Category Archives: Business

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7 Secret Habits To Win Back Time

Think of something that is valuable. Something that is infinite, yet finite for each of us. Something that you use every day. It is loathsome when waiting but fleeting and precious when enjoyed. No one in our culture has enough of it!

If you are thinking of time you’re right! What’s the best use of my time? It seems I have countless people – organizations, friends and family, who want a piece of my time so they’re really taking a piece of ME!. Often, I don’t know where to start. Yet time is my most valuable resource how do I decide where to use it?

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Life is short. There never seems to be enough extra margin of time to do all that we desire. There are always things left undone. Culture entices us into wasting our time yet time is our most valuable asset. How do we know if we are investing it wisely?

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Looking For A Job?

Few of us always knew what we wanted to do. Those rare people are the lucky ones in a sense, because they find that direction early in their journey. What about the rest of us?

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Today the average person will find a job 11 different times, with the average lasting just 4 years.  How do I find the job I love? What field of work do I pursue? These were the questions I faced as a young person. As my life progressed I starting building homes then later building people through blogging.  Part of this path was planned, part of it was organic, and it just evolved. There is nothing wrong with doing whatever you fall into. But, when you find the meeting point between natural talents and personal passion it changes everything.

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Secrets To Leading Others

I passed up a great opportunity in high school, when selected to participate in summer leadership camp, I said no. Teenage wisdom….after all a summer job in construction paid a lot of money! I had no idea the path ahead would be filled with leadership opportunities. Changing my thinking – changed my life.

Leadership Concept

Most people do not view themselves as leaders. If that’s you – then you should read The Traveler’s Gift. If you’re an employee, business owner, parent, teacher, or a stay-at-home Mom, you are leading others. Leadership is having influence on others. No matter what you do or who you are, you are a leader; a person of influence. Some say, we’ll influence over 10,000 people in our lifetime! To be a truly effective leader, you must first be able to lead yourself. Leadership develops from the inside out.

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Balance Work and Life

There is a lot written about gaining balance in your life. Everyone has their story and I’m happy to share mine.

In the early years of starting our home building business, 60 hour weeks were the norm! When we hired staff 10 years later, long workweeks were STILL the norm. There was never enough time to get everything done at work. Work was cheating my family time. It was nearly impossible to achieve the elusive work life balance.

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Picture the work life balance like a scale…one side wins and the other side loses. We need to learn to “cheat” at work and stop cheating at home. We often cheat our family by spending too much time at work, or on fitness, or a hobby. Cut back on being so “busy” and be balanced!

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How To Become An Entrepreneur?

As a child, I dreamed of being an entrepreneur, of starting a business. At age 25, I began Land Ark Homes. It was a modest home building business that grew in 20 years to build over 350 luxury estate homes. I became a legitimate entrepreneur.

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This is a shared dream, many of us want to be an entrepreneur and run our own businesses.

Throughout those 20 years I began focusing more on my strengths and passions and delegating responsibility to others with skills that complemented mine. Later, I was free to focus on what I did best and eventually find the work I love. With that came the responsibility of partners and employees. Ultimately, my job became serving people: the staff and our customers. This is one of the secrets to winning in business – being eager to serve.

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Build a business you are proud of!

Owning a house or owning a business – it’s the American Dream. Did you know more than 30% of the American work force is in business on their own? More than half of the 18 – 34 year old age group either plan on starting a business, or have already done so.

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Not sure what business to start?

Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms

1 Peter 4:10

Insight like this helps us understand that all our business should be to serve others.

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Who Else Wants To Be A Millionaire?

As a luxury homebuilder, I observed something very odd. People buying million dollar homes often didn’t have much wealth – they just had large incomes.

They pulled into the sales office in a luxury automobile and coveted the appearance of wealth. But wealth is much different than income. Wealth is what you accumulate, not what you spend. (Remember my Italian mentor from my first job….. )

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Have you dreamed of owning a nicer home? We all love things of beauty. I made my living in the housing industry by identifying a profitable niche. I loved building big, great quality, beautiful homes and neighborhoods. They were my art. However, there is a balance in being able to afford things in the short term and being able to accumulate wealth in the long term.

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How To Find Work You Love

Have you figured out how to find work you love?  Recently, Forbes magazine reported  up to 70% of Americans hate their jobs.

Like most people, I have experienced jobs that were less than engaging for me. I’ve been an infantryman, commercial fisherman, laborer, bricklayer and carpenter.  Then I was blessed to find work I love. First as an entrepreneur home builder with our company Land Ark Homes. Now as a blogger.

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We often imagine finding work we love but do you know what to look for?

Picture yourself getting paid to do something that thrills you. That you are good at. That society values. When you find work you love, it shows.

“Do you see someone skilled in their work? They will serve before kings; they will not serve before officials of low rank.”

Proverbs 22:29

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What Does Success Mean To You?

We measure it, strive for it, endlessly compare ourselves to others’ and often it requires great sacrifice – but what is success anyway? Look up the definition and success is: “setting a goal and achieving it.” Sound reasonable? Well that’s true until one starts to think about what goals we should strive to achieve? Our world usually defines success in terms of money, fame, popularity, followers, etc. but let’s take a more alternative view of it.

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Charles Stanley offers a great definition of success that I love in his book “Success God’s Way.” He defines success as “The continuing achievement of becoming the person God wants you to be and accomplishing the goals God has helped (or directed) you to set.” This is very different, almost counter intuitive, from society’s view.

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Welcome

This is your sneak peak! It’s my privilege to share with you some resources that I am assembling in an upcoming book. These are not just ordinary resources, they are game and life changers! They changed mine and I know they’ll change yours too.

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As the former president of Land Ark Homes in west-end Ottawa, my career was in the home building industry. I worked hard and God blessed the work of my hands. This new venture is my new passion. No more building homes! I want to “build” people by sharing what I have learned in over 22 years of running my own very successful business. It is my goal to help improve and change the way you think on many levels. I’m going to share valuable resources and experiences that have significantly impacted my life and led to my company’s success. I’d like to share with you other things that I wish someone had shared with me earlier in my life. I now write, speak and consult part-time as my wife and three sons cheer me on in this exciting new adventure.

Why a blog??

  1. It is a great way to inform people about resources. Since my number one strength (from StrengthFinder 2.0 – more on that in a later blog) is LEARNER there are many resources I have used to gain specialized information that I hope to share with others.
  2. It provides a mechanism for feedback. At the bottom of this blog you can join the conversation. You can post using your real name or anonymously if you like and everyone can have their say!
  3. It provides an archive of resources. Topics that interest you may have other resources you wish to explore further. You can catch up if you miss an entry and search specific areas of interest as the need arises.
  4. It is free. Unlike buying a book this medium of delivery doesn’t cost you a cent. New posts will come out every Friday. You are free to investigate further the ones that pique your interest.
  5. It’s easy to share. Many times we read something and want to share it with others but don’t always get around to forwarding them the book title or buying them the book. Months go by or even years before we see the person again and we forget why the book or resource might have been useful to them. This blog can be shared at the click of a button.
  6. It’s easy to remember: Resource Freak. Dave Ramsey, EntreLeadership podcast is my inspiration for the name. In it Dave talked about all the young people in the company listening to Leadership Freak. They interviewed Dan Rockwell, the Leadership Freak who blogs about helping leaders in 300 words or less. I aim to do the same… okay maybe 500 words or less.

Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Romans 12:2


Attitude:  Think about where you wish to have a change in your thinking.

Action:  Decide to read this blog and share it with others if you find it useful.