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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 May 22, 2020
Friday May 22, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Jeff Chu, Senior Manager, Customer Marketing, Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee. Apart from Mother Parkers, Jeff has worked in some of the world’s biggest FMCG organizations like Coca Cola, Campbell Soup, and Starbucks over the past decade and a half.
Jeff was ambitious and driven even at a young age. As a student, he managed to finish his program at Wilfrid Laurier one term early while working multiple odd jobs. He shares some fond memories of his student days in this early segment of the show and reveals how the relationships he built here have helped him throughout his professional career.
At Student Works, Jeff learned a whole gamut of skills ranging from interviewing to setting up systems and processes.
This experience of his helped him get hired as an account executive at P&G where he worked for 3 years. In year 3, Jeff decided to try his hand at entrepreneurship. And he, in partnership with his sister, set up a wedding invitation business. After six months, Jeff decided to veer back to the same confounds of the corporate world as a National Account Executive with Coca Cola.
After Coke, Jeff got hired as a senior manager, sales planning for another iconic organization, Starbucks. This segment of the show is particularly interesting as Jeff gives listeners a “peek” into the work culture and organizational practices at Starbucks. In his last year at Starbucks, Jeff decided to work on the operational side as a district manager. Here, he reveals the lengths at which Starbucks goes to gives its customers the best possible customer experience.
A former Starbucks executive poached Jeff for a short and admittedly cushy stint at Campbell Soup. Hearing Jeff’s story will make listeners realize that the path to success is not a linear one. Taking calculated risks and venturing into the unknown is a must if you wish to progress at a faster clip.
We wrap this show by sharing some critical attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. Topics discussed include adopting an inspirational leadership style, using a collaborative approach, the importance of continuous learning and humility.
We hope you enjoy this show!
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Tuesday May 19, 2020
Tuesday May 19, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Brandon Cornish who is in his second-year at Student Works.
Brandon broke the all-time window cleaning rookie record last year by clocking sales of $96,000. And this year, he is all set to double his business!
So, what is the reason behind Brandon’s phenomenal success? Topics discussed in today’s show include time efficiency, learning from other top performers, and sticking to a proven system.
We wrap up this show by sharing some critical attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. We hope you enjoy this show!
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Friday May 15, 2020
Friday May 15, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Steve Woodall, Director of Client Strategy, Student Life Network.
Even before Student Works, Steve was a hardworking and driven individual working multiple jobs and taking part in a host of extracurricular activities. When Steve came across Student Works, he welcomed this opportunity of working in a business with well-oiled systems and processes.
In this segment of the show, listeners will learn how a summer at Student Works can help you develop business skills across the entire gamut – from sales to production.
After Student Works, Steve moved to Toronto to work at Breakaway Tours, a progressive and fun organization. Here, Steve shares how his Student Works stint helped him hit the ground running.
In 2005, Steve decided to move to move to Vancouver and set up a “tour guys” business – giving guided tours to thousands of visitors, and particularly students every year.
Steve has been working at Student Life Network, a two-sided marketplace connecting organizations with students since 2012. Here, Steve gives us a peek into his role and shares how he helps establish a connection between the Amazons & Warner Brothers of the world with students.
We hope you enjoy this show!
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Tuesday May 12, 2020
Tuesday May 12, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews leader and educator, Mark Jetsy. Mark is the Director of Excellence Squared Limited. After hearing his TedTalk, Chris got in touch with Mark to hear his thoughts on the rapidly-evolving education system of today.
You current skillsets are an asset as well as a liability in today’s times. As a new technology disrupts current systems and processes, Mark points out that it is important to disengage and quickly learn a new skill. How well you adapt yourself to this fast-changing scenario often makes the difference between success and failure.
What follows is an interesting discussion on how an increasingly skill-based work environment is impacting our mind-sets. How can you constantly improve your skills in this just-in-time education system? Have students started questioning the value of a college degree that is resulting in diminished financial rewards?
So, how can you accelerate your learning and ensure that you stay on the top of your game? Mark strongly recommends having an accountability partner who can push you to perform at your highest level. Particularly, Mark points out that as you rise higher through your corporate ranks, this becomes even more critical as you have fewer less people pushing back on you.
Mark also shares that a pyramid model of ascension is now passé. If the organizations of today wish to attract the best and the brightest, they need to adopt a purpose-driven model.
What did Mark have to change about himself as he went from being a student to being a value creator? Topics discussed in this segment of the show include figuring out the right time to leverage, the importance of rigid discipline and time management.
We wrap up this show by sharing some crucial attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. We hope you enjoy this show!
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Friday May 08, 2020
Friday May 08, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Steve Acorn, President, Student Painters.
This show starts with Steve recalling his life as a teenager. Specifically, he talks about his biggest frustration in this phase of his life when he was working odd jobs. Later, Steve joined Wilfrid Laurier and then Student Works in 1985.
This is where Chris and Steve worked alongside as student district managers.
In the next segment of the show, listeners will be regaled with some interested anecdotes form Steve’s entrepreneurial journey. Steve got the opportunity to establish the student painting business in Michigan. Starting from his living room, Steve hustled up sales of half a million dollars in the first year itself.
Steve had to face considerable hardships along the way – and his biggest challenge came in the year 1999 when he went bankrupt. As these crossroads, Steve could have thrown in the towel and tried his hand at something else. However, he persisted. How did Steve muster up the courage to take this hard decision? Was it worth it in the end?
Today, Steve’s Student Painters has a presence in 10 states, employs 220 student managers, and does business of more than six million dollars.
Other topics discussed in today’s show include the importance of implementing systems and process, recruiting the right people, discovering your big why, and much, much more...
We hope you enjoy this show.
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Tuesday May 05, 2020
Tuesday May 05, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Vincent Watt, a junior hockey league player, and district student manager, Student Works.
As a junior hockey league player for Halifax Mooseheads, Vincent is no stranger to high performance. In this first segment of the show, he goes on to share some of his biggest takeaways from playing elite hockey. Specifically, he talks about the importance of taking the hard and right decisions.
Certainly, Vincent’s sports background helped him hit the ground running at Student Works as he ended the year as the number #2 rookie. He shares how he built a dream marketing team which allowed him to drastically scale up his business.
Vincent has set an audacious goal of doubling the all-time window cleaning sales record in his second year.
What mindset and structure are necessary for running a large-scale and profitable business? What are some common attributes among top performers? And, has the Student Works program changed Vincent’s perspective towards life and work? Listeners will learn the importance of developing a radically-open and growth-oriented mindset.
We wrap up this show by discussing why it is important for a “Leader of Tomorrow” to work for the greater good of society.
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Friday May 01, 2020
Friday May 01, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Dhruva Talwalkar, Managing Director, Universal Power Transformer Private Limite. Dhruva shares how he managed to grow his business from $300,000 to $90 million in just 10 years before an adverse economic climate forced him to downsize operations. He talks about his many successes, his failures, and some of the most important takeaways that he has picked up along the way.
Growing up in Canada, Dhruva always had an entrepreneurial bend of mind. In the first segment of the show, he reminisces how he used to run a newspaper delivery business as a young boy. He goes on to share that his biggest frustration was his lack of business knowledge and how it prevented him from realizing his aspirations.
In the next segment of the show, Dhruva goes on to reveal some interesting anecdotes from his Student Works stint. He shares how he lost a bunch of money due to a wrong estimation on his very first job. After this drubbing, Dhruva never looked back and had a very successful second year at Student Works.
After Student Works, Dhruva worked as a store salesman at Moore’s. Putting his Student Works experience to good use, Dhruva quickly became the highest-grossing salesman at the store grossing nearly $70,000 in commissions in the late ’80s. While the going was great for him, Dhruva was keen to venture into a field with better long-term potential. This is when he got the opportunity to work in his cousin’s manufacturing business in India.
The next segment of the show will be particularly fascinating to listeners as Dhruva shares how he rose from being a management trainee to the head of the power equipment business at his cousin’s company in India. Notwithstanding his rather spectacular success, Dhruva had some serious disagreements with the senior management. He finally quit in the year 2000 to venture out on his own.
After this bittersweet experience, Dhruva decided to try his luck with an eCommerce venture. Using a digital platform, Dhruva intended to streamline the purchase process and pass on the savings to buyers. On the face of it, his business idea was great. However, Dhruva quickly realized that this business was not scalable and wound up operations in 3 years.
2003 was a turning point in Dhruva’s professional career as he bought out his friend’s transformer business. A small operation clocking just $300,000 in revenues, Dhruva shares how he managed to scale up this business to a $90 million company in just ten years. Particularly, he credits his success to his team and the fact that he got great people in key areas. However, this growth came at a cost.
To chase growth, Dhruva acquired a transformer business in Canada. Apart from the cultural and logistical challenges of managing a multi-national organization, Dhruva shares how his business was majorly impacted by the 2008 economic crisis. Reeling under the impact of these negative developments, Dhruva was left with no option but to downsize operations. Currently, Dhruva is in the midst of consolidating his business.
We wrap up this show by sharing some crucial attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. Tune in for some excellent nuggets!
Resources:
Friday Apr 24, 2020
Friday Apr 24, 2020
In today’s show, Chris interviews Pat Dubreuil, Vice President Community & First Nation Engagement at Manitou Gold Inc
We start this show with Pat recalling his pre-Student Works day. Coming from a family of entrepreneurs, Pat always had a big engine for work and a propensity for adventure. He shares that a proven and simple business model attracted him to join Student Works in the first place.
Pat is a serial entrepreneur with interests in mining, hospitality, and medical equipment.
One of Pat’s first entrepreneurial ventures was back in the year 2000 when he partnered up with his dad to invest in Magpie Relay Motel & Resort. Pat shares that he had a clear exit strategy in mind BEFORE investing in this business.
As per his plan, Pat sold off his business in 2005 at an attractive valuation. The subsequent owner ran this business to the ground, and Pat bought this business back in 2014 at 10 cents on the dollar!
Next, Pat shares how he set up his enormous mining business.
Pat is the Vice President of Manitou Gold Inc., a gold exploration company that holds 22,500 hectares of land near the town of Dubreuilville, Pat’s hometown. This segment of the show is particularly interesting as Pat shares how he built up his mining business from scratch in a very strategic manner. Pat reveals how he learned the ropes of the mining business, the important systems and processes by working in some of the best and largest organizations before venturing out on his own.
In a bid to do his bit for fighting COVID-19, Pat has come up with an ingenious solution – mobile decontamination rooms for PPE equipment. As the entire world faces an acute shortage of PPE and other medical equipment, listeners will learn how the use of these mobile units can help immensely.
This show is peppered with some great nuggets for young and aspiring entrepreneurs. Topics discussed include transitioning from one business to another, navigating the complexities of a business partnership, and the importance of systems and processes.
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Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Tuesday Apr 21, 2020
Given the global situation, how do we CHOOSE to react is a massive decision.
In this episode, Chris discusses the power of acceptance and how our team at Student Works is coping with the situation on hand.
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Friday Apr 17, 2020
Friday Apr 17, 2020
How to Take Calculated Risks and Build Multiple Streams of Income with Peter Bendevis
Summary:
In today’s show, Chris interviews Peter Bendevis, CPA, CA, RLC LLP.
This show starts with Peter sharing his background information. A self-confessed nerd, growing up, Peter had excellent technical skills. But he was low on confidence and a poor communicator. Listeners will learn how Peter’s Student Works stint helped him build these skillsets as well.
After Student Works, Peter joined a small accountancy firm for a long and fulfilling experience. Here, Peter shares the advantages of working at a small or medium-sized firm over an E&Y or Deloitte. Recently, Peter quit his job to concentrate full-time on his photography business.
In the next segment of the show, listeners will learn how Peter has managed to set up a thriving business where he shoots 250 weddings every year. Peter had a great plan from the get-go, and he did not shy away from investing in the best equipment and advertising. He reveals his loss leader strategy which enabled him to build up his client portfolio in the first year of his business.
Listeners will be particularly interested to learn how Peter managed to scale up his business by keeping a firm focus on sales and customer relationships.
And, that’s not all. While in college, Peter invested three-quarters of a million dollars to buy a franchise of the popular restaurant, East Side Mario’s. So, how exactly did a college student with little credit history manage to raise such a large amount? This part will serve as an eye-opener to many entrepreneurs who are struggling to implement their ideas due to lack of funds. Peter also shares how you can overcome some of the biggest challenges of running a franchise business.
We wrap up this show by sharing some crucial attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. We hope you enjoy this show.
Tune in for some excellent nuggets!
Resources: