Leaders Of Tomorrow Podcast Chris Thomson

In today’s show Chris interviews Steve Gruber, Founder, Venture Accelerator Partners. Steve provides sales, media, and social media services to organizations in niche segments.
We start this show with Steve recalling his life as a kid. Always entrepreneurial and driven, he credits his supportive family for setting him on the right path. However, like many of us, Steve was frustrated with his lack of clarity.
In the next segment of the show, Steve talks about this Student Works stint. Listeners will learn how Student Works can help you hone an entire gamut of skill-sets that lay the foundation for a successful career. 
Particularly, Steve talks about how he learned to sell while at Student Works. Additionally, we discuss how a process-driven and scientific approach is necessary for consistent success. You will also learn why persistence is the key to success in sales. Can you expect to scale up your business if you are easily dissuaded by rejections?
After Student Works, Steve worked as an account manager for Ovum in Boston. Ovum was focused on developing new IT technologies for telecommunications companies like AT&T and Lucent. Here, Steve shares how the leaders had a flawed understanding of the market as they attempted to market technologies with no potential revenue streams.
Next, Steve evolved to working in sales at Ovum's European Division. Here, Steve draws some interesting parallels between American and European organizations. When the economy hit a rough patch, all the senior employees led from the front and chose to take 30% pay cuts in a bid to avoid firing junior employees. This segment of the show will particularly resonate with those grappling with the COVID crisis.
However, later Steve had a bittersweet experience as he was tasked with managing the company’s operations in Canada. Here, Steve shares how he, ironically got into trouble for being “too successful”.
“I never worked so hard for so little in my whole life”.
Currently, Steve manages Venture Accelerator Partners, a business that he started at the height of the financial crisis in 2006. From earning grossing just $35,000 revenues in his first year, Steve has certainly come a long way.
We hope you enjoy this show!
Resources
Steve Gruber
Venture Accelerator Partners
Student Works 
Chris Thomson LinkedIn
Chris’s Email

In today’s show Chris interviews Greg Thomas.
Our main topic for today’s show is Greg’s new book, “Code Your Way Up”. Greg, a former software developer shares the main premise and inspiration for his new book.
As folks with technical skills transition to managerial level positions, they encounter a separate set of challenges that they are often ill-equipped to deal with. And often the soft skills that are required to perform well at these higher positions are even more difficult to learn. So, what is the surest way of learning these new skills? Can you emulate someone who is already doing well, and expect to ease into your new role?
Additionally, once you are promoted to a new position, you will have to deal with teammates who are perhaps, unhappy with this development. You will learn how you can have effective one-on-ones with your teammates (and now your juniors) to assuage concerns.
In the next segment of the show, we discuss how to establish an organizational culture, tweak it, and make it better. How can you build a dream team of people who will get the job done? And how can you find new employees who have values that align with your best-performing employees?
If you are worried about the current situation and its impact on your career, you will be particularly interested in what Greg has to say. You will learn how the current virus outbreak can lead to newer and better opportunities. 
Other topics discussed in today’s show include recognizing capabilities, why good leaders need to be good followers, the importance of continuous learning, and much, much more...
We hope you enjoy this show!

In today’s show, Chris interviews Stefan Gyocsi, Territory Manager, Benjamin Moore & Co.
We start this show with Stefan recalling his life before Student Works. Ambitious and driven, Stefan, however, lacked clarity about his future plans. He shares that his inability to work to his full potential was his biggest frustration. 
In the next segment of the show, Stefan shares how his Student Works stint helped shape his personality and lay the base for a successful career. In his first year at Student Works, Stefan shares that he learned some important lessons in delegation and project management. 
Leveraging on this, Stefan shares how he drastically managed to scale up his painting business in years 2, 3, and 4. Here listeners will learn that while following systems and processes are necessary, it is also important to figure out what works for you – and then craft your unique way of doing things.
After Student Works, Stefan worked with a trucking company for 3 months but then decided to move on to better opportunities.
Currently, as a territory manager for Benjamin Moore, Stefan is in charge of 20 stores that generate revenues of $6 million. Here, he gives listeners a peek into his current role. Did Stefan’s Student Works experience help him land this dream job?
We wrap up this show by sharing some crucial attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. Topics discussed include developing an abundant mindset, learning to delegate, goal-setting and much, much more. 
We hope you enjoy this show!
Resources:
Student Works 
Chris Thomson LinkedIn
Chris’s Email

In today’s show, Chris interviews speaker, entrepreneur, and coach Jonathan George. Jonathan is the CEO of JG Entertainment and creator of Unleash Your Rockstar Movement.
We start this show with Jonathan recalling his early years. Being a gay, Jonathan struggled with his identity as a child. His father, a conservative pastor was particularly unsupportive of his orientation. Additionally, Jonathan shares how being a creative in a family of sportsmen worked against him. 
In the year 2000, Jonathan got his first big break as a participant in the Next Big Star. He recalls how the producers pressurized him to hide his gay identity. At this critical juncture, when faced with this tough choice, what did Jonathan do? 
Jonathan goes on to regale listeners with some interesting anecdotes from his entertainment career. As a coach, Jonathan mentors young singers, influencers and steers them in the right direction. 
Grace Harper, one of Jonathan’s mentees had a particularly difficult start to her career. Her bad rendition of the national anthem as a 12-year old went viral and she was dubbed as the “worst national anthem singer ever”. 
From this point onwards, Jonathan took her under his wings, and helped her hone her skills. Later when Grace went on to take part in American Idol, the organizers played her national anthem video. Instead of being flustered, Harper delivered a killer performance that became the most watched video of the year.
This inspiring anecdote highlights how revealing your flaws actually draws people towards us. While it is difficult to be honest about our shortcomings, sharing our story will only make people fall in love with us.
Topics discussed in today’s show include developing unshakeable confidence, building a powerful personal brand, and overcoming fear and achieving your dreams.
We hope you enjoy this show!
Resources
Jonathan’s Website
Student Works 
Chris Thomson LinkedIn
Chris’s Email

In today’s show, Chris interviews Jeff Chu, Senior Manager, Customer Marketing, Mother Parkers Tea & Coffee. Apart from Mother Parkers, Jeff has worked in some of the world’s biggest FMCG organizations like Coca Cola, Campbell Soup, and Starbucks over the past decade and a half. 
Jeff was ambitious and driven even at a young age. As a student, he managed to finish his program at Wilfrid Laurier one term early while working multiple odd jobs. He shares some fond memories of his student days in this early segment of the show and reveals how the relationships he built here have helped him throughout his professional career.  
At Student Works, Jeff learned a whole gamut of skills ranging from interviewing to setting up systems and processes.  
This experience of his helped him get hired as an account executive at P&G where he worked for 3 years. In year 3, Jeff decided to try his hand at entrepreneurship. And he, in partnership with his sister, set up a wedding invitation business. After six months, Jeff decided to veer back to the same confounds of the corporate world as a National Account Executive with Coca Cola.  
After Coke, Jeff got hired as a senior manager, sales planning for another iconic organization, Starbucks. This segment of the show is particularly interesting as Jeff gives listeners a “peek” into the work culture and organizational practices at Starbucks.  In his last year at Starbucks, Jeff decided to work on the operational side as a district manager. Here, he reveals the lengths at which Starbucks goes to gives its customers the best possible customer experience. 
A former Starbucks executive poached Jeff for a short and admittedly cushy stint at Campbell Soup.  Hearing Jeff’s story will make listeners realize that the path to success is not a linear one. Taking calculated risks and venturing into the unknown is a must if you wish to progress at a faster clip. 
We wrap this show by sharing some critical attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. Topics discussed include adopting an inspirational leadership style, using a collaborative approach, the importance of continuous learning and humility.  
 We hope you enjoy this show! 
 
Resources 
Weekly Coaching Conversations 
Student Works  
Chris Thomson LinkedIn 

In today’s show, Chris interviews Brandon Cornish who is in his second-year at Student Works.  
Brandon broke the all-time window cleaning rookie record last year by clocking sales of $96,000. And this year, he is all set to double his business! 
So, what is the reason behind Brandon’s phenomenal success? Topics discussed in today’s show include time efficiency, learning from other top performers, and sticking to a proven system. 
We wrap up this show by sharing some critical attributes that truly define a leader of tomorrow. We hope you enjoy this show! 
 
Resources 
Student Works  
Chris Thomson LinkedIn