Here's an update to post I wrote in 2012, but is more relevant today than then because fewer people today really understand "Customer Service".

When I worked with Midas Canada in the late 1990’s, Mr. Al Martin's Midas shop in Newmarket, Ontario, was the #1 store in Canada. Perhaps North America. Mr. Martin's business thrived for a few reasons. His store was MUCH bigger, newer and cleaner than any other Midas shop. It looked more like a small new car dealership than a repair shop. Mr. martin was great at asking for the business. Asking customers how he could improve their service experience. And making sure that ALL of his team members shared his vision, passion and commitment to customers care. 

 Another Midas franchisee that did very well was Mr. Dave Tichowsky, Lloydminster. He was a tough guy to work for and had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with fools; read anyone associated with Midas head office. (Un) fortunately my job, at the advertising agency, was addressing local dealer and co-op advertising needs, and assure all franchise that the national advertising program would make more dollars for their shops because they made more sense to Midas customers. At regional meetings Dave tended to be loud, gruff and uncooperative. When I called Mr. Tichowsky and told him that I needed to come out for a visit, he told me “stay where you are and don’t waste my fucking time!” Not one to pass up an opportunity to see the country, I went anyway, telling Dave’s assistant what day I would fly in and at what hour I expected to arrive. Because of a local ice storm I arrived by bus, instead of by plane - over six hours late, tired and embarrassed; thinking that this is just what a guy like Dave expects from a stupid easterner like me. The first thing Dave Tichowsky did was hand me the keys to one of his courtesy vehicles and direct me to a good restaurant where I could rest up, eat up & warm up. When I got back to Dave’s shop he and his team were busy. So I went into the service bays, picked up a broom and swept each one clean. Maybe because Dave showed me a side I didn’t expect to see, and I showed him gratitude in a manner he didn’t expect to see from me, Dave and I mentally “moved to a common ground”: one that was neither his or mine - a neutral place that encouraged us to be open and honest. We spent the balance of our time together talking about how he had built his business one customer at a time, calling everyone in the Lloydminster phone book and asking if he could care for their vehicles. He also explained to me why he believed that the new national advertising campaign would ruin his market. I agreed with him and went back to Toronto and convinced Midas Canada to allow me to “buy around” Lloydminster TV and give Dave a local radio campaign instead. Dave was delighted. Midas Canada was delighted and Ogilvy had another shining example of how well we knew our client's business and how well we could manage their business.

What I re-learned then and am reminded of all these years later, is that the ‘common ground’ that Dave Tichowsky entered into with me enabled us to address his issues and opportunities with clarity and integrity. That encouraged me to come up with creative, yet practical solutions that made sense to all stakeholders – including his customers. My experience with people like Dave taught me to do my homework in order to ensure that my solution works short and long term. That involves finding a common, objective ground from which I can work openly, honestly and objectively with all stakeholders.

I saw this the other day and thought back on my career. I was laid off three or four time, exhausted my savings and had to borrow money once to bridge the unemployment gaps. 

Along the way it struck me that, while I was an employee with ONE income, all of my smart clients had multiple income streams. So, I decided to developed multiple income streams too:

1.   My main income came from salary work with one ad agency.

2.   My wife was a Film Set Decorator and then became a Realtor. 

3.   Then I did a few freelance marketing projects here and there.

4.   I boarded dogs while the owners went away for the winter.

5.   I restored and sold some old but nice MCM furniture.

6.   I grew our investments so that they could provide some bridging income in low income years and be our main income when we retire.

7.   Now that I'm over 65, I receive OAS.

8.   Ditto for my wife.

9.   Now that I'm over 65, I receive CPP.

10. Ditto for my wife.

While "financial peace of mind" is the greatest immediate benefit, discovering and utilizing more of your native and aquired skill sets is the greatest benefit because you see and have the confidence to pursue and succeed in far more business opportunites.

One example. When I worked for large international ad agencies, I was employed as a Media Director, or Account Director on a very short list of very large multi-million dollar accounts.

When I did freelance work, I was functionally the Account and Creative Director, rolled into one, solving communication problems for all kinds of small businesses.

My unique combination of large agency, large business, Media Management and Account Service experience enabled me to offer a variety of valuable and unique USP to small agenices and their clients.   

And that my friends, is how all large, successful companies make [more] money.

Dear all,

I found this post buried in my 2013 archives. I was 58 at the time. Twelve years later - nothing much has changed in the big picture.

Enjoy! 

As the year draws to a close I’m reflecting on where I’ve been, what I’ve done, and what I want to do next - and how. The short answers are as follows:

• I’ve been on an amazing +35 year rollercoaster ride.
• I experienced some really great + some really shitty stuff along the way.
• I want to keep going as a mentor - maybe even a guru.
• I’d like to share and give more than I currently do.

In hindsight, most of my regrets are related to two things:

1. Not listening to my elders earlier on because I was young and I thought they were old.

I didn’t understand that they had gone through the same kind of stuff that I was going through now – and worse. But because their experiences didn’t look exactly like mine I dismissed their experience and their lessons.

2. Not having someone that I could trust and could go to for guidance in my teens and twenties.

The reason I’ve chosen to be a mentor is that a trusted mentor can make a big difference right now - and a world of difference by the time you’re my age (58 / 70). You’ll have to trust me on that, or save this note and thought for about 30 years. You'll find that your elders - and I were right.

Here are some other thoughts that, twelve years on, have not changed in value.

Time is not a limitless commodity

I rarely find young professionals that have a heightened sense of urgency to get to the next level because in our 20s we think we have all the time in the world to figure it out and to get what we want. Time is the only treasure we start off with in abundance, and can never get back. Make the most of the opportunities you have today, because there will be a time when you have no more of it.

2. Yes you’re talented, but talent is overrated

While you may be part of the most capable, creative, knowledgeable & multi-tasking generation yet, unrefined raw materials (no matter how valuable) is simply wasted potential. There’s no prize for talent, just for results. Even the most talented folks methodically and painfully had to work their way to success.

3. We’re more productive in the morning

I used to pride myself on staying at the office until 9pm on a regular basis. I thought I got so much work done - and learned so much more than those who left at 5pm. But in retrospect I got more menial, task-based items done, not the more complicated strategic planning, phone calls or meetings that needed to happen during business hours. Now I promote an office-wide early start time because I know, for the most part, we’re more productive as a team in those early hours of the day.

4. Social media is not a career

In 2013 I suggested that social media job titles won’t exist in 5 years, and that social media was simply a function of marketing; it helps support branding, ROI or both. Social media is a means to get more awareness, more users or more revenue. It’s not an end in itself.

While I was wrong on the 'title prediction' I’d (still) strongly caution you against pegging your career trajectory solely to a social media job title. All media options come and go. They have their moment - and hen the world moves on.

5. Pick up the phone

Stop hiding behind your computer. Business [still] gets done on the phone and in person. It should be your first instinct, not last, to talk to a real person and source business opportunities. And when the Internet goes down, stop looking so befuddled and don’t ask to go home. Don’t be a pansy, pick up the fucking phone.

6. Be the first in and the last to leave

You have more ground to make up than everyone else around you, and you actually do have something to prove. There’s only one sure-fire way to get ahead, and that’s to work harder than all of your peers. Period.

7. Don’t sit there [doom -scrolling] and wait to be told what to do

You can’t have a sense of entitlement without a sense of responsibility. You’ll never get ahead by waiting for someone to tell you what to do. Saying “nobody asked me to do this” is a guaranteed recipe for failure. Err on the side of doing too much, not too little.

8. Take responsibility for your mistakes

You should be making lots of mistakes early on in your career. But you shouldn’t be defensive about errors in judgment or execution. Stop trying to justify your fuck-ups. You’re only going to grow by embracing the lessons learned from your mistakes, and committing to learn from those experiences. And . . . to share what you learned with your peers.

9. You should be getting your butt kicked

The most impressionable, malleable and formative stage of your professional career is year 0ne to five. Working for someone that demands excellence and pushes your limits every day in your 'apprentice years' will build the most solid foundation for your ongoing professional success.

10. A new job every year isn’t a good thing

1-year stints don’t tell me that you’re so talented that you keep outgrowing the company. It tells me that you don’t have the discipline to see your own learning curve through to completion. It takes about 2-3 years to master any new critical skill, give yourself at least that much time before you jump ship - or your resume will reads as a series of red flags.

11. People matter more than perks

It’s so trendy to pick the company that offers the most flex time, unlimited meals, company massages, game rooms and team outings. Those should all matter, but not as much as the character of your founders and managers. Great leaders will mentor you and will be a loyal source of employment long after you’ve left. Make a conscious bet on the folks you’re going to work for and your commitment to them will pay off much more than those fluffy perks.

12. Map effort to your professional gain

You’re going to be asked to do things you don’t like to do. Keep your eye on the prize. Connect what you’re doing today, with where you want to be tomorrow. That should be all the incentive you need. If you can’t map your future success to your current responsibilities, then it’s time to find a new opportunity.

13. You have to build your technical chops

Adding “Proficient in Microsoft Office” at the bottom of your resume under Skills, is not going to cut it anymore. I immediately give preference to candidates who are ninjas in: Photoshop, HTML/CSS, iOS, WordPress, Adwords, MySQL, Balsamiq, advanced Excel, Final Cut Pro – regardless of their job position. If you plan to stay gainfully employed, you better complement that humanities degree with some applicable technical chops.

14. The Quality of your network matters more that size

It’s who you know more than what you know, that gets you ahead in business. Knowing a small group of important people very well, and a large group of contacts superficially are both important. Meet and stay connected to lots of folks, and invest your time developing connections that directly and obliquely help you along on your personal and professional journey.

15. You need at least three professional mentors

The most guaranteed path to success is to emulate those who’ve achieved what you seek. You should always have at least 3 people you call mentors who are where you want to be. Their free guidance and counsel will be the most priceless gift you can receive.

16. Pick an idol and act "as if”

You may not know what to do, but your professional idol does. I often coach my employees to pick the businessperson they most admire, and act “as if.” If you were . ___________ . how would you carry yourself, make decisions, organize your day and accomplish your goals? While "you’ve got to fake it until you make it", it’s better to fake it as the most accomplished person you could imagine.

17. Read more books and fewer posts

Social media is all breadth, no depth - and no ah ha moments or insights. Creativity, thoughtfulness and critical thinking skills are freed when you are forced to read a real paper book cover to cover. All the keys to your future success, can be found in the past experiences of others. Read a book a month, fiction or non-fiction, and your career will blossom.

18. Spend 25% less than you make

When your material needs meet or exceed your income, you’re sabotaging your ability to really make it big. Don’t shackle yourself with golden handcuffs (a fancy car or an expensive apartment). Be willing and able to take 20% less in the short term, if it could mean 200% more earning potential. You’re nothing more than penny wise and pound-foolish if you pass up an amazing new career opportunity to keep an extra little bit of income. No matter how much money you make, spend 25% less to support your life. It’s a guaranteed formula to be less stressed and to always have the flexibility to pursue your dreams.

19. Your reputation is priceless, don’t damage it

Over time, your reputation is the most valuable currency you have in business. It’s the invisible key that either opens or closes doors of professional opportunity. Especially in an age where everything is forever recorded and accessible, your reputation has to be guarded like the most sacred treasure. It’s the one item that once lost, you can never get back.

20. Be the change you wish to see in the world

Do more good than harm. Help others more, hinder them less. Be kind and considerate. Be grateful for the opportunites you've been given in this world.