Across North America everybody wants everything faster, cheaper, free shipping and returns plus a lifetime guarantee.

To satisfy this unreasonable, insane, and insatiable desire for more cheap food, goods and services, we’ve gutted small manufacturers across North America and sent millions of jobs and billions of dollars, per year, overseas so that we can brag about how cheap 'it' is.

NOT HOW GOOD OR DURABLE IT IS, OR HOW THE PURCHASE SUPPORTS YOUR LOCAL, PROVINCIAL OR CANADIAN ECONOMY.

In the process of ignorantly discounting the price of everything from peanuts to military pensions, we’ve taught our kids that many jobs are not worth doing or having. This self-serving, short-sighted and narrow-minded economic mentality continues to shut down local businesses and lays waste to cities, towns and individual aspirations all across North America.

Where will this end?

When companies don't earn a decent profit margin their foundations crumble.

• They cut back or stop doing research and development. Without leading edge research and development their managers blindly follow the “best practices” of their competitors, fail and fall behind.
• Then they cut back on staff training and development.
• Short and long term employee benefits are cut next. Loyal full-time staff members are 'fired' and then 'rehired' as part-time staff without benefits.
• Part time staff, who don't earn a living wage, need to juggle two or three part time jobs to make ends meet. They have no holiday pay, day's off with pay, pension plans or medical support.
• Many do not have enough savings to cover two or three months of unemployment. 
• Because they are just making ends meet, they can't afford to "support" the arts or local charities; key indicators of a healthy economy. 
• It even affects homeless people, who depend on our collective good-will to get by - one cold night at a time.  
• And on and on it goes in a giant downward spiral.

One of my x-clients had his website designed and built in the Philippines to save money; "they charge 1/4 of what you do Frank." He thought their deal was far too good to pass up. Sadly, while the site-construction was cheap, it didn't drive much business to his store.

No research.

No analytics.

No strategy.

No tactics.

Because he focused on price, so did his customers. In the end his business tanked because he couldn't make up in volume what he consistently lost on margin.

When we charge a fair price and invest the profits in our people, our communities, and our industries, and Canada, we all grow stonger, better and smarter.

My father and father-in-law both served in WW2. My father was in the German army and my father-in-law was in the Canadian Navy. They didn’t see each other much because my family lives in Toronto and my wife’s family lives in Winnipeg.

I remember the 1st time they met. They talked about a lot of different things for a long time and about the war for a short time. Then I remember them agreeing on the stupidity and the futility of that war, the one that preceded it – and all of those that have followed since.

My father came to Canada with his wife and five children (and me on the way) to escape conflict and conscription – and to give Petra, Henry, August, Martin, Barbara and me a better life.

My wife, Michelle, and I went to the Winnipeg Legislature Buildings this morning to remember Heinrich Wilhelm Wehrmann and Robert Bernard Convey as well as all the others who have stood on guard for us for all these years.

If we’re as smart as we claim to be, why can’t we figure this shit out?

THEN . . . 

Long before the internet, computers, cell phones, (Motorola) mobile hand sets and pagers, sales organizations used weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual business meetings and (in-house) training sessions to help them instill a sense of loyalty in their (field) sales force. Those meetings also helped all of those not working in the head office to remain connected to their head office support teams and to refresh their personal business network. Importantly, most of these people spent a lot of time working with and training under head-office managers before they were let loose in their “territory”. 

They knew the management team, and it knew them. 

TODAY . . .     

A recent study in the Economist suggests that the majority of people will quit their current job if they are “forced” to go back to the office “full time”. Given that most media are telling us that most organizations are looking for qualified staff, the employment prospects look pretty good for those who want to keep working and are willing to show up in the office. Working remotely has allowed many employees to earn "big-city wages" while working from a small-town home, or a foreign country like Portugal, with zero clothing, lunch, parking or commuting expenses (car depreciation and insurance). 

A WHILE FROM NOW . . . 

Life in the small-town home you moved to a few years ago is great. Your work is challenging, the pay and benefits are great and the core hours are pretty much 9-5. There’s a lot more time for family, friends and outside interests. While small town entertainment options and social attitudes are a pain at times, it’s nothing compared to how your friends describe their big-city slog. 

Suddenly . . . a major management change at head-office changes everything. The new senior managers don’t know you and don’t recall ever talking to you. Frankly they couldn’t pick you out of a crowded room if their lives depended on it. When they restructure, they decide that they no longer require your services. Now what? 

The only jobs in town are part-time, and pay minimum wage. And you start at 6 a.m.

Your 500+ Linked In network is silent.

You check out the online job-sites and find some relevant \ interesting openings. They're between 200 and 2,000 km. away, and your resume submission is number 250. 

"Thanks for your interest and your submission. We wish you all the best with your future endeavours. Don't call us, we’ll call you if you make our short list." 

While some of your friends were laid off too, those who had been going into the office either F\T or P\T have already landed jobs elsewhere, often with the old or new management’s help. It looks like all of that commuting and in-management’s-face-time paid off. Your F\T or P\T friends have multiple leads for other interesting opportunities that they turned down, but they can’t really help you or refer you because their network doesn’t know you, your personality, style or work. They wish you all the best. "Keep in touch!"

You’re on your own. 

This is the scenario that millions of short-sighted people who love working from home full time are experiencing. 

Those who will do well in the future are the same people who did well before the COVID driven work-from home paradigm shift kicked in. 

Their priority is “climbing the corporate (or economic) ladder better than their peers do” in order to achieve financial independence by a reasonable age; say 55.

Their focus is not on “work-life balance”.

There’s no right or wrong answer here as long as you choose your path with your eyes wide open are fully aware of the repercussions. 

Enjoy your day and your journey.

I'm reading a great book about how the brain works. Memorable stuff needs to appeal to you on an intuitive and emotional basis - not on a logical basis.

The logo on the left, while 'cute', it has a logical bias - helping me understand the brand name by showing me a picture of a crocodile. But it doesn't tell me what the brand manufactures. 

The logo on the right is far more creative and intuitive.

And more memorable.