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Edition 195 – Whistler

Last week, I was privileged to spend time in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada with some of the top Small & Medium Enterprise business advisors from the USA, Canada, Spain & Australia.

For three days, we challenged, supported and encouraged each other as we took the opportunity to revisit where our respective businesses are at right now, where we’d like them to be in 2020 and what we each need to do to better serve our clients and help them build better businesses and better lives for themselves.

Here’s some of my top takeaways from a fantastic three days in the Canadian Rockies in full view of the magnificent snow capped mountain scenery:

  1. To focus on the future, you need to physically get out of your environment. Get away somewhere that’s not your everyday location so your mind can expand with the endless possibilities that business can provide.
  2. You need a great Business Mentor to help you see what you’re missing, simply by them holding up the mirror.
  3. There is incredible strength in having around you, colleagues that not only understand what you’re looking to achieve, but are having the same challenges and opportunities as you are. 
  4. Be prepared to be vulnerable with those you respect and trust. It opens up a whole new sense of support and collaboration.
  5. When you’re looking to build a bright new future for your business, travel to a top location and make an experience of it. You work hard, so why not reward yourself?
  6. Turning off the emails and phones enables you to focus solely on what your business could (and should) look like.
  7. If something isn’t successful, it’s not a failure….it’s a learning opportunity.
  8. Aim high with your ambitions – you just might get there.
  9. If there’s something that has been challenging you, often someone else has experienced the same challenges and can help guide you on the journey towards overcoming that challenge.

Whistler is a gorgeous location. It’s full of young nationalities from all over the world, with a large number of travelling Australians. The resorts are world class, the restaurants are superb and the service everywhere is five star. I’m no snow bird, but at some stage in the future, I’d love to return.

To plan the first year of the new decade, spend two days in a great location, clearing your head and contemplating the opportunities and potential that sits right inside your family business.