We Interview Some Of The Most Dynamic Leaders In A Number Of Different Industries

Here at ceo1on1 we want to do something different, we want to build something great.  We put a spotlight on exceptional leaders who are proven winners as we feel they deserve the recognition.  We want to build a network where leaders and businesses in different industries can learn things from one another, whether it be …

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LeslieMeingast1

Leslie Meingast; One of Canada’s Top CEO’s and a True Corporate Trail-Blazer

It’s not everyday that you get to speak with someone who has had a hand in changing the landscape of business in Canada and the US.  Leslie Meingast; President and CEO of The Personnel Department is one of those people.  The true nature of business in any industry can boil down to one thing; relationships. …

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George Moen

George Moen: President Of Blenz Coffee, Serial Entrepreneur / Networking Machine

I walked into the bustling Blenz in Yaletown.  I  arrived early, on my way to meet the man responsible for building and expanding the brand it is today.  I wasn’t surprised to see him already there having a coffee with a potential business associate.  George Moen is renowned in this city as a business and …

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Owen Clark

Social Media and Business: Owen Clark Keeps It Simple

Owen Clark is known throughout the city as an expert in using Social media with business.  He has a loyal following because he has a thorough understanding of the combination of business, people and relationships.  Many people in the Internet Marketing world  claim to be “experts”.  For example in my discipline; there are many “experts” …

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Napoleon Hill

The 20 Qualities That Leaders Of The Future Must Posses…Read Up, It Could Be Life Changing

What you are about to read in this post could change your life.  I know this is a bold statement, but very true in a number of different ways.  A leader is  a very sought after type of person in this day in age.  Leadership can be used in every aspect of life, and not just …

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Danielle Fernandes

Meet Danielle Fernandes, A True Hockeypreneur

Danielle is one of the most driven people that I’ve ever met. Her impressive resume and accomplishments are one thing but after sitting down with her I realized that her personality is a perfect fit for an Entrepreneur. Perhaps she attained these entrepreneurial traits when she started her own successful Show-jumping Equestrian business at 16 …

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Scott Berg Trade Exchange Canada

A Brilliant Business Model, The Largest Trade Exchange Company In Western Canada

I had a long and very enlightening sit-down with Scott Berg, Co-Owner of Trade Exchange Canada.  I was thoroughly impressed with Scott’s views on business and his company.  Not only was I impressed with TEC’s reputation as being the #1 Consumers Choice Barter and Trade Exchange company 10 years in a row in Vancouver or …

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The Incredible Power Of A Mastermind Group; A Lesson In Life

  Before I begin, I want to first define what a Mastermind is.  The common perception of the word “mastermind” is an individual who is a master in his/her discipline.  This is the incorrect and almost opposite definition of a mastermind.      The term mastermind was a term first coined in the 1920′s by …

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We Interview Some Of The Most Dynamic Leaders In A Number Of Different IndustriesLeslie Meingast; One of Canada’s Top CEO’s and a True Corporate Trail-BlazerGeorge Moen: President Of Blenz Coffee, Serial Entrepreneur / Networking MachineSocial Media and Business: Owen Clark Keeps It SimpleThe 20 Qualities That Leaders Of The Future Must Posses…Read Up, It Could Be Life ChangingMeet Danielle Fernandes, A True HockeypreneurA Brilliant Business Model, The Largest Trade Exchange Company In Western CanadaThe Incredible Power Of A Mastermind Group; A Lesson In Life
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Leslie Meingast; One of Canada’s Top CEO’s and a True Corporate Trail-Blazer

It’s not everyday that you get to speak with someone who has had a hand in changing the landscape of business in Canada and the US.  Leslie Meingast; President and CEO of The Personnel Department is one of those people.  The true nature of business in any industry can boil down to one thing; relationships.  Without strong connections or relationships between people, a business cannot sustain itself.  I would say that Leslie and the team at the Personnel Department have a full understanding of this simple yet critical aspect of business. For this reason Leslie and her company has seen outstanding long-term success.

Leslie MeingastLeslie has made an impact not only in the staffing and HR world but on a far wider scale. She is known as a great leader and innovator. Leslie is a serial entrepreneur that is involved in many different companies and organizations, a couple of them being the exclusive WPO (Women Presidents Organization) and Chair of Board for Galt Foundation.  Being an industry leader in the recruiting/executive search/HR industry for around 30 years means she has had a hand in breaking the glass ceiling when it comes to Women in high positions within the corporate world.  Based on her drive and ambition I’m sure she would say there is still a lot of work to do.

The Personnel Department was founded in 1980 by a group of investors/partners including Leslie, she was an integral part of the team back then .  Today, she is the majority owner and President / CEO of TPD.  In my opinion, purely based on TPD’s outstanding achievements she would be ranked as a top CEO not only in Canada but also in the US (if such an award does exist).  TPD is a dynamic, global Human Resources solutions company that excels at temporary staffing, staff recruiting, executive search, contract staffing, project staffing, and human resource consulting.  TPD has the largest network in Canada and it has a good grasp in the US as well.  Here are some accomplishments/awards TPD has received.

  • Best Small and Medium Employers in Canada by Queen’s School of Business & Aon Hewitt.
  • Top 50 Best Workplaces in Canada by Canadian Business Magazine.
  • Top 25 Best Companies to Work For in BC by BC Business Magazine, awarded for 8 consecutive years.
  • Consumers’ Choice Award Winner for Business Excellence in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton, Consecutively awarded since 2001.
  • Has won the Consumers’ Choice Awards in the U.S as well, where it has offices in Portland and Salem in Oregon and in Oklahoma City,
  • Oregon Business has ranked it for the past six years in the 100 Best Companies to Work For (# 10 in 2008).

These are some outstanding accomplishments, but behind every company’s accomplishment, are the people in that company that make it happen.  This leads to what The Personnel Department invests so much in, and that’s people.  Isn’t it fitting that such a decorated, award winning company is responsible for providing staffing solutions for other companies.  That fact alone tells me that TPD has been responsible for improving  thousands of companies and the lives of people working for those companies. They also act as a whole personnel department to many companies.  No other staffing agency out there has such a complex offering.

What makes TPD stand out from their competitors is; they take a lot of care in making sure that people are matched up and stay with the right companies as they understand the importance of sustainable business relationships.  TPD learned to operate globally very quickly, they push the envelope and they are innovators in the industry.

Leslie has a full understanding of what it takes to be a leader.  Leaders are not necessarily born, but they are made, through challenges and experiences.  Although she has been equipped with leadership characteristics from very early in her professional life, Leslie has experienced a lot in the business world, and great leaders are forged through these challenges and experiences.  Being one of Canada’s top CEO’s is not only a full-time job, but it’s a lifestyle.  In our conversation she said it best when she mentioned along the lines of; Her life as a business leader is like running a symphony, it must be conducted at all times, decisions need to be made, Instruments need to be put down at times while others need to be picked up and played.

Before we go, Leslie has some excellent advice out there for entrepreneurs and company leaders, as far as I’ve seen, these simple tips are some of the best out there:

  • Be careful who you partner with.
  • Make sure you know your business.
  • Bank money is cheap, partnership money is far more expensive.
  • Watch your overhead, collect your receivables and pay your taxes.
  • The people you are surrounded with is vital
  • cash flow management.
  • Sales marketing. is #1 but HR is the glue to keeping it all together.
  • Beef up your training and development.
I want to give a  big thanks to Leslie and her dynamic team at The Personnel Department for making this interview happen.  You can see everything TPD is up to by following them on Twitter: @GoodStaff or FaceBook: GoodStaff

Social Media and Business: Owen Clark Keeps It Simple

Owen Clark is known throughout the city as an expert in using Social media with business.  He has a loyal following because he has a thorough understanding of the combination of business, people and relationships.  Many people in the Internet Marketing world  claim to be “experts”.  For example in my discipline; there are many “experts” selling SEO services who’ve never even had their OWN website(s) generate traffic and sales in a particular niche using SEO (these companies come a dime a dozen in the States).  However, Vancouver is an exception. There are many talented Internet Marketers in this city.  Maybe it’s because the rain turns us into indoor, perpetual learning Internet Marketing nerds.

When it comes to Owen he practices what he preaches (one of the golden rules).  He has run a successful business in manufacturing for the past 20 years in which he’s been selling a great product called Speed Sew.  He’s a student and teacher that has a full grasp on business psychology.  When we spoke a few days ago there’s one thing he said that I found really interesting.  He told me that most of what he’s learned has been a result of teaching.  It’s quite profound if you think about it, it’s a mind state we should all have.   He understandsOwen Clark how a business can generate revenue through social media and he helps other businesses get there.  I don’t like using buzz words like “social media” so let’s be honest here, “Social media” in business is basically; building relationships with a broad online community.  Adding value and making genuine connections with an online community is something Owen does very well, and he has shown this with his popular business blog; Byzblog.com.  His blog has an excellent theme.  ”Keep it simple, because simple is hard enough” All his blog posts are packed with great content, with 300 words or under on each post.  Also, Byzhub.com  is his main portal site which is a business community in itself.

There is no doubt in my mind that any business out there can benefit from connecting with Owen.  If anything you’ll get some awesome hard hitting tips that can give add value to any company’s online marketing campaign.

Here’s one of Owen’s posts that I’m sure many business owners would find enlightening.

 

3 Reasons Businesses Fail at Social Media

Social media platforms are databases of people. Most businesses, if they got 1 new client a week would be considered a healthy business. Some only need 1 a month.

The #1 reason businesses don’t succeed on Social Media is because they haven’t read Dale Carnegies book “How To Win Friends and Influence People” and if you have, you probably are not applying the principles the book teaches.

People like talking to people, not logos
Take a few extra seconds to personalize notes to new connections
Social Media is Networking and Networking is Building Relationships
The #2 reason is because they think it’s a silver bullet, sorry kids no silver bullet until you become really good at #1

The 3rd reason is because they are not persistent and consistent.

Social Media is not a one night stand it’s a commitment versus a campaign.

People do not like to be sold but they do like to buy, if that statement is true and it’s true that people can unfollow at anytime, then why would you ever try to sell on social media?

Engage by educating and entertaining. In other words “add value” when you post, reply or comment.

- Owen

 

A big thanks to Owen for being a part of ceo1on1.  To see what Owen’s up to follow him on twitter: @ByzhubOwen

George Moen: President Of Blenz Coffee, Serial Entrepreneur / Networking Machine

I walked into the bustling Blenz in Yaletown.  I  arrived early, on my way to meet the man responsible for building and expanding the brand it is today.  I wasn’t surprised to see him already there having a coffee with a potential business associate.  George Moen is renowned in this city as a business and networking machine set at maximum speed.  George just announced his retirement as the President of Blenz Coffee last week, but let me tell you this, George is nowhere close to retiring.  He’s going full speed ahead with some exciting projects and businesses, a couple of them being Rapid Time Networks and High Output Business Networking.  While I interviewed him I couldn’t help but notice the charisma and passion he has for business.  George is all in, he doesn’t believe in half-ass efforts, he puts everything into it and doesn’t believe life/work balance exists.  Business is his lifestyle and he enjoys his life while also spending time with his family, simple as that.  Another thing George has that most other top CEOs or Executives don’t is a full understanding of the importance of the human element in business.  For any business to be successful in this day and age, they must incorporate a human touch with everything they do and with every vehicle of media they use.  For those who don’t know what the true definition of media is, media is ANY form of communication, it can be one person speaking to another, a direct mail sales letter or a TV ad.  One way George has exhibited this has been with his social media presence, garnering close to 50,000 twitter followers (one of the most followed people in Vancouver).  After speaking with George for only an hour, I can honestly say he showed me more in that short time than what I would have learned by reading ten new age, so called “business” books.  George touched on many no-nonsense philosophical points about business and life that are very simple yet profound.  I literally wrote down dozens of the points he made, definitely some eye-opening and quotable content in my notes.  I won’t touch on them because many of these points I could write a whole article on.  However, one of the things George said that  stuck with me was, “just take big swings”.  This is such an important lesson, especially for people starting out as entrepreneurs.  It’s important for people in any business to believe in unseen heights and not worry too much about what ‘might’ happen if it doesn’t work.  Now let’s get into what we’re here for, what George is doing these days.

George served as president of Blenz Coffee for the past 5 years.  His background is in franchising and licensing and he has dabbled in many different types of businesses.  In 1978, right after graduating from UBC, George started his first venture; Sandwich Tree Restaurant.  However, George is much more than a coffee or restaurant guy.  This guy knows business.  He is a perpetual learner that wakes up at 4am everyday to get a jump on the worldwide market and business trends any way he can.  George thrives off new opportunities and with his dynamic skill set he is able to capitalize on them.  He possesses the innate ability to spot trends and predict business forecasts on a global scale and because of this he can easily determine what works and what doesn’t.  He has shown this with his company which he is Co-Founder of; Rapid Time Networks.  RTN is fast-growing and a very practical business model that can extend across almost any industry.  He is incorporating the successful online affiliate marketing model and taking it to the mainstream.  Essentially, RTN is a paid for referral network system that enables businesses to refer other businesses, this in-turn can make members and vendors money while attracting even more business.   I am very familiar with affiliate marketing as I have years of experience with on-line marketing campaigns and I have never seen an approach to affiliate marketing as innovative as this.  I  see this catching on and I have a strong feeling that George and his team at RTN will be a major contributor to Canadians realizing this powerful business/marketing tool.  This new hybrid business model is designed to reduce the friction of a sales process in any business by combining 4 components: affiliate marketing, networking, direct sales and franchising.  The difference between RTN and online affiliate marketing programs is that his system doesn’t solely rely on automatic tracking.  His system is sensitive to the fact that some sales (especially big ticket products and services) take time to come into fruition.  Building any business to the desired level is all about building relationships and RTN helps facilitate this process.   Affiliate marketing and most proven online business strategies are always slower to reach Canada and I feel George’s Rapid Time Network will accelerate this awareness to mainstream Canada at a ‘rapid time’ pace.

George is moving at a lightning quick pace with many projects on the go.  He holds networking/speaking events in various popular locations around the city on a regular basis.  Instead of me going over his upcoming  projects and events, just check out his all in one domain www.georgemoen.tel to get a full breakdown of everything George is doing.  There’s no doubt in my mind that if you are in any type of business in Vancouver you will find some use connecting with George.  You can also follow him on Twitter: @georgemoen .

I want to personally thank George for taking part in my interview and letting me write a profile on.  He’s a great guy and people like George make me proud to be a Vancouverite.  It was an honour to meet him and I’m looking forward to keeping up to date with his exciting new projects.

 

 

 

 

 

A Brilliant Business Model, The Largest Trade Exchange Company In Western Canada

Trade Exchange CanadaI had a long and very enlightening sit-down with Scott Berg, Co-Owner of Trade Exchange Canada.  I was thoroughly impressed with Scott’s views on business and his company.  Not only was I impressed with TEC’s reputation as being the #1 Consumers Choice Barter and Trade Exchange company 10 years in a row in Vancouver or cracking the top 40 companies under 40 in 2007 in Business In Vancouver magazine, I was more impressed with their business model and company as a whole.   TEC is a company in the business barter industry, a no-nonsense very practical business model. Basically, his company Trade Exchange Canada (also owned by Wayne Edgar) is a market place that enables businesses to trade their products or services for other business’ products or services.  By doing this, companies under TEC’s system are able to drastically increase their cash flow, while generating new clients by using their product as a currency to purchase things that they would have to pay for any ways.  TEC has close to 1000 clients in Vancouver, these clients include, the Jim Pattison Group, Steve Nash Fitness and Audio and Video Unlimited to name a few.  After learning more about the trade and barter economy, I couldn’t help but to come to the conclusion that this is a revolutionary business model that could be a major factor in the new world economy.  After learning more about how Trade Exchange Canada operates, I found that his business directly relates to what he believes is important when it comes to how to live your life and this told me what kind of  kind of person he is.

Scott’s background is in sales, he started at Sun Life as a life insurance agent.  From there he moved on to working with a local bartering company where he learned all about the business of barter and trade, then eventually starting his own company in 2002 with his partner Wayne.  I couldn’t help but notice the importance Scott puts in building relationships.  His greatest achievements in life all revolve around building strong relationships with people who are close with him.  During the early years of TEC there were many challenges that the young company encountered and after getting knocked down more than once, these guys stayed strong  and got back up even stronger.  The barter industry is a people business and TEC is a people’s company.  Scott told me that he wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for the wonderful people in his life, his close knit team at TEC, his good friend/business partner, his clients and his late wife who he was very grateful of.  He attributes most of his life’s accomplishments to his wife who recently passed, and this poses another challenge for him.  But, after sitting down with Scott there’s no reason to believe that he will not overcome this challenge and future challenges to come.  It says something about his personality and it also re-iterates the fact of how resilient successful entrepreneurs need to be.

TEC is a dynamic company, within an industry that shows nothing but an upside in today’s economy.  Technically they are in the business of barter and trade, however I have a different description.  TEC is in the business of improving the lives of people and companies while improving that business’ bottom line.  TEC forces companies to step out of there comfort zone and explore new opportunities while being economically sound and helping their bottom line.

I want to personally thank Scott for taking part in our interview.  For more info on the trade or barter exchange business check out their company website.  www.tradeexchangecanada.ca You can also follow him on Twitter: @tradeexchangeca

Meet Danielle Fernandes, A True Hockeypreneur

Danielle is one of the most driven people that I’ve ever met. Her impressive resume and accomplishments are one thing but after sitting down with her I realized that her personality is a perfect fit for an Entrepreneur. Perhaps she attained these entrepreneurial traits when she started her own successful Show-jumping Equestrian business at 16 or perhaps while she was competing as a professional show-jumper. Her previous accomplishments include, working in marketing, sponsorship and promotions for the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Giants and Chilliwack Bruins (who later folded after her departure as she was an intricate part of the Bruins early success in the community). She is a writer and partner with one of Canada’s most respected hockey magazines The Fourth Period where her first feature will be with Brian Burke. Her main focus right know is her role as CEO of Dangle Media Inc. A company dedicated to going beyond the rink, and getting to the root of the culture of hockey. I can honestly say that this girl loves hockey as much or more than any other Canadian I’ve met. There is no doubt that this passion combined with her talent will drive Dangle media to incredible heights. Keep your eyes open for Danielle as you will be seeing her getting behind the scenes at many major events including the upcoming NHL All-star game in Ottawa.

 

 

Danielle FernandesTell me what new and exciting things are going on and on the horizon with Dangle media?

Just wrapped up the Vancouver edition of the Random Hockey Show with Vancouver Canucks legend Cliff Ronning. I recently did a feature for The Canada World Juniors where I interviewed Team Canada coach Don Hay and star player Brendan Gallagher. I also did an Interview with NHL hall of famer Guy Lafleur, let’s just say I had a busy but incredible few weeks in Vancouver – travelling back east for The Fourth Period Magazine meetings (as they are our print partner) and gearing up for a Habs event in Montreal and then onto Ottawa for the All Star Game in which we are involved in gifting suites, events and filming the Ottawa Show.

What did you do before dangle media, and what made you decide to start your own company?

Before Dangle I worked in the WHL with the Vancouver Giants and Chilliwack Bruins, as well as a stint with the Canucks. I’ve also freelanced in Corporate Sponsorship for events like the World Police and Fire Games, Global Comedy Festival, Memorial Cup and IIHF World Juniors. Lots of broadcast stuff lately including Shaw TV Vancouver, MCing Canucks banquet and BC Lions Street Parties. I have been an entrepreneur since I was 16 and started my own Show Jumping Equestrian business, No-Limit Showjumpers. I read the Four Hour Work Week and it changed the way I thought about business and was inspired to launch a start up.

What were the biggest challenges when you started Dangle Media? How did you overcome them?

Definitely branding and legality issues with trademarks and graphics – we came up with two great names that were indirectly taken before finding Dangle (inspired by a shirt created by our merchandise partner, Gongshow Hockey – J Dangle). We overcame them by accepting the costs of re-branding our logos and business cards as a learning experience. I can honestly say that the learning curve has been incredible. From learning video-graphy skills to editing and embedding youtube video’s and writing full content articles for multiple platforms I am pretty sure I have the equivalent of 3 masters degrees in commerce. I can say that I have tried to read a book a week no matter what the current circumstances are in the business which has been difficult at times but has paid off in the long run.

What are the best things about running your own company? What are the most challenging obstacles?

The best thing for sure is, knowing the possibilities of this business model are limitless. Our growth has been expedited substantially based on some great industry people offering to help and I credit these mentors with all the success we’ve had thus far and any we have in the future. Challenging obstacles are of course, financial. Having to do things on a shoe string budget is really tough but I just keep telling myself that the most successful entrepreneurs are the resourceful, savvy, clever ones who made it work no matter what – contra or otherwise. I’ve also had to work on my leadership skills when stress levels are high and the thing I’ve learned is keep the communication lines open so everyone is on the same page.

Where do you see your company in 3 years?

In three years we hope to have built our brand and show, as a respected source of compelling stories that go beyond the game and showcase the culture of hockey. We want to bring a wider audience to the NHL. On the business side, definitely be able to bring on more staff and continue producing features all over the world related to hockey while continuing to work with The Fourth Period on unique features for print.

What kind of marketing strategies are you doing?

Being only 3 months old we haven’t utilized a strategic marketing plan yet. We do focus on social media (Facebook, Twitter and Youtube) and are working with corporations within the hockey industry to align our brands with including merchandise and corporate partners.

On behalf of ceo1on1 I want to thank Danielle for taking part in this interview. Keep up with Danielle by visiting her site www.danglemedia.com or you can follow her on Twitter @DangleMedia

The 20 Qualities That Leaders Of The Future Must Posses…Read Up, It Could Be Life Changing

Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill - Author of "The Law Of Success"

What you are about to read in this post could change your life.  I know this is a bold statement, but very true in a number of different ways.  A leader is  a very sought after type of person in this day in age.  Leadership can be used in every aspect of life, and not just business or sports.    The following is a brief breakdown of every quality an effective leader must posses.  I didn’t pull this information off the internet or get it from some crap new age self help book.  What I’m about to share is directly from the works of Napoleon Hill’s first book published in 1928 titled, “The 16 Laws of Success”.  At that time, there were many people opposed to the publication of this book as they feared too many common people would find out the secrets to wealth and success, thus making the world a more competitive place.   I’ve read a countless amount of business, marketing and self help books, but Napoleon Hill’s work trumps everything else because his literature goes down to the root of every aspect of success, NOT sugar coated theories.  He dedicated 20 years of his life to  write this book.  He interviewed and built relationships with over 500 of the most powerful people in the United States during that time.  Here is a breakdown of what he discovered about these leaders, these are the 20 qualities of effective leaders (in bold)… I will add my comments to the  points I feel need more explanation.  Enjoy!!

1.  Complete Mastery Of The 6 Basic Fears - Any great leader exhibits confidence and seldom shows fear.  Hence the popular term “fearless leader”.  The “6 Basic Fears”  Hill is referring to are as follows; criticism, poverty, ill health, loss of love of someone, old age and death. Keep these deadly, confidence killing fears out of your day to day life.

2.  Willingness To sub-ordinate personal interest for the good of their followers – There’s no “I” in team.  With every action, think to yourself and determine what’s in the best interest of your team or company.

3.  Singleness of Purpose Represented By a Definite Program of Leadership That Harmonizes With the Needs of the Times - Have a definite goal and strategy even for the long-term, however, be willing to make necessary adjustments based on the present time.(Ex. Advancements in technology)

4. Understanding Of The Mastermind Principle -  The definition of a mastermind is;  A mind that is developed through the harmonious    cooperation of two or more people who ally themselves for the purpose of accomplishing any given task.  Incredible and almost supernatural things can be achieved if this is done correctly.

5.  Self Confidence In It’s Highest Form

6.  Ability To Reach Decisions Quickly and Standing Behind Them Firmly – The ability to do this is one of the most important qualities of a leader.  Decisions must be made on a daily basis if you are the CEO of a company and if these decisions are not followed through with firmness, your followers might lose respect for you.  It’s better to make a mistake confidently, than make an “okay” decision that lacks fullness.

7.  Imagination To Anticipate The Needs Of The Times and Making Plans To Supply Those Needs

8.  Initiative; In It’s Highest Form

9.  Enthusiasm; and The Ability To Transmit It To His/Her Followers

10.  Self Control; In It’s Highest Form

11.  Willingness To Render More Service Than That Which For Direct Compensation - The ability to be able to to do something extra for the good of the team or image of the company without receiving direct compensation.

12.  A Pleasing Magnetic Personality

13.  The Ability To Think Accurately – Thinking accurately is often overlooked and underrated.  It’s important to be able to break down problems in a clear, concise manner and targeted manner.  It’s also important for CEOs to think accurately when mapping out strategies that fit into the overall vision

14.  The Ability To Co-operate With Others In A Spirit Of Harmony – This also applies to the mastermind principal discussed before.  The ability to co-operate with others in a cohesive manner is easier said than done.  It takes a certain personality to be able to do this as some people may find their co-workers unbearable to work with.  That’s why great leaders are special, they are able to work with almost everyone.

15.  The Persistence To Concentrate Thought and Efforts Upon A Given Task Until It Is Completed - “Quitters never win and winners never quit”.  Need I say more?

16.  The Ability And Hindsight To Profit By Mistakes And Failures

17.  Tolerance; In It’s Highest Form

18.  Temperance; In ALL Of It’s Forms

19.  Honesty In Both Purpose And Deed

20.  Strict Adherence “The Golden Rule” – For those of you who have forgotten.  The Golden Rule is: “treat others as you would like to be treated”

Well there you have at.  These 20 qualities will not only make you a more successful entrepreneur or company leader, but these are qualities that can improve every aspect of your life.  Copy these qualities and rate yourself out of 10 for each.  Look to improve on these rating in your day to day activities, and don’t worry, even Steve Jobs wasn’t a perfect 10 in each quality.

We Interview Some Of The Most Dynamic Leaders In A Number Of Different Industries

Here at ceo1on1 we want to do something different, we want to build something great.  We put a spotlight on exceptional leaders who are proven winners as we feel they deserve the recognition.  We want to build a network where leaders and businesses in different industries can learn things from one another, whether it be marketing strategies, how to improve worker moral, etc.  We also want to give young aspiring CEOs and future company leaders a place to get an insight on what it takes to become a real winner and how awesome it is to work for a dynamic company.

 

You will be surprised how much quality life changing information you can get from a short interview of a proven leader.

 

Thank you, and stay tuned for some awesome interviews.

A Theory On Why There Are So Many Successful Businesses Based In Vancouver

So I’ve been wondering for years why there are so many successful companies and start-ups based out of Vancouver.  The obvious reason is the people behind these companies, but I want to try to dig a little deeper and find out WHY there are so many innovative and talented business leaders and entrepreneurs in this awesome city.  Here is my rather light hearted and casual list as to why this is:Vancouver

  • The Climate – I can personally say that I wouldn’t get nearly as much work done if I lived in a city like LA where there is sunshine for the better part of the year.  I think we all love the sun, but this can inhibit our ability to get work done.  With me, when it’s sunny all I want to do is get out there and throw football around or anything else I can think of as an excuse to get some vitamin D.  When it’s raining my focus and productivity goes up ten fold
  • Coffee  - Many people out there would say that they can attribute most of their success to coffee.  I feel so strongly about this that I think it should be written off as a business expense.  Vancouver is known has a hub for coffee and coffee enthusiasts, and coffee is the fuel that turns regular people into champions! ;)  For example; Blenz coffee was born in Vancouver, this shows that we are on the map for coffee
  • Beautiful Skyline and Scenery –  Most companies in Vancouver are based downtown or have a great view of our awesome city skyline or mountains.  There is something about looking outside your office window and seeing a beautiful scenery that brings inspiration.  It almost can bring clarity to many things and enables you to re-generate and get inspiration for new ideas
  •  It’s all about the $$ - Let’s face it, there are quite a few wealthy people in this city.  I suppose there needs to be a lot of wealthy people as we do live in one of the most expensive cities in the world.  This forces our Vancouverites to step their game up and grow a desire to succeed.

Well there you have it, It’s a short list, perhaps an incomplete list, but it makes a lot of sense to me.  So get out there Vancouver and be great!

The Incredible Power Of A Mastermind Group; A Lesson In Life

 

Before I begin, I want to first define what a Mastermind is.  The common perception of the word “mastermind” is an individual who is a master in his/her discipline.  This is the incorrect and almost opposite definition of a mastermind.  

  

The term mastermind was a term first coined in the 1920′s by arguably one of the most influential authors of all time, Napoleon Hill.  He basically stated that one of the most important recipes for success in any form, is the Mastermind.  A Mastermind is a regular meeting of two or more people who have similar goals, confidence levels and interests.  The Mastermind is basically the idea that after regular interactions within the group combined with a like minded and harmonious connection between the members an additional “master” mind is created that can give power to the whole group.  This powerful mastermind is conceived and therefore can become even more powerful with care and positive energy.  This Mastermind is created almost subconsciously and can even be done with the simple concept of good friendship or love.  When applied to business, with definitive goals, there are no limits to this power.

 

Masterminds have been created throughout your whole life without you even knowing it, whether it be at your workplace in a weekly meeting, with your friends, the love between a man and a woman or on a winning sports team.  However, it is important to note that it only takes ONE person in the group who isn’t buying in to the best interest of the group to throw the whole process off course, this can be a major problems in some larger companies.  The truth of the matter is, a Mastermind is a science.  Not only is it a science but it is an unexplainable phenomenon.  It is well known by many scientists that the human brain is one of the most powerful “radio transmitters” on earth, this is a known fact.  What people have a hard time grasping is that our brains are so powerful that we can actually connect with other brains on a subconscious level, I’m not talking telepathy here, I’m merely suggesting that energy can be exchanged on a subconscious level.  Of course only if the correct building blocks are in place to allow us to do so.  The key word is harmony.  The connection of your team and the ability to achieve the goals set by your team is totally dependant on a confident, like minded and harmonious connection.

 

An excellent way to create a Mastermind is to connect with other like minded people with similar goals.  Here at ceo1on1.com, I would love to see what incredible goals can be achieved by fellow business leaders in separate industries.  Let’s face it, successful CEOs, Directors, Vps and entrepreneurs all have similar character traits and goals.  The most obvious goal is to help grow their respective companies, while at the same time delivering a quality service.  If leaders were able to connect, access, and share information and strategies there is no doubt in my mind that everyone involved would see positive results.

 

Here’s to quality connections and prosperity in 2012

 

- Pete