Chester Elton

As a proud Canadian, born and raised, I found this set of facts very amusing. Check out what we Canadians have to be proud of:

1. Smarties.
2. Crispy Crunch, Coffee Crisp.
3. The size of our footballs fields, one less down, and bigger balls.
4. Baseball is Canadian - First game June 4, 1838 - Ingersoll, ON.
5. Lacrosse is Canadian.
6. Hockey is Canadian.
7. Basketball is Canadian.

Click on “Read More” to see the rest of this list!

8. Apple pie is Canadian.
9. Mr. Dress-up beats Mr. Rogers.
10. Tim Hortons beats Dunkin’ Donuts.
11. In the war of 1812, started by America, Canadians pushed the Americans back past their White House. Then we burned it, and most of Washington. We got bored because they ran away. Then, we came home and partied…go figure.
12. Canada has the largest French population that never surrendered to Germany.
13. We have the largest English population that never ever surrendered or withdrew during any war to anyone, anywhere. EVER. (We got clobbered in the odd battle but prevailed in ALL the wars).
14. Our civil war was fought in a bar and lasted a little over an hour. 
15. The only person who was arrested in our civil war was an American mercenary, he slept in and missed the whole thing. He showed up just in time to get caught.
16. A Canadian invented Standard Time.
17. The Hudson Bay Company once owned over 10% of the earth’s surface and is still around as the world’s oldest company.
18. The average dog sled team can kill and devour a full grown human in under 3 minutes. (That’s more information than you may need!)
19. We know what to do with the parts of a buffalo.
20. We invented ski-doos, jet-skis, Velcro, zippers, insulin, the paint roller, roller skates, duct tape, the jolly-jumper, air conditioned vehicles, the Zamboni, the barcode, the Blackberry and the telephone. Also short wave radios that save countless lives each year.
21. The light bulb was actually invented by a Canadian (Henry Woodward patented it in 1874). The patent was bought by some obscure American named Edison who improved upon the design and took credit for inventing it.
22. We ALL have frozen our tongues to something metal and lived to tell about it.
23. A Canadian invented Superman.
24. We have coloured money.
25. Our beer advertisements kick a** {Incidentally, so does our beer}
BUT MOST IMPORTANT! The handles on our beer cases are big enough to fit your hands with mitts on. 

Ooohhhhh….Canada!!

Oh yeah… And our elections only take one day.

This month’s Carrot Culture newsletter focuses on some very interesting data we discovered in our global employee survey conducted by Towers Perrin. It explores the generational gap in how workers like to be rewarded and what makes them feel more engaged and appreciated. Check it out here.

We all want loyal customers that come back again and again. We want people that trust our products and services and identify emotionally with our brand. The big question is, “How is that done?”

Some companies spend millions on adverting and clever slogans, but I came across a story I think helps put it all in perspective.

Brett and Rosie work in the team store at Rio Tinto Stadium for the Real Salt Lake soccer team in Salt Lake City Utah. They are two of the nicest people you could ever meet, more than that they LOVE their team and their jobs at the store making sure every fan has the coolest gear in the league.

On afternoon a mother came in with her little boy to buy a $10 souvenir soccer ball. You see he had taken it to day care, kicked it over the fence and wasn’t able to retrieve to precious ball. So, his mother was making him buy another ball with his own hard earned cash. When Brett and Rosie heard the story they did something that millions of dollars of advertising could never do, they looked into the eyes of a kid that could become a “Forever Fan” and gifted him the ball. That’s right, free!

You can imagine the joy on the little boys face and the surprise on his mothers. Nobody does that kind of thing anymore…nobody! Not only was it a wonderful thing to do for a little boy, I am willing to bet that for $10 Real Salt Lake just gained another “Forever Fan.“ Think about that kind of investment in your customers.

But this isn’t too surprising because it comes from the top of the organization too. Bill Manning is the president of the team and he is building a tradition in SLC of great fans and a World-Class experience at this stadium. Even though they are a small market team they are always in the top 3 or 4 team in attendance. Now you know why, they LOVE their fans and their fans LOVE them. It’s the little things that always matter the most, a smile a thank you and sometimes a $10 ball.

So if you are like me, and you want to cheer for the good guys out there, cheer for Real Salt Lake when they play the Chicago Fire in the MLS semi-finals this Saturday at 6 pm.

And for the best gear in the league click here.

Believe me these guys “get it” and it pays off with the best fans in the league. You know when your people understand the power of taking care of your fans your fans feel it and reward you with their loyalty. It is that simple and that rare.

Well done! That’s living in a Carrot Culture at Real Salt Lake where ‘Forever Fans” are made every day.

On a recent trip to Dubai, I visited the most luxurious hotel in the world. The seven star (that’s right—SEVEN!) Berj Al Arab.

The design is amazing in and of itself. Crafted as a giant sail, it is built on a manmade island and is the signature building in all of Dubai. The architecture is stunning. The colors are amazing. It is a sensory experience beyond anything you could ever imagine in a hotel. But that isn’t what makes it so special. It is the service and the culture of service that make this Jumeirah hotel so special. It’s the people that make the experience second to none.

This is truly a culture of service that is unparalleled in the hotel universe. There are literally eight employees for every one guest at the hotel. The service is unbelievable, but even more so, the attitude with which they serve. It never ceases to amaze me that at the core of every experience are the people and culture you create in your business. Your competition can replicate your buildings (well, maybe not the Berj Al Arab!) and your pricing, even your pay structure, but they can never replicate your people or your culture. That is always the competitive advantage.

Nobody does culture and service better than the Jumeirah Hotels and Resorts—nobody! If you ever want to treat yourself to a one-of-a-kind experience, stay at one of their resorts or hotels. Their tagline is “Stay Different” and they mean it! It is extraordinary in every way.

Today is Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran’s Day in the United States. In honor of these most significant days, I’ve posted two videos below that I found very moving as I contemplate our military services and what they do and have done for us.  Both are wonderful and I hope you take a moment to watch, enjoy and remember.           

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