crisis in 2009, and why she eventually decided to opt for Weston Foods. Starting as a sales manager, Erin worked her way up through various roles. Here, listeners will learn how giant organizations plan to stay ahead of the curve, how they understand the customer’s psyche, and how they clearly communicate expectations and requirements across the board.
You will also learn about Erin’s extremely successful side-hustle – her real estate business. Learn how Erin and her husband managed to scale up to 7 properties in Golden Horseshoe, the sacrifices they made to set up their business, and why real estate investing is NOT a “passive” source of income as assumed by many.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn in This Show
- How I broke the all-time sales record at Student Works
- How do large organizations plan out complex sales strategies?
- How to build a successful real estate side-hustle
- And so much more…
Resources
Monday Jan 18, 2021
Monday Jan 18, 2021
How do you create exceptional brands that stand the test of time?
In today’s show, Chris interviews Brian Scudamore, Founder and CEO of O2E Brands, 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING and Shack Shine. Brian shares his distilled wisdom on guerrilla marketing tactics, the importance of working with the right people, and reveals why you must be willing to fail in order to realize your most audacious dreams.
Early on in his story, inspired by his entrepreneur grandparents, Brian was lit up by the “game of business”. It was little surprise that he started his first venture, The Rubbish Boys when he was barely in college. Ironically enough, he ended up quitting college due to the very business that he started to fund his college education.
However, quitting school did not stop Brian’s learning – but only rapidly accelerated it. Here, Brian shares how reaching out to the right people helped him learn business skills that he never would have learned otherwise.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for Brian. At one point, he had to make the painful decision to fire his entire team – because they weren’t a good organizational fit. This was an important lesson for Brian as he realized that great people are the foundation on which great businesses are built.
Today, after three decades, Rubbish Boys has evolved into the incredibly successful, O2E Brands – a parent organization comprising 1-800-GOT-JUNK??, WOW 1 DAY PAINTING, and Shack Shine.
Brian also opens up his marketing playbook to listeners in today’s show. Here, you will learn how 1-800-GOT-JUNK?? got featured on 60+ news outlets on a $29 marketing budget. Brian reveals why he prefers his guerrilla marketing tactics over traditional mediums like TV ads and radio ads which require deploying thousands of dollars in ad spend.
Enjoy!
What You Will Learn In This Show
- Branding and marketing strategies - how to get maximum bang for the buck
- Mixing work with fun, and creating enviable work cultures
- How to hone your real-world business skills
- And so much more…
Resources