Bi-Weekly Newsletter


October 16, 2016

Commencement Speech at Sprott Shaw College

On October 20, I had the honour and the privilege to deliver my commencement speech to Sprott Shaw College's graduates.

Sprott Shaw College was one of our first well-recognized clients. And to speak from their stage to their new graduates as Patrick Dang, their President of many years, was about to step down, is an experience I will never forget.

The first words out of my mouth were, "People are lazy, opinionated, and prejudiced." 

After a couple of gasps in the front rows, I explained my point further: "People’s brains are designed to look for shortcuts. It’s human nature. We’d go crazy if we didn’t take shortcuts. Whether it’s about first impressions or a long-lasting legacy, it’s all about the image, it’s all about the brand."

The rest of the speech was about the importance of building and protecting one's personal brand.

P.S. In case you're wondering who I'm standing with in the photograph, it's not Patrick Dang, the President of Sprott Shaw College. It's not even his replacement. It's Mark Donnelly, the local celebrity who sings the Canadian anthem at NHL games when Vancouver Canucks are playing at home.