The Rust of Legacy Thinking

Floating in the ether is hard. The ether being an aspect of change, the space between what we have known and that which we will come to know. This place, uncomfortably devoid of the familiar, especially over prolonged exposure, leaves many disoriented and flailing as the moorings that have defined our experience,     and therefore… Read more »

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Uncorking New Ideas

As a keynote speaker, I often mention our family-owned winery, Hacienda de las Rosas, which translates to “Big House of the Roses.” The audience lights up as they ask incredulously, “You own a winery?

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Selling: A Customer-Focused Culture

Have we ever thought about all the positive energy we extend as we capture and maintain customers? That momentum, adrenaline and skill a sales team utilizes as they close business? During this time of change and upheaval, I have contemplated if there are consistent ways to capture this same energy throughout an organization so that… Read more »

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Inspired by Crisis

There is symbiotic relationship between innovation and adoption. The work of innovation can only go so far until it must wait for adoption to catch up and create the next opportunity for innovation. I have personally experienced this circular relationship, which is especially prominent in the education field.

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The Innovation Mindset

For most of my career, CEOs and executives have been asking me the same question: “How do we become more innovative?” My answer is always the same: you need a culture that reinforces psychological safety

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Struggle Well: A Leadership Lesson for All

Struggle well. It is a phrase I have come to embrace more and more in life as I come to a better understanding of how best to navigate life’s challenges, particularly when failure emerges from unexpected places, at unpredicted times, in the middle of life’s pursuits. That struggle can feel all too real, almost visceral,… Read more »

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Social Creatures Need Connections

There is a lot of talk about how most companies will go “totally virtual” after the pandemic. I think this is a huge mistake. Don’t get me wrong. I run Sherpa Digital Media. We do virtual events and video streaming for a living.

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An Accidental Entrepreneur

The economic recession in the early 1990s resulted in a significant decrease in government funding for scientific research in Canada. Little did I realize then just how that particular federal budget would launch the trajectory of my career into unanticipated and uncharted territory.

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Leading Forward

COVID-19: I never believed in a doomsday scenario, but I knew that my daily life as a chef, father, cookbook author and TV personality would be impacted greatly for the next two to three years.

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