CEO Blog

APRIL 26, 2015

I spent much of my weekend doing Shadow Work. Shadow Work is all the little things that need doing but you are not paid for. For example, today I went through my mail. Then lots of it needed recycling and sometimes separating before going in the different bins. And I was at the grocery store where I waited in line to self checkout. And then returned the cart.

Self-aware 130

Self-aware Travel Short-term Banking 130

CEO Blog

APRIL 17, 2015

I was inspired today by a book (as I often am) called The High-Speed Company: Creating Urgency and Growth in a Nanosecond Culture by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton. I was attracted to the title. I am a big believer in sense of urgency as one prerequisite of success. And with my new business - DDE Media , I am thinking a lot about the culture we need.

Company 126

Company Review Stress Books 126

CEO Blog

MARCH 4, 2015

'I am not really a graphics designer. I certainly have no training in the field. So I suspect I break most design rules. That is why Creative Anarchy - How to Break the Rules of Creative Design for Creative Success appealed to me. This summary is from one of my writers at DDE. Denise Bosler’s “Creative Anarchy" is a helpful and engaging read on modern graphic design.

Conflict of Interest 126

Conflict of Interest Competitive Advantage Creativity Construction 126

CEO Blog

JANUARY 27, 2015

'Life is slowly returning to normal after the death of my father. I have a blogging rule to not blog when I am not "up". Thinking now I may be able to get back to it. Not that I am not still sad - just that I do not feel I can do anything but let grief take its course. ++ For some reason, I am thinking I need to escape to the wilderness for a few days.

Stress 126

Stress Travel Media Blog 126

CEO Blog

MARCH 8, 2015

'We are new (since Dec 1/2014) in our new business - DDE Media. We have almost 10 full time writers working at our office now (plus the bookkeeper, Graphics Designer, etc). So the office has a bit of life. I now am suffering for a start-up syndrome I have seen play out often. I am really the only person who sells for us right now. But I do some of the work (especially around SEO) and much of the orchestration.

Open-book 122

Open-book CEO Follow-up Learning-by-Doing 122

CEO Blog

FEBRUARY 2, 2015

'I read a great little book by Lawrence Bookbinder PhD (Great name for an author) called Win Friends and Customers - Relationship and Business Success from Empathic Acknowledging. I like sales books and have read dozens of them. Most of them have a section on listening and I know this is one of the characteristics of a great sales person. This whole book is about empathy.

Learning-by-Doing 116

Learning-by-Doing Human Needs Books Blog 116

CEO Blog

NOVEMBER 23, 2015

I recently listened to a book - Simple Rules - How to Thrive in a Complex World by Donald Sull. It is a great book that explains not only why simple rules work but how you can develop them. Simple rules work because: 1. They save resources, especially time and energy. 2. They can be adjusted the given circumstances. 3. They help to eliminate confusion and consequent hesitation. 4.

Sull 100

Sull Energy Tips Books 100

CEO Blog

NOVEMBER 5, 2015

I just read the most fascinating book by Bill Browder - Red Notice - a True Story or High Finance, Murder, and One Man's Fight for Justice. Yes, most people think I only read boring business books but I do read some other books too. It is the story of a business person/investment banker/hedge fund guy who buys assets that Russia sold in the privatization.

Hedge 100

Hedge Wilde Finance Travel 100

CEO Blog

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

One of the best ways to learn is to teach. Another great way to learn is to write about something. I am a big advocate of Linkedin as a selling tool. So, one of my Danby marketing people is moving to a sales role. So I suggested she teach a seminar on how to use Linkedin. Then a book came across my desk and I suggested she write a review on it. The following is her review: Looking for ways to build your own leads and sales pipeline?

Tools 100

Tools Content Seminar Learning-by-Doing 100

CEO Blog

OCTOBER 19, 2015

I read a new book by Kevin Kruse on time management called " 15 Secrets Successful People Know About Time Management: The Productivity Habits of 7 Billionaires, 13 Olympic Athletes, 29 Straight-A Students and 239 Entrepreneurs. " The book is much easier to read than the title. I have read a lot of books on time management. When you have an interest in a topic, reading more can help.

Entrepreneur 100

Entrepreneur Books Tips Review 100

CEO Blog

OCTOBER 11, 2015

Unbelievable weather we are having. Something more to be grateful for. Now trying to get inspired to be grateful to do some yard and garden work. + Some articles that might interest: HBR has a good article saying best start up entrepreneurs are not college kids but seasoned business people. A call for people to think long term. This is a plea for companies to think long term (one of the things I am actually good at).

Books 100

Books Long-term Entrepreneur Efficiency 100

CEO Blog

OCTOBER 4, 2015

I have done an experiment 2 weeks in a row. No screen time on Saturday. For me screen time means no time on the computer since I have no TV. What I found is I am almost addicted and feel a strong "need" to go on the internet. Some of the most routine things I wanted to do: 1 - email mom to set up a breakfast and my son to confirm what time our hike was (I called instead) 2 - what hours was the bank open 3 - recipes.

Fashion 100

Fashion Open-book Letter Banking 100

CEO Blog

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

I read a book on the weekend - Often Wrong, Never in Doubt - Unleash the Business Rebel Within by Donny Deutsch with Peter Knobler (this basically means Peter does all the work but Donny gets most of the credit). Deutsch is an advertising man. He built an ad agency to over 1,000 people which is highly impressive. He sold it to Interpublic. As the title suggests, Deutsch has opinions.

Advertising 100

Advertising Creativity Definition Books 100

CEO Blog

SEPTEMBER 7, 2015

I am just back from a fishing holiday in Langara Island, Haida Gwaii - northern BC - so close you see Alaska. Lots of wildlife - bald eagles, seals, sea lions, killer whales, humpback whales, a bear, deer, puffins and all kinds of fish. Great weather (although it is north so still need a winter jacket). Sea Lions were a problem this year. They have learned to follow the fishing boats and then catch the fish that has been hooked.

Learning-by-Doing 100

Learning-by-Doing Marketing Productivity Products 100

CEO Blog

AUGUST 11, 2015

I am enjoying my CEO position at Danby. I like being in operator mode. The business is large enough that 1% here or there adds up quickly. And the brand is well known - especially in Canada. Danby has some serious market share in bar fridges , window air conditioners, freezers and microwaves. I recently read New Brand Leadership - Managing the Intersection of Globalization, Localization and Personalization by Larry Light and Joan Kiddon.

Brand 100

Brand Leadership Globalization Brand Management 100

CEO Blog

AUGUST 2, 2015

I have been working recently with the marketing department at Danby on impressions. I hope they have a good impression. An impression in marketing is someone seeing the product or brand. The number of impressions needed for a consumer to "know" a brand is between 7 and 15. The theory in impressions and marketing is "Impressions build brand through recognition".

Marketing 100

Marketing Brand Advertising Productivity 100

CEO Blog

JULY 28, 2015

Persistence pays - except where it does not. Knowing what to persist on and what not to is the challenge. Fail Often, Fail Fast, Fail Cheap. Sometimes it is best to just move on. My grand daughter is learning to crawl. I was send the video below of her efforts. I was going to suggest that she would be faster and more efficient if she did not stop so often to suck her thumb (and of course she always takes my advice).

Efficiency 100

Efficiency Video Advice Course 100

CEO Blog

JULY 19, 2015

"Forgive us our trespasses. Deliver us from Email" This was a funny line in " The Secret of Invincibility: How to Thrive in Any Situation " by Paul Pearsall. Studies have shown email can reduce IQ to the same extent as smoking pot. One study says interruptions cause 64 seconds of lost time to get back up to speed on the task you were interrupted in.

Efficiency 100

Efficiency Cost Stress Information 100

CEO Blog

JULY 7, 2015

I am still learning at a great rate in my new role as Danby CEO. One of the product lines we sell is air conditioners and dehumidifiers so I now have a different view on hot sticky weather. I am just back from a previously scheduled one week holiday with kids and grandkids. All good. One of the books I was recently asked to review was the Stay Interview - A Managers Guide to Keeping the Best and Brightest by Robert Finnegan People leave managers - not companies.

Survey 100

Survey Morale Learning-by-Doing Process 100

CEO Blog

JUNE 18, 2015

The big news for me is being appointed as the CEO of Danby. I have been on the board for a few years so have high level familiarity with the company. Now I need to get into the low level details. Danby is a manufacturer of microwaves, compact refrigerators, air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, ranges, washers and other small appliances. From a recent Danby job posting: Danby is a proudly Canadian company with a rich history spanning over 65 years.

CEO 100

CEO Retail Brand Price 100

CEO Blog

MAY 3, 2015

I am loving this weather. It is hard to restrain myself from planting a garden. I know the hard way that that would be foolish. May 24 is the earliest planting date for me. ++ I read a great book today - Dare to Serve - How to Drive Superior Results by Serving Others by Cheryl Bachelder. Cheryl is the CEO who successfully turned around fast food company Popeyes.

Collins 100

Collins Drucker Books CEO 100

CEO Blog

APRIL 26, 2015

I spent much of my weekend doing Shadow Work. Shadow Work is all the little things that need doing but you are not paid for. For example, today I went through my mail. Then lots of it needed recycling and sometimes separating before going in the different bins. And I was at the grocery store where I waited in line to self checkout. And then returned the cart.

Self-aware 100

Self-aware Travel Short-term Banking 100

CEO Blog

APRIL 17, 2015

I was inspired today by a book (as I often am) called The High-Speed Company: Creating Urgency and Growth in a Nanosecond Culture by Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton. I was attracted to the title. I am a big believer in sense of urgency as one prerequisite of success. And with my new business - DDE Media , I am thinking a lot about the culture we need.

Company 100

Company Review Stress Books 100

CEO Blog

MARCH 24, 2015

I would like to be a really great mentor so I was attracted to Stephen Kohn and Vincent O'Connell's book: 9 Practices of really Great Mentors - How to Inspire and Motivate Anyone. The book is a self-actualizing and highly motivational read that portrays the many facets that mentors hold. Starting off with more than one definition of what a mentor is, this book is incredibly inspiring and practical making it the fitting last book of a three part series by Stephen E.

Mentor 100

Mentor Self-aware Motivation Goal 100

CEO Blog

MARCH 8, 2015

We are new (since Dec 1/2014) in our new business - DDE Media. We have almost 10 full time writers working at our office now (plus the bookkeeper, Graphics Designer, etc). So the office has a bit of life. I now am suffering for a start-up syndrome I have seen play out often. I am really the only person who sells for us right now. But I do some of the work (especially around SEO) and much of the orchestration.

Open-book 100

Open-book CEO Follow-up Learning-by-Doing 100

CEO Blog

MARCH 4, 2015

I am not really a graphics designer. I certainly have no training in the field. So I suspect I break most design rules. That is why Creative Anarchy - How to Break the Rules of Creative Design for Creative Success appealed to me. This summary is from one of my writers at DDE. Denise Bosler’s “Creative Anarchy" is a helpful and engaging read on modern graphic design.

Conflict of Interest 100

Conflict of Interest Competitive Advantage Creativity Construction 100

CEO Blog

FEBRUARY 16, 2015

We have been reviewing a new GPS tracker called Trackimo at DDE Media. In all honesty it’s a pretty good product. It is small (like a small post it note size). Fits in or attaches to anything. Then you can track it with your phone or computer. It is used to keep things safe. Attach it to cars, bikes, luggage, pets - even kids. And then watch real time where they are.

Definition 100

Definition Price Media Review 100

CEO Blog

FEBRUARY 2, 2015

I read a great little book by Lawrence Bookbinder PhD (Great name for an author) called Win Friends and Customers - Relationship and Business Success from Empathic Acknowledging. I like sales books and have read dozens of them. Most of them have a section on listening and I know this is one of the characteristics of a great sales person. This whole book is about empathy.

Learning-by-Doing 100

Learning-by-Doing Human Needs Books Blog 100

CEO Blog

JANUARY 27, 2015

Life is slowly returning to normal after the death of my father. I have a blogging rule to not blog when I am not "up". Thinking now I may be able to get back to it. Not that I am not still sad - just that I do not feel I can do anything but let grief take its course. ++ For some reason, I am thinking I need to escape to the wilderness for a few days.

Stress 100

Stress Travel Media Blog 100

CEO Blog

JANUARY 25, 2015

My father died exactly one week ago. He was 87. Up to then and this week have been a blur. Although I have grieved often since his diagnosis with pancreatic cancer in October 2014, I still grieve and actually look for "time" to grieve. I knew he was dying and asked him if I could do anything for him. His answer was "no". And he did not have needs so I thought of only one thing I could do.

Meyer 100

Meyer Ethics Learning-by-Doing Video 100

CEO Blog

AUGUST 25, 2015

One of my friends forwarded me an article on how S ocial Media is broken and should be "started all over again". He thought I might disagree but actually I do not. I agree with most of it. Social Media needs to be a place companies interact with real customers. DDE Media does a lot of social media for clients. And the 2 most important roles are the toughest to see.

Media 100

Media Advertorial ROI Document 100