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Hello and welcome to the Official 4Growth Blog! Here, we'll share business ideas, topics of discussion, and anything else we think may help you grow your business.

We want to turn this blog into a place that people visit because there is consistently fresh, captivating content that everyone feels welcome to contribute to.

Whether you have a question, comment, or new topic of discussion, you are always welcome to share your thoughts (as long as they are kept friendly!) at the Official 4Growth Blog.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

The Challenge with Management Consulting

 Gary Collins and Chris Kortschot

Being a management consultant can be a rewarding, stimulating profession.  You get the opportunity to meet many interesting people and get to know many interesting businesses.  You pick your hours, and you pick your price.  You, are in control of you.

But there is one fundamental challenge with this career.  Unlike any other job, the customer is almost never right.  In a world where customers are expecting never to be confronted, this is not an easy obstacle to overcome.  

“The customer is always right” was a term first coined at the turn of the 20th century by Marshall Field’s department store in Chicago, now known as Macy’s following the 2006 takeover.  Since that time it has become the mantra of almost all successful businesses today and people have not only gotten used to it, they have come to expect it.  

If this is the mentality in all aspects of business, why would it be any different within management consulting?  Well, just for the record, it isn’t.  

Our clients come to us when they have symptoms of a problem.  Declining sales, high employee turnover, operational inconsistencies, customer dissatisfaction, technology that doesn’t deliver, stagnation, etc.  Like a symptom of an illness, it may be caused by one or more of a wide variety of problems.  And like a patient, business owners naturally start to diagnose the problem prior to seeing the doctor.  

The problem is that the patient almost never knows what is actually wrong with them yet they always have a theory.  The same is true when you have a problem with your business. 

In many cases, business owners come to us for validation, not a diagnosis.  This means, if we are to do our job honestly, respectfully, and successfully, we have to remind our clients that things aren’t working correctly.  The unfortunate reality is that in some of these cases, we are not able to fix what we were contracted to because this obstacle is too great to overcome. 

The message that should be taken from this post is this: If you are the one making the decisions for your company, and it is not performing the way you want, you might be more responsible than originally considered.  If nothing else, a little introspection never hurt anyone.    

Thursday, February 3, 2011

PRESS RELEASE: Epilepsy Canada Names CTV’s Bill Hutchison as 2011’s Honorary Spokesman

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Donald F. Weaver, President
Epilepsy Canada
Phone: 1- 877-734-0873

TORONTO, ONT. – February 2, 2011 – Epilepsy Canada is pleased to announce CTV’s Bill Hutchison as honorary spokesperson for 2011. In preparation for what will be an aggressive year of marketing and fundraising, Epilepsy Canada Board Member Gary Collins approached Bill to offer him this voluntary position. Bill responded that he would be more than happy to take on the role and help in any way possible.

“We’re very excited to have someone of Bill’s stature in the community support our organization,” says Gary Collins of Epilepsy Canada. “Bill’s communication skills will help us reach out to key Canadian sponsors to help them understand the pressing needs of both our organization and those afflicted by the disorder.”

As one of the premiere television personalities in Toronto and Canada, Bill will bring a wealth of new opportunities and resources that will be invaluable to Epilepsy Canada throughout the year.

Part of Bill’s passion to foster education and research for epilepsy comes from the influence the disorder has had on his personal life. Growing up with a close family member affected by the disorder, Bill knows firsthand the importance of educating the public as well as raising money to help find a cure.

Epilepsy is a young person’s disorder which makes it that much more important to develop new treatments and medications. Each year, an average of 15,500 Canadians learn that they have epilepsy. Of that group, 44% are diagnosed before the age of 5 with 85% before the age of 18. At the same time, only 1.3% of newly diagnosed patients are over the age of 60.

With almost all new diagnoses coming from children under the age of 18 and so much still unknown about the disorder, it is easy to understand why Epilepsy research and awareness needs remain at the forefront of Canadians’ minds. Bill’s presence on the Epilepsy Canada team will certainly help raise that awareness and get more Canadians committed to the effort.

Bill Hutchison, News Anchor, CTV News at 11:30 p.m.


Bill Hutchison is the co-anchor of CTV News at 11:30 p.m. along with Pauline Chan. Bill is also well known for his popular segment Webmania, which highlights the latest advancements in computers, the Internet and digital technology. Webmania airs on CTV News Toronto, CTV Newsnet and other CTV affiliates across the country.
Bill began his broadcasting career in 1979. His first job was in radio, hosting the CBC's afternoon drive show in Yellowknife.

Over the years Bill has worked for CBC national radio news in Toronto, CKND in Winnipeg, ITV in Edmonton, and CFCN in Calgary. In 1988 he joined CTV Toronto as a general assignment reporter and within a few months he started anchoring the weekend editions of World Beat and Night Beat News.

During his career he has interviewed six Canadian Prime Ministers, former US Secretaries of State George Schultz and Henry Kissinger, and covered visits to Canada by Pope John Paul II, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Phillip, and the Aga Khan. He has also interviewed such Hollywood celebrities as Demi Moore, Kevin Costner, Danny Devito, and Billy Crystal.

A native of Toronto, Bill studied journalism at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute.

About Epilepsy Canada

Epilepsy Canada is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the quality of life for persons affected by epilepsy through promotion and support of research and facilitation of education and awareness initiatives that build understanding and acceptance of epilepsy.
Epilepsy Canada is governed by a national board with national representation. Partner associations of Epilepsy Canada provide direct services to those with epilepsy and their families.
Founded in 1966, Epilepsy Canada depends entirely upon public and corporate support for the continuing development of its research and education programs.

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