Tag: business

Life Experiences fit Together like a Mosaic….Sometimes

April 1, 2026

Three recent experiences connected in my mind last week. The pieces clicked, as in a mosaic. These three experiences led me to stories about people who saw demand for services that were unavailable. Their instincts led to successful companies.

The first experience was a talk I went to hear by a business professor. He introduced himself by describing his usual pitch to students, which is to ask them what motivates business. He said the answer is usually money. He responds to that view by describing a situation, a business transaction: when he goes shopping, he wants to purchase specific goods, such as vegetables. Business is about buying and selling goods and services. Money is simply the vehicle that enables goods and services to change hands.

The next experience was speaking with a physiotherapist, who advised me to strengthen my aching legs. Without going into details, I may have something called lazy butt syndrome, or butt amnesia. Muscles can lose their ability to function properly, so it’s important to use targeted exercises to help them remember how to work.  During our consultation, we talked about cycling and bike racks. I mentioned my intent to buy one. She suggested I visit Rack Attack, a store specializing in racks for cars that carry bikes, skis, and other outdoor gear.

The third experience was buying a hanging bike rack from Amazon, which came from Rack Attack. The rack came in a box, partially assembled. Not fully understanding the assembly instructions, I drove over to Rack Attack and asked for help. The young assistant was excellent, showing me how to prepare the full assembly. Searching the store’s website, I learned that the founder of this chain emphasizes customer relations, focusing on the sales, installation, and maintenance of a variety of racks.

Reflecting on these three experiences, that took place in a couple of days, led me to think about what makes companies successful in business.

The very satisfying experience with Rack Attack made me look into the store’s history. Chris Sandy, the founder, worked at a bike shop in Vancouver, BC, Canada. He noticed that most racks did not fit the more aerodynamic car models, which lacked traditional rain gutters. Attaching sports gear racks to these newer cars was difficult. He decided to open a store catering to outdoor enthusiasts who carry gear in their cars. He started by selling products from Thule, Yakima, and others that fit newer cars.

The first store opened in 1996, and Chris quickly expanded by establishing stores in Toronto and other Canadian cities. In 2014, he sold his stores to Banyan Capital Partners, a private equity investor, to raise money for further growth. By 2026, Rack Attack had over 40 stores, with 30 in the US.

The Rack Attack story reminded me of the Running Room, a specialty store selling running shoes and related products. Running Rooms always have a running club. I used to run with them in Ottawa for years. Running with a group is motivating. You meet people with similar interests. On-the-road discussions fill time and take your mind off tired muscles.

John Stanton established the Running Room in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, in 1984. He was a chubby food industry executive who needed to change his lifestyle for his health. Embarrassed by neighbors watching him try to run, he went outside at dawn to run. He could hardly run a block before sucking for air. But he persevered, became a runner, and opened a one-room store in Edmonton to sell running gear. The store was a huge success, and he expanded the Running Room stores across Canada and the US. Today, there are over 100 Running Rooms, with 8 in the US. The chain employs 1,300 people. John still works and manages the chain with his two sons.

Another example is the Tim Horton franchise. Tim Horton, an NHL player, sought a business after his hockey career ended. He tried several ventures—first, a burger joint, followed by a car dealership, and finally a coffee-and-doughnut shop in Hamilton, Ontario, in 1964. He imagined creating a community hub where people could mingle and enjoy coffee and fresh doughnuts. The idea proved successful: today, there are more than 6,000 locations in 14 countries, growth fueled by key mergers with Wendy’s in 1995 and Burger King in 2014.

These stories back up the business professor’s view of what business is: at its most basic tenet, it is finding an opportunity to sell a product people want. The money part is secondary; the priority is to fulfill an unmet demand for which people are willing to pay. And clearly, the business must be profitable in the long run, otherwise it becomes unsustainable. I would add that good service is also essential to sustain a company and an enthusiastic founder could be a catalyst for future success.

The question is, where can you find ideas for a sustainable business? I do not know that. But, in the high-tech industry, common wisdom says one out of ten startups goes bankrupt. One makes it. The rest struggle on.

In conclusion, it was worth attending the professor’s lecture; it made me think about what business is.

Challenging Common Myths in Business and Economics

March 26, 2026

Do you sometimes hear a statement that seems false to you? You think that this cannot be right. Sometimes such statements could be exaggerations; it is the way some people talk. But other times, a statement may be paritally or totally false because you know the subject matter. How do you react in such situations? You may not be able to argue with a statement on live TV or in a large lecture hall. In a small group, though, you might voice your contrary opinion or choose to ignore the statement. At times, it may feel futile or unnecessary to engage, but in other cases, especially when the subject matters to you and you can respond, speaking up might be appropriate.

I recently listened to a university business professor talk about global economic trends. He introduced himself as nonpolitical and explained that the many charts he will present come from reputable sources. In other words, his presentation will be unbiased. He also mentioned that he’ll puncture some “shibboleths” or “urban myths”. So, I looked forward to his lecture.

The professor spoke enthusiastically, and I enjoyed his comments. What stood out most were the remarks that challenged my views—not because I didn’t understand, but because I disagreed. Here are three ideas from his lecture I take issue with.

He began by sharing that he always asks his students what motivates businesspeople and, according to him, the answer is invariably profit: business exists to make money. However, he always counters the students’ view by explaining to them that when he shops for vegetables, he expects the store to sell vegetables; therefore, the store, a business, exists to offer those goods. The owner may have been a gardener initially and decided to sell produce. This made sense, but I also knew that selling continues only if the store makes money. In other words, the owner would not sell vegetables at a loss, would he or she? (In some situations, the business would sell at a loss as when going out of business). The professor had not broken any shibboleths for me with his example; the purpose of the vegetable store is to sell merchandise, but at a profit.

And then a second item came up with which I had trouble agreeing with. The professor said he might be unpopular by suggesting doing away with programs with universal application. For example, he questioned the need for universally free kindergarten, asking why people who can afford it should benefit. He advocated means-testing, in other words. This argument seemed reasonable until I considered Canada’s own universal programs. We provide public schools free for all, and Canadians are proud of their universal healthcare (although not all healthcare services are free). The trend in Western countries is to expand free, universal services, not reduce them. Whether such policies continue depends on political will and affordability, and the direction seems toward greater universality.

A final example that stirred my mind was the professor’s advice about Canada’s resource sector. He argued Canada should sell more natural resources to create jobs and generate revenue, contrary to the traditional view that resources should be developed domestically for added value.

Reflecting on this lecture, I did not think that the professor changed my mind on the three items above. But I must say that his perspectives added to my understanding of the issues. Maybe I have become coopted to the current wisdom on the subjects discussed and have become rigid in my opinions. So it was useful to hear a fresh argument on these three subjects; that business starts with an idea before money is considered, such as selling books on line, the origin of Amazon, that we should not take for granted that universal programs are always the preferred alternative and that Canada could still improve its economy by selling resources to a diversified global market. Unfortunately, I did not have the opportunity to question the professor on these subjects due to his eighty plus slides that he showed, leaving no time for questions.

Exploring the Value of Personal Interaction in Today’s Digital World

January 20, 2026

At the local box store I visited, the young salesperson from Gujarat showed me a slew of laptops and described their capacities. He was very knowledgeable. In the ensuing conversation, I learned that he is a graduate student in engineering and has been seeking a permanent job while pursuing his studies. I prefer to make informed decisions, so I told him I’ll go home and review the computers he recommended online.

On driving home, I stopped at another box store and had a similar experience with another salesperson, another immigrant, this one from Africa. The computer sales personnel in both box stores were immigrants, to my surprise. Many immigrant students pursue studies in science and engineering and support themselves financially by selling technical products.

He showed me several suitable laptops: lightweight, with a terabyte of storage, lots of RAM, and a fast chip. My preferred model was only available as open box, with a 10% discount. I wanted to check online reviews and asked the salesperson to hold the open-box model overnight.

When I returned the next day to buy the model based on the good reviews, the Christmas sale was still on, but the open box model was unavailable. Instead, they found a new one and, after some discussion, offered me the same 10% discount due to their earlier promise.

While waiting to finalize the sale, I noticed a sign advertising the credit card for this box store. According to the ad, you get a 10% discount on your first purchase. Wow! I decided to get another credit card and filled out the paperwork to receive my additional 10% discount on the computer.

I thought about the process of buying a laptop, driving home. No question that I spent hours talking with numerous salespeople, a time-consuming process. But I learned from the conversations, and, more importantly, I enjoyed them. It was satisfying to speak with people rather than scan websites like Amazon and buy a laptop online.

Although a stretch, this experience contrasts with a recent coffee purchase at McDonald’s, where I just went up to the screen to order, then waited, and picked up the coffee at the counter without speaking to anyone. I found it much more satisfying to purchase merchandise by talking with people. But I understand that businesses may prefer cutting out people-to-people communication to streamline the sales process and speed up business transactions.

The other thought that crossed my mind was whether businesses like to cater to retired people who may have time on their hands to study promotions and sales.  They can be selective in their buying habits and are often more demanding customers than younger people with jobs and families.

On reflection, I found talking with people while transacting business was thoroughly satisfying. I wondered whether the trend to simplify business transactions by moving them online would have negative consequences for conversational skills and social interaction (I fail to see the digital world, or what is called social media, as a replacement for face-to-face contact, including Zoom). Remote work is gaining popularity, especially since Covid, and with consumer goods available online, one can stay home and get by without face-to-face interaction with the outside world for months. Would this trend lead to more isolation and loneliness?

The Art of Negotiating: Lessons from Hiring Experiences

July 17, 2025

This is just anecdotal and not based on any detailed research. But impressions are essential. The first story started with a knock on my front door. A young man introduced himself and offered to trim my cedar hedge, which is a bit disheveled and can be seen clearly from the street. My hedge needs a trim, so I asked him to provide an estimate. He walked along the hedge and came back to say that his team could do it for $250. Seeing my hesitation, he brought down the price to $200.

That sounded good to me, based on experience with hedge trimming. Before making any decisions, I wanted to learn about his experience and the composition of his team. Six recent college graduates formed a team, he explained, with three of them knocking on doors to generate business, and the other three handling trimming. I thought they had no experience at all. However, he assured me that they possessed all the necessary equipment, including tall ladders and trimming equipment.

Now I am always positive about young people initiating a business, and I told him I’ll think about it and to come back next week. I prefer not to make impulsive decisions. And he did come back a few days later. When I asked him when he could do the trim, he took another walk along the same hedge. He came back, explaining that it is a tall hedge on sloping ground, making it challenging to place the ladders. It is a tall hedge, over twelve feet. So, he concluded that the price would be $600.

I said what? Now, wait a minute, I said. You told me a few days ago that it would be $250. My voice indicated exasperation and disbelief. I even smiled at him, at his chutzpah in more than doubling the price. He suddenly changed his mind and offered to do the job for $300. That offer made me more than upset, and I said that I do not negotiate; you gave me a price, and I expected you to honor it. He decided to walk away.

By the way, I thought his final price was reasonable, but I did not like the way he behaved. What guarantee did I have that his work would be good and the cleanup complete?

Several thoughts crossed my mind. When one starts a new business, one marketing approach is to undercut the current market. One should demonstrate that the new company is superior to existing alternatives in at least one way. Why should anyone pay competitive pricing for a new product or service without testing it?

Next story. A couple of people were trimming the cedar hedge behind my house. I walked to the back of my garden and asked if they would be interested in cutting my cedar hedge as well. If so, I asked them to come over and give me an estimate. They did come over after finishing their job, and a young fellow said that he would message me his estimate later that day. Before leaving, I asked him about his background in landscaping and learned that he was studying to be an arborist. That sounded relevant to the job, and I awaited his estimate.

To my surprise, the estimate came in at $900, significantly above what I thought was fair (by the way, I had asked him to trim more of my cedar hedge than I had asked the young fellow I described above). To my response that he was way out of line, he messaged back that he was a bit high and that he could do it for $700. I responded negatively, to which he answered by asking me what I thought was a fair price so that he could learn from it. I give him high marks for sincerity, but why didn’t he work for a hedge trimming company and learn the pricing in the trade before starting his own business?

Now, these two stories do not provide a definitive characterization of today’s young people, millennials, to be sure. But I found it surprising that both started with a high estimate. Why did they not start with a low estimate (the first one did, but when it came to doing the job, he doubled the price)? Or, why did they not ask me what I would pay for the task? That would not be a bad approach; I think most people would come up with a reasonable estimate. When you start working, do you not need to obtain some contracts and build up experience that you can use as a form of advertising?

The new services introduced by the international telecom company I worked for were offered at less than half the price of those offered by our competitors. The purpose was to have our services used and tested by customers, demonstrating the superior quality and features of our services in comparison to the competition. The point is that the seller, a new entrant to an existing market, has to demonstrate the value of their services before prices can be raised.

I was frankly disappointed in the two young fellows trying their hands at establishing a new business without doing some background work, especially in asking for prices way above market rates.

Traveling on the Boeing 737 Max: A Passenger’s Perspective

July 9, 2024

The travel agent booked us a flight from Ottawa to Vancouver. It was a non-stop flight. That is what I like. However, I discovered the plane was a Boeing 737 Max when I received the itinerary. The infamous one. You remember? That model crashed twice, once in 2018 (Lion Air Indonesian Airline) and once in 2019 (Ethiopian Airlines), where 346 people died. After the crashes, all flying authorities banned the plane; all airlines grounded the 737 Max aircraft, and a whole set of studies began to identify the causes.

All 737 Max’s sat on the ground for almost two years; after substantial changes and modifications to these planes, some authorities and airlines eased up, and the aircraft flew again. The studies indicated that the company rushed the plane’s production to compete with other similarly designed planes and indulged in cost-cutting measures without attention to safety. Subsequently, the company changed its executive suite, the CEO left, and the company paid over $2.5 billion to the victims, to the airlines inconvenienced by the grounding of the planes and a penalty. The 737 Max was back in production and flying again by 2021.

The travel agent assured me that the plane was safe. She said the 737 Max was probably the most studied and safest plane today. She did not mention that a 737 Max lost a panel (a door plug) off the fuselage on an Alaska Airlines flight in January, forcing the plane to an emergency landing.

Did her opinion make me feel good about the safety of the aircraft? I am not sure, but we had tickets on it. At any rate, what options did we have? Should we look for another flight, airline, or route that avoids the 737 Max? Should we cancel our trip?

My thoughts raced around flying on this airplane, including the possibility of crashing. But why worry if all authorities and airlines are comfortable with this plane? In the end, we boarded the plane.

The Boeing 737 Max is a narrow-bodied plane with a three-plus-three-seat configuration. The seats are 18 inches wide, while the aisle is twenty inches wide. Up front, there are sixteen first-class seats in four rows, followed by 159 economy seats, separated by a bulkhead from the premier seats.

The travel agent booked us on an aisle and a window seat behind the bulkhead, explaining that middle seats are the least popular and that we may find additional space between us should the middle seat stay unoccupied. The idea did not work out this time; the plane was packed, and we had a pleasant gentleman watching adventure movies during the flight to Vancouver.

The toilet up front, only five rows ahead from the bulkhead where we sat, was strictly for first-class passengers. Economy-class passengers had toilets in the back of the plane, meaning we had to walk back twenty-five rows. To add insult to injury, the sixteen first-class people had one toilet while we, economy-class people, while 159 economy-class passengers had two.

You can draw any number of conclusions, but most people use a washroom at least once during a five-hour flight. When I visited the toilet, there was a lineup at the back of the plane along the narrow aisle. I thought I would never reserve a seat at the end of this plane.

What was interesting and disturbing was that the two toilets in the back of the airplane were adjacent to the food trucks. I thought this layout would not pass food inspectors in our city. I assume the reason for putting the service area next to the toilets was an efficient and tight layout design.

But wait a minute; I am not finished with the toilets yet. Let me say that while waiting my turn, I noticed some people turning sideways to enter the toilet. The door to the bathroom was narrow. Someone entered the toilet, backing into it, figuring there may not be enough room to turn around inside!

I also intuitively thought there was something unfair about first-class ticket holders receiving quick access to toilets while others, sitting in the back of the bus—sorry, back of the plane—line up for a toilet visit. We are people with similar natural needs, and the waiting time for a toilet should be identical.  

On the other hand, the service was excellent except for the slowdowns when the food trucks had to back up, letting people attend to their toilet needs in the narrow aisle of the economy class. The narrow aisles also made it difficult to pass each other.

I read that the Boeing 737 Max has been a commercial success. Air Canada has forty aircraft, and many more are on order. I wish, though, that the designers rethink the airplane’s layout to provide better access to toilets for all classes of passengers.

I also read today that Boeing admitted to mismanagement, resulting in a couple of crashes to avoid being sued in court (July 8, 2024).