E D M O N T O N J O U R NA L e d m o n t o n j o u r n a l . c o m W E D N E s DAy, AU g U s T 2 7, 2 0 1 4 C7

CAPITAL QUESTION:

Who would you like to thank for making you the entrepreneur you are today?Capital Ideas members acknowledge those who have guided them in business

Stacey Hogbin, co-owner of Wevive Fitness (wevivefitness.com) says that she would like to thank her father for making her the entrepreneur she is today. “My dad is the smartest businessman I know, and by far the hardest worker. His determination and dedication taught me the value of hard work growing up. He taught me that there would be ups and downs in running your own business, but that if you love what you do, it’s all worth it.”

“I come from a long line of entrepreneurs on both sides of my family. My maternal grandmother owned a vineyard and olive grove in Italy. My aunt immigrated to Canada when she was 18 and started her own vineyard in Niagara. My dad followed soon after. There were successes and failures along the way, but they are a resilient bunch! I guess you could say entrepreneurship is in my blood.”— Joanne Blake, founder of Style For Success — styleforsuccess.com

“Author and visionary Kash Gauni inspired me to embrace the breadth of entrepreneurialism with the adoption of his revenue model coaching.”— Shreela Chakrabartty, movie director at Rock Paper Films — rockpaperfilms.com

“I’d like to thank the hardest man I’ve ever worked for — Dave Hardy. He is a serial entrepreneur with several businesses on the go at once, and I don’t think I ever saw him sit still for a moment! He taught me so much about the level of energy and drive that one really needs to succeed in business. His lessons included how to be accountable, how to let go of what you can’t do yourself, and how to never take no for an answer, even if you end up settling for a ‘We could do this instead.’ ”— Gabrielle Chipeur, owner of 12Strong — 12strong.com

“No questions asked, my parents. They’ve been successful business owners for over 35-plus years here in Edmonton. I saw at a young age their dedication and sacrifice to their business, and admired it. They set the bar high for what it takes to succeed, and taught me that you will have to sacrifice money and time with friends and family if you want to build a better future.”— Chris Gowing, team co-ordinator at Dynasty Marketing — dynastysystem.org

“My parents. I remember talking to my dad on the phone and asking his advice, and he told me to just go for it. Knowing that they believed in me gave me all the support and motivation I needed to start my small business.”— Natalie Harper, founder and managing director of Harper PR — harperpr.com

“My mom continually models hard work paired with innovation in running her own business, and taught me from a very young age what hard work, vision and discipline can create. My dreams are always possible when she’s in the room, and without her encouragement, I would have given up many times along the way.”— Donloree Hoffman, founder of Donloree Hoffman Consulting — donloree.com

“My parents, environment, teachers, and motivational individuals, like Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and others. Being surrounded in an environment that fosters entrepreneurism has helped me embrace it and constantly think and act on new ideas. Learning that it’s OK to take risks has definitely helped!”— Ashif Mawji, CEO of NPO Zero — npozero.com

“Bryan Dunn, the regional director for Radio Shack/Tandy Computers in 1988. Up against 35 folks for a job, I told Bryan that there were far more skilled applicants than me, but that if he gave me a chance, I’d be the best hire he’d ever made. He did hire me, later confirming that I was his best hire. I asked him why he took a chance on me, and he said: ‘Ronda, skills can be taught; attitude cannot.’ ”— Ronda Nedelec, partner at Zag Creative Group — zagcreativegroup.com

“While working part time in 2003, a complete stranger approached me and we ended up chatting about his business. He showed me that in order to get what I wanted out of my life, becoming a business owner rather than an employee would be the most effective way. By working with this company for 10 years, their values continue to impact my belief of paying it forward to help others become successful entrepreneurs.”— Chan Rin, co-founder of Vivid Ribbon Photography & Design— vividribbon.ca

“There are many people I respect and am grateful to for how they contributed to my strengths as an entrepreneur, including Dianna Bowes of Fabulous at 50 and Mariana Konsolos of Princess Florence. I also look to my brother and mentor, Bill Robertson, and to Nana, who worked in service and as a hand model in prewar England before taking up a welder’s torch; she is my favourite example of tenacity and grit.”— Pam Robertson, chief instigator at The Ladybird Files — ladybirdfiles.com

“I would thank my parents for making me the entrepreneur I am today. I was able to see them take a chance, build their company, and followed their success. I have been in awe of their achievements my whole life, and have always wanted to achieve my own success as they have.”— Jennifer Kinal, owner of Fresh Look Event Management — freshlookevents.com

“There are always people who shape who we are, but I owe who I am to both my parents. They made me strong, showed me how to find my determination, and drove me to find my passion. They trained me, pushed me and made me the entrepreneur that I am today!”— Shannon Lenstra, president of Kon-strux Developments Inc. — kon-strux.com

“Three individuals immediately come to mind: Linda Maul, Catherine Armstrong and Lynne Heffel. Each of them was incredibly generous with their time, their knowledge, their successes and their most valuable mistakes. What was particularly impressive was that they were so welcoming of someone who could be considered a potential competitor. I remain grateful to them to this day, and try to show as much grace to others as they did to me.”— Sandra Marin, principal at S. Marin Inc. — sandramarininc.com

“Growing up, the biggest entrepreneurial influence on me was the Hole family. They always demonstrated that looking after your people and the planet is a sustainable way to build a great brand. Today, my entrepreneurial influences teach me something different; Blair Assaly (chairman of the global Entrepreneurs’ Organization) and Jared Smith (principal of Incite Marketing) have continuously demonstrated that being successful does not have to come at the cost of happiness. They both lead extremely busy lives, but manage to keep their families and friends close — and always with a smile.”— Travis Blake, president of R3 Demolition — r3demo.com

“My mother! She encouraged me to be independent, take calculated risks, and not let fear hold me back. She didn’t ever want me to be that person looking over my shoulder wondering what if. That being said, she’s also wonderful at picking up the pieces when things crumble at my feet.” — Danielle Bragge, co-founder of The Head Hunters — theheadhunters.ca

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“We try to help our clients listen to what their customers really want. No one wants a shovel; people need holes dug … Our job when we’re across the table from our clients is to listen to them and really understand what their problem is and what their need is.” — Randy Brososky, chief rogue and bottle washer at Group of Rogues (groupofrogues.com)

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These answers are in re-sponse to a question posed by Wellington Holbrook, executive vice-president of ATB Business. Here’s his take:

“I admire entrepreneurs. They work hard. They tend to have a discipline that many of us never have by way of motivation. They also have a sense of strength, of character, and they never give up. I admire entre-preneurs and I am proud that my mom was one, and that I have had the opportunity to work with others. I thank all of them for making Canada, and Alberta, a very great place to live and to do business, as that entrepreneurial spirit is what makes this place so great.”

Managing people doesn’t come easily to everyone, and often-times there’s a learning curve in-volved. That’s why Dena Gillies of Capital HR Solutions wants you to weigh in.

What has been your great-est challenge in managing others?

You can answer the question in two ways:• If you’re a member, open today’s Capital Ideas

email, or• Visit capitalideasedmonton.comWe’ll publish the best answers, along with your busi-

ness name and website address, on Sept. 3.

COMMUNITY QUESTION: What has been your greatest challenge in managing others?