I’m often asked how I got into the random and niche area of aircraft ground deicing. But rather than answer that question, I'll instead discuss how I got into aviation, because this is a far more intriguing story and it's one that very few people outside of my inner circle know about.

When last we spoke, I was in the midst of a pseudo midlife crisis at 56, unsure what to do in the face of the situation I was in and the choices in front of me. I decided at that time that I was going to proceed with the original plan, which was to run a 100-mile (160-km) race in Ancaster, Ontario. Great plan, eh?

Coming to terms with an important business or life decision can be an utterly excruciating exercise. This is especially true when the decision will result in a significant or undesirable change, or if the one facing the change is unprepared for the outcome.

While the Road to Nowhere was a beautiful place to run, the road to nowhere in business is a bad place to be, and it’s unfortunately a road that way too many companies, entrepreneurs, and business leaders find themselves hopelessly lost on.

My love of off-the-map adventures is well documented. Being able to throw a few necessities into a bag and head off with no real destination is one of my favorite things in life these days, allowing me to live fully in the moment and emphasize the journey ahead with no expectations.

During a recent bout of Covid that left me bedridden and camping out in the spare room, I finally got around to reading David Goggins’ book Can’t Hurt Me, which had been on my suggested reading list for a long time.

In what will surely become a recurring theme in this blog, here’s my very first List of Things that I'll Change in the next version of me. I retain the right to modify this list very frequently.

Most entrepreneurs are laser-focused people wired to future goals. It’s a fundamental requirement, as ideas, products and markets take time to develop and true success is often pushed many years down the road, so being able to keep an unwavering eye on the destination is critical.

While our pets provide us with affection and happiness and loyalty and companionship on the personal level, they are rarely, if ever, recognized for their positive effects on our professional lives.

One of the things that has served me exceptionally well over the years is my ability to be good at a lot of different things while mastering nothing at all. While this may sound like a negative shot at my abilities and aptitudes, I have no shame in this admission and I’m actually quite proud of it.