Across The Desk With Elizabeth Plouffe

You chose to be an entrepreneur. You chose this life. Did you know it was going to suck sometimes? I thought I did until this past week. Then the level of craptastic hit full steam and I realized I had no freaking clue about how much of the sucking would happen. Are there highs? Absofreakinglutely. It's coming out the other side that matters.

Meet Karen Bradbury, a 15 year volunteer with the Christopher Leadership Course. A self-confessed once upon a time wallflower, Karen was encouraged to participate in the program offered by CLC to improve her public speaking skills. She was so impressed by the experience with CLC that she became an instructor and hasn't looked back since. Having worked with over 200 students, she's seen first hand how taking the time to invest in yourself can lead to opportunities you never imagined possible!

I sat down with Rob Duvall last week and learned a surprising fact about this well-spoken, friendly, outgoing guy: In highschool and college, Rob was a self-professed geek. Now I could continue to say was, but quite frankly something tells me that a bit of that geek from college who built an award winning fuel efficient car, still holds a place of honor in Rob's heart. Why? Because the enthusiasm he showed for tech in the 80's still shines through today.

Entrepreneurs are famous for falling in love. With stars in their eyes and wishes on their lips, they know that their idea is the best thing EVER and how could anyone argue? After all, it's their idea and they LOVE it! Now this is said with all due respect as a fellow entrepreneur because I love my ideas too. But if you can't see past the stars to the nitty gritty of getting the job done and executing the plan, well maybe you need to call Doug Osborne.

Do you think that training your sales team isn't worth the time and effort? Well considering most companies end up investing $250,000 to train someone anyway, why not do it right? Otherwise what you might end up saving on will be things like rent and PR material for the business that you have to shut down. Take a listen to Marguerite Zimmerman and learn the value of training your sales team right! The first time.

My guest and I go back to 1979. Yep, waaaaayyy back to the rockin' 70's which seems kind of appropriate given what Wayne Deadder does now. As a successful session and band musician, Wayne has been delighting audiences with his guitar skills for over 30 years and is a two-time Juno nominee. On top of his guitar skills, Wayne is also a very successful airbrush artist. You'd think his path in life would be pretty clear right?

Come and sit across the desk and learn what it takes to be a family business mediator. Thought you could work with your brother, sister, father and aunt without some kind of planning? Think again. Laurel describes the benefits of developing leadership, communication and governance processes for the success of your family business. Is that all we chat about? Nope. Listen and learn about the chickpreneur journey and what it sometimes takes to pick up that basket and keep moving forward!

Meet Tree Ryde. She's who I've nicknamed the Ambasadoress of Awesomeness for Health Local. Why the title? Because Tree is the voice of reason that you reach when you call Health Local to learn more about how being a part of Canada's largest health directory can help you business. Plus she is what her title says: completely awesome. Friendly, professional, knowledgeable and willing to go the extra mile to help health pro's across Canada. Who wouldn't want someone like that on their team?

Join me and my guest Kelly Bentley as we discuss her plan to get you healthy and keep you healthy. That's her business after all. We discuss the evils of caffeine and how you can goof up health information EVEN when you supposedly know what you're talking about. Me, not Kelly.

Do you think you are the only one that struggles with business stress, dealing with women who judge your clothes and the pressures of making your dream come true? Think again. Join me for a candid discussion about the trials and tribulations of leaving the corporate life behind, embracing a business wardrobe built from Value Village and picking yourself up in the face of tragedy to make your business stronger than ever. Once upon a time a little girl went out on recess. During recess she saw a business opportunity that would change the way she looked at school forever. She saw pebbles. And from those pebbles and idea was born. If she could sell those pebbles, she'd have the money to help her family and go on trips. Pretty smart thinking for a 5 year old. Her name was Monica Graves and that pebble idea? Well that's become Monica's successful company Glamjulz.

Listen and laugh as Mike Edwards and I discuss his journey from tech guy to coaching guy and the evolution of that process. Mike strives to make his coaching sessions a safe and productive relationship and hear why hiding under a bathroom sink isn't the best way to get therapy ...

Making Change Happen can be hard. Hazel Van Der Werken is here to help you understand how to take your company from blah to wow by focusing on energizing your team and adding more value to your customers' experience!

Across the Desk is about small business owners and entrepreneurs. What it's like to be one. Lessons learned. Customers helped and outcomes met. Join me for a funny, informative, personal and hopefully helpful conversation with business people who are just getting started or have been in business long enough to have some wise words to share.