Category Archives: Toronto

Toronto

Coffee with Reza Satchu

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to listen in on a conversation with entrepreneur and investor (and co-creator of The Next 36) Reza Satchu. Mr Satchu was invited by the Ismaili youth to a “coffee lounge” conversation with other leaders in the community.

Reza Satchu | The Next 36

The following are some notes and thoughts from the event:

  1. Satchu asked the crowd, “Why do you want to be an entrepreneur?” There were a number of interesting answers. However, Satchu proposed that the main reason why one should want to be an entrepreneur (and a successful one) is to “make an impact.”
  2. Satchu defined entrepreneurship as the “Relentless pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.”
  3. Why don’t most people not start a business? The never ending quest for perfect information.  Paralysis of analysis OR I got an idea but I have no money or experience.
  4. Bezos started Amazon and Dell started computer direct sales. Both in the face of fierce competition and no experience.
  5. Satchu was turned down 150 times before his business got funding.
  6. On the only reason why an MBA at Harvard was valuable: Exposure to leaders shows what is possible.
  7. Goal of Next 36 in Canada is to hurdle cost and scale. To be truly productive is to have far more innovation and productivity.
  8. Canada has a highly educated labour force, Canadians work hard but productivity is 72% of the USA.
  9. We need businesses that are far right tail of businesses. Creating value for entire ecosystem.
  10. Satchu went into business for himself because his father chose the path earlier.
  11. People want to have as much impact as possible.
  12. Secret of success: Seeking positions of discomfort or creating positions of discomfort
  13. Concept of expectations: What do I expect of myself? Have large goals.
  14. Another secret of success: Willing to fail.  We learn through failure
  15. Have mentors and people who will root for you and want to take credit for success
  16. I asked Reza Satchu about the upcoming general election in Canada and what he thought a new government should be doing to foster innovation and success:
    1. Canada should do as much as possible to incentivize the Immigration of talent
    2. Incentives for private capital to invest in Canada
    3. Pick places around the world where Canada can have power and influence
    4. However, should Canada have a national strategy on innovation?
Toronto

Diversity in Toronto

Last week Amber Gero was the guest on the Toronto Mike’d podcast. In my opinion, Toronto Mike (real name Mike Boon – or is it?!) has the top amateur podcast in Toronto. And I use the term amateur to only state that Mike records his podcast from his home and not from a studio. And I’ve also yet to hear a sponsor being mentioned on the show.

Traditionally, one can hear Toronto-centric celebrities on Mike’s show: Mike Hebscher, Humble and Fred, Damain Cox, Elliotte Friedman, and David Marsden to name a few. The conversations are mostly around Toronto Radio and Sports history. It’s like a walk down memory lane from Gen X-ers. I always look forward to Mike’s show and have rarely walked away disappointed. Of the 100+ shows he’s recorded I can only remember Cox and Barb DiGiulio as guests who seemed too guarded.

The Amber Gero show, in my opinion, took Mike’s podcast to a whole new level. If you’re unaware, Amber Gero was fired last year from CFRB in Toronto. She self identifies as a black woman. She also had a few things to get off her chest:

 

Here are a few reasons why the Amber Gero show is important:

  1. Mike has always been a gracious host. He understands that his guests trust him when they come to his home to be interviewed in the basement studio. Can you imagine if Mike dug up “dirt” on all his guests and asked unfair or even fair but inappropriate questions? Nobody would come back. I remember Mike’s interview with Mike Wilner. Mike was totally respectful of his guest even though he knew that many people dislike Mike Wilner’s personality on the Jays Talk show. Mike’s desire to have entertaining conversations is commendable. Having Amber Gero on the show put not just Amber in the crosshairs of potential employers in radio but it also put Mike’s show in the radar of radio executives (and others) across Toronto. This is the first time I can remember Mike publishing a show that could potentially decrease the amount of talent available for his show. I hope I’m wrong.
  2. Although the large majority of Mike’s guests are entertaining, they are mostly men. White men. And Mike actually acknowledged this fact. It was both honest and eye opening. It was honest of Mike to question if he is also part of the problem that Amber talked about. Or if his guests are simply a reflection of the current state of Toronto radio. It’s a conversation I hope executives are having and will do something positive about.
  3. It is possible for independent content producers like Mike (and so many others) to not just produce content but to make a difference.

I hope we are challenging the status quo in Toronto. Toronto (and Canada) is home to immigrants. Everywhere we live, work and play there are people of different ethnic backgrounds, people from different parts of the world and people of different faiths and sexual orientations. We need to embrace this beautiful fact. We need to force the institutions that serve us (government, media, public companies and others) to not just provide products and services we desire but to be a reflection of the society in which they all operate.

Congrats Mike on an awesome show. I am a proud listener and supporter.

Toronto

McCowan and Hague Parks

Last week we hiked through the McCowan and Hague Park corridor in Scarborough. I think the ravine is the Pringdale Ravine. The Pringdale become buried and re-emerges further south in Gates Gully before emptying into Lake Ontario.

Pringdale Ravine | Scarborough - Toronto | karim kanji

To the north and east is the popular Cedarbrook Park.

The walk featured the ravine and a dense forest. It’s very accessible even during the winter.  I hope you enjoy the photos below.


Toronto

Rouge Park

On a Wednesday afternoon I ventured out to the farthest ends of east Toronto. Close to the Toronto Zoo is the world-renowned Rouge Park. The Rouge Park is the only national (soon) park situated within an urban centre.

Rouge Park is over 40 km2, protecting two National Historic Sites and a variety of ecosystems joining the post-glacial Oak Ridges Moraine, roughly 50 km north of Toronto, and the City’s biggest wetland, where the Rouge River empties into Lake Ontario (Source)

map of rouge park in toronto | karim kanji

 
See my photos of Rouge Park in Toronto, below.
 

 

Toronto

Dean Blundell: The new sports radio morning show in Toronto

Dean Blundell hosted the first episode of his new morning show on Sportsnet radio The Fan 590 in Toronto today. Most mornings the bedroom radio is tuned in to The Fan590 while the living room radio is on Metro Morning with Matt Galloway.

Blundell sounded fine. His interview with Toronto Mayor John Tory was good and even humourous.

I never did listen to Blundell while he was on The Edge although I was aware of his shtick. However, after passively listening to him this morning I have come to the conclusion that Blundell deserves a chance. To either make it or fail. We shouldn’t judge his capabilities on what he used to do. Only what he will do moving forward.

I thought Dean Blundell did fine. What did you think?

Toronto

Museum of Inuit Art

This past weekend we visited the Museum of Inuit Art in Toronto. You heard right. Toronto is home to the MIA. The Museum is apparently the only one of it’s kind in urban Canada devoted exclusively to art made by the Inuit.

You can find the Museum of Inuit Art at Harbourfront in the Queen Quay Terminal Building on the main floor.

Continued learning is an important thing in our household. Whether it be learning about different cultures or places in our city, you can usually find us soaking in some new knowledge on the weekends.

For example, did you know that the Inuit were encouraged by the Canadian government to learn and sell their art as a result of being forcibly removed from their homeland by that same government?

If you’ve never been to the Museum of Inuit Art, I highly encourage you to do so. Visit them online.

Toronto

PitchTalks: Pre-Spring Training Edition

Last night, Toronto’s baseball faithful enjoyed one of the most entertaining editions of Pitch Talks to date.

Alexis Brudnicki shared her deep insights and knowledge about Canadian International Baseball. I always appreciate the early speakers and panelists. Most of the time they bring a new and fresh perspective on the sport.

alexis brudnicki | pitchtalks | karimkanji

Alex Seixeiro and Scott Cullen shared their thoughts on the upcmoing fantasy baseball season. I’m not a huge fantasy player. However, there were tons of people in attendance who had their nerd caps on. It was an amazing sight to behold.

alex seixeiro and scott cullen | fantasy baseball | pitchtalks | karim kanji

Finally we had the pre-season Blue Jays banter with Scott MacArthur, Mike Wilner, Jamie Campbell and Gregg Zaun. And this panel DID NOT disappoint. Zaun, in fact, stole the show. He shared stories of his time with the Baltimore Orioles (getting put in his place by Cal Ripkin Jr.), Florida Marlins (World Series champs) and Toronto Blue Jays (helping JP Arencibia learn to become a major league catcher). Zaun was uncensored and in the mood to share with fans of the best sport in the world.

gregg zaun | pitch talks | karim kanji

If you’re a fan of baseball in Toronto (or Canada for that matter) then Pitch Talks is the place to be. What are you waiting for?!

Here are some more photos from last night:


 

Toronto

Skating in Morningside Park

Michael Gauthier must have been proud. This past weekend the natural ice rink that Professor Gauthier and his environmental science students built (with the help of volunteers, community members and Home Depot, among others) finally officially opened.

We first came across Gauthier and his rink in the fall during one of our weekend city hikes.

Here’s a great write up of the birth of this 100% community initiative.

And here’s some photos from this weekend’s skating festivities. Can you tell it was the coldest weekend of the year?

 

Toronto

I met Maestro Fresh Wes: the Godfather of Canadian Rap

If you grew up in the 1980s and listened to rap music from that time (or any top 40 radio station in North America – if not the world) then you probably heard artists such as Grandmaster Flash, Public Enemy, Run DMC, LL Cool J and the Beastie Boys. As the 1980s started to close out one Canadian rapper from Toronto hit the charts with a bang: Maestro Fresh Wes with his chart-topping single, Let Your Backbone Slide.

Since then, Wes has been known as the Godfather of Canadian Rap. He’s continued to release amazing music and now also spends his time mentoring kids around the country.

I recently ran into Wes in the city. We had a great 15-20 minute conversation. Just me and him. He actually motioned for me to come over when we passed. He was very generous with his time and was very polite and engaging.

When it was time for us to separate, he obliged me by taking a selfie. (Please don’t ask what I’m wearing…)

Maestro Fresh Wes with Karim Kanji

Check out his new single, I Can’t Breathe: