Last summer, when my daughter told me that she wanted to play volleyball, the first thing I did was conduct a Google search for kids’ volleyball leagues. Unfortunately, the first websites I found were not very professional… the locations were unclear, the contact information was out of date, and information about the coaches and types of teams were unavailable. After a couple more searches, I called up the Ontario Volleyball Association, and they suggested the Leaside Volleyball Club without hesitation.

Leaside Volleyball Club’s website was user-friendly and all of their contact information was easily accessible. The site also included information about the coaches, who range from high school and university students to Olympic athletes. Impressed and confident about the information provided by the website, I signed my daughter up for their Sunday league.

As it turns out, the league is just as well-run as their website. When my daughter and I arrived for the first session, my daughter was informed about the team she would be on, asked for her shirt size, and before we knew it, everyone was already doing drills with their team. The second half of each session involves games that allowed everyone to practice what had been learned in the drills. It was a great way to build teamwork and for beginners to simply have fun together.

My daughter was so happy about her experience with the fall sessions, that she shared her experience with three friends who have all signed up for the winter period.  In fact, the club even accommodated her, by allowing her friends to be on the same team.

Overall, Leaside Volleyball Club is very well-organized, teaches co-ed volleyball in a fun and educational way, and is reasonably priced. I highly recommend it and all of its amazing coaches to anyone whose kids are interested in sports.

Leaside Volleyball Club

leasidevolleyball.com

leasidevbc@gmail.com

Since many members of our field force are always looking for new ways of helping those in need, I would like to share a great idea which came to us through one of our Mystery Shoppers.

Whether it is supporting the influx of refugees, helping to keep the homeless warm, job seekers that need a new outfit, or assisting a variety of charities, there are many organizations that are in need of clothes… lots of them!

To maximize your charitable contributions, please consider completing one of our retail Mystery Shops, which result in you getting back half of the amount of your purchase (up to a pre-determined amount), and donate the items to charity.

For example, we have clothing store locations across the country which give you back $25.00 on a purchase of $50.00 or more. These clothes which you are basically buying for half the price can then be donated to a variety of causes, including: Dress for Success, Ve’ahavta, The Salvation Army, The Scott Mission, and the list goes on.

Not only would you be doing your part to help others, but you can do it in a cost effective manner or go all in and do multiple Mystery Shops to maximize your donations.

Please help to show that SQM Cares!

David Lipton
President
Sensors Quality Management Inc. (SQM)

A few weeks ago, my wife, a friend, and I were given a restaurant recommendation by one of my co-workers. Being the ethnic food lovers that we are, we decided to dine at Casa Manila, a Filipino restaurant close to our office.

We did not know what to expect when we arrived at the restaurant as no reservation had been made, and the place was already packed with customers. Nonetheless, the greeter at the door gave us a warm welcome and told us that the wait would be appropriately 20 minutes. As it turns out. the wait was only about 10 minutes, as the staff were very efficient in cleaning up and setting up the tables.

After we were seated, the menus were placed in front of us by our friendly server, however, we didn’t know where to start because Filipino food was new to us, and everything looked delicious. Casa Manila had hot plates full of beef, pork, chicken, and shrimp, soups filled to the brim, tantalizing signature stews as well as appetizers, rice and noodles. Our server was very friendly and attentive even before we presented them our dilemma.Immediately, they asked if it was our first time visiting the restaurant, gave us recommendations, and described the different menu items in detail.

Our food orders arrived at the table attractively presented, hot, fresh, and very delicious. Throughout the meal, our drinks were refilled without any delays. The owner / manager of the restaurant was very pleasant as well. She was down-to-earth and genuine when she chatted with us and the other customers about their day and how they were enjoying their meals.

Near the end of the meal, we were very full. When our server offered dessert to us, we were very reluctant to decline, as the desserts looked amazing. From the Halo Halo dessert made to satisfy even the most adventurous sweet tooth to the warm and crispy Turon Banana Crepes, I’m sure that if we were not so full, we would have ordered everything off the dessert menu just to try it!

Since we were unable to try everything on the menu that evening, we plan to go back to Casa Manila on another day. I highly recommended Casa Manila for its friendly, quick, and attentive customer service coupled with hot, fresh, and delicious food at a reasonable price.

Casa Manila
879 York Mills Road
Toronto, ON M3B 1Y5
416-443-9654
www.casamanila.ca

About seven years ago, when my family and I first moved to our current house, our front lawn was a disaster. There were weeds everywhere, and most of my summer was spent with the Fiskar lawn tool – which my back says is the greatest invention since sliced bread. Despite spending so much time getting rid of the weeds, the lawn needed constant attention.

I finally decided to call in the big guns at Weed Man Lawn Care to see if they could help me out with my lawn problems. Not only were the co-managers Shawn and Lisa polite, friendly, and a pleasure to deal with, but their employees quickly assessed my lawn and provided me with a variety of flexible lawn care program. The first program we worked out included seeding, fertilization, and weed control, and when the weeds became less and less of a problem, they changed the program to best meet my needs.

Clearly their approach worked, as by the end of the first summer people in my neighborhood commented about how my lawn went from being the worst to the best on the street!

Weed Man Lawn Care continued to show their flexibility and excellent customer service when I called them last year with a chinch bug problem. They came to my house the next day, identified the problem and immediately worked out a strategy to address these annoying bugs. While I’m not out of the woods….er…turf…just yet, I can safely say that my lawn is once again on the road to recovery.

Interestingly, Weed Man Lawn Care becomes a Christmas decorations service during the holiday season, and while I don’t personally put up any lights, I’m sure that their work with during the holiday season is just as fantastic as their work on lawns.

For fast, friendly, quick and professional service on your lawn, I highly recommend Weed Man Lawn Care.

Weed Man Lawn Care
15 Lesmill Road, Unit 5
Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T3
416-510-0777

With our mothers meeting in pre-natal class, Mitch Rose and I joke around that we have known each other since before we were born. Since that time and throughout the years, we have remained great friends and kept in contact despite living in different areas, following different fields of study, and taking separate career paths.

When we were in university, Mitch had the ambition to study law, while I focused on business and hospitality. When we graduated from our studies, Mitch was practicing law in various areas, before focusing on litigation. Meanwhile, I got involved in several business, and went on to start Sensors Quality Management Inc.

During the first few years that Mitch practiced law, he worked on his own before joining a small law firm called Stancer Gossin LLP. Through his hard work and dedication, Mitch soon became a partner of the firm, which was renamed Stancer Gossin Rose LLP.

During the years Mitch’s work brought us together on several occasions, including: doing my will and Power of Attorney, assisting with real estate transactions, reviewing leases, and in settling business related matters. Mitch is always a pleasure to work with, because he is methodological and reasonable in his approach. He is all about what is in the best interest of his client rather than trying to punish the other guy. Being methodological and reasonable, it is no surprise that he is great with mediation, which in more recent times has become the focus of his practice. Not only has he earned the respect from his clients, but many lawyers find him reasonable and a pleasure to deal with as well.

Stancer Gossin Rose LLP has a wide range of expertise that includes, but is not limited to, corporate law, litigation, and mediation. Their fees are also reasonably priced for the excellent and professional service provided. If you are ever in need of a lawyer like Mitch, then I highly recommend reaching out to Stancer Gossin Rose LLP.

Mitchell Rose
Stancer Gossin Rose LLP
1210 Sheppard Avenue Suite 310
Toronto, ON M2K 1E3
416-224-1996

For several years now, my good friend John Fisher has been handling my investments. I’ve always had trust and confidence in John, as he has always proven to act in my best interest. John believes that acting in a client’s best interest is the same as “eating your own cooking.” This philosophy is serving him and his clients well, as his company, Bridgeport, is steadily growing. Bridgeport now has more than $250 million under management and serves approximately 100 families inside and outside of Canada.

The philosophy of “eating your own cooking” involves investment managers who take their own advice… making the same investments for themselves, as they do for their clients. When John and I discussed more about his philosophy, I became even more confident about the effectiveness of it. This is because John views every stock investment as if he himself is acquiring full ownership of the business. To John, it isn’t about just acquiring a piece of paper for the stock exchange.

John’s philosophy on investments further helps clients like myself because with his research skills and ability to analyze investments, he is able to choose companies whose business models have less of a threat. He calls it value investing, and he’s always looking for “steady-eddie” companies with predictable earnings that will provide me with healthy profit margins, recurring revenue, and a high return on invested capital.

Overall, I highly recommend getting in contact with John for your investment needs, or any questions you may have. I guarantee that you will be very well taken care of because of his personal philosophy of “eating your own cooking.”

John Fisher
Managing Director
Bridgeport Asset Management Inc.
1255 Bay Street
Toronto, ON M5R 2A9
416 323-3241

For several years now, I have been seeing two optometrists. They are Doctor Dale Gray and her associate Doctor Munheer Haji. For Doctor Gray specifically, I have known her for over 20 years. After all these years, Doctor Gray still takes very good care of me whenever I have issues with my eyes. Despite the fact that her office is always busy and packed with patients, she puts her undivided attention at the patient in front of her. If you call in for an emergency, all the office staff will be extremely accommodating.

I have gone to the office numerous times for minor and bigger issues. Whether an eyelash is stuck in my eye or if the outer layer of my eye is scratched, the office is always professional and obliging no matter how big or small the issue.

Along with Doctor Gray, Doctor Haji is amazing when it comes to fitting contact lenses. She has multiple options and makes sure that you are aware of them. Another particular staff member who I would like to mention is Annie, the receptionist. She knows every patient by name and adds a very personal touch to the usual military-style operation you would find in other optometrist offices.

Overall, I would highly recommend going to Doctor Gray’s office for anyone with eye care needs. You will always find a very professional and accommodating environment when you go there.

Dr. Dale Ellen Gray Hamilton
1333 Sheppard Ave,
North York, ON M2J 1V1
416 494 6155

Several months ago, my wife had a serious problem with her back. When her problem was diagnosed and she felt excruciating pain, I knew that one of the best things to do was to put her in physiotherapy. I could have seen Chris or Shaun from Sport Medicine Clinic, but the problem was my wife’s inability to walk due to the severe pain.

Aware of this issue, my sister-in-law recommended Physio Active and Thomas Hein. Thomas then referred her to Polina Provad, a physiotherapist. First of all, Polina had squeezed my wife into her busy schedule when we almost cancelled the appointment in the beginning. My wife’s pain was so bad that we were contemplating going to a hospital instead of a physiotherapist. When I informed Polina, she offered to stay late so they could get the treatment going.

Polina is a very experienced and skilled physiotherapist. She analyzed and assessed my wife and came up with a treatment plan. She was very accommodating! When we first entered the clinic, we faced a small challenge of moving my wife to the treatment bed. To help my wife, the clinic brought a wheel chair and pushed her to the room every single time. When my wife had to go there on a daily basis in the first couple of weeks, the clinic deliberately scheduled its patients so that she could have easy access to the room in a wheelchair.

As my wife was on the road to recovery, Polina started to introduce other methods like acupuncture and massage therapy. Overall, the entire clinic and the office staff members are excellent in their field. Ashley, the office manager, was very patient and friendly whenever we saw her. Thanks to Physio Active, my wife is in much less pain and almost back to normal! A large part of that is because of their wonderful efforts.

Physio Active
1450 Clark Avenue West Unit 22
Thornhill, L4J7R5
905 695 0371

In more recent times, as I have been recovering from my rotator cuff injury, Chris has referred me to Dr. Shaun Lemann. Shaun is a chiropractor who works alongside Chris at the Sport Medicine Clinic and he is highly skilled and reliable in his field. While moving into the final phase of my injury treatment, Shaun has recommended a number of necessary therapy approaches. Recently, I have been working on my range of motion with Shaun, and I have already been seeing improvements. Asides from chiropractic, Shaun has experience in a number of different experiences in therapy and physiotherapy.

Like Chris and other experts at the Sport Medicine Clinic, Shaun will patiently listen to your issues and problems. He will professionally assess you as he is very good at identifying specific problem areas. Although sometimes the treatment is painful and I cry of severe pain, Shaun has significantly helped to maintain my usual bright and positive self. Both of these doctors, Chris and Shaun, will gladly see to your injury even if it’s not a sports injury.

Sport Medicine Clinic
79 Wellington St. West,
36th Floor, Toronto, ON M5K 1J5
416 865 0903

Many years ago, I developed a back problem that seemed to arise whenever I played hockey. When I visited my chiropractor, he could not figure out what the problem was and instead, referred me to a guest speaker at the chiropractor college named Chris Broadhurst. At the time, he was the team therapist for the Toronto Maple Leafs.

As the pain worsened over time, I decided to be proactive and reach out to Chris myself. He kindly invited me to his office to have a look at the issue soon after. Within 5 minutes he diagnosed my back problem and recommended certain exercises that I should do continuously. I took his word and eventually my back started to improve. To this day the pain has not resurfaced. Getting other body injuries, however, was never an issue for me and whenever I had to get treatments, I always went back to Chris.

One particular incident stands out to me the most out of all my times with Chris. When I tore a ligament in the knee, he was able to quickly refer me to a doctor and a surgeon. Because of his fantastic skills, I was back at playing sports, including skating, within 6 weeks after the surgery. I remember a couple of other interesting injuries I pulled off, including my rotator cuff, and for all of them Chris was able to direct me to medical professionals after providing me with physiotherapy treatments. It’s no surprise that my recovery time was significantly shortened with Chris’ medical expertise.

Not only was he the team therapist for the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he was a personal therapist for Wayne Gretzky as well as other NHL athletes. He is so talented at his field and remains to be one of the most respected physiotherapist. However, the most important truth I want to emphasize is that Chris does not care whether you are an NHL hockey player or a famous singer. He treats all of his patients the same way and he will give you whatever amount of time you need. He enjoys working and helping your our average Joe as much as a professional athlete. Currently he has two clinics: Sport Medicine Clinic and Lifetime Sport Medicine Clinic. I would highly recommend visiting these clinics if you ever need a skilled physiotherapist.

Sport Medicine Clinic
79 Wellington St. West,
36th Floor, Toronto, ON M5K 1J5
416 865 0903

Lifetime Sport Medicine Clinic
3055 Pepper Mill Court,
Mississauga, ON L5L 4X5
289 290 6457

Earlier this summer, my wife and I found ourselves in the Emergency Room, at North York General Hospital, several times, due to some severe back problems she was experiencing.

While the problem was diagnosed during the first visit, despite the medications, the pain became worse, and we had to return the next day.  When we went back to the Emergency Room, as is typically the case, it was very busy and crowded.  While my wife was not looking for special treatment, she was in a lot of discomfort and wanted to lie down, however there was no room to do this.  I went up to a nurse and informed her that while my wife did not need to be seen by a doctor immediately, she was in a lot of discomfort and couldn’t remain in the same position.  After listening to my wife’s situation, the nurse was very accommodating and took my wife to a room where she could lie on a bed.

As I sat in the room with my wife, I witnessed first-hand the doctors and nurses in action.  For starters, every doctor and nurse was busy, hustling around, and very focussed on the tasks at hand.  One doctor in particular, was taking care of a young boy who had broken his arm.  She understood that the patient she was dealing with was a young boy who was hysterical, and made every effort to be calm, patient, and explain to the boy what she was doing, at all times.  Another doctor attended to my wife, listened to her concerns and adjusted her medication, allowing her to be a bit more comfortable despite the circumstances.

Round three for the Emergency Room visits, occurred a few days later, when my wife had to return to the hospital to obtain a renewal for her prescription.  Despite the ER being busy and crowded, we happened to have bumped into the same doctor that originally took care of my wife.  The doctor remembered us, and as such provided us with the necessary prescription, getting us in and out of the hospital quickly, both for my wife’s comfort and to make life a bit easier on us..

People can be stuck in the Emergency Room for many hours, and it is often very daunting, stressful, and upsetting. However, throughout all of the interactions that my wife and I experienced, I truly believe that the doctors, nurses, and staff at North York General Hospital have the public’s health care in their best interest.  Despite the stress, crowding, and busy schedules, once a patient is seeing a doctor, the focus is completely on the patient…where it should be.  My only complaint is the high parking fee, however when it comes to patient care, the people at NYGH were amazing, and helped put my wife on the road to recovery.

North York General Hospital
4001 Leslie Street
Toronto, ON M2K 1E1
416-756-6000

Over this past summer, I decided to tackle one of my home renovation projects, which involved me staining the fence in my backyard.  While it seems as if staining a fence would be a relatively simple and straightforward project, to do it right, it is actually a somewhat long and hard process.  As such, I decided to start the project by visiting my local Home Depot, on Billy Bishop Way, near Dufferin and Wilson.  When I arrived at the Paint Department, an eager employee asked how he could help me, so I told him about my fence staining project.  Based on the answers to my questions, he suggested that I would need approximately three gallons of stain to complete the work so I followed his advice, and bought three gallons.

As I embarked on the project, very quickly it was apparent that the employee really miscalculated the amount of stain I would require, as the cans were being used up and I had a looooooong way to go.  In fact, given the amount of stain I would still require, I decided to purchase a pail, which consists of five gallons.  Later on, I actually purchased a second, five gallon pail, and I still wasn’t finished!

Near the end of the project, I had to keep purchasing more and more gallons of stain, and not taking the “buy four get one free deal” (the pail is five gallons for the price of four) because of underestimation, until I bought a total of 13 gallons!  It was still not enough to cover the entire fence, so to complete the project, I headed back to the store, on more time, for what should be the last gallon of stain.

When I walked down to the Paint Department, once again, a long-time employee noticed that as a regular customer, I was not my usual jovial self, and that I seemed to be a bit miffed about something.  She asked me what was wrong, and how she could help me, and while I was reluctant to bellyache, I told her about the long and time-consuming fence staining project and the inaccurate initial estimation of the three gallons of stain, which ended up costing me close to $100.00 in extra purchases.

The employee apologized, without hesitation, and offered to give me the last gallon of stain for free.  I expressed my concern, that she would somehow get into trouble, be she assured me that this wouldn’t be the case.  She explained that she could justify the offer, as I would have had the last gallon free if I had purchased a third pail, and because she knows I am a regular customer, that I wasn’t trying to trick her.  We filled out some paperwork, I got the free gallon of stain to complete my project, and I was on my way a few minutes later.  I know that this was only one gallon of stain in a lengthy project, but this employee made me extremely happy, at a time when I was becoming increasingly frustrated.

The moral of this customer service experience is that the Home Depot at Yorkdale has amazing staff members, and they are empowered to make certain decisions that create the happiest of customers. While the Home Depot motto is, “You can do it, we can help,” another fitting motto would be, “We make it right when we make a mistake”.  The team in Yorkdale’s Paint Department is very experienced, knowledgeable, and is composed of some great and caring people.

Home Depot
90 Billy Bishop Way
Toronto, ON  M3K 2C8
416-373-6000

Over the summer, I had the pleasure of conversing with an employee in the office who was from Afghanistan.  The conversations usually become about food, and in this case, specifically Afghan cuisine.  The employee told me about a restaurant which was near our office, and ensured me that it served the best Afghan cuisine in Toronto.

A few weeks ago a bunch of us were up for something a bit different and decided to visit the restaurant for lunch.  When we arrived at the location, we immediately noticed that the location was very busy, but the line up was moving along at a good pace.  We were welcomed by two smiling employees and given fast, friendly service.  Since it was our first time in the restaurant, and my very first time eating Afghan cuisine, the staff members were more than happy to give some suggestions and recommendations.

The menu consisted of platters, kabobs, wraps, and salads, along with a number of drink options.  So as to not hold up the line, too much, I decided to try one of the platters, which included meat, along with a generous portion of rice, salad, and nann.  While the meals took a while to arrive due to the fact that they were cooked to order, the food was hot, fresh, and delicious, which more than made up for the wait time.

The order of Sultani Kabob was delicious and filling.  It was a combination of two kabob menu options, which were the Barg Kabob and Kofta Kabob.  The order included skewers of lean beef that was marinated in seasoning and spices, and chunks of filet mignon that were marinated in the restaurant’s own special seasoning.  One of my colleagues ordered a wrap, which was I am told was equally as delicious and filling.  The wraps were served with a soft tortilla and filled with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and the restaurant’s famous sauces.  The side order of Kabilee Rice did not disappoint, either.  It consisted of basmati rice topped with raisins, carrots, and almonds. Not to be forgotten was the large piece of nann that seemed to accompany most meals.  It was served piping hot and was perfectly baked.  Overall, the other SQM staff and I found our meals to be very satisfying.

Since our first visit, we have gone back to the restaurant a few more times, and have found both the quality of food, along with the service to be just as good as the first time.  Despite having visited many restaurants in Toronto, Afghan cuisine had never come across my mind in the past, however my experiences at Bamiyan Kabob have made me add yet another country’s food to my list.

Bamiyan Kabob
62 Overlea Boulevard
Toronto, ON L3S 4S1
416.429.7514
www.bamiyankabob.com

Given some recent conversations I have had, I felt it was important to write this blog, realizing that it is somewhat different from most of my other posts, but I hope it makes sense, and possibly inspires you in one way or another…..

Like many people who enter the world of commerce, I left university bright eyed and bushy tailed with only a handful of contacts and the knowledge of what I had learned over the last four years. I knew there would be a long road ahead of me, and I wouldn’t get to where I am today without a little help from my friends, so to speak.

In business, it seems, that many people like to talk the talk, without necessarily walking the walk.  Many industry professionals like to talk a big game when it comes to being philanthropic, whether they donate to charities, volunteer their time every so often, or offer a helping hand to those young people up and coming in their respective fields.  Unfortunately. I have found over the years, that when contacting some of these people, what they say they are willing to do doesn’t always line up with reality.  Often times people are too busy for you, sometimes they are condescending, while others won’t even return your call.  While this is an unfortunate truth within the business world, it is not what I intend this blog to discuss.

Instead I just want to take this space to give a shout out to all of those contacts I have made over the years who have made some time for me.  From lawyers to accountants, presidents of major corporations (banks, insurance, newspapers) to owners of sports teams and hotel chains, no matter how wealthy, or important, or busy they may be, throughout my time I have found that there does exist a group of people who know the importance a wise word and helping hand can be to a self made man like myself.  It can be difficult to know where to start in the business world, and just as tough knowing where to go once you are on your feet.  It is with help from people like I have just mentioned, that got me where I am today, and hopefully where I aspire to be in the years to come.

I believe there is an old saying that reads something like…give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, but teach a man to fish you feed him for a lifetime.  To all of you who have helped me to learn how to fish…and you know who you are…thank you for your time, advice, and direction.  To others who are in a position to help out, I encourage you to teach others how to fish.