podcast discussion -- purpose based business
I rarely share the kind of detail about my personal life that I do on this podcast, but with such an amazing cause at stake it was impossible to leave out certain stories! Nick Gemmel has made it a mission to shine a spotlight on the difficult conversations surrounding life on the road, the sacrifices that are made (health, relationships, comfort, etc.) and the impact it has on mental health.
My experience working in the trades started at 18 when I was hired to work as a concrete placer for a large ready-mix supplier in Edmonton. With almost two inches of ash hanging from his cigarette, my new foreman looked me up and down and exclaims, “You gotta be fucking kidding me”. And walks away. I’m just standing there, first day on the job, waiting to be told what to do, and trying not to get upset about this rude treatment. I knew I was going to have to work to earn some respect, but I was confident that my farm upbringing and sports background would all serve me well in this role. And I wanted the money so badly— it was nearly double what my friends were making working retail jobs. It was a picture of a first day on the job that would repeat itself many times over the next 8 years.
A lot of my future was decided in that one moment where I stood there, not letting this Foreman get to me, or take an opportunity from me. I simply dug deep and focused on the work. And when faced with many similar moments in the future (walking into site meetings and having a room full of eyes question what I was doing there, or asking me if I was “lost”, or the jaws hitting the floor when I introduced myself as serving some sort of leadership position, etc) I simply forgave the bad behaviour and continued to focus on the quality of my work. I just let the work speak for me, rather than trying to convince of my worth with words.
In this episode we discuss many “firsts” in my career and how I managed them. I live for those first days, rather than dread them. Why? because that pit of nausea and discomfort is the only physical metric I have that lets me know I’m on the brink of shedding an old layer of comfort and having to reform myself in the shape of whatever is needed for the new role. It’s a growth moment.
When Nick asked what big idea I wanted to share to merge the themes all together, I instantly new it would be purpose-based business. The connection back to purpose, my purpose, has been my guiding beacon in all the career moves that I have made. I believe in the power of this connection with purpose to help others find fulfilment in what they do, who they serve, and how their decisions paint their big picture. Have a listen!
