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ALBERTA’S LARGEST INDEPENDENT PAGING COMPANY
pompous & unfair FUNNY
Metamucil moment
By Muggsy Forbes
A
few weeks ago when Dr. Ollie and I
were at West Edmonton Mall, I spotted a store I wanted to stop at, so we agreed to meet down the way. I headed across the mall only to find myself doing the back stroke—in a water trap—in my overcoat. Surprised, to say the least—almost had a Metamucil moment—I stood up drenched, clothes hanging and clinging to me. No one in the crowd was holding up numbers for my Olympic nose dive. Nor did anyone come to help me out—except Dr. Ollie, who tried hard to suppress her laughter. As we walked amidst curious on-lookers, she even found my trail of wet footprints mildly amusing. Thankfully, only my shoulder was bruised on the bottom of the damn pool. After getting home and again the next day, I reported the embarrassing incident to the mall security office, pointing out there’s no fence or barrier to stop anyone from taking a header. Someone called back a few days later to say they had taken a look at the tapes (security tapes, I presume) and found I wasn’t paying attention so it was my fault. Being in the commercial insurance business, I expected nothing less. The mall likes taking your money, but doesn’t like spending much to keep you safe. How much is a fence? I went back to photograph the scene of my public
...and other adventures moment, and talked with a few of the staff working in the area. Mine was not an isolated incident… and, it turns out, it’s adults—not kids—who belly flop. As usual, this will only be solved by some lawyer working on contingency. If you’re wondering why I’m so ticked, they didn’t even offer to dry-clean my clothes or replace the very expensive pair of hiking boots. Don’t relax when walking the mall, it’s dangerous. I’ve been Plutoed—a new word meaning you’ve been had.
I now believe everything that happens on CSI. Let me explain: Not long ago, a Constable Farrel of the EPS called with some strange questions. “Do you own a Nikon camera?” Yes. “Have you been to Italy?” Yes. “Do you drive a Chrysler Intrepid?” Yes. He explained, “We arrested a homeless person who had your camera.” An offduty officer—my unsung hero—nabbed the guy in another parkade some blocks away. Constable Farrell handled every thing quickly, and even came over to our condo to complete the documents. Now for the CSI stuff: They traced the license on my car… in a photo on one of my digital cards. I was very lucky. Here’s how it all came to pass. Dr. Ollie had hosted about 25 of her marathon Running Room friends and
instructors in the condo party room. Robert Prybysh, of Arrow Engineering was kind enough to share some single malt scotch he scored at the Concordia Grande Masque Ball silent auction. Naturally it turned into a scotchtasting party—except for me, I don’t drink. No one was blistered so I didn’t manage to get any embarrassing pictures. Anyway, instead of cleaning up, we agreed to do it in the morning. But, I forgot my camera in a cardboard box under the bar. It was discovered by Mr. Burglar who had pried open an outside door, in spite of pieces of steel covering the locks, and strode around opening doors. He even ate the leftover food in the fridge.
SIRENS—Support to Individuals at Risk in Everyone’s Neighborhood Society—is an energetic group of volunteers headed up by Frank Klemen and Terry Josey. The society supports aboriginal youth, the mentally ill, school breakfast programs, a choir, and a basketball team, and provides a variety of assistance. You can help by attending their Valentine’s Day Dance, Friday, February 16 at the Northgate Lions Centre, 7524139 Ave. This event features Juno Award winner, Bill Bourne as well as long time favourite Tacoy Ryde. Get your dancing shoes on.
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Rhonda and Matt barefoot in the Gulf Photo by Fred Katz
Just as we were leaving, Carmelo and Stella Rago of Sorrentino’s came in with Peter and Paolo Sorrell of Sorrell Financial. I called Carmelo to find out what he thought. He said, “Hey, all agreed that it was good experience and would deserve another visit.” He was polite enough not to compare it to Sorrentino’s.
The community has lost a number of outstanding citizens in the past few weeks. Priscilla Best passed away of cancer at 55. Her husband Lyle has been a driving force on the local fundraising scene for many years. We had the privilege of spending many very enjoyable
Normally we spend New Years’ Eve at the Faculty Club, but this year we were up at the Coast Terrace Inn dancing our little hearts out to the terrific big band sound of the Trocadero Alumni Band. “Table 6” turned out to be a hoot. One of the ladies was an author of children’s books. Cora Taylor-Georges has had 20 books published and has just come out with a new one. She and hubby Earl Georges spend the winter in Florida where he is a drummer in local bands. The other bunch of fun lovers were Art and Betty Wilson, Ken and Sybil Thatcher, a former Journal staffer, and Joyce and Geoff Henwood. The band, the food and the company were so good, we all pledged to meet at table 6 next year. By the way, Sharon MacLean knew of a story about Cora who, as it turns out, appeared on the front cover of Edmontonians in the August 1993 edition of the magazine. Cora is the mother-in-law of Jane Livingston, first editor of the magazine after founder Dick MacLean moved on to the big newsroom in the sky. “We didn’t know what we were doing in those days,” recalls Sharon. “Jane had never been an editor before; she only started writing for us four months before Dick passed away.” In the scramble to resolve their first cover, Jane mentioned that Cora was considered to be one of Canada’s top children’s writers, lived in Edmonton, and was about to release her fifth book. Presto: their first profile. Jane, recovering from a brain aneurism suffered two years ago now resides in Cora and friend in 1993 Fort McLeod with
her son and Emmy-winning husband, Clancy who is about to start a construction company. “We still think Cora is cover-girl material,” says Sharon of the woman who started her book publishing career 22 years ago at age 50. Her most recent title, released last year, is Murder in Mexico and, according to Jane, her new husband Earl, the jazz drummer, “is the best thing since sliced bread.”
My old buddy Giuseppe Albi is head of Events Edmonton by day and a very good artist by night. He is having a showing in the Peter Robertson Gallery, (10183 112 Street), on February 15th. The show is called Multiple Views and utilizes “multiple tone travel paint”. Giuseppe obtained this unique medium when he visited Golden Artists Colors in up-state New York a couple of years ago. The special characteristic of this paint is that it changes tone when viewed from different angles. Sounds fascinating.
When local Edmonton mom Lynn Roch’s son announced he was having his nuptials in Cuba, she immediately asked her boss if he wanted to come along. Just happens that he is award winning photographer Fred Katz. Matt and his bride Rhonda were joined by 85 friends and family—including parents Lynn and Gilles and Sandra and Harold Lipps—for the mid-January celebrations. The couple exchanged vows on a cliff overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. A fabulous exotic location… captured for a lifetime among the 500 photos taken by Fred, who must have been clicking away like a herd of turtles. How Lynn became known as Mohijto Mamasita is a whole ’nuther story.
My humble apologies to Mrs. Marjorie Ward. Last month, I mistakenly referred to her as Stephanie—I should have known better.
At a fundraiser in the fall, Dr. Ollie picked up an evening at the River Cree Casino with dinner at the Sage Restaurant. It was very good. I had an 8 oz steak with spicy fries. Dr. Ollie had the lamb tenderloin. Both the food and service were excellent and the server knew the menu well.
Priscilla and Lyle... a terrific couple times with the couple. Our sincere condolences to Lyle and the kids, Justin, Brandon and Aaron. In my December column, I acknowledged that Dr. R. Casey had “been great, ridding both eyes of cataracts.” I saw him in early January. So I was stunned to hear that he had passed away about six days after that visit. I had jokingly referred to him as “Mr. Glaucoma”—he said he really enjoyed the comment. When our offices were across the street from each other, John Poole and I often had lunch together. He was one of the brightest, most interesting people you would ever meet. He loved to get a preview on the gossip I was compiling for my column. The memorial tribute at the Winspear was a delightfully informal affair… in keeping with a man who was warm, friendly, down-to-earth—not the least bit pretentious. The contributions from John and his wife Barbara have made this city and province a far, far better place. And, as we went to press, Dr. Ken Paproski, a former Conservative MLA, and Leroy Chahley, retired Chief of Police and city councilor, were being laid to rest. ✔ Additional reporting by Edmontonians staff. Call Muggsy Forbes at 780.482.4545 or e-mail mforbes@edmontonians.com
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Poll
CELEBRATING
STATION With Linda Banister
W
hile commonplace today, cell phone usage was a novelty a generation ago. This is due, in part, to the drastic change in technology since their inception in the 1970s. From large, cumbersome phones in the early days to sleek, camera phones of today, cell phones have become a staple of many people’s lives. In fact, it is not uncommon to see children through to seniors communicating with cell phones. In this month’s Poll Station we asked people about cell phones, their usage and other related issues.
Percentage
HOW MANY CELL PHONES DOES YOUR HOUSEHOLD OWN?
46% 32% 20%
These respondents wanted to keep their numbers private, limited to people of their choosing. Some mentioned the changing nature of cell phone numbers would make a directory difficult to keep current.
Said they had atleast three cell phones in their household
First, respondents were asked if they own a cell phone. Perhaps not surprisingly, almost threequarters (73 percent) of respondents said they have a cell phone. Fifty-nine percent indicated that someone other than themselves in the household owns a cell phone. Only those respondents who said their household owns at least one cell phone were asked how many cell phones they have. Almost one-third (32 percent) own a single cell phone, with 46 percent owning two cell phones. Twenty percent said their household owns at least three cell phones. On average, households with cell phones have two phones. While it is not uncommon to see teens using a cell phone, only seven percent indicated that someone under 18 years old in the household actually owns a cell phone. The average age of cell phone owner is 38 years. People over 55 make up almost one fifth (18 percent) of cell phone owners.
WHAT ABOUT PUBLISHING A CELL PHONE DIRECTORY? Respondents were asked for their opinions about the publishing of a directory of cell phone numbers. Only 20 percent agreed with the idea. Three-quarters of those who liked the idea of a cell phone directory indicated that it would be handy. Considering those who disagreed with the idea of the cell phone directory, the most commonly cited reason was privacy (70 percent).
Percentage
Said their household owned two cell phones
45%
FOUNDER DICK MacLEAN
Vol. XVIII
FEBRUARY 2007
No. 2
SHARON MacLEAN Publisher and Advertising Director Telephone: 780.482.7000 Fax: 780.488.9317 e-mail: info@edmontonians.com edmontonians.com
INSIDE FUNNY, POMPOUS AND UNFAIR Metamucil moment/Forbes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2 POLL STATION Cell phones/Banister . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS Port Alberta/Lockhart . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 EDMONTONIAN IN EXILE Anthony Henday/Edmondson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
SHOULD THERE BE RESTRICTIONS ON CELL PHONE USE?
COVER STORY Lady in red/Hodgson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
91% Said their household owned one cell phone
18 YEARS
THE TRANSFORMERS Iconoclasts/Hill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 Old boys’ club/Hanlen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Listen up!/Brost . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Make a man listen/Bradshaw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 The Yin and Yang/Williamsen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
31% 12%
4%
Said they would Said they would Said they would Said they would Said they would ban the use of ban the use of ban the use of ban the use of ban the use of cell phones cell phones in cell phones in cell phones in cell phones while driving schools restaurants theatres entirely
Finally, respondents were asked if there should be restrictions placed on the use of cell phones. A sizeable majority (85 percent) felt restrictions should be in place. Restricting the use of cell phones while driving was cited by 91 percent. Restricting cell phone use in schools (45 percent) and in restaurants (31 percent) were other comments; 12 percent suggested banning cell phone in theatres, and four percent wanted cell phones banned entirely. The Poll Station surveyed 100 City of Edmonton residents on the topic and, while the results of the research are not statistically reliable, they do provide a qualitative indication of what Edmontonians are thinking. ✔ Linda Banister is a certified management consultant and the owner of Banister Research and Consulting Inc., a full service provider of market research and program evaluation services. Want a question included in the Edmontonians Poll? Contact Linda at 780.451.4444 or e-mail at lbanister@edmontonians.com. Visit www.banister.ab.ca.
BIZINTEL BizIT/Michetti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Civic Buzz/Norwood . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12 Media Minute/Hogle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 MAKING MONEY Fool me twice/Hiebert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 LIVELY LIFESTYLES MenuMagic/Berry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 Absolute Bodo/Bodo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15 BARB DETERS Editor
editor@edmontonians.com COLUMNISTS Linda Banister John Berry Linda Bodo Tom Bradshaw Les Brost Janet Edmondson Muggsy Forbes Steffany Hanlen Ron Hiebert Bruce Hogle Cheryl Lockhart Greg Michetti David Norwood Erin Rayner Nizar J. Somji Colin Williamsen FEATURE WRITERS Barb Deters Don Hill Kristin Hodgson Peter Drake McHugh Michael O’Toole Marg. Pullishy PHOTOGRAPHERS Terry Bourque Fred Katz GRAPHIC PRODUCTION Rage Studios Inc. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY Michetti Information Solutions Inc.
THIS MONTH’S COVER
Entrepreneur Eva Mah Photo by Terry Bourque Published by 399620 Alberta Ltd. on the first day of each month at 333, 10240 - 124 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5N 3W6. ©All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reprinted or reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Manuscripts: must be accompanied by a stamped, selfaddressed envelope. Edmontonians is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts. All stories Copyright ©Edmontonians Publications Mail Agreement No. 40023292 Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Circulation Department 333, 10240 - 124 Street Edmonton, AB T5N 3W6 Email: info@edmontonians.com
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Prince Rupert Terminal expanding
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Photo courtesy of Prince Rupert Port
Port Alberta Viable vision of a multi-modal gateway By Cheryl Lockhart
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dmonton International Airport
wants to act as a hub for North America cargo movements. All of those widgets being produced in China and the rest of the Asia Pacific have to be unpacked and repackaged for North American distribution somewhere, and local authorities want that somewhere to be Edmonton. Recently, I made the early morning trek to the Leduc Nisku Economic Development Authority to hear Glen Vanstone speak on Port Alberta—billed as a multi-modal gateway in the movement of goods to/from the Glen Vanstone U.S., Mexico and Canada with the rest of the world. Now I am always skeptical of claims by development authorities that they are “strategically” located on a major trade route. Every country trying to attract foreign investment does it, as do many other groups such as this all over the world. Nonetheless, Vanstone makes a persuasive case for the development of Port Alberta due to its relatively close proximity to the sea port at Prince Rupert and its situation on major global air routes. Despite always having had this geographic advantage, Edmonton thus far hasn’t become a major location in global supply chains, but two new developments are driving the Port Alberta initiative. The first is the construction of a container terminal in Prince Rupert which will have a capacity of 500,000 TEUs (20-foot container equivalents). Secondly, new generation aircraft are able to fly longer distances before re-fueling. Both add up to the opportunity for Edmonton to position itself as a full service inland port. The Prince Rupert terminal is the only deep water port on the west coast and the only one expanding at a time when 20 Chinese ports have booked construction to handle 100 million TEUs. In other words, the Chinese capacity to ship goods will be much higher than west coast ports’ ability to accept those goods, so the Prince Rupert expansion will be operating at full capacity as soon as it opens. Once the new
Edmontonian IN EXILE
By Janet Edmondson in Calgary jedmondson@edmontonians.com
terminal is operational, there will be only one way to move containers west out of Prince Rupert: by train. And every train that moves out of Prince Rupert will have to transit through Edmonton on its way to other major centres across the mid-western United States and central Canada. But Port Alberta won’t exist solely to service containers entering North America at Prince Rupert. “Demand for inexpensive Asian goods will not abate and if suppliers can’t ship them, they’ll fly them,” Vanstone adds. Currently, many cargo planes refuel in Anchorage, Alaska en route from Asia, and continue on to other North American destinations for unloading. But now, those new generation aircraft can bypass Anchorage, the world’s third largest cargo airport. (Hong Kong is the largest and FedEx’s Memphis airport comes in second). With Edmonton already on those flight paths, Vanstone would like cargo planes to stop here and again, Edmonton could act as the centre of a multi-modal transportation network. There are certainly other locations vying to compete in this aggressive market but Edmonton has other advantages: a huge swath of undeveloped land at the airport, super-long runways capable of accommodating today’s largest aircraft… its neighbor, the Nisku Business Park, is the largest industrial park in Western Canada… and Edmonton’s role as the gateway to northern development, particularly in the oilsands and diamond mines. But the International Airport is doing more than just talking about the potential for Port Alberta; the expansion of the cargo apron will start this spring and raw land is being prepared for development. In the shipping industry, time truly is money. For that reason, shippers are constantly seeking ways to cut transport costs, either through reduced shipping times or less congested facilities. They would be wise to consider Port Alberta as an alternative.
EDMONTON TECH TRAINER GRADUATES FIRST STUDENTS AT ITS MEXICAN CAMPUS With Alberta in the midst of a skills shortage, many people are exploring faster education alternatives to university degrees and two-year diplomas. Intensive short courses, usually four to six months long, are finding a niche in Canada and delivering graduates who are ready to hit the ground running in their chosen profession. Edmonton’s DevStudios has embraced this concept wholeheartedly in software development, information technology and digital media production. With its local program operating at full capacity, the company started pursuing a Mexican expansion two years ago. DevStudios and its partner BidMexico undertook almost a year-and-a-half of market research and relationship building before settling on the city of Leon in Guanajuato state. Once they had the support of local governments and employers (many of whom are transnational corporations and Fortune 500 companies), convincing prospective students and their parents of the value of a hands-on
H
ave you driven the Anthony Henday yet? Spending Christmas holidays at home in Edmonton gave us several opportunities to drive this magical freeway. Returning from a 4:00 a.m. trip to the airport, I took my maiden voyage and had the road to myself–green lights all the way home. Took the same trip a week later—much busier at 9:00 a.m.—and still, clear sailing. Friends in St. Albert tell me that taking the Anthony Henday knocks half an hour off any expedition to destinations in south Edmonton and beyond. Of course, anyone who wants to travel from the south to points north can avoid the endless red lights and accidents along Gateway Boulevard, the Whitemud and 170 Street. If you have ever driven through Calgary, to continue south or to head west to the mountains, you have spent time on the Deerfoot Trail–probably far more time than you had anticipated. Drivers are almost guaranteed that at some point on this six lane “freeway” traffic will come to a standstill. To alleviate this perpetual gridlock,
diploma program with a Canadian curriculum was simple. As a result, 27 students will graduate on February 16th from one of DevStudios three offerings: software development MCSE.NET, design and motion graphics, or 3D animation. Thirty-six students are already enrolled in the next semester, starting on March 26th. The new school was developed as a near replica of its Edmonton headquarters. Armando Sanchez of BidMexico is managing director, handling everything from finding a building, designing and decorating it to be consistent with the look of the Edmonton institution, hiring local staff, renting accommodation for Canadian instructors, and liaising with local government and industry officials. Sanchez notes that this is the only school of its kind in Mexico and that it is being promoted as a Canadian technology institute, which increases its appeal. “Prospective students are amazed that they do not have to share a computer with three other students… that they have their own machine to work from.” The fact that Mexican students will receive exactly the same education as
Armando Sanchez, second from right, with staff in Leon, Mexico Canadian students is also attractive. The first cohort of students in Leon includes two Canadians who decided to supplement their education with a unique cultural experience. However, despite following the Canadian business model as closely as possible, some changes had to be made. “It was an adjustment for our Canadian instructors,” Curtis Greenland, DevStudios director of education told me. “They have to teach from eight a.m. until one o’clock and then break for siesta before resuming classes at four and working until eight in the evening.” Looking ahead, the company has plans to open more schools in Mexico, and perhaps further into Latin America. China is also being investigated. Ultimately though, Greenland explains that at the heart of every expansion is the desire to “enable people to improve their skills and contribute in a small way to the development of a country.” ✔ Cheryl Lockhart owns International Strategies Ltd., specializing in export-related planning and marketing. E-mail: clockhart@edmontonians.com a ring road system is also being built for Calgary. The section that will connect Highway 2—QE 2—to the westbound Trans-Canada Highway is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2008, weather permitting. An eastern ring road to bypass Calgary for destinations east and south should be completed in 2009. Congratulations, Gateway to the North–the gate is actually open and it works. ✔
Anthony Henday Drive
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my space For Young Entreprenuers
By Erin Rayner
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his month’s entrepreneur is reluctant to call himself a businessman. A part-time forklift driver, Steven Teeuwsen, 25, developed a passion for photography while studying journalism at Grant MacEwan College, taught English in Taiwan, and was able to explore his passion while traveling the world. With his beard and long hair, he is coming to grips with his new found identity as an entrepreneur. Upon returning to Edmonton last year, Steven saw an opportunity for an Edmonton-based, arts-focused magazine. After long discussions with a friend at a London UK design firm, Steven created Notebook Magazine, a collage of artworks, bound in a beautiful full color, quarterly publication. To make his “invention” a reality, he went to work putting up posters looking for artists’ submissions, cold-called independent businesses along Whyte Avenue and 124th Street seeking advertisers, and published the inaugural issue in December 2006. “With Notebook, I wanted to create a showcase of the works of Edmonton-based artists and writers in a quality magazine for its own sake, but also to help build community and collaboration.” The magazine is a business. I asked him how, reluctant though he may be, he was addressing this aspect of his artistic pursuits. “I started out with very relaxed business structure and quickly realized I needed a more formal business structure.” With the popularity of online blogs, forums, Youtube and the like, I was curious to explore why Steven had chosen a printed medium. Essentially, it came down to personal preference and, according to Stephen, “although the Internet is popular and an easy way to communicate, it is missing a human connection.” This is also why Notebook will hold a launch party with every quarterly issue: to enhance the connection and further contribute to building Edmonton’s artistic community. From a marketing perspective, a printed magazine offers different challenges than an e-zine. Aside from the obvious costs involved with printing and distribution, it is more heavily dependent on advertisers for support and profit than an Internet supported e-zine. I asked Steven what his plan was for seeking out
more advertisers to make his publication sustainable. He immediately mentioned that securing more advertisers will require a change in mind-set on his part. To prospect and secure larger clients, in this case advertisers, any business needs to come across as though they have a future, solid experience, a consistent way to “deliver” and generally appear bigger than they may actually be. I assured Steven that, based on my recent reading from Michael Gerber’s EMyth Mastery, many entrepreneurs feel this change of mind-set—from small/medium (ie manageable) business to confident and larger than we appear— uncomfortable. Gerber says, “Entrepreneurs do not set out with a result in mind despite what everybody thinks though they always discover a result they set out to create. Creation is discovery. Discovery is magical. Discovery is the juice entrepreneurs live for.” And this is definitely true in Steven’s case. A work of art, in my experience, rarely is a by-product of painstakingly detailed plans, but more a combination of planning and uninhibited risk to surrender to the need to create. Steven believes “Edmonton is big enough to support a quarterly arts based publication… Now it’s just a matter of seeing if the demographic can support it.” Erin Rayner is president of ED Marketing and Communications Inc. You can submit marketing materials for review; suggest young entrepreneurs to be profiled; nominate a Top Three; or ask a business developement question. Contact erayner@edmontonians.com
Dear Erin: I am passionate about my new business venture and want to make it successful, but I am having trouble focusing and being productive. Yet, I know that’s the only way to succeed. Help! How do I focus on my business without drowning in it? Sinking Fast Dear Sinking Fast: As a generation, sometimes we are labeled lazy or lacking a decent work ethic. But, it sounds like you have the desire and the passion to work hard. What’s missing are the accountability mechanisms to keep you and your business on track. You should consider a business coach or coaching system—something I’ve had success with. These companies or individuals are similar to a board of advisors or directors for your business and your work life balance. They are objective listeners with the experience to not only look for your best interests but also the best interests of your company. They can help you set goals for growth and keep you accountable by breaking down those larger goals into smaller, manageable, less overwhelming pieces. When looking for an advisor, first decide if you would prefer individual or group coaching. Then do your research: Ensure you select someone who is competent and experienced—not necessarily experienced in your particular industry, but in business and building businesses in general. The cost of these programs can be anywhere from $175/month to be part of a group program with some individual coaching up to thousands per month for individual, one-on-one coaching. ✔
TOP THREE A lot of businesses start in a home-based office until the company is able to take on the weight of a larger, bricks and mortar location. In the interim, tea and coffee shops become the venues for client and supplier meetings. It can be a challenge, however, to escape the ultra busy, noisy chain shops. Happily, I’ve found a few out-of-the-way locations quiet enough for productive meetings. Morango’s Tek Café, 10118 79 Street: Morango’s is outside the downtown core but easily accessible on Edmonton’s southeast side. There’s plenty of parking; it is rarely busy or loud, and offers high speed Internet for a flat rate of $3 a day. It also has a private boardroom available for rent for bigger client meetings. Steeps Urban Tea House, 12411 Stony Plain Road: True to its name, Steeps serves tea—the most amazing selection of loose leaf teas—but no coffee. This location
offers a calm, casual place for an informal, yet productive meeting, unlike Steeps Tea Lounge on Whyte Avenue which is filled to the gills with exuberant university students. Remedy Café, 8631 109Street: This is another favourite with the university crowd but fairly quiet during the day. Remedy offers convenient parking, lots of seating and a vibrant, young, creative atmosphere, wireless high speed Internet access, and the best Chai in town.
Instinct. Attitude. Inspiration. Everyone has a dream of success and yet not everyone succeeds. Why is that? Steffany Hanlen, Olympic Performance Coach, NHL Skating Coach, and renowned Personal Performance Coach will teach you what you have in common with Olympic Athletes and World Class Performers. Are you a business owner, a real estate investor, a superstar parent or self-employed entrepreneur? Are you the decision maker in your business? This could be what is next for you…
www.steffanyhanlen.com
The Champion Seminars PHASE I “From Values to Vision”
For more information and to register call: (780)436-4159 EX#3 or email steffany@steffanyhanlen.com
A powerful four-hour workshop that takes your personal goals and reframes them in a way that makes them achievable, NOW!
Saturday, February 24, 2007 9:00 am - 3:00 pm Royal Glenora Club, Edmonton, AB Investment: $350.00+GST Think Valentine’s! Register with one other person, say you saw this in Edmontonians, and receive a $50 gift certificate for dinner at your choice of 3 fabulous restaurants in Edmonton. Say “Yes” today!
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Iconoclasts By Don Hill
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Flying in the face of convention
hey’re everywhere. You know them: the people who make other people in your organization feel uncomfortable. If you’re familiar with my broadcast ventures, thus far, you’ll also know that I’ve been labeled outspoken and provocative; it is a role I’ve come to accept over the years. People aren’t necessarily upset with me personally, but take great exception to the ideas I often bring to the table–issues that are disturbing or dangerous to the status quo. “You are a pest,” Ruben Nelson, president of Square One Management said, reflecting on one of my incarnations in Alberta’s provincial media. “But you are a necessary one.” Every organization has its outsiders—the dreamers with crackpot ideas that have a whisper of truth about them— seeds of innovation come from these folks. There are also people around the table who mix things up and are seemingly at odds with just about everyone and everything. Cantankerous—their actions seem premeditated to offend. So why have them around if they’re so disruptive? “In general, organizations need them,” David Horth said with a wry smile. A facilitator at the Center for Creative Leadership at the Banff Centre, one of the world’s top think-tanks concerned with the study of leading and leadership, he has a healthy regard for the iconoclast in every organization. Cirque du Soleil, the internationally renowned circus troupe based in Montreal, underscores the value of maverick thinking. At “some of their important senior management meetings,” Horth noted, “a clown is invited, who is basically there to be provocative, dissenting and stir things up!” Given an opportunity, he added, “I would probably be that clown.” Leaders must keep the door open to oddball thinking. There is plenty to learn from people who only accept k-n-o-w for an answer. “I think you’re seeing a change of the guard in the sector,” according to Charlie Fischer, the CEO of Nexen Inc., a key player in the northern Alberta oilsands, alongside its other major petroleum interests around the world. “In the early days of the industry it was very much command and control–you did what you were told,” Fisher recalled. “But I think in the environment we’re in today, where knowledge is king, you’ve got to come up with good ideas. You have to get those ideas early.” Enter the maverick, the iconoclast who serves as the vanguard of what could be lurking just over the horizon line… information that has a probability of affecting your organization, but at the outset seems so unusual, so strange and ‘out there’, that it doesn’t seem to have any immediate utility.
Iconoclasts tend to be a nuisance and you should budget for being ticked off, but they are a useful ‘early warning system’. And “if you throw bureaucracy in the way,” Fischer warned, “it doesn’t happen. “It’s really important to have a very open structure, and a structure that supports communication and a transfer of knowledge,” he continued. “The competition is supposed to be outside our walls–not inside our walls.” But how do you manage unconventional thinkers and their at-odds-behaviour with the organizational infrastructure, which sometimes declares that they’re not just outside of the box, but are off in a bewildering wilderness of their own making. You would not be remiss to assign their counsel a cautionary post-it as nuts, prickly, paranoid even. Stay with me. iconoclast ~ 1. a destroyer of sacred images, specifically 2. one who attacks and seeks to overthrow traditional or popular ideas or institutions [from Medieval Greek eikonoklasts, “image breaker”] curmudgeon ~ 1. a surly person 2. a miser surly ~ grumpy or habitually uncivil; gruff [Variant of obsolete sirly—originally “lordly,” masterful, imperious, from sir.] from The Tormont Webster’s Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary “I realize that we can’t all be chefs in the kitchen… we have to have followers as well,” explained John Dormaar, a research scientist, emeritus now at Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, with a reputation for unconventional thinking that has literally broken new ground. His pioneering work in the soil sciences has improved agricultural practices around the world. “Sometimes we are wrong to be different. But still everybody in my books has the right to be different and try to follow their intuitions.” “You must realize that this is an emotionally demanding thing to do,” Brian Crowley, director of the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies said with a furrowed brow. He’s no stranger to ‘thinking different’, flying in the face of convention from his perch at the Halifaxbased think-tank. “You have to be willing to take that projection of anger and rejection and say ‘I don’t care what you project onto me emotionally. I’m still here to tell you that the idea is not right and there is a better idea, this is what it is, and why it’s better.’”
Brian Crowley David Horth Crowley is correct. There is another way and it is called a ‘skunkworks’; the original term is attributed to a much-storied division within Lockheed-Martin, a huge conglomerate. During World War II, it developed advanced technology and hardware that made a significant contribution toward ending the global conflict with a decisive victory. Today, a skunkworks is typically a small gathering of innovative thinkers from within a larger organization. These are the people who come up with the radical new designs and products–ideas that don’t have to immediately go to market or be subject to performance targets, such as a specific return on investment within a business cycle. Call it pure research by people who defy convention within the larger institutional framework—the people who tend to get lost before they discover something new. You must trust in their process. When they win, they do tend to win big. There is another important voice that needs to be heeded, no matter how uncomfortable it may be to listen to what they go on and on and on about. If you are a freshly-minted leader… pay particular attention to the musings of the curmudgeon, often the senior person sitting close to the exit door, who asks, “the very questions that must not be asked,” said David Horth, with a laugh. “The danger in [today’s] organizations is there’s literally a gap between people who know stuff and have been around for awhile, and people a little wet behind the ears and think they know stuff,” Horth elaborated, gesturing with his hand in a knowing way. “This is the big year for retirement of people 60-plus,” a trend that is not limited to Canada and the United States. As one of the so-called baby-boomers, who is staring down retirement in a few years, Horth knows that the institutional “role of curmudgeon is going to probably vanish very quickly in the next little while.” The maxim of use it–it meaning the contrarian views curmudgeon’s are reputed to have–or lose it is real. Not to worry. “The curmudgeons are going to turn out to be consultants,” he warned and, just as quickly, broke into a wide grin, laughing heartily with the thought of future prospects. ✔ Don Hill is a ‘thought leader’ at the Leadership Lab and Leadership Development at the Banff Centre. He is also an award-winning writer and broadcaster with a large footprint on the Internet. Listen to his radio series Inspiring Leadership, a 20-part documentary on contemporary leadership and the challenge of leading in the 21st Century every Saturday morning at 8 AM on the CKUA Radio Network. For more details visit: www.ckua.com and www.appropriate-entertainment.com
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Lady in red In search of the next entrepreneurial challenge By Kris Hodgson
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va Mah is a woman who epitomizes the road less traveled. While she doesn’t think of herself as someone who has done anything extraordinary with her life, there is much to learn from this successful Edmonton business woman. “You need passion in everything you do. You need to start and sustain, and when you reach your personal goals, it’s time to move on.” Her love of knowledge has never ceased, and with four extremely successful careers behind her, she shows no signs of kicking back. Eva is already looking forward to her next challenge. “It’s not in my nature to settle down. One of these days, I will.” Eva calls Terwillegar home; her backyard provides a magnificent view of the River Valley stretching out from her back door. She lives with her husband Frank Borsato and her excitable eight-year-old dog, Bogart, a Kerry Blue terrier. A grand piano nestled in her living room is a tribute to her musical upbringing, while artworks adorn the walls of her home. With every piece of art, there is a story—and Eva has lots to tell. For the success she has had in life, half of her fortune has been seeing a great opportunity when it presents itself. Her residence is one of those examples. She purchased it when the economy turned; her only regret is not buying more neighbouring property. A CURIOUS LADY Eva was born and raised in Red Deer, the second child of five. Growing up in Alberta always held new adventures for Eva and her curiosity always guided her. Before she reached the age of six, she wondered why her father, Sidney, left everyday. Instead of asking her dad where he went, she decided to explore on her own. So one day, little Eva hid in the backseat of his car under a blanket and, when he arrived at his first stop, she burst out
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and yelled at the top of her lungs, “Surprise!” That first stop ended up being her grandfather’s dry-cleaning business where she was put to work sweeping the floors and folding the linen, learning what it took to make a living. For that first day of work, grandfather Willie Yet Mah gave her a silver dollar—a prized possession she still has today. Her hardworking nature and entrepreneurial spirit are not an accident. Eva’s grandfather believed Canada was the best place to live and he made it that way for his family. The senior Mah operated Red Deer Laundry and Cleaners for 25 years, owned a bowling alley and a pool room, and partnered with his children in the Michener Hill store. “To my relatives, it was important that they all wanted to succeed and give back to the community.” Sidney also wanted to succeed and he had many pursuits including restaurants, real estate, wholesale, retail, and even cattle farming. “Dad used to say that one needs to take a risk in order to succeed.” Hard work has been the foundation of Eva’s life. After finishing high school, she attended the University of Manitoba—a last minute surprise to her mother Margaret who had already enrolled her in classes at the University of Alberta. Eva studied interior design in the faculty of architecture, and it was at the U of M she met her husband. After completing her degree in the 1970s, she returned to Edmonton where she honed her skills on government facility projects and in the commercial buildings sector for a number of years. A quick learner, she was quickly moved through the senior ranks. In 1985, Eva’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in and she started Envirocorp Ltd. Her company provided facilities design and project management services to various clients including Xerox, Pepsi, Oxford and Stantec. When it was purchased by Stantec four years later, she remained as a principal for 10 years. Her father’s death following cardiac surgery inspired her
to help future patients. Eva created and co-founded CardioMetabolics Inc., which holds worldwide exclusive rights to technologies licensed from the University of Alberta. CMI was recently awarded the US FDA Phase III international, multi-centre clinical trial for a costeffective drug called DCA (Dichloracetate) that treats cardiovascular and diabetic diseases for elderly patients requiring heart surgery. Although no longer president and CEO, Eva proudly pointed out a January news release announcing that DCA showed promise as a “breakthrough drug for the treatment of cancer”—specifically for patients requiring chemotherapy. Her passion in the healthcare field continues as she sits on the Caritas board of directors. She is also currently president and CEO of Intellectual Capital Corporation Inc. that provides business and management consulting services. It positions, applies and transitions emerging intellectual property into commercially viable industry products. ICCI provides business analysis and planning services to private and institutional biotech and technology clients, consults on land development initiatives, and offers project management services to international corporations. FRONT-AND-CENTRE Early on, Eva was picked out of crowds. She was chosen to present flowers to the late Prime Minister John
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Eva Mah – then and now
Diefenbaker’s wife. She studied piano intently winning awards, “when I wanted to.” While pursing her MBA at Queen’s, it was no mistake that Eva got handpicked from her class to write a paper her professor thought would be the most challenging. She tackled Transference of Wealth in the Global Economy: The Role of Canada’s Foreign Policy, with ease. Hugh Segal, her professor and recently Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s national co-chair of the Conservative Party campaign in the 2006 election, marked her paper with distinction. Eva has earned various awards—including the Alberta Centennial Medal—and accolades for projects. She has attracted international clients to the City of Champions when they were swaying toward centres like Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto. “I credit the people who worked with me. They went to the nth hour for me.” When she headed-up Envirocorp, Stantec was impressed that she discovered a project to bid on mere days before the closing date, but she still won it. This led to the eventual takeover of her company by Stantec in 1989. As an architect with Stantec, Eva worked on revitalization projects like Centre High: an out-ofthe-box project for the Edmonton Public School Board. The success she saw in revamping that building was recognized in the first semester. “The kids thought it was cool and hip. They didn’t think they were in an institution.” The first time she visited Beijing as an adult, Chinese businessmen looked at Eva, a second generation Chinese immigrant from Canada who couldn’t speak Mandarin, and they didn’t know what to think. “They couldn’t figure out what I was!” she
says laughing. “I didn’t fit the mold.” Eva has made many tough decisions, but she has always felt she made the right decision. Her father inspired her to always be ethical. “As long as you do right, then you can sleep nights with a clean mind and a clear heart.” To her peers today, Eva is known as having the aptitude to pushing the envelope because she knows there is more than one way to climb a mountain. “If you take the well-traveled path, you always know what you are going to expect. If you take the path less traveled, you get both good and bad surprises along the way, but that’s the way you learn.”✔
Giving back… A partial list of Eva Mahʼs volunteer involvement Caritas Health Group Board director, 2003 to present Trustee, 2005 to present Alberta Art Gallery Member, Campaign Committee, 2006 to present La Soiree Gastronomique
Co-chair, 2006 NAIT SS Benefit Gala
Chair, 2003 Economic Development Edmonton Greater Edmonton Investor Forum & Conference member, steering committee, finance and investor forum for the knowledge based industry, 2001 Alberta Association of Architects (AAA)
Councillor/LID representative, 2000 NAIT Foundation board member, 2000 Alberta Economic Development Advisor, Provincial Task Force for International Consortia Architecture & Engineering & Construction (AEC), 1996 China Canada Business Association
Board Director, 1993 to 1996 cultural event chair, inaugural Autumn Moon Festival
Eva with parents Margaret and Sidney
RICH HERITAGE Eva Mahʼs Canadian roots run deep. Her maternal grandparents immigrated to Canada early in the 20th Century. Grandmother Yit Soon came to Canada in 1908, and grandfather Duck Lee immigrated in 1912. Evaʼs mother Margaret was born in Lethbridge. On her fatherʼs side, grandfather Willie Yet Mah came to Canada in 1921. It wasnʼt until 1949 that his wife Kim arrived with the rest of the family, including Evaʼs father Sidney who was born in Canton in 1929. Eva resided with her family in Red deer until she left for the University of Manitoba. EDMONTONIANS FEBRUARY 2007
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The old boys’ club By Steffany Hanlen
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Eva Mah is but one example of Edmonton’s growing community of women entrepreneurs and business leaders. Her story triggered discussion about boardroom performance. How can women enhance their effectiveness in this male-dominated arena? How can they make themselves heard? This month the Transformers tackle those challenges. Photos by Terry Bourque
By Les Brost
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iscord in the boardroom: It all starts with improving listening skills. It is not an accident the Creator gave us two ears and one mouth. Heck, cave men and women probably used their ears in more sophisticated ways than we do today. That’s why we need to hear before being heard. When we listen before speaking, we build empathy with others. Listening to what is really being said is a key conflict management skill—and it’s darn hard work. What is listening? It’s not a simple question. We hear music played in the background as we work… but are we really listening? The act of listening involves not only our ears, but also our eyes, head and heart. Effective listening—I call it “power listening”— requires us to be present for other people, and to set aside our desire to speak in the interest of hearing and understanding others. That’s not easy, as most of us have been struggling to be heard since we were pups. A practice technique that I use is to imagine that a particular conversation is the last one I will ever have, and I want to savour the total communication experience of that conversation. That means that I must listen intently—powerfully—to the other person, giving my full attention to their words and body language. I can’t be framing a response to their remarks or thinking about their mistakes in fact or logic. My only job is to pay attention to their message. Try this exercise with
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values, I was always more than welcome to participate and he Old Boys’ Network. I know that one— be included in whatever I wanted. It was when I had intimately. I spent 15 years working in a very male-dominated field called the NHL. Amongst expectations about being included, or made assumptions about how things should be, that I got shot down. all the jockstraps and five o’clock shadows, Human nature tends to lead us to tell “our stories” when there seemed to be little room for a woman here. If I had we meet someone new. We share experiences with each ever taken issue with any of the Old Boys, I would never other. It allows us to quickly determine commonalities or have lasted as long as I did. There were times when they differences in status, education and even values. However, didn’t even know they were the Old Boys… in fact, they such a conversation is steeped in judgment whether we would be offended if they overheard someone call them know it or not. This is not bad or wrong. Judgment is just that. One of the most important things I learned in order to one of the filter systems we use to decide if we are exist and be successful in a male-dominated field was to comfortable with another person or feel safe in a situation. acknowledge that it was a male-dominated field. We consciously or unconsciously size each other up almost Instead of trying to squeeze in, I focused on becoming like predators circling prey. the best in the world at what I did. I studied, trained and In business, this instinctive quality can kick in and practiced my craft; I attended team meetings and getimportant decisions can be made on first impressions. As togethers only when and where I was invited. I was polite a woman in a male-dominated business, I realized this and respectful of the Old Boys’ space. I became more kind of judgment can create insecurity, panic and even interested in them and what they were doing. For the most part, I kept my mouth shut until I was sure I had something feel like professional suicide. We keep talking when we of value to say. I lasted nine years with the Oilers’ with this should be listening… or try to change who we are, inside or outside, just to fit in. Most of us generally don’t want thought process. to hang out or do business with Male hockey players do most of anyone who is not who they say they their talking on the ice. Take them are. In my coaching business I call away from the rink and you’ll quickly this, ‘the-trying-too-hard-guy’ realize they are short on words. This is syndrome. Those “guys”—male or not meant as criticism, but instead as female—who are trying way too hard scientific fact. Men, on average, use to impress, shamelessly pushing or about six to 7,000 words daily while promoting themselves, trying to attain women use over 20, 000. If I wanted more and more external goals only to anyone to listen to what I had to say— impress, often push people away. to have my words ring with more I am often impressed with the impact—I needed to learn to speak strength and commitment of women more concisely. I’m not saying all men entrepreneurs and executives. But, it are quiet or all women are chattersurprises and saddens me to hear that boxes. My point is that if I wanted to so many of them feel something is be heard and understood, I needed first still missing despite their success. to listen and next to understand. The Trust me, there is nothing missing. same lesson would be true, I assume, Take this time to reflect on who for a man in a female-dominated Steffany Hanlen you are. Then the what you do and business. the how you do it will unfold. The Neuro linguistic programming barriers of that old belief system, your perceptions and (NLP) is a fascinating study of communication and human behaviour. The number one pre-supposition of NLP is “that that silly glass ceiling associated with the Old Boys’ Network will be shattered… but only if you are true to everyone is doing the best they can” and the next one is yourself. that “we experience life through our own model of the Surround yourself with other powerful women. Learn world.” Ergo, if I could see the model of the world that to trust yourself and each other. And stop talking when it exists for others, or try to understand how they saw something (for example, the players and staff of the teams I is time to stop talking. You really have nothing to prove. ✔ was working for)… and if I could truly see and believe Steffany Hanlen is a personal performance coach who they were all doing the best they could, then nothing they could do or say could hurt or exclude me. I began to realize conducts “The Champion Seminars.” Contact shanlen@edmontonians.com that no one was out to get me and, if I stayed true to my
Listen up! someone you trust. You will find that you have powers of observation that you haven’t been using. How do you complete the communication loop and let people know that they have been heard? I use the paraphrase, a powerful listening tool. Here is how it works: When the person to whom you have been listening is finished speaking, give that person an accurate paraphrase of their comments. It is important that you not “play back” a verbatim transcript. Put their words in your words. When you are finished; ask them; “Have I got it?” If you haven’t, incorporate changes until you do. Les Brost Always focus on facts and check out assumptions. A surmise or hunch or educated guess is just an assumption. Remember: You only know what you know. Many of us struggle to set aside our assumptions—like thinking “Bob is always criticizing my ideas because he wants me to look bad in front of the other directors.” If we listen with power, we might hear what Bob is really saying, and realize that this
time, Bob is building on our ideas. So how do we check out our assumptions? We use another powerful tool in the conflict manager’s toolkit: questions. As another key element of conflict management, they are the keys that open the door of understanding. Asking good questions is a powerful way to build your own understanding of the expectations, beliefs and priorities of others. They help you to understand the common and diverging interests at play within the room. Use open-ended questions that probe for information. “Help me to understand your thinking” is one of my favourites. Each of us has the capability to build upon our skill sets and make conflict management a positive and enriching part of our professional and personal lives. Don’t resist conflict. Embrace it as an opportunity to get to know more about other ideas… and to get to know yourself better in the process. ✔ Les Brost is head of Southern Star Communications. Contact: lbrost@edmontonians.com EDMONTONIANS FEBRUARY 2007
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How to make a man listen
By Tom Bradshaw
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omen in business, no matter how successful, commonly ask me the same question. “How do you make men listen?” While I can’t help you with that guy around the house, I can help you with the boardroom boys. First, realize that one of the most difficult situations for any speaker is addressing a group of men in a business setting. Mix women into your audience and the group will think more individually. But a corporate group of men will have or build a unified mentality. They will only react as a group, and, as the speaker you will have to take control. This dynamic will change if the president or another person of authority joins them. Then the group will only respond to what is appropriate—appropriate being the reaction of the authority figure. So it should be very simple: Win his approval and the rest of the group will follow. But wait a minute. It’s never quite that simple. Too often, there is an individual in the room who believes it is his responsibility to challenge what is being said. Often women tell me they are intimidated when these “Boardroom Bullies” interrupt by increasing their volume. Just like schoolyard bullies, you need to have the skills to win them over and make them your champions, or at least get them to listen. Men have learned that when we want to be heard, all we need to do is speak louder. Volume is all about breathing and breath support. Think about the act of shouting. Your first impulse will be to take a deep breath. Most women will
notice that, as they try to take a deep breath, their shoulders will raise moving closer to their ears. This is upper chest breathing and can produce only mild support resulting in a tightening in the throat, limiting volume. Now think of the Opera Diva who belts out an Aria. Her breathing is deep and her throat is open. This is intercostals diaphragmatic breathing. If you run, do yoga or, according to my lovely wife, have gone through several hours of heavy labour, you know the kind breathing and breath control I am talking about. Learn to control and develop this power and you can shout any man down. Of course this might not always work. So here are some strategies that most men don’t use. First of all, don’t interrupt. Wait for the bully to finish interrupting you… pause—a good, long pause—and take it from there. That pause is often enough to make the point. If you are willing to listen to them—and it is in your best interest to do so— then they should be willing to listen to you. This is a respect issue but, if they are not able to have a dialogue with you, consider that you may be wasting you time. The tone or pitch of your voice can also be helpful. Science has shown that, as women get frustrated, their voices will go up in pitch. No, really, I’m not making this up. The female voice enters a range that is actually hard for the male ear to hear. I wouldn’t recommend you force your tone down to try to sound more manly, but trying some resonance may get a positive response. Simply hum a low tone that you can feel in your chest… as if you
Tom Bradshaw are considering what has just been said. This lower tone will help the male brain to focus on your voice. Some other points to ponder: “People do business with people like them,” is the credo I hear in Edmonton these days. One of the ways you can establish this is by matching the vocal energy of the other person. If you’re in conversation with someone who has high energy and speaks quickly, try matching their cadence. If the mood is more reserved and methodical, then slow it down. Also consider how fast you are talking. If you get nervous just before the big presentation, that nervous energy can cause you to speed up. This can be beneficial if you are telling a funny story but, if you want the room to remember something, slow it down. If it’s technical information, slow it down a lot. Physical gesture can also be very effective as a way of gaining the focus of a group. It can also be a very effective way to emphasize or punctuate a point you are making. Here is a caution though: Just remember that great battles have been fought over the misinterpretation of a single physical gesture. ✔ Tom Bradshaw is the head of the Academy of Voice & Speech. Contact: tbradshaw@edmontonians.com
The Yin and Yang in the boardroom By Colin Williamsen COMMUNICATION Non-verbals Your audience has assessed you within six seconds or less from the moment you enter the boardroom. Not only that but you have a 30-minute attention span in which to make your case, says Kim Arsenault. And according to Cheryl Soleway, Power Posture Coach™, physiotherapist and functional movement specialist. “The way you carry yourself–being your posture has a significant impact on your image and overall appearance.” Proper alignment coupled with strong posture will provide the female executive with a significant advantage in delivering a powerful message. How you use your body/physiology is responsible for 60 percent of your message. Your body’s silent language is the largest part of how you deliver your message and will undoubtedly have the most impact in influencing your audience to your desired intention. Keeping in mind that the definition of “influence” is a transference of emotion—and motion creates emotion—how you use your body is the motion that creates the emotion. Non Verbal - Preparation By gently pulling your belly button in toward your spine, you will activate all of your core stabilization muscles. This will also flip on the master switch to all 12 meridians/railroad lines to which all of your chi/electrical energy flows to the approximately 1,000+ acupuncture and acupressure points Colin Williamsen throughout your entire body. Prior to beginning your boardroom presentations, take a moment to perform some deep diaphragmatic breathing, as well as alternate right and
left nostril breathing exercises to activate the electrical potential of both hemispheres of your brain. The purpose of these exercises is to get you out of your head—particularly if you are a cerebral type—and become fully integrated from a mind/body perspective. This will assist you in feeling centered and grounded. Verbal Most of us have heard the statement, “it’s not what you say, but how you say it” that creates your desired outcomes. How you verbally express yourself is the remaining 40 percent of the message–33 percent of which is tonality and seven percent is words. The energy and strength of your voice is directly connected to the amount of available chi/electrical energy available from your adrenal glands. The adrenal glands are the size of lima beans and each of them sits on top of each one of your kidneys. Traditional Chinese medicine refers to the kidneys and bladder as the element of water and the season of winter. This just happens to be the ideal time from the seasonal perspective to be cleansing and rebuilding your kidneys and bladder, as well as strengthening your adrenal glands to build up your internal reserves to sustain your body throughout the long, cold winter months and all of your boardroom dances.
Verbal - Preparation Fueling your mind and body correctly will provide you with the necessary energy for your boardroom encounters. The human brain requires approximately 140 grams of glucose per day for normal functioning, and possibly two to three times that when you are making a boardroom presentation. A steady supply of complex carbohydrates will help provide your brain with the necessary amount of required sugar and glucose to assist the brain in functioning at an optimum level. To maintain consistent strength in your adrenal glands (which is the strength of your voice) during the “water/winter” season, focus on potassium rich foods. I suggest all dried fruits, mandarin oranges, juices: blueberry, cranberry and peach; and deeprooted, round vegetables such as squash and pumpkin. Ensure that you are always properly hydrated. Try to be in bed by 10:30 p.m. since optimum physical rejuvenation occurs between 10 pm and 2 am, and optimum mental rejuvenation occurs between 2 and 6 am. Moving audiences to action will hinge upon your ability to play the edge between yin and yang and maintain the equilibrium that is required to achieve a high rate of success as you swim with the sharks in the heat of today’s boardrooms. ✔ Colin Williamsen is the president of The Wellness Coaches Inc. Contact: cwilliamsen@edmontonians.com
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INTEL Biz
iz IT 101 B with Greg Michetti
Uh oh.
Somebody just hacked into the computer systems of a major U.S. retail firm and copied/swiped/viewed the VISA credit card numbers and purchasing information of approximately two million Canadians. Um. So what? OK, first, let’s review. Last week, it surfaced that hackers stole customer information from computer systems of TJX Cos., the U.S. parent firm of Canadian retailers Winners and HomeSense. Reports say as many as two million Canadian Visa card accounts were affected. The hack was discovered in mid-December and included transactions between 2003 and part of 2006. There’s more. Another Canadian news item came to light last month when CIBC Asset Management admitted a backup computer file containing information about almost half a million
C
ivic Buzz with David Norwood
The Edmonton Economic Development Authority scored a coup in securing New York Times columnist Paul Krugman as the keynote speaker for its annual luncheon on March 21. Krugman is an award-winning, thought-provoking, and
of its Talvest Mutual Funds clients disappeared during an internal office move. CIBC said it appeared that none of the information was inappropriately accessed, but it was taking precautions to reassure its customers that their accounts would remain safe. The actual theft or compromise of these systems isn’t news. It seems to happen a lot and makes for great headlines on slow days with nontechnical reporters of the daily newspapers. What is news is when somebody actually uses your credit card and gets away with making a major transaction that you have to pay for. So far, I haven’t seen a single reported incident of where a regular, normal day-to-day WinnersVISA credit card carrier has been forced to pay for something that was purchased by the credit card hacking thief. However, let’s say somebody did make a $700 purchase on your VISA
card after obtaining the number illegally, and the amount showed up on your next statement. Do you think you will pay it? Not a chance. You will call your MLA, MP, local mayor and hire Johnny Cochrane—well, maybe not that Johnny Cochrane—before you write the cheque… especially if you can easily demonstrate you didn’t make the purchase. Remember that any online purchase using a credit card contains the date, time and IP address of the purchaser. To coin a great Microsoft line: “It’s not a bug! It’s a feature!” Let’s take another example. How many of you have handed your credit card to a dozy, sinister looking waiter in a sleazy restaurant in Mexico or a dumpy bistro in Greece simply because the American Express logo was on the door? What’s to stop that person from writing down your credit card number, expiry date and security code on the
professional and academic circles, and he has received numerous awards for his work, notably the American Economic Association John Bates Clark medal, given every two years to “that economist under 40 who is adjudged to have made a significant contribution to economic knowledge.” His current academic research is focused on economic and currency crises. At the same time, Krugman has written extensively for a Paul Krugman broader public audience. Some of his recent articles on economic issues, originally published in Foreign Affairs, Harvard Business Review, Scientific American and other journals, are reprinted in Pop Internationalism and The Accidental Theorist. In Edmonton, Krugman’s keynote address will discuss economic and political trends and issues of global significance, and offer insights as to how they may impact Canada and Alberta.
One significant redevelopment on the horizon, however, is that of the Professional Building, on Jasper Avenue between 108th and 109th Streets. Long a structure dedicated to medical, dental and other health-related businesses, it has been empty for some time, awaiting redevelopment. It is now owned by one of Edmonton’s more active property developers, ProCura Urban Properties, which is planning to redevelop it, including an expansion east to 108th Street, eliminating the unsightly parking lot at that corner. The transformation of the building will be striking, as the renderings show, and will provide a visually appealing entrance to downtown along Jasper from mid-town Oliver. The building, now known simply as 10830 Jasper, will be designed and constructed under a LEEDs [environmental] certification program, and will offer more than 210,000 square feet of office space and 25,500 square feet of retail space, along with 177 underground parking stalls. ProCura’s website notes that the “plan to revitalize this city landmark is the beginning of the next generation of development in this area.” This is probably not hyperbole, since ProCura also owns the Mayfair Hotel (now a hostel) across the street, as well as the contiguous vacant lot next to it on 109th and Jasper, and the former funeral home immediately south of that—all prime for redevelopment. ProCura also owns the fully-leased Associated Engineering Plaza on the southwest corner of 109th and Jasper and the Paramount Theatre building further east on Jasper. In addition, ProCura, in partnership with Vancouver‘s Westbank Projects Corporation, is undertaking the most comprehensive redevelopment in Edmonton history, the $1 billion-plus Century Park, on the former Heritage Mall site. No word on when the redevelopment of 10830 Jasper will begin, but the City issued a permit to ProCura in October. The office segment of Edmonton’s real estate market is the only one not to have shown strong growth in the past few years, so one can only hope that this rejuvenation project will start soon.
Credit card hacked? Get over it!
Still waiting on announcements of major new office towers in downtown
often controversial author who also is professor of economics and international affairs at Princeton University. He has authored more than 20 books and 200 papers in professional journals and edited volumes, and is known for his ability to communicate complex economic and political issues in a straightforward and understandable way. His work in economics has earned Krugman widespread acclaim from 12
Professional Building on Jasper Edmonton, but plenty of rumours abound, some more substantial than others. The rapidity of development, however, means that by the time this column actually appears, some new project may well have been announced.
back or even to photocopy your signature? Nothing. Now, here’s the best part: Do you know why the thieves seldom use the credit card information? Because it is too hard to use, there is too much security and, above all, it is way too easy for the enforcement agencies to catch the bad guys. Having a list of stolen credit card numbers is the electronic equivalent of a regular bank robber who gets 10 grand in cash from an armed robbery. Generally, the cash is stained with that secret dye the banks use for just such an occasion. In other words, stealing data may be easy but using the data for profit is a different story. Rarely are they able to pull this off and, even then, it is insured so the cardholders almost never get hurt. There’s a second aspect to all this; relating mostly to customer information and the security of such. Call me crazy, but most run-of-the-mill e-crooks find the buying habits of people quite boring. In fact, more often when a system is hacked, it is by one company looking to gain an advantage over their competitor. In that case, you almost never hear of the hack. Years ago, Sun Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy said, “You have no privacy. Get over it.” ✔ Gregory B. Michetti of the Alberta-based systems integration firm Michetti Information Solutions, Inc. can be reached via www.michetti.com
A strong indication of the strength of the Edmonton multi-unit residential market is the fact that Langham Properties, developers of the aptly-named Icon condo project on 104 Street off Jasper, have announced that the height of the second tower, whose units went on sale in January, has been increased to 35 stories from 30. A number of real estate professionals with whom I have talked recently said there is no sign the market is slowing down, and they cite a lack of inventory as one reason prices are rising. I expect we’ll see more and more signs of this in the months to come.
Edmonton International Airport’s 2006 final passenger count is in: more than 5.2 million passengers, an increase of 15.5 percent over 2005. That makes it the fastest growing of Canada’s major airports, and predictions are for equally impressive growth in 2007. The major airlines are aware of and contributing to this growth as well. Air Canada announced in early January that it will introduce seasonal daily nonstop service between Edmonton and Halifax from June 15th to September 16th. The flights, using Airbus A319s, will join WestJet’s seasonal non-stop to Halifax, now entering its second year. As well, increased frequencies on existing routes are responding to demand; both Air Canada and WestJet are anticipated to add flights domestically, and Air Transat is bringing back its seasonal EdmontonLondon Gatwick charter service after an absence of several years, joining the Edmonton-Frankfurt non-stop it has also operated seasonally. Expect to see more flights to European destinations, if not this coming year then certainly next. The growth of Edmonton International Airport reflects the ongoing strength of the region’s economy. ✔ David Norwood is a freelance writer/editor. Contact dnorwood@edmontonians.com EDMONTONIANS FEBRUARY 2007
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M edia Minute
money MAKING
with Bruce Hogle
Tax breaks never permanent
Alberta Newspapers and Television
stations always provide heart-warming pictures of Valentine Day activities… of everyone from children to seniors and those in between, exchanging cute cards or other items expressing love and care for one another. Albertans and Canadians are not afraid to display such affections—something this increasingly violent world could learn from. That’s why I’m suggesting that the United Nations declare Valentine’s as a universal day for celebrating love for our fellow man. I advocate this at a time when too many nations—and their citizens—look askance at compassion for others because of race, colour and creed. Hatred, violence and terrorism are increasingly advocated—even against innocent women and children, sometimes within their own families. Two sickening examples come to mind:
By Ron Hiebert
I
nvestors feel betrayed. The Conservative Party told them in 2005 that there would be no attempt to change the way income trusts were taxed. Twelve months later, on Hallowe’en, they received a financial scare they didn’t expect. Income trusts, excluding certain real estate investment trusts (REITs), after a four-year grace period would be taxed the same as regular corporations. Foreigners, who held 22 percent of the total float of income trusts, started dumping their holdings the morning after the announcement, causing unit prices to tank. Income trust investors faced a double slap in the face. Not only were they going to face a future drop in their income but, with the sinking value of their shares, a reduction in capital as well. No wonder investors were furious. Betrayal really hurts, especially when it costs money. Yet, for all the complaints about being blindsided, there were telltale signs that should have warned investors that all this tax-free income gushing from corporate coffers was too good to last.
POLITICALLY UNTENABLE
Nazanun Fatehei of Iran, was sentenced to death for stabbing to death one of three men who attempted to rape her when she was 17. A public outcry saw the sentence commuted, but she still has to pay blood money to the family of the would-be rapist. Ironically, if she had allowed the rape, she would still have been punished with 100 lashes. In Gaza City on the West Bank, absolutely no credibility remains amongst the so-called leadership of feuding Palestinian political parties, Fatah and Hamas. How else do you explain the barbaric political murder of three brothers, aged 9, 6 and 3, on their way to school––with the oldest boy being shot 10 times in the head ! Unbelievably, there has been absolutely no uproar about either incident. Very ironic when you recall the months of orchestrated kidnappings, bombs, fires and publicity on governmentcontrolled Middle East media, over that Danish cartoonist’s caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad. One Pakistani cleric even offered a $1-million bounty for the death of the cartoonist. Those archaic barbarians advocating such hatred, even against their own people, would obviously be shocked at the marriages of Sherwood Park Anglican priest Neil Gordon and his Jewish lawyer wife Susan Bercov, as well as Edmonton Jewish lawyer Saul Katz and his Lebanese wife Genoa Chadi. While Edmontonians have every justifiable right to be proud of compassion for our fellow man, we can’t be smug. Not with the murders of Evan Grykuliak who was killed at his own birthday party at La Perle community hall; or Dyland McGillis of Lloydminster who died after being jumped by a bunch of thugs on Whyte Avenue. Then there was the grizzly death of 13 year old Nina-Louise Courtepatte, horrific details of which I can’t bear to repeat. However commendable it might be, I have to be realistic about those sick individuals of this global village taking a day off from their planned atrocities. So forget about a world-wide Valentine’s Day love-in. That doesn’t mean, however, I can’t extend personal blessings and love to all of you on this very special day, and every day of the year. ✔ Bruce Hogle is the former news director at CFRN TV and recently retired head of the Alberta Press Council. Contact bhogle@edmontonians.com
brief refresher on their tax policy u-turns will soon change that. Remember the Alberta Stock Savings Plan that was passed into law on February 1st, 1986. It allowed you a generous tax credit of up to $3,000 for the purchase of qualifying shares. Within a couple of years, the government figured out that too many people were gaming the system and, as a result, they put an end to the program. Between 1972 and 1987, you only had to pay tax on half of your capital gains. In 1988 and 1989, that figure rose to 66 percent. From 1989 to 2000, the taxable inclusion of capital gains rose to 75 percent. In the year 2000, the amount of tax you had to pay on capital gains dropped to 66 percent and then to 50 percent, which is where it is today. Along the way, there was even a brief period of time when the first $100,000 of lifetime capital gains was tax exempt. That went the way of the dodo bird in 1994. In 1993, the Liberals promised to get rid of the tax that brought down Brian Mulroney’s Conservative government. Yet when they were elected, they reneged on that promise and the hated GST is still with us 14 years later. Mutual fund limited partnerships, the dividend tax credit; income splitting, taxation on deferred interest, movie production tax shelters, etc. These, along with dozens of other popular tax strategies, have been changed or eliminated over the years.
The present government is taking a lot of heat for being two-faced but, in reality, they had very little choice. When Telus and BCE announced they were going to convert from a corporate to income trust structure, the dam had been broken. Within two years, most major corporations in this country would have become trusts. In a socialist country THERE IS A LESSON HERE like Canada, that is completely untenable. Our Tax breaks are never ever permanent. History country’s public finances are built around a tax shows us that they appear and then are modified or system that is both broad based and progressive. disappear with alarming frequency. Governments You make money; you pay tax. No exceptions. The use tax breaks as a very effective carrot to get the more you make, votes they need the more you to get elected. pay. Most When they attain corporations are office, priorities profitable— change. They many are very now have a profitable. To country to run assume that the and that requires voting public cash flow. The would let the easiest way to corporate sector increase the off the hook funds available to from paying tax them is to raise is a pipe dream. taxes or disconGovernments tinue tax breaks. ~ Anonymous count votes When a new every day. They party comes into know that power, new allowing one particular group to avoid tax would special interest groups need to be catered to. This be tantamount to committing political suicide. brings with it a completely different tax agenda. Legislatively creating a tax free zone around a Old tax breaks are discontinued and new ones significant contributor to the Canadian financial come into being. system is a one-way ticket to becoming Canada’s The lesson that should be taken away from this is official opposition. that investors must never build a portfolio concentrated around a particular tax strategy. The clear drivers of any financial decision need to be TRUSTS HAVE BEEN primarily focused on the profitability of a SHUT DOWN ELSEWHERE particular investment on a stand-alone basis. If an Many people think that the income trust investment can satisfy this requirement, then any phenomenon is a uniquely Canadian investment tax baubles associated with it should be considered structure. It isn’t. Both Australia and the United icing on the cake. Tax savings mean that more of States had to deal with the proliferation of income the profits will stay in your pocket and less will go trusts more than a decade ago. The difference to the government. between us and them is timing. Both Australia and If you were caught off guard by the recent tax America understood right away the consequence of changes, I feel for you. If it happens again, then letting trust units expand exponentially. That is shame on you. To be fooled twice, leaves you with why they nipped their growth in the bud and shut only yourself to blame. ✔ them down almost immediately. Canada adopted a deer in the headlights approach. We only reacted Ron Hiebert, a director at when our entire tax collection infrastructure was ScotiaMcLeod, teaches investment threatened by a tsunami. We chose to be reactive classes at Grant MacEwan College. instead of proactive. This, unfortunately, is the The author of Wealth Building can typical Canadian way of dealing with radical be heard weekdays at 7:34 am, on change. CFCW radio (790 AM). Contact him at 780.497.3215 or GOVERNMENTS ARE WISHY WASHY If you forget how fickle governments can be, a rhiebert@edmontonians.com
Fool me once, shame on you! Fool me twice, shame on me!
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And a wee dram for the puddin’!
MENU
Magic with Chef John Berry
R
obbie Burns Day festivities may have subsided, but the celebration of scotch lingers on. Time to think outside the glass. Cooking with scotch is a lot more popular than it was 15 years ago. People are more adventurous with their food. Scotch is being used as both an ingredient in cooking and as an accompaniment to many dishes such as beef, venison, fish and cured meats. Anthony Burnet, the Glenmorangie Scotch regional director for the Americas, should know. He travels all across North America educating people about the intricacies of the whiskey. Scotch for scotch-lovers is what wine is to wine connoisseurs. Yes, you can be snobbish about it, but why bother. It’s a whole new world of intriguing, mysterious flavours that arouse your senses of smell, taste and sight. Now before I get too carried away, a person’s scotch preference is a personal one, based solely on taste. And, in some cases, the pocketbook. There are two types of scotches: A blended scotch utilizes anywhere from two to 100 different scotches to form a blend, while single malts are the purest form of scotch you can get. Single malt scotch can be very sharp and very smoky, depending on whether it is filtered through peat or a light smoke from burning peat is piped into the vat. Single malts account for only eight percent of the scotch market worldwide… but they are gaining prominence. Burnet says cooking with scotch is an excellent way to introduce your wife, partner or friends to the world of scotch. “It’s a great avenue to explore the single malts. People really are quite surprised by the flavour. It’s often a whole new experience for them.” It’s not a complicated process. Like beer and wine, scotch can be poured over your poultry, game or meat to impart a simple, vibrant flavour. Or it works well in marinades or bastes. But adhere closely to the recipe, because of its bold and unique flavour qualities. You
don’t want to overpower your dish with too much scotch. Like a fine scotch is to be sipped and enjoyed, a little will go along way in imparting a subtle, headturning flavour. When married with herbs such as rosemary, oregano, thyme and other spices, it will complement the overall flavour of the dish. In many recipes, scotch will be used to deglaze the pan of the aromatic bits that will form the base for your sauce. Its full bodied peaty aroma is what’s sought after in your marinade. This will enrich the natural flavour of your main dish, such as salmon, and give it a totally new dimension.
JOHN BERRY’S GLENMORANGIE HONEY MUSTARD-GLAZED CHICKEN I am a big fan of chicken thighs because they have incredible taste and are very tender. I had four whole legs and separated the drumsticks and thighs with a knife, using both parts for this dish. I served it over a plate of Basmati rice with peaches, raisins, onions and mushrooms. Plain rice will do or you can create your own rice dish. Be careful not to season too much because it will detract from the wonderful scotch glaze, which can be poured overtop the dish when cooked. Four whole chicken legs, separated 1 Tbs. butter 2 Tbs. grainy Dijon mustard Splash of olive oil 1/3 cup honey 1/4 cup diced parsley 3 cloves garlic, diced 1/2 cup Glenmorangie 10 year-old Scotch —and a bit extra for the Chef Salt and Pepper to taste • In a sauté pan add butter, a splash of olive oil to prevent the butter from burning, diced garlic. Brown chicken on all sides. • Remove and place in a casserole dish. • De-glaze it with the scotch and reduce by half.
• Add the honey and mustard and mix well. • Pour over the chicken in the casserole dish and bake at 350ºF for 45-50 minutes. Serve over a bed of rice.
GLENMORANGIE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE The wonderful nutty flavor of the 10 year-old scotch with vanilla-honey tones marries well with the rest of the ingredients. It’s absolutely delicious. 1/2 pint whipping cream, lightly whipped 1/2 pound dark chocolate 4 eggs Generous splash of Glenmorangie 10 year-old Scotch • • • •
Lightly whip the cream Melt the chocolate and slightly cool Beat the eggs with a mixer at full speed until fluffy. Incorporate the cream and chocolate together lightly folding with a spatula. • Do the same with the beaten egg, but be light handed in folding. • Add a generous splash of Glenmorangie 10 year-old Scotch. • Cover and let set for 4-6 hours. • Serve with whipped cream and a leaf of mint to garnish. Serves: 12 Contact Chef John Berry at jberry@edmontonians.com
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Why it works? The wrap detoxifies the body. The body can get overloaded with toxins because it cannot keep up with the filtration process. The more toxins in the body, the more lymphatic fluid increases to protect cells. You force out toxins. Once the toxins are gone, the lymphatic fluid decreases and you lose inches. It is not water loss—rather, an exchange of minerals for toxins.
That’s a Wrap! Call Linda Perras at Suddenly Slimmer Day Spa
780.459.3444 pedicures. manicures. facials. aroma therapy message
www.suddenlyslimmerdayspa.com 14
EDMONTONIANS FEBRUARY 2007
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LIVELY lifestyles
Thinking Outside the Box Outside the Box: an expression used to describe nonconformist, creative thinking.
H
enry Ernest Dudeney (1857-1930) was an English author and mathematician who specialized in logic puzzles. Revered as the country’s foremost creator of puzzles, Hank is also credited with inventing the Nine-Dot Puzzle.
Cork Frog If you want to display a single lofty bloom in a vase, use corks to stabilize the stem. The corks float, creating a sturdy support without the use of a traditional flower frog. This concept works with larger bouquets as well, keeping buds exactly where you arrange them. Tied and True Unruly pillow dilemma on your sofa? Anchor them in place with drapery tie backs. Sew each end of the tie back onto your pillow and drape over the back of the couch. No more musical pillows.
Challenge: Connect the dots using four straight lines drawn without the pencil leaving the paper.
Solution: In order to successfully solve the puzzle, one has to realize that the dot boundaries are psychological. Think “outside the box” by extending the lines beyond the imaginary border created by the nine dots. You can employ the same open-minded philosophy when looking at everyday objects around the house that can be recycled or better serve in an alternative function. So, next time, save that broken spatula. The blade is great for scraping wax from surfaces caused by unruly dripping candles.
Highlights Are you plagued with a 1970’s sunshine ceiling in your kitchen? Do you feel like you are in the midst of an airport landing strip every time you turn the lights on? If remodelling is not in the budget, consider replacing a few of the Plexi lenses with fome cor. Available at art shops, fome cor can be painted and easily cut to shape. Good bye control tower. For the Birds I recently received a handsome hanging votive holder that I converted into a bird feeder. By replacing the glass candle vessel with a larger one, I can fill with sufficient seeds for several days. Squirrel proof, this decorative addition in the yard affords the birds the luxury of fine dining in the pines. A Little Dab will do Ya The candelabra light fixture in the dining room sports bare bulbs. Give it a little old world charm with a tube of silicone. Squeeze clear
Easel Carrousel A small wrought iron easel can be easily converted into a chic toilet paper dispenser. Attach easel to a bathroom wall with drawer pulls and use the stand to house a small dowel to distribute paper. Tasteful and tailored. Tooth Tech Your PC case has busted a seam. No problem. Use dental floss for heavy duty stitching where strength is more important than colour matching. Easy to use, the cut-andrelease container provides a waxed thread that glides through the toughest of fabrics. Tin Spin We all know that olive oil tins make great ice buckets and vases when the top is removed, but did you know they also make great door stops? Simply fill with sand through the spout and replace lid. Weatherproof and strong enough for a gamut of gales. So…you think it’s been done before? Charles H. Duell, Director of the US Patent Office, said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented.” That was in 1899, clearly he was inside the box. Remember Dudeney’s challenge and free yourself. If you have any unusual re-purposing of commonplace objects, do share and drop me a line. ✔ Contact Linda Bodo at lbodo@edmontonians.com or visit absolutebodo.com.
Push-Me-Pull-You Tired of ordinary dimmer switches? Hollow the shaft of an interesting drawer pull and insert an adapter available at lighting outlets. Dim the lights with pizzazz.
Clip Grip Use binder clips as easels to display your favourite photos. Available in various sizes, these paper clips are strong enough to uphold mounted photos as well.
silicone into a disposable container and dip torpedo shaped bulbs. Twist bulb slightly when removing from container to create a flametipped profile. Dry for 24 hours upside down, tip will lengthen as it dries. Great for that next intimate dinner.
EDMONTONIANS FEBRUARY 2007
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ACQUISITIONS, DIVESTITURES & CORPORATE FINANCE
with Stephen W. Kent, CA (780) 448-9099
Are we on the same page? I am always amazed by just how out of sync the operators of a company can be with the owners. Recently we were asked to assist a company by raising some financing for a new venture that management deemed an obvious complimentary diversification of its current operations. They had researched the opportunity extensively, purchased some equipment, embarked on implementation and needed to raise some serious capital. When advising the board of directors on the feasibility for raising the capital, it became apparent that they definitely were not on side with this new initiative; further funding was unlikely. In another situation, we were asked to assist a management group raise capital to buy out the absentee owner. The group had determined what they were prepared to pay for the company based on their belief that, as long-time management, they would receive a discounted purchase price. Initially the group was reluctant to engage us as they felt they had such an excellent relationship with the owner that our services would add little value. When we finally got to meet with the owner we confirmed that his desire to sell was at best marginal, his price expectation did not involve a discount and, if he were to sell, he wanted to sound out the marketplace to see the level of interest in his business. If management wanted to buy him out it would be in a competitive environment. Here’s another example: a 60 percent majority owner engaged us to sell a business that had four shareholders. He was ready to step down and was confident that his other partners would follow his lead and do whatever he wanted. He kept them in the dark until the process was well underway. Of course, they did not follow his lead obligingly and resented not being informed of his plan up front. As a result, they had little desire to sell their shares. Buyers tend to avoid vendors that are not unified in their cause and do not want to get involved in company politics and problems. You must get your ducks in a row when you are about to embark on a new direction and make sure all the stakeholders are on side. If you are not certain how to go about this or you need assistance in implementing your strategies, we can help and add value to your plans. Please give me a call at 780.441.6793 or e-mail stephen.w.kent@ca.pwc.com.
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