Manjit Minhas

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[00:00] SPEAKER_01: This podcast is brought to you by Shaw Business.
[00:03] SPEAKER_01: Shaw Business offers a whole suite of smart solutions,
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[00:33] SPEAKER_00: It's Calgary's podcast on the Canada's podcast network.
[00:51] SPEAKER_01: Hello, this is Mario Tonibusi coming to you today
[00:54] SPEAKER_01: with Calgary's podcast, a member of Canada's podcast network,
[00:59] SPEAKER_01: where we talk to the entrepreneurs who are making it happen
[01:02] SPEAKER_01: here in the city of Calgary, Alberta.
[01:04] SPEAKER_01: Manjit Minhas is one of Canada's best known entrepreneurs.
[01:08] SPEAKER_01: She is a co-founder and owner of Minhas Brewery in Calgary.
[01:13] SPEAKER_01: And one of the dragons on the popular CBC television show,
[01:16] SPEAKER_01: Dragon's Dan.
[01:18] SPEAKER_01: Welcome to the show, Manjit.
[01:19] SPEAKER_01: And thanks for taking the time today
[01:21] SPEAKER_01: to be here for our listeners.
[01:24] Speaker UNKNOWN: Thanks, Mario.
[01:25] SPEAKER_01: Tell us a little bit about yourself, where you're from,
[01:28] SPEAKER_01: and what your business is all about.
[01:30] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, well, my name is Manjit Minhas.
[01:33] SPEAKER_02: I'm a born and raised Calgaryen.
[01:35] SPEAKER_02: And that's where actually I started my business
[01:39] SPEAKER_02: 20 years ago now, 2019 is our 20th anniversary.
[01:43] SPEAKER_02: My brother, Rivendor, and I started in the spirits
[01:46] SPEAKER_02: and beer business when I was 19 and 1999.
[01:50] SPEAKER_02: And the mission was to bring quality spirits and beer
[01:56] SPEAKER_02: out of everyday fair affordable price to Albertans.
[02:00] SPEAKER_02: And then we expanded that to Canadians and North Americans
[02:04] SPEAKER_02: and now to everybody around the world.
[02:07] SPEAKER_01: Did you need financing to start the company
[02:09] SPEAKER_01: and how has business been for you?
[02:12] SPEAKER_02: Well, when we started, there was really no such thing
[02:15] SPEAKER_02: as venture capitalist firms.
[02:17] SPEAKER_02: And, you know, angel investors.
[02:20] SPEAKER_02: And so there was nobody willing to give us money.
[02:23] SPEAKER_02: All we knew were banks.
[02:24] SPEAKER_02: And when I went to my dad's banker,
[02:26] SPEAKER_02: because at 19, of course, I didn't have any bankers,
[02:29] SPEAKER_02: they said no.
[02:31] SPEAKER_02: They said, yeah, I had a great business plan,
[02:33] SPEAKER_02: but I needed my dad to come to cosine on the loan,
[02:36] SPEAKER_02: which essentially, to me meant to give me the money.
[02:39] SPEAKER_02: And so I said, thank you, but no, thank you.
[02:43] SPEAKER_02: Because well, as an engineering student,
[02:45] SPEAKER_02: I understood the math and interest.
[02:47] SPEAKER_02: And well, if I was going to get it,
[02:48] SPEAKER_02: essentially, I felt from my dad,
[02:50] SPEAKER_02: I'd just ask him across the dinner table,
[02:52] SPEAKER_02: I guess, I'd get a free loan
[02:54] SPEAKER_02: rather than going through a bank.
[02:56] SPEAKER_02: But I definitely at 19,
[02:59] SPEAKER_02: and at decent size,
[03:01] SPEAKER_02: you go and decided no,
[03:02] SPEAKER_02: I'm going to do this on my own terms.
[03:04] SPEAKER_02: I'm going to be the one who makes the decision
[03:06] SPEAKER_02: and not look to others in order to get their blessing
[03:09] SPEAKER_02: to spend money.
[03:10] SPEAKER_02: So I went ahead with what I had $10,000,
[03:14] SPEAKER_02: on which included the proceeds from the sale of a car I had.
[03:19] SPEAKER_02: And that was it.
[03:20] SPEAKER_02: So no, we never had financing to begin with
[03:22] SPEAKER_02: and still have not had loans, investors,
[03:26] SPEAKER_02: outside partners in the last 20 years,
[03:28] SPEAKER_02: always had organic growth and reinvested profits back.
[03:32] SPEAKER_01: What is your long-term vision for the company
[03:34] SPEAKER_01: and plans for expansion?
[03:38] SPEAKER_02: I definitely goal set for not only the company,
[03:42] SPEAKER_02: but myself for every six months, one year and five years.
[03:46] SPEAKER_02: However, I've always realized that
[03:49] SPEAKER_02: a plan is a great thing to have,
[03:53] SPEAKER_02: but it rarely goes that way.
[03:55] SPEAKER_02: And so of course, I have lots of plans.
[03:59] SPEAKER_02: We're the ninth largest brewery.
[04:01] SPEAKER_02: And so there's eight more steps to go.
[04:03] SPEAKER_02: So expansion plans are always
[04:06] SPEAKER_02: a definitely more market share,
[04:08] SPEAKER_02: more growth in different countries and territories.
[04:11] SPEAKER_02: We're in 16 countries as we speak,
[04:14] SPEAKER_02: but there's lots more to conquer.
[04:16] SPEAKER_02: And so expansion plans always just means more revenue,
[04:20] SPEAKER_02: more beer sales and growth.
[04:23] SPEAKER_01: What are your sort of the biggest benefits that you see
[04:27] SPEAKER_01: in being an entrepreneur in Calgary?
[04:30] SPEAKER_01: The good points of doing business here,
[04:33] SPEAKER_01: maybe some of the challenges as well.
[04:36] SPEAKER_02: Well, I think the great thing that we've always had here
[04:38] SPEAKER_02: in Calgary is that entrepreneurial spirit.
[04:41] SPEAKER_02: It is amazing talent and skill of individuals,
[04:46] SPEAKER_02: a very educated workforce,
[04:48] SPEAKER_02: but also a very risk-taking group of individuals here.
[04:52] SPEAKER_02: And I think that that's really not only needed
[04:56] SPEAKER_02: in the economy that we're in currently,
[04:59] SPEAKER_02: but also for future growth in any sector,
[05:03] SPEAKER_02: whether it be business, whether it be manufacturing,
[05:06] SPEAKER_02: the tech sector, even the energy sector.
[05:09] SPEAKER_02: So I think that really we are abundant
[05:13] SPEAKER_02: with not only resources, but people and skills here.
[05:17] SPEAKER_02: So I think that there's a lot going on here.
[05:19] SPEAKER_02: I think that we're blessed with a large land mass also
[05:23] SPEAKER_02: and a variety of industries that can thrive here.
[05:28] SPEAKER_02: And politicians, many different levels of government
[05:32] SPEAKER_02: that support entrepreneurial spirit
[05:35] SPEAKER_02: of the city in a variety of different ways.
[05:38] SPEAKER_02: Challenges, of course, being the economy that we're in.
[05:42] SPEAKER_02: And so everything that I think that you think of
[05:43] SPEAKER_02: as an advantage in some ways can be the disadvantage.
[05:47] SPEAKER_02: It can be things such as carbon tech,
[05:51] SPEAKER_02: such as our lack of access to markets
[05:53] SPEAKER_02: with the pipelines that are not being built.
[05:56] SPEAKER_02: And that trickles down to so many other aspects
[06:00] SPEAKER_02: of life and business with the exodus of people,
[06:03] SPEAKER_02: with a variety of different things.
[06:06] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that along with that comes investment
[06:09] SPEAKER_02: for an investment, local investment into our Calgary economy
[06:13] SPEAKER_02: because people don't know what's going on
[06:16] SPEAKER_02: and where it will be, so in the future.
[06:18] SPEAKER_02: And so it definitely is for some individuals tough times,
[06:23] SPEAKER_02: but I am an optimist always.
[06:25] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that the city has not only given us
[06:29] SPEAKER_02: a lunch pad but many others in the business world.
[06:32] SPEAKER_01: Is there a place in Calgary where you like to go
[06:35] SPEAKER_01: to recharge, get inspired, or simply think about your business?
[06:41] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I think that all of us as Calgary
[06:44] SPEAKER_02: and think of BAMF as an extension of Calgary.
[06:47] SPEAKER_02: And so definitely the Rocky Mountains
[06:49] SPEAKER_02: are not only breathtaking, but are a great place
[06:52] SPEAKER_02: to be with your thoughts and be one with,
[06:56] SPEAKER_02: I'm not only nature, but understand the beauty
[06:58] SPEAKER_02: of where you live and give you definitely a quick escape
[07:02] SPEAKER_02: from the hustle of hustle of a major city such as Calgary.
[07:06] SPEAKER_02: So definitely BAMF would be that.
[07:10] SPEAKER_01: Hypothetical question for you.
[07:12] SPEAKER_01: Imagine you were to start all over again
[07:14] SPEAKER_01: and you just moved to Calgary,
[07:16] SPEAKER_01: but this time you don't know anyone.
[07:19] SPEAKER_01: Knowing what you know now, what would you do
[07:21] SPEAKER_01: and how would you do it to start all over again
[07:24] SPEAKER_01: as an entrepreneur?
[07:26] SPEAKER_02: Wow, that's a tough one.
[07:29] SPEAKER_02: You know, I think that one of the great things
[07:31] SPEAKER_02: of this city is that we are open to everyone from everywhere.
[07:38] SPEAKER_02: And like me, who's born in race Calgary
[07:41] SPEAKER_02: and there's very few of us here,
[07:42] SPEAKER_02: so most people are transplanted.
[07:44] SPEAKER_02: Whether that be from Saskatchewan, Ontario,
[07:47] SPEAKER_02: many other places of the country, you know,
[07:50] SPEAKER_02: out east, farther out east in the mayotimes.
[07:53] SPEAKER_02: And so I don't think I would necessarily do anything differently.
[07:58] SPEAKER_02: Just as I do now, I think it's a great place to network,
[08:02] SPEAKER_02: to get out, to be involved in charities
[08:05] SPEAKER_02: and philanthropic causes in order to meet a lot of individuals,
[08:09] SPEAKER_02: but also find a footing in this city.
[08:13] SPEAKER_02: And you know, I consciously raising my two young girls
[08:17] SPEAKER_02: six and eight in this city.
[08:19] SPEAKER_02: I am definitely blessed to have the opportunity
[08:21] SPEAKER_02: to move anywhere, including in the six countries
[08:26] SPEAKER_02: that I have manufacturing facilities.
[08:29] SPEAKER_02: And so Calgary has so many advantages, not only amazing people,
[08:34] SPEAKER_02: but we have four seasons.
[08:36] SPEAKER_02: We have great schools.
[08:37] SPEAKER_02: We have a large enough but small enough city
[08:40] SPEAKER_02: that you can know a lot of people here.
[08:42] SPEAKER_02: And it really does feel like a community
[08:45] SPEAKER_02: that is working for the greater good.
[08:48] SPEAKER_02: And so I don't necessarily think
[08:50] SPEAKER_02: that I would do anything different.
[08:52] SPEAKER_02: And I think that very quickly I would feel
[08:53] SPEAKER_02: a part of this entrepreneurial and business community here.
[08:58] SPEAKER_01: What does the first hour of your day look like
[09:01] SPEAKER_01: when you get up in the morning?
[09:02] SPEAKER_01: Do you have a specific ritual routine?
[09:04] SPEAKER_01: Do you follow?
[09:06] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, usually, never, no two days in my life are the same.
[09:11] SPEAKER_02: And I think that's the great and fun thing about my life.
[09:14] SPEAKER_02: But if I'm traveling, then definitely it doesn't look the same.
[09:19] SPEAKER_02: But in town, if I'm at home, yeah,
[09:23] SPEAKER_02: the first hour looks the same because it involves breakfast
[09:26] SPEAKER_02: and my two little girls and my husband.
[09:28] SPEAKER_02: And so yeah, definitely a quick scan when I wake up
[09:32] SPEAKER_02: of emails and what's going on in the business,
[09:37] SPEAKER_02: general business world.
[09:37] SPEAKER_02: But that takes about 15 to 20 minutes,
[09:40] SPEAKER_02: depending on any crisis or not happening
[09:44] SPEAKER_02: in our brewery here in Calgary that I run.
[09:48] SPEAKER_02: And so otherwise it's a quick 45 to 60 minutes of kids
[09:55] SPEAKER_02: and shower time and breakfast and getting them
[09:58] SPEAKER_02: out the door to school.
[10:00] SPEAKER_01: Now, do you think entrepreneurs have to be weird
[10:04] SPEAKER_01: or unique, but in a positive way or just wired differently?
[10:09] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, I believe we do.
[10:13] SPEAKER_02: One, we have to be a little naive to the real world
[10:18] SPEAKER_02: because if you knew everything and thought,
[10:22] SPEAKER_02: you have to think that life is fair
[10:23] SPEAKER_02: and order to be an entrepreneur.
[10:24] SPEAKER_02: Otherwise you would never take on the challenges of the day.
[10:27] SPEAKER_02: You also have to be very disciplined
[10:30] SPEAKER_02: because I do believe that sometimes being an entrepreneur
[10:33] SPEAKER_02: is 340 days of tough, challenging obstacles,
[10:37] SPEAKER_02: but 15 days of glory.
[10:39] SPEAKER_02: So you've got to look forward to those days.
[10:41] SPEAKER_02: In order to do that, you have to be an optimist.
[10:42] SPEAKER_02: You have to get up every day and really believe
[10:45] SPEAKER_02: that you are going to conquer not only the day,
[10:48] SPEAKER_02: but the challenges ahead of you and reach your mission.
[10:53] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that it's really important to be a little bit.
[10:56] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, unique.
[10:57] SPEAKER_02: You also have to have an appetite for risk taking
[11:00] SPEAKER_02: because there is no straight line path
[11:03] SPEAKER_02: to being an entrepreneur and to being successful.
[11:05] SPEAKER_02: Whatever your definition of success is,
[11:08] SPEAKER_02: there's a variety of definitions,
[11:09] SPEAKER_02: not just how much revenue you make
[11:12] SPEAKER_02: or money that is left in the bank in the end of the day.
[11:15] SPEAKER_02: So I do believe that you got to be wired
[11:17] SPEAKER_02: a little bit differently in order to be an entrepreneur.
[11:22] SPEAKER_01: Are there any books you're reading right now
[11:24] SPEAKER_01: and are there any books that you would recommend
[11:27] SPEAKER_01: to aspiring entrepreneurs?
[11:30] SPEAKER_02: You know what I definitely don't read as much as I used to
[11:34] SPEAKER_02: since having two little lunchkins,
[11:37] SPEAKER_02: but they're definitely a lot.
[11:39] SPEAKER_02: It really I think depends on what you're looking for
[11:42] SPEAKER_02: in order to not only increase your knowledge,
[11:47] SPEAKER_02: but your skills.
[11:49] SPEAKER_02: And I honestly believe that one skill
[11:52] SPEAKER_02: that not only entrepreneurs overlook,
[11:54] SPEAKER_02: but just individuals in general,
[11:56] SPEAKER_02: is there negotiation skills?
[11:58] SPEAKER_02: And I really do believe that not only should everybody
[12:02] SPEAKER_02: read books on negotiation,
[12:05] SPEAKER_02: but they should take courses and constantly take courses.
[12:10] SPEAKER_02: And so it is something that I also
[12:15] SPEAKER_02: continuously learning about.
[12:17] SPEAKER_02: There is definitely a lot of books that I love in that realm,
[12:22] SPEAKER_02: such as getting to yes, negotiating and agreement
[12:25] SPEAKER_02: without giving in, never split the difference,
[12:29] SPEAKER_02: negotiating genius, getting past.
[12:31] SPEAKER_02: No, there's so many great ones,
[12:33] SPEAKER_02: and they all have something to give
[12:35] SPEAKER_02: that are different than the other ones.
[12:37] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that it's really a matter of what you're looking
[12:41] SPEAKER_02: for to get out of reading.
[12:46] SPEAKER_02: But like I said, it's definitely one that I don't get to
[12:51] SPEAKER_02: as much as I would like anymore.
[12:53] SPEAKER_01: Now, are there any online or offline tools
[12:56] SPEAKER_01: that you use on a daily basis?
[12:59] SPEAKER_02: You know, nothing in particular that I would say
[13:06] SPEAKER_02: is...
[13:08] SPEAKER_01: Anything you couldn't do without for work?
[13:11] SPEAKER_02: Well, I guess my phone.
[13:16] SPEAKER_02: That's no, not really.
[13:19] SPEAKER_02: Okay.
[13:19] SPEAKER_01: How do you balance work?
[13:21] SPEAKER_01: Obviously you've got a busy lifestyle with work
[13:23] SPEAKER_01: and the dragons den and all that.
[13:26] SPEAKER_01: And so how do you balance that work side of things
[13:29] SPEAKER_01: with your personal life?
[13:32] SPEAKER_01: You know, how do you relax?
[13:33] SPEAKER_01: What do you do to relax?
[13:35] SPEAKER_02: Well, I think the notion of work life bounds
[13:39] SPEAKER_02: honestly is bullshit.
[13:41] SPEAKER_02: I think that in order for anybody to believe
[13:43] SPEAKER_02: that every day, every week, every month
[13:45] SPEAKER_02: can be a perfect balance of that is total utter nonsense.
[13:50] SPEAKER_02: Because that is impossible.
[13:52] SPEAKER_02: And so I believe in just having no regrets
[13:55] SPEAKER_02: and staying in the moment and being in the moment
[13:57] SPEAKER_02: where I am.
[13:58] SPEAKER_02: I believe in being very scheduled.
[14:01] SPEAKER_02: Every hour of my day is scheduled.
[14:04] SPEAKER_02: And I stick to that schedule.
[14:06] SPEAKER_02: It is a balance of sometimes of what I'm getting in and out.
[14:11] SPEAKER_02: And I believe that.
[14:12] SPEAKER_02: And for me, that is the most productive
[14:15] SPEAKER_02: in order to have a very scheduled day.
[14:18] SPEAKER_02: But I believe in honestly just living in the moment.
[14:22] SPEAKER_02: I plan ahead, definitely plan ahead not only weeks,
[14:27] SPEAKER_02: but usually months ahead.
[14:29] SPEAKER_02: If I can, especially when it involves travel.
[14:31] SPEAKER_02: But also I believe in asking for help
[14:34] SPEAKER_02: and communicating with those around you.
[14:37] SPEAKER_02: Whether it be at the office or whether it be at home,
[14:40] SPEAKER_02: it takes a village to be successful at both,
[14:42] SPEAKER_02: to have a good working relationship,
[14:46] SPEAKER_02: not only with family and getting kids
[14:49] SPEAKER_02: and everybody on the same page, but also at the office.
[14:52] SPEAKER_02: It takes a village.
[14:53] SPEAKER_02: Nobody does it by themselves.
[14:55] SPEAKER_02: So I strongly believe in having open communication
[14:58] SPEAKER_02: as to what I need help with from getting kids to school
[15:03] SPEAKER_02: and gymnastics practice and activities and birthday parties
[15:08] SPEAKER_02: and also communicating with them to say where my mom is
[15:12] SPEAKER_02: and what she's doing.
[15:13] SPEAKER_02: And for them to appreciate that too.
[15:16] SPEAKER_02: So yeah, I miss birthdays and recitals.
[15:19] SPEAKER_02: But when I'm there, I am there all the way
[15:23] SPEAKER_02: and they have my undivided attention.
[15:25] SPEAKER_02: And so I don't regret the meetings that I am missing
[15:28] SPEAKER_02: and race for some when I'm working or on the show
[15:32] SPEAKER_02: on Dragon's Den, I don't regret what I'm missing otherwise.
[15:37] SPEAKER_02: I trust those that are empowered in my life
[15:41] SPEAKER_02: in order to handle their jobs.
[15:43] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that that's a big thing for entrepreneurs
[15:46] SPEAKER_02: and it's a hard thing not to make a crew manage everything
[15:49] SPEAKER_02: and let others really flourish and do their job
[15:54] SPEAKER_02: and be responsible for what you hired them for
[15:57] SPEAKER_02: or what you asked them to do.
[15:59] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that that's really important
[16:01] SPEAKER_02: with friends and family and your personal life
[16:04] SPEAKER_02: and also at the office.
[16:06] SPEAKER_02: And so what are my favorite activities in Calgary
[16:09] SPEAKER_02: always depends with season it is.
[16:11] SPEAKER_02: You know, whether it be skating or whether it be skiing
[16:15] SPEAKER_02: or in the summertime definitely just being outdoors
[16:19] SPEAKER_02: and being in the mountains or being in Calgary
[16:22] SPEAKER_02: and doing anything with my girls really discovering new things
[16:26] SPEAKER_02: with my girls is definitely what I love to do in my free time.
[16:30] SPEAKER_01: If you weren't doing what you do now,
[16:32] SPEAKER_01: what would you like to do as a profession or career?
[16:36] SPEAKER_02: I would be a petroleum engineer working
[16:38] SPEAKER_02: in the oil patch in Calgary.
[16:41] SPEAKER_01: Okay, and is there a job that you would not like to do at all?
[16:46] SPEAKER_02: No, I don't think so.
[16:48] SPEAKER_02: I think that doing a variety of jobs brings character
[16:52] SPEAKER_02: and it's about having an open mind.
[16:57] SPEAKER_02: But no, there's just definitely nothing
[16:58] SPEAKER_02: that I would not do.
[17:00] SPEAKER_01: Okay, in business, is there a favorite word quote
[17:04] SPEAKER_01: or sentence phrase that you'd like to use?
[17:08] SPEAKER_02: Oh, I have a variety of them definitely.
[17:12] SPEAKER_02: But I think one of them is you don't get what you deserve
[17:18] SPEAKER_02: in life, you get what you negotiate
[17:21] SPEAKER_02: and that comes back to what I said earlier
[17:24] SPEAKER_02: as far as one of the skills that I believe is so important
[17:28] SPEAKER_02: in a person's not only life but career
[17:32] SPEAKER_02: and it can be used in so many different ways.
[17:35] SPEAKER_02: But I really do believe that there are so many things
[17:40] SPEAKER_02: that one doesn't always see and it has to do with hard work.
[17:44] SPEAKER_02: I also believe that success is never owned.
[17:47] SPEAKER_02: It is rented and the rent is due every day.
[17:49] SPEAKER_02: Meaning that it's not easy for everyone or anyone.
[17:53] SPEAKER_02: You do have to continuously be working at
[17:57] SPEAKER_02: whatever your dream and vision is
[17:59] SPEAKER_02: because you obtain success yesterday
[18:01] SPEAKER_02: doesn't mean that it's gonna exist tomorrow
[18:04] SPEAKER_02: or today for that matter.
[18:06] SPEAKER_02: And as a woman, I strongly believe that I definitely live
[18:12] SPEAKER_02: by you can't make everyone your friend
[18:14] SPEAKER_02: in each stop trying.
[18:16] SPEAKER_02: Make sure that the most important person in your world
[18:20] SPEAKER_02: is your friend, is yourself.
[18:22] SPEAKER_02: I think that so many women are pulled
[18:25] SPEAKER_02: in so many different directions.
[18:27] SPEAKER_02: I am definitely not what I will definitely one of them also
[18:30] SPEAKER_02: from being mom, wife, daughter, CEO, philanthropist,
[18:35] SPEAKER_02: venture capitalist, like a were a lot of titles and hats
[18:38] SPEAKER_02: but it's important to step back and take time for yourself
[18:41] SPEAKER_02: as often as you need it.
[18:43] SPEAKER_02: Whether it be your physical health, your mental health
[18:46] SPEAKER_02: and it's really important and I think that a lot of entrepreneurs
[18:49] SPEAKER_02: just they burn the candle on both ends
[18:51] SPEAKER_02: thinking that just one more day of that
[18:53] SPEAKER_02: and they'll get to where they need to be.
[18:56] SPEAKER_02: But I do believe in personal and not only well-being
[19:00] SPEAKER_02: but taking care of myself.
[19:01] SPEAKER_02: And that means that there are things
[19:03] SPEAKER_02: that I don't compromise on such as getting seven hours
[19:07] SPEAKER_02: of sleep every single night
[19:09] SPEAKER_02: no matter where I have what I'm doing.
[19:11] SPEAKER_02: It's very important.
[19:12] SPEAKER_02: For me, I know for my physical well-being
[19:15] SPEAKER_02: and so I think that it's really important
[19:18] SPEAKER_02: for everybody to realize what those are
[19:22] SPEAKER_02: and to build those into their life
[19:24] SPEAKER_02: and those are in concrete and they do not adjust
[19:27] SPEAKER_02: and move on.
[19:29] SPEAKER_01: Is there a least favorite word or phrase
[19:32] SPEAKER_01: that you don't like to hear?
[19:34] SPEAKER_02: No, I think that they all, a lot of the buzzwords,
[19:39] SPEAKER_02: they definitely come and go
[19:41] SPEAKER_02: and they have meaning at different times
[19:43] SPEAKER_02: and people's lives and reflect what many people are thinking.
[19:47] SPEAKER_02: So no, I, there isn't.
[19:50] SPEAKER_01: Now, what is, you know, if you're speaking of words, I guess,
[19:54] SPEAKER_01: if you were to just pick one or two words
[19:57] SPEAKER_01: that would describe yourself, what would they be and why?
[20:03] SPEAKER_02: Oh, wow, just one or two.
[20:05] SPEAKER_02: I do.
[20:06] Speaker UNKNOWN: I do.
[20:07] Speaker UNKNOWN: I do.
[20:10] SPEAKER_02: Wow, I would say hard working.
[20:14] SPEAKER_02: I would say optimistic.
[20:18] SPEAKER_02: I would say, wow, entrepreneur.
[20:22] SPEAKER_02: And I think that that definitely is, yeah,
[20:26] SPEAKER_02: and why?
[20:26] SPEAKER_02: Because that definitely business being an entrepreneur
[20:30] SPEAKER_02: has been more than half of my life.
[20:32] SPEAKER_02: And so working hard,
[20:35] SPEAKER_02: being an entrepreneur, risk being risk, you know,
[20:38] SPEAKER_02: adverse, risk taking at times both.
[20:42] SPEAKER_02: It is something that is, I think, to find who I am.
[20:46] SPEAKER_02: I'm 38 years old.
[20:47] SPEAKER_02: I've been an entrepreneur for 20 years.
[20:49] SPEAKER_02: And so it's, it, it, it definitely has, I think,
[20:54] SPEAKER_02: to find my life to this point.
[20:57] SPEAKER_02: And I'm proud of that.
[20:59] SPEAKER_01: Is there anything that keeps you up at night?
[21:02] SPEAKER_02: You know what I try not to?
[21:04] SPEAKER_02: I try to be one of those that, man, I put my head on the pillow.
[21:07] SPEAKER_02: I meditate for a couple of minutes and let it all go
[21:10] SPEAKER_02: because it definitely, there's a lot of things,
[21:13] SPEAKER_02: not only in my investments, in my own business,
[21:17] SPEAKER_02: with kids that can definitely scary and keep you up at night,
[21:21] SPEAKER_02: but I think that I, I just like to be proud of what I do every day.
[21:25] SPEAKER_02: So I can put my head on the pillow and go to sleep
[21:29] SPEAKER_02: and not worry about what I didn't get to that day.
[21:32] SPEAKER_01: Everybody today seems to have a bucket list.
[21:35] SPEAKER_01: What's yours?
[21:37] SPEAKER_02: I don't have one.
[21:38] SPEAKER_02: I don't, and never, I've never had a bucket list
[21:40] SPEAKER_02: because I believe in saying yes to the opportunities as they come.
[21:45] SPEAKER_02: I believe in if I want to do something,
[21:49] SPEAKER_02: I have been blessed and have the privilege to do it at that time.
[21:53] SPEAKER_02: I've never had a bucket list.
[21:55] SPEAKER_02: And I still don't, because I don't believe it in
[21:58] SPEAKER_02: waiting for the other shoe to drop or waiting to go somewhere and do something.
[22:05] SPEAKER_02: I think that if you are dreaming of it now, you should do it now.
[22:11] SPEAKER_02: And so I don't have one.
[22:13] SPEAKER_01: Now, you know, over the years, you've probably received a ton of advice from people.
[22:19] SPEAKER_01: Is there anything you could pass along to entrepreneurs or aspiring entrepreneurs?
[22:25] SPEAKER_02: Yeah, there's definitely a couple.
[22:26] SPEAKER_02: I think first and more foremost,
[22:28] SPEAKER_02: if there's something that you're thinking about,
[22:30] SPEAKER_02: if there's a business plan you've made, whether it's in your mind or on paper,
[22:33] SPEAKER_02: stop researching it and start.
[22:36] SPEAKER_02: The biggest hurdle for so many entrepreneurs is to start.
[22:39] SPEAKER_02: And I think that's so important because you can convince yourself and research yourself
[22:43] SPEAKER_02: out of your idea, your passion, your vision, your mission.
[22:47] SPEAKER_02: But I think it's so important that you start.
[22:50] SPEAKER_02: Understand that what you planned and what's in your mind,
[22:53] SPEAKER_02: it won't go according to that all the time.
[22:56] SPEAKER_02: And you have to be open to pivoting, to iterating whatever the idea or the business is.
[23:01] SPEAKER_02: But understand that you do need to start.
[23:04] SPEAKER_02: And that's really, really important.
[23:06] SPEAKER_02: It is, but also started a business and started into something that you've done.
[23:09] SPEAKER_02: And not research on is that people want to buy that people want to engage with.
[23:15] SPEAKER_02: I think that's important too.
[23:17] SPEAKER_02: And then another thing that I definitely believe is that too many entrepreneurs
[23:21] SPEAKER_02: start with such big financial burdens,
[23:24] SPEAKER_02: that they spend way more than they have to begin with.
[23:28] SPEAKER_02: And they worry about the finances more than they build the business.
[23:33] SPEAKER_02: So my definite advice is start small, but dream big
[23:38] SPEAKER_02: and build up to what you dream that you will be.
[23:42] SPEAKER_02: You know, for example, in my business, I dreamt of owning you that being a manufacturer
[23:49] SPEAKER_02: was a complete different bag of forms.
[23:52] SPEAKER_02: And so when we started with Mountain Crest Classic Logger and Boxer Logger
[23:56] SPEAKER_02: and we were having it produced, we'd produce it ourselves.
[24:02] SPEAKER_02: And so it was co-packed and it came to our door.
[24:05] SPEAKER_02: And so we were a marketing sales and branding company.
[24:08] SPEAKER_02: Went ahead and have money in the bank and expertise.
[24:10] SPEAKER_02: Then I bought a brewery and then we built other breweries and distilleries.
[24:14] SPEAKER_02: And so there are steps to be taken.
[24:17] SPEAKER_02: You don't have to do it all in the beginning.
[24:20] SPEAKER_02: I think that it's important to take baby steps, but to keep moving forward.
[24:24] SPEAKER_02: And to own that journey and to really enjoy the failures
[24:28] SPEAKER_02: because you've learned so much from them.
[24:31] SPEAKER_02: Don't be scared of the failures.
[24:32] SPEAKER_02: It takes a lot of courage to fail and get up and keep looking forward.
[24:37] SPEAKER_02: Not make the same mistakes to learn from them definitely.
[24:41] SPEAKER_02: But they are a part of the journey and part of being an entrepreneur.
[24:44] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that there should be a plan.
[24:47] SPEAKER_02: But understanding also that it's going to take a lot of hard work.
[24:50] SPEAKER_02: It's going to take longer than you expected.
[24:53] SPEAKER_02: Nothing happens within a year, two years.
[24:58] SPEAKER_02: It's easy to see journeys such as my own and think that it was a straight line to success.
[25:03] SPEAKER_02: There's been so many bumps along the way.
[25:05] SPEAKER_02: And I can have this for 20 years.
[25:07] SPEAKER_02: And so it's important to really find mentors too.
[25:11] SPEAKER_02: I think that every entrepreneur needs a mentor.
[25:14] SPEAKER_02: Not only when they need multiple ones, because mentors can be, you know,
[25:18] SPEAKER_02: not only ear to listen, they can be a brain to pick.
[25:20] SPEAKER_02: And sometimes a push in the right direction.
[25:22] SPEAKER_02: I think that we should all have mentors.
[25:25] SPEAKER_02: We should consciously find them and choose them and learn from them.
[25:29] SPEAKER_02: And then be mentors ourselves when we have the opportunity to be them.
[25:33] SPEAKER_02: My dad used to tell me this a long time ago.
[25:37] SPEAKER_02: Also, he used to say, you're the average of the five closest people to you.
[25:42] SPEAKER_02: And I didn't really understand it until I got older.
[25:45] SPEAKER_02: And I really do think that that's so true.
[25:47] SPEAKER_02: Not only in who you hire in your business, but your friends also.
[25:51] SPEAKER_02: It's so important that you choose who and where you spend your time with as an entrepreneur.
[25:57] SPEAKER_02: Because time is so limited.
[25:59] SPEAKER_02: And so I think that it is important that you make those conscious decisions.
[26:04] SPEAKER_02: And I'm the queen of lists and spreadsheets of pros and cons.
[26:10] SPEAKER_02: How I make every single decision in my life.
[26:13] SPEAKER_02: I think that's the engineering background in me.
[26:16] SPEAKER_02: But I think that it's important that you make those decisions.
[26:20] SPEAKER_02: Because often you only have one opportunity to be in a situation.
[26:26] SPEAKER_02: Or to say yes, or to say no.
[26:28] SPEAKER_02: And I think that it's important that you do that, weighing the risks and the options in front of you.
[26:35] SPEAKER_01: A different question here.
[26:37] SPEAKER_01: Now, and just imagine the scenario, there's a small tropical island just off of Fiji that only has one foam booth there with no internet.
[26:45] SPEAKER_01: We're going to drop you off there.
[26:47] SPEAKER_01: You won't have a computer, a smartphone tablet, any sort of device.
[26:51] SPEAKER_01: You can use the phone booth located there any time to call the boat and we'll come pick you up.
[26:57] SPEAKER_01: Now, how long do you think you would last before you made that call?
[27:00] SPEAKER_01: And what do you think you would do there while you were there?
[27:04] SPEAKER_02: I wouldn't last for a long.
[27:06] SPEAKER_02: I'm definitely a social being who definitely does not like too much time by myself.
[27:15] SPEAKER_02: I will be that first one to admit that.
[27:18] SPEAKER_02: And something definitely I'm working on.
[27:21] SPEAKER_02: But definitely I would last only a couple of hours.
[27:25] SPEAKER_02: And what would I do?
[27:26] SPEAKER_02: I'd probably go first for my love swimming.
[27:28] SPEAKER_02: You know, it was a life-grade as a teenager.
[27:30] SPEAKER_02: And it definitely is something that I love being in.
[27:34] SPEAKER_02: I would go for a swim.
[27:35] SPEAKER_02: But as soon as I was back out, I would definitely make that phone call.
[27:39] SPEAKER_01: How can our listeners get a hold of you, Manjit?
[27:42] SPEAKER_01: And is there anything you would like to add before you leave us today?
[27:46] SPEAKER_02: LinkedIn, Twitter definitely are the best ways to get a hold of me.
[27:51] SPEAKER_02: And also to see what I have to say about not only what's going on in the world,
[27:58] SPEAKER_02: but also my entrepreneurial journey.
[28:00] SPEAKER_02: I think that we've definitely covered a lot today.
[28:04] SPEAKER_02: And I think the listeners for their time.
[28:08] SPEAKER_02: But in part, I would say that dreams don't work unless you do.
[28:13] SPEAKER_02: So get out there and live your dream.
[28:16] SPEAKER_02: And there is no elevator to success.
[28:19] SPEAKER_02: You've got to take the stairs.
[28:21] SPEAKER_02: So enjoy the stairs in every step.
[28:24] SPEAKER_02: But definitely get out and start today.
[28:27] SPEAKER_01: Thanks, Manjit, for being our guest on Calabrie's podcast.
[28:30] SPEAKER_01: I've learned a lot about you, your business, and I'm sure our listeners have as well.
[28:35] SPEAKER_01: We'll see you next time.
[28:37] SPEAKER_01: Hey there, thanks for taking the time today to listen to Calabrie's podcast
[28:42] SPEAKER_01: on Canada's podcast network.
[28:45] SPEAKER_01: We hope you enjoyed the show today.
[28:47] SPEAKER_01: Make sure you sign up for our newsletters and write a review for us on iTunes.
[28:52] SPEAKER_01: And then connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, at Canada's podcast.
[28:59] SPEAKER_01: You can also check out what other entrepreneurs are doing across the country.
[29:05] SPEAKER_01: See you next time.