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There be a Dinosaur

A prairie showdown over rail subsidies, co-op betrayal, and a dinosaur statue. One cattleman’s bold stand exposed the fossils of failed policy—and made front-page news. Early in my career, as Secretary-Manager of the Stockgrowers Association, I found myself in a prairie-sized showdown. Our 8,500 ranchers and cattlemen were fiercely independent, allergic to government meddling. But […]

Stop Yelling in the Wrong Room: Picking the Right Business Communication Channel

Have you ever tried to break up with someone over text? Or send a “LOL” during a serious meeting? Yeah… awkward. In business, choosing the wrong communication channel can feel just as cringeworthy. Imagine sending a 10-paragraph email to someone who barely reads subject lines. Or, better yet, calling a meeting just to say, “Hey, […]

The Answer to Business Success is 34

In the radio series and first novel, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, a group of hyper-intelligent beings specially built a supercomputer called Deep Thought to answer life’s ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything. Deep Thought computed and checked the answer, which turned out to be 42. The problem was no one could […]

The Joy of Being Wrong

I borrowed the title from Chapter three of a fascinating book written by Adam Grant called Think Again. The title “The Joy of Being Wrong” seems counter-intuitive; however, the book prompted me to think again about the value of being wrong. When we are growing up, we have an aversion to being wrong and particularly […]

The Ripple Effect of Gratitude: Why Acknowledgment Is Personal Thanksgiving

Acknowledging others isn’t just a gesture of politeness—it’s an act of personal thanksgiving that can transform your mindset and relationships. When you make a habit of recognizing those around you, you’re actively choosing to focus on the positive contributions others make in your life, and this gratitude enriches your own sense of well-being. By acknowledging […]

There be a Dinosaur

Many years ago, at the start of my professional career, I had the opportunity to be the Secretary-Manager of the Stockgrowers Association. The Stockgrowers was a representative organization representing about 8,500 members – predominately ranchers, cattle breeders, and feedlot operators – in Saskatchewan. The organization based its views and attitudes on self-reliance, free enterprise, and […]

What is Corporate Culture?

When I Googled “what is corporate culture,” the first response was, “Corporate culture refers to the beliefs and behaviors that determine how a company’s employees and management interact and handle outside business transactions. Often, corporate culture is implied, not expressly defined, and develops organically over time from the cumulative traits of the people the company hires.” I thought that was a pretty good answer. […]

Why Entrepreneurs Fail at Relationships

A wise old friend once asked me, “Joe, do you know why divorce is expensive?” I probably muttered something about lawyers, settlement, alimony, child support.” He said no – no, divorces are expensive because they’re worth it.” Undoubtedly, marriage breakups are never good for the pocketbook – I should know, I have been through three […]