.

Tag: visionary

Posted on

Entrepreneurs Make Exceptional Hikers

entrepreneurs-good-hikers

This summer I decided to explore forests and parks in an attempt to increase activity and regain muscle strength. As an entrepreneur, I have learned that once I make a decision, I have to work on an implementation plan. So, in an attempt to understand what hiking is all about, I decided with my girls to go for a walk in Hilton Falls Park. Starting with a bottle of water and an old pair of walking shoes, I walked 2.5 km. That day, I enjoyed my time with my girls, I took some pictures and I went back to where my car was parked, thinking that I have hiked that day. Little did I know that hiking is a sport and one can become a professional hiker!

As I approached my car, I noticed a lady in the car beside mine packing her hiking sticks. She looked like she was performing a cleansing ritual from the sweat of a long hike. As I came closer, I recognized her face and even her name came to mind! I called her name out: “Karen?!”, she looked at me with eyes that were trying to recognize who I am. I mentioned my name, and we immediately started recollecting the time when we were working together at an International non-profit organization, over 20 years ago.

We stood there for almost half an hour chatting and updating each other news. I mentioned to Karen that my plan for the summer is to hike the trails of Halton Hills. She then told me about her hiking journey and how she’s been volunteering with the city as a ranger on the trails. She even volunteered to be my guide in my hiking journey!

What? I questioned if I heard that right! So, I sought clarification, and she confirmed that she would volunteer to be my guide on my hiking trips. That was at the beginning of June 2022. And since then, I have been hiking with Karen at least once a week. That is when I realized that hiking is more than just walking the trails. It is an adventure, it is a commitment, and it requires the qualities that I have acquired as an entrepreneur. I understood then that entrepreneurs make exceptional hikers! And here are four reasons why Entrepreneurs make exceptional hikers:

Entrepreneurs are Visionaries

Entrepreneurs are usually good visionaries. They can see the bigger picture of where they want their business to be within a certain period of time. They willingly work hard to get where they want to be one step at a time. Similarly, hikers can clearly identify what hikes they dream of and plan to hike within a specific time period. Hikers are able to discover their ambitions and they work hard to succeed in achieving their dream hikes one step at a time.

Entrepreneurs are Risk Takers

Being a risk taker is an important quality that helps Entrepreneurs flourish and succeed. In fact, one cannot be an entrepreneur without possessing the ability to take risks.  It is that challenge that drives them to accomplish and meet goals. After all, the majority of entrepreneurs have taken the risk of leaving a secure job to start their entrepreneurial journey.

In comparison, hikers take risks during every trip they make. Whether it be inside a forest, every time they hop over slippery rocks and waterfalls, or even as they climb rocky mountains. They are very much aware of the predictable, but, at the same time, they are not afraid to face the unpredictable. After all, isn’t that what risk-taking is all about?

Entrepreneurs are Determined

Entrepreneurs are very determined people. They keep trying despite failure. They are good at picking up the pieces and giving it another attempt, and they keep doing that until they succeed. Entrepreneurs learn from their own mistakes and they keep developing their ways until they achieve their goals. Hikers have different challenges, but it is their determination that allows them to reach their targets. Trust me, walking 8 km was not an easy task for me, and many times during that hike I felt discouraged and unable to continue. It was only through my determination that I was able to achieve hiking that distance. Professional hikers go on 25km and 30km trips and they keep at it until they reach their objective.

Entrepreneurs are Persevering

Perseverance is a quality that refines character. It is a skill that can be acquired through experience (learning) or through an example (other’s influence). It is a quality that determines the success of an entrepreneur. John D Rockefeller, who is a business tycoon, said: “I do not think that there is any other quality so essential to success of any kind as the quality of perseverance.” This quality has the same effect on hikers as they face challenges; whether it be physical challenges (pains and aches) or natural and environmental challenges (slippery rocks, muddy or dry soil,….), it is through perseverance that hikers succeed in achieving their goals and reaching unsurpassed objectives.

Are you an entrepreneur? Then, my recommendation to you is to consider hiking as the activity that will help you build your entrepreneurial character. The qualities that entrepreneurs already have does equip them to become hikers, and hiking will help them polish their abilities to become the entrepreneurs they want to be.

Posted on

A Leader’s Journey

What does management actually mean? Does it automatically make you a good leader? I mean just because you are gifted at what you do, doesn’t mean you will be able to step into your boss’s shoes, does it?

“Congratulations, you are hired!” …words we all long to hear when we take a chance and apply for a job, that we are confident we are skilled at. 

We work so hard to become great at a skill or an ability that makes us invaluable to others.  

For many of us, our growth goals are synonymous with getting some form of promotion and a dream would be just becoming part of the coveted management team, which often means higher bonuses, company shares, maybe an office and ultimately a better connection with fellow C-Suite. 

But what does management actually mean? Does it automatically make you a good leader? I mean just because you are gifted at what you do, doesn’t mean you will be able to step into your boss’s shoes, does it? 

The part most fail to realize, in their leadership dream, is that becoming part of management doesn’t translate to you being a great leader, but it’s something you work at and learn over time in steering the course of an organization and its people.  

Managing a team, whether big or small requires the ability to be able to step back and let others take the lead in their tasks, see the big picture, and, most importantly, become the coach and mentor on a regular basis for those who now look to you.   

More often than not, many newly appointed leaders often end up more insecure and frustrated because of the spotlight on them from both above and their direct reports below. It’s so important to recognize that it takes time to develop your own leadership style and it will not be the same as someone else.  

As you transition into a leadership role, you have to shift your focus from doing the job to coaching others to do the job, from looking up to others to being looked up to. The reason you are now leading a team is because of your expertise and how you chose to transfer your knowledge is what can define your leadership style

In my experience, there are a few important factors that any leader must always remember.

✔️ Trust in your team’s ability to do their job, until they prove you otherwise. 

I have come across many leaders who either can’t let go or just feel they can do a better job. What they don’t realize is that this undermines their staff and destroys confidence, which is a basic need for any individual. Stepping back to allow another to shine and recognizing their achievement has a lot more mileage than just taking over.

✔️ Seek opportunities to coach your team as often as possible. 

Both positive and negative experiences are great opportunities to reinforce the business strategy and goals. Frequent team meetings or just checking in with individuals is a proactive approach to make sure the ship is on course.

✔️ Make sure you adhere to and continuously evaluate your processes, as they are your checks and balances. 

The appropriate controls in place give your team the autonomy to operate within their boundaries. Your team should always be clear on when to escalate or communicate potential situations, good or bad. As a leader, your role involves recognizing industry trends, evaluating strategy and seeking new opportunities to ensure your organization continues to grow, rather than micromanaging day to day activities. The right checks and balances is a combination of clear processes and procedures, coupled with regular evaluation and communication.

✔️ Recognize effort and forgive blunders. 

Now the latter is very situation-specific, as some costly mistakes have no recourse but regardless of the result, use the situation as an opportunity to coach your team to prevent re-occurrence.


I have worked in many environments where extreme or negative reactions have become a part of the culture and a poor reflection on the organization as a whole. Good or bad situations happen all the time, the key to handling it is our reaction. As a leader, a negative reaction and resulting actions can prove more costly than the blunder itself. Not only are your direct reports watching you but so are your peers and other leaders. To me, a good leader is a combination of expertise, ability and being a good coach. A leader should always be open to seeking coaching and mentoring themselves and recognize when they need to brush up on their own skills.  

Submitted By:

Ritu Kohli-Sethi, Managing Director at Greater Toronto Executive Centre. Ritu has over two decades of experience in operations, marketing, and business development. Married and a proud mama of two, Ritu enjoys writing about her professional and personal life experiences. For more articles by Ritu you may visit her blog.

“Forget race, forget gender, forget religion, and become a human my friend. Become a human above everything else, and all great things shall follow.” Abhijit Naskar

Privacy Policy – e-presence Consultants Inc. Proudly powered by WordPress