Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast

Latest Episodes:

238 | Josh Campbell | How To Launch Cutting-Edge Businesses and Exploit The First-Mover Advantage Jul 13, 2021

Show notes

In this day and age, is it even possible to launch greenfield projects that allow you to exploit the first-mover advantage?

On today’s show, we interview the incredibly successful serial entrepreneur Josh Campbell who shares with us his wisdom on exploration, product differentiation, and taking the path less trodden.

We start this show with Josh revealing some of the biggest lessons that he learned from his Student Works stint. A soup to nuts experience for him, Josh shares how Student Works laid a firm foundation for an extremely successful career.

Upon graduation, Josh first decided to try his luck in the world of finance. But he soon realized that he was more interested in people development and tangible creations.

So, what followed was an extremely successful stint at Starbucks where he overlooked construction and facility management. In this segment of the show, Josh gives us an insider peeks and reveals what makes Starbucks such a unique and special place.

After 5 years of working at Starbucks, Josh ran into the owners of Saje Natural Wellness, and he was blown away by their business model.

The ability to make “sales per square feet higher than Apple” had Josh stoked, and he transitioned into his new role as VP, Retail.

Learn how Josh and his team managed to raise profitability and get an exit in 18-months flat!

Currently, Josh is at the helm of two extremely innovative businesses.

His first business, Dosist is a health and wellness company providing cannabis-based solutions. And his second business, Health Improvement manufactures protein power from…you will never guess it…organic crickets.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

How to fail cheap, and pivot quickly
How to take a commoditized product and create an experience around it
Dispelling some common misconceptions surrounding cannabis-based solutions
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

237 | Tycho Koren | Moving the Needle Forward In The Midst Of Challenges Jul 06, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview fourth-year commerce student Tycho Koren who shares with us distilled wisdom on scaling, overcoming challenges, and goal-setting.

Before Student works, admittedly, Tycho suffered from massive ADHD and had trouble committing himself to a goal. After working odd jobs, he soon realized that he wanted much more from his chosen profession. This is when he came across Student Works.

2020 was Tycho’s first year with Student Works. And when the pandemic struck, Tycho initially second-guessed himself. But soon he snapped out of this negative mindset.

In this segment of the show, you will learn how Tycho and the entire Student Works team completely revamped their sales and marketing so that they could function seamlessly in the post-covid world.

As a result, Tycho ended up running a $150,000 business in the most challenging circumstances.

Buoyed by this experience, Tycho has set a massive $400,000 goal in his second year. You will learn how goal-setting without proper systems is completely futile. Tycho shares how he has managed to build a dream team. And how he is on track to achieve his audacious goal on the back of a collective effort.

Other topics discussed on today’s show include accountability, building transferable and foundational skill sets, and the importance of evaluating your strengths and weaknesses.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

How I ended up running a $150,000 in the year of the pandemic
How I pivoted my sales and marketing strategy in the wake of covid
What is it that top performers do differently?
Why you need to combine goal-setting with systems
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

236 | Josh Walker | How To Become An Indispensable Part Of Your Organization Jun 30, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview Josh Walker, Vice President, Hillcore Group who shares with us his distilled wisdom on work ethic, career strategy, and tips for rising up the corporate chain.

We start this show with Josh recalling his life before Student Works. Always entrepreneurial-minded, Josh ended up running a number of small businesses. But he soon realized that he had to do much more in order to fulfill his ambitions.

While majoring in accounting from the University of Ottawa, Josh ended up interning for Student Works. He was with Student Works for 4 years. And in his final year, he was a GM managing multiple painters. The biggest thing that Josh learned during his stint was the importance of a great work ethic.

After graduation, Josh has worked with several reputed organizations including KPMG, Fazzari, and Medical Mart.

The most important takeaway from this segment of the show is the importance of providing more and more value. You will learn how to make yourself indispensable to your employer and quickly rise up the corporate chain.

Josh also talks about networking and shares how you can leave an organization without burning any bridges.

You will also learn how to critically evaluate your strengths and weaknesses so that you can make the right career steps that will propel you to the next level.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

How to move on to another company without burning bridges with your past employer
Why raising the benchmark is the only way to rise up the corporate ladder
Importance of building your network, and maintaining your work relationships
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

235 | Riley Oickle | Building A $4M Real Estate Portfolio Jun 22, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview Student Works alum, real estate investor (and coach), and one of our first window cleaning operators, Riley Oickle who shares with us his distilled wisdom on real estate investing, coaching, and success.

Recently, till September 2020, as a Senior District Manager, Riley was responsible for coaching and mentoring other district managers at Student Works.

Some of the biggest lessons that his Student Works experience taught him were the importance of the results economy, humility, and the nuances of effective coaching.

Additionally, his senior at Student Works, Kory MacKinnon took him under his tutelage and showed him the ropes of real estate investing.

Riley credits Kory for his massive success in real estate investing. Learn how Kory managed to leverage joint ventures to build a $4 million real estate portfolio in just a year and a half.

You will also learn about his incredibly successful coaching business. And how Student Works helped Riley hit the ground running.

This is a show you do not want to miss.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

How I built up a $4 million portfolio in just a year and a half
How I massively scaled up by real estate business through joint ventures
The importance of having shared values with your teammates
The biggest things that I have learned as a coach and how coaching has helped me improve my capabilities
Tips for short-term and long-term real estate investors
And so much more…

Resources

Riley’s Website

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

234 | Tyrus Reid | Scale Up With Effective Teamwork Jun 15, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview District Manager at Student Works, Tyrus Reid who shares with us his wisdom on delegation, integrity, and mindset.

Before joining Student Works, Tyrus remembers being extremely stressed about his education and career. He was particularly obsessed with getting into an Ivy League School.

However, once he got into the painting business, Tyrus’s stress levels subsided significantly. Having a fallback option was a huge confidence booster for Tyrus.

The biggest thing that Tyrus learned after running a painting business is the importance of delegation. Recognizing your strengths and hiring out your weaknesses is the hallmark of truly successful people.

You might be good at sales. But, if you are unorganized and unable to handle production, all your efforts will come to naught.

Apart from the importance of delegation, you will also get some important lessons in focus, commitment, and integrity.

This is a show you do not want to miss. Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

Mindset Strategies to get “your head right”
Good habits that help me maintain high productivity
Is the importance of formal education overstated?
And so much more?

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

233 | Hugo Geoffroy | How I Managed A Challenging Transition Jun 08, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview DM, Hugo Geoffroy who shares his wisdom on performance, coaching, and teamwork.

Before the program, Hugo was admittedly “a cocky, confused guy who thought the world owed him something”.

When Hugo came into the program, he already had some cold-calling experience under his belt. However, like most other interns, he was a blank slate as far as recruiting and production experience were concerned.

So, needless to say his overconfidence cost him dearly as he ended up making many rookie mistakes in his first year.

But Hugo was determined to learn from his mistakes. And one of the biggest lessons he took away from his first year was the importance of teamwork and delegation. In this second year, Hugo managed to significantly up his performance as he ended up running a $115,000 painting business.

Currently, as a DM, Hugo is a coach and a mentor to other student operators. He shares some of the biggest challenges that he is facing right now in his new role. Specifically, we talk about reliability and patience in this segment of the show.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

What is it that top performers do differently?
Why I decided to pursue coaching
What are some of the biggest coaching challenges I am currently dealing with?
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

232 | Jay Wong | Leverage the Power of Digital Marketing Through Branding Secrets Jun 01, 2021

Show notes

Wondering how you can leverage digital marketing and podcasting to grow and scale your business?

On today’s show, we interview Jay Wong who shares with us his distilled wisdom on digital marketing, branding, and positioning. Jay is the founder and CEO of The Inner Changemaker and Podcast your Brand.

Apart from various growth hacks, you will also learn the importance of working with clients who are the right fit for you.

Back in 2019, Jay was among the first guests on the Leaders of Tomorrow podcast. Monthly revenues for Jay’s marketing agency, have since, nearly tripled to $70K.

We start this show with Jay sharing how the desire to provide more value to his current clients first kickstarted his agency business three years back. Jay was already selling online programs and memberships. And, at the insistence of a persistent client, Jay decided to add done-for-you services to his repertoire.

On today’s show, we have an interesting discussion about how digital marketing has dramatically evolved over the past three years. Especially, as all the platforms have gotten noisier post the pandemic, you will learn why you need to remain patient. And slowly build out all the digital assets that will guarantee consistent success.

You will also learn how can find the clients who are the right fit for your agency.

As a seasoned entrepreneur and agency owner, Jay shares his experiences and revealed some nuanced tips to help you vet a client.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

How I scaled my agency business from $0 to $70K monthly revenues in three years flat
How the digital marketing landscape has dramatically evolved over the past year
How to determine the “right-fit” clients for your marketing agency
Why patience is the key to success in digital marketing
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

Chris’s Email

The Inner Changemaker

Podcast Your Brand

Kolbe

231 | Taylor Nicholls | A Dream Team For An 18-Year Old Entrepreneur May 25, 2021

Show notes

Can eighteen-year-olds successfully manage large businesses if they have a conducive environment and a supportive team to back them up?

On today’s show, we interview veteran student operator, Taylor Nichols who shares his thoughts on leadership and delegation. You will learn how shedding your fears and stepping out of your comfort zone can catapult you miles ahead of your peers.

Growing up, Taylor always had a big engine for work. But he was frustrated with working odd jobs and earning minimum wage.

So, when the Student Works opportunity came along, he signed up immediately. However, it was not all smooth sailing for the get-go.

As someone who always questions the norm, Taylor discarded established systems and tried to run his business in his own way in his first year.

However, when he started with Student Works in his second year, he had realized his folly. And he followed our systems to the T. As a result, he ended up notching twice the revenues in his second year.

On today’s show, Taylor shares some of his biggest lessons learned after spending two years as a student painter.

Specifically, you will learn the importance of assembling a dream team that can get the job done. You will learn WHY you need to trust your employees and overcome your fear of delegation if you wish to grow and scale your business to the next level.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

Why you should never deviate from proven systems and processes
How to assemble a dream team that will get the job done
Why you need to move away from working minimum wage, hourly jobs now
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

Chris’s Email

230 | Adel Jawhary | Selling at the “Top of the Market” and Understanding the Biggest Triggers in the Sales Process May 18, 2021

Show notes

How can you charge premium pricing even when you are functioning in a commoditized market?

On today’s show, we interview Adel Jawhary, Owner and CEO of Rydel Roofing who shares with us his distilled wisdom on pricing, sales, and growth.

Adel and his team managed to rapidly scale up Rydel Roofing from 0 to $10 million in six years flat. But once they hit this sales mark, Adel realized why it was futile to function as a revenue-focused company.

As quality issues and cash flow problems cropped up, Adel and his team decided to pivot and focus solely on high-margin, low-maintenance projects. Cutting back revenues by 35% allowed Rydel Roofing to shave their overheads by 50%.

To compensate for this growth, Adel shares why he has decided to take the franchise route. He reveals how Rydel is supporting their franchisees so that they can hit the ground running.

In the latter half of this show, Adel opens up his sales playbook as he walks us through the whole customer journey. You will learn why the sales call is the single most important part of the entire sales process. And you will also learn how to deal with rebuttals and facilitate a close.

And so much more…

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

Pricing strategies and how to sell at the “top of the market”
How to get better at sales through self-discovery
How to figure out the triggers that your prospects are most likely to respond to
And so much more…

Resources

Student Works

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

Chris’s Email

229 | Olivier Grenon | How Student Works Helped Me Set My Life In Order May 11, 2021

Show notes

On today’s show, we interview student painter Olivier Grenon who shares his distilled wisdom on focus, mindset, and entrepreneurship.

With $90,000 worth of painting orders already under his belt, Olivier is all set to hit the $200,000 revenue mark in 2021.

While Olivier is experiencing incredible success today, back in 2019, he had little clarity about what he wanted to do going forward. Over the past five years, he had just been wading through life. But he was determined to set his life in order.

At this juncture, he received a call from Lucas who informed him about Student Works. Olivier learned how he could run a large painting business at the age of 19. And how he could fast-track his career by learning the crucial entrepreneurial skills-sets that people typically learn when they are in their late twenties or early thirties.

On today’s show, Olivier shares how he managed to run a successful business in 2020 in spite of the pandemic. You will learn about the incredible support that Olivier received from his district manager as well as the entire Student Works team.

Because of this, Olivier was able to completely alter his marketing and sales strategy and continue doing business in spite of the restrictions.

Olivier shares how staying consistent and working with integrity has helped him along the way. And while chasing large goals is crucial to one’s success, we also talk about the importance of gratitude and satisfaction.

Towards the end, Olivier shares his big plans for the future. And we wrap up by sharing what it truly means to be a leader of tomorrow in this day and age.

What You Will Learn In This Show