David Rennie is an experienced business professional with a proven track record for success.
He was raised in Canada’s Maritime region, and obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Marketing from Sir Sandford Fleming College in 1983 before obtaining his Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University in 1986. Known for excellent problem-solving skills in high-stress situations, David has led various mergers and acquisitions in a wide range of industries. He credits his success to his ability to establish lasting connections with his clients and his commitment to outstanding customer service. With over thirty years of industry-related experience, he is always searching for new and exciting professional opportunities. Today, he lives in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where he focuses on restructuring businesses in the construction industry.
What was the inspiration behind your business?
Because of my financial background, I’ve always been an entrepreneur. Helping people has always been my inspiration. I’ve always put other people ahead of myself and tried to find ways to increase value for them. A lot of entrepreneurs have certain skill sets, but they’re always missing certain skill sets as well, so I try to identify what pieces of the puzzle they’re missing. I fill in the gaps on a temporary basis, then help them find someone to fill the gaps permanently.
What defines your way of doing business?
At the end of the day, I find it’s more successful if you build relationships in business. Build a team and work with like minded individuals. Find suppliers and clients with similar values.
What keys to being productive can you share?
Today, it’s difficult to be productive because of technology. Everybody’s got two cell phones and you have to check text messages and multiple emails and phone calls. One of the biggest challenges that I find is in showing business owners how to get their people to be more productive. People spend too much time at work checking social media and personal things when they should be working, so it’s a big challenge to try to educate team members as to what the expectations are for work. There are so many distractions and Covid has increased those distractions with all the coverage and worry around getting sick and trying to stay up to date. I know people don’t want to talk about Covid anymore, but it’s still with us. It’s going to be with us for a while, so a big part of productivity is getting through the transition and back to regular business.
Tell us one long-term goal in your career.
I enjoy working, so a long-term goal is to continue working as long as I can and help as many people as possible. I want to pass on the business experiences that I’ve had to others, so that they can be successful in their future.
How do you measure success?
A lot of people measure success with money. Largely, in the business community, finance is the measure of success. I think that what a lot of people have found through Covid is that balance is very important, so being able to have that combination of family life, quality life, and money.
What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned through the course of your career?
I was at a merger and acquisition conference in Phoenix, Arizona back in the late 90s where a gentleman named William Bumstead was the keynote speaker. As he was presenting, he wrote SWSWSWN on the board. That stands for ‘Some Will, Some Won’t, So What, Next’ and what it basically means is don’t take things personally. If you’ve got a client that isn’t the right fit for you, move on because there will be another one. If you’ve got an employee that isn’t working out, there’ll be another one. There’s always going to be someone else that’s going to see things your way or who will want to work the way you want to work. Move forward, set goals, and as you hit obstacles continue to find solutions.
What advice would you give to others aspiring to succeed in your field?
Patience. In this field, it is very important to have patience.
How do you maintain a solid work life balance?
It’s very difficult. I’ve been on vacation to get away for a week or two, then things fall apart, and I have to leave my family and go back home to put it together again. When you’re self-employed, it’s very difficult to try and find that balance between work and family because there are commitments you’ve made in both. It’s not an easy thing to have a formula that works for everyone, so each individual person has to find what works best for them.
What is one piece of technology that helps you the most in your daily routine?
The cell phone has been key because you’re able to access text messages, emails, and the Internet. We use iPads as well, but the main thing has been my cell phone.
What is one piece of advice that you have never forgotten?
When I was working in Denver, Colorado, a friend introduced me to a Canadian who was also working in Denver. He had a small oil and gas company. I asked him that same question and he said, “Always find the best people in their field and surround yourself with them and you’ll always be successful.” I never forgot that and I believe he was right.
