16 CORPORATISM: Jim Blasingame says successful salespeople are consciously competent and self-aware.
2 AT A GLANCE
A look at the socio-economic impact of the foodservice industry in Canada.
2 CROSSWORD
Take a coffee break from work and challenge yourself with our crossword.
3 ESSEX ECONOMICS
A series of guest columns by business executives on various trends in the region.
8 PRIME PROPERTY
A look at recent commercial property transfers in the city of Windsor .
10 PRIME HOME
A look at residential property sales in Essex County and Chatham-Kent.
12 BUILDING PERMITS
A compilation of construction activity in the Windsor and area market.
13 WORLD OF WORK
A career advice column by two workplace consultants and career coaches.
15 START UPS
Newly incorporated firms launched in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent.
previously unknown group from Peterborough has gotten into the play for natural property on the city’s far west side. Ontario Conservation Accelerator just purchased a wide swath of land along Matchette Road and Sprucewood Ave, from a numbered company associated with the Coco Group, which at one time was planning to redevelop the old Windsor Raceway site. The purchase does not include the oval track itself.
The non-profit purchased the almost 50-acre (20.2 hectare) slice for $10 million in May.
The property is adjacent to several protected natural areas, including Ojibway Park and across the street from the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve. Continued on page 4
AT A GLANCE
JUST THE FACTS:
• Restaurants are a vital part of the Canadian economy.
• There are currently more than 105,000 restaurants across Canada, generating $125 billion in annual sales.
• Restaurant sales account for four percent of Canada’s GDP, and the industry employs 1.2 million workers, including 480,000 youth.
• Canadians visit restaurants 23.7 million times a day.
• The number one source for first-time jobs for Canadians remains the restaurant industry.
• To generate $1 million in sales restaurants require 12 workers, compared to four workers required by grocery retailers to generate $1 million in sales.
• For every $1 spent in the foodservice industry, an additional $2.25 in total economic output is generated. The average economic output across all industries is $1.92.
• The foodservice sector creates 17.7 jobs per $1 million in output.
• The livelihoods of countless employees, especially youth and newcomers, depend on Canada’s foodservice industry.
Source: Restaurants Canada, June 2026.
DO YOU THINK THIS ICEBURG IS IN A RECESSION, OR JUST A PERIOD OF SUSTAINED SLOW GROWTH?
CORRECTION
Windsor Business wishes to correct some inaccuracies in last month's story “National scrap firm adds third yard to its portfolio,” June 2026.
The acquisition of Windsor-based Excess Metals by American Iron & Metal (AIM), a family-owned Montreal-based company, renamed the Excess location AIM Recycling Windsor North. Excess was led by Ray Taylor and Lia Bernachi.
Comments in the story were provided by Bryce Hyslop, AIM's Associate Vice-President, not Corey Cooper, AIM’s Director of Marketing for Ontario and the U.S., as incorrectly stated.
Finally, AIM’s Ontario head office in Hamilton houses an 8,000 HP mega shredder, one of the largest and most efficient metal shredders in the region.
Windsor Business apologizes for the errors.
VOLUME 30, ISSUE 3 • JULY 2026
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Nadia H. Shousher
ART DIRECTOR David Cowx
CONTRIBUTORS Jim Blasingame, Dan Chase, Mike Chase, Dale Dauten, Paul March, Devan Mighton, J.T. O’Donnell, Nikita Prajapati, Ron Stang, Joe Symchyshyn
Windsor Business is published monthly by The Page Publishing Corp. and is distributed through Canada Post to every business address in Windsor and Essex County and Chatham-Kent. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. Copyright The Page Publishing Corp., 2026.
THE PAGE PUBLISHING CORP. 552 PITT STREET WEST, SUITE 101
In most relationships, the responsibilities of the overall entity is very clearly delineated. For example, the responsibility of a family is to nurture and support each member so the entirety can better function and survive.
In the corporate model, acknowledgment of responsibility seems to be limited to those specified by roles: of the employee, manager, board of directors, customers, suppliers. The entity itself is absolved of any concrete – and proactive – responsibility except those ordained by law or public relations.
Short of the much touted and often self-serving displays of corporate charity, how many businesses actually show civic responsibility on a regular basis? And how integral would “goodness” of existence be to these firms if the world was looking the other way?
Obviously, the purity of charity (its defining characteristic) is marred a bit when its delivery is couched amid great fanfare or publicity. As recent history has shown, many companies cultivate civic goodness only after prolonged pressure from special interest groups, the citizenry and/or government.
One need only look at the pattern of large chemical producers in Ontario over the years. When their wanton disposal of industrial waste into the rivers and soil of the region was discovered – as well as the resultant damage to public and environmental health – executives were quick to implement systems that would reduce the hazards of their own practices. And, of course, prevent a similar public relations nightmare in future.
In other words, unless and until the community cried foul, that business would likely not have changed a thing in how it operates, manufacturers or discards.
The threat or existence of expensive litigation, especially, seems to honor up the socially irresponsible faster than do more pedestrian methods of coercion. Note here the progress of the class action lawsuits against Silk and Great Value plant-based milk products, and the Bosch emissions device used in certain diesel-powered vehicles. In the latter, Bosch was accused of designing and manufacturing an emissions device so the vehicle would not record accurate data.
Seems like avoiding or surviving a lawsuit without too much financial hardship is often more important to defendant corporations, than the issue of operational integrity. What does that say for the priorities of the business?
Sure, we all want to show a profit beyond what it costs to operate in the black. Yet, at what price will we accept such profitability? Companies operating in our communities – accessing its resources, receiving tax and other government incentives to remain, and controlling the financial stability of thousands of people through employment – have a moral obligation at least equal to the laws of the nation in which it operates.
And if some profits must be sacrificed to do so, better that than to muffle our corporate conscience.
Nadia H. Shousher is Editor-in-Chief
of Windsor Business, a division of The Page Publishing Corp.
ESSEX ECONOMICS
REBECCA OKAMOTO
Tapping
your innovation pipeline
Stress. Uncertainty. Unrealistic deadlines. Unreasonable goals. You know what they are: the enemy of teamwork, creativity and innovation. They're also inescapable.
Which leaves today’s leaders in an unenviable position: how to build the capability to achieve business goals while dealing with massive uncertainty.
But what if you could grow skills, build teams and accelerate innovative thinking even though there’s no time, few resources and high instability?
You can. Because every organization has an untapped innovation engine hiding in plain sight: the Lost Einstein.
Your Lost Einstein is a super smart person with a game-changing concept no one understands. They struggle to explain the strategic value and, because of that, their ideas aren’t seen, heard, recognized or commercialized.
Know what makes your Lost Einsteins so valuable? They’re already on your team and want to be more engaged. Don’t overlook them for too long. What makes them valuable to you makes them invaluable to your competition. Here are a few ways you can tap into your Lost Einsteins’ potential:
Invest in clarity skills for managers presenting to senior stakeholders. Your smart managers are excellent at problem solving and running projects. This is perfect for interacting with their functional colleagues, but not for communicating with time-pressed senior leadership and influencing business-wide agendas. Give them skills to explain the strategic and commercial value of breakthrough ideas, identify, define and pitch the big picture, and navigate the executive alignment minefield. Clarity skills aren’t about speaking better. They’re about being better understood.
Help them with how they are communicating. Offer training on concise, engaging introductions, executive intonation so they sound more confident, and avoiding hedge words that can damage credibility.
Here’s the thing about Lost Einsteins – they already struggle with speaking up. Drowning out their ideas makes it worse. Instead, try techniques like actively moderate meetings to avoid or reduce interruptions, and adopt an amplification strategy: when a quiet team member makes a point, another team member repeats their point and credits them. Amplification helps counteract interruptions or crediting the wrong source. Lost Einsteins are your organization’s unrealized innovation engine. Your Lost Einsteins can accelerate innovation and unlock value even when there’s little time, shrinking budgets and mounting uncertainty.
Rebecca Okamoto is a clarity consultant, and the founder of Evoke Strategy Group. Visit https://20words.com.
Developer sells land to Tecumseh
James Sylvestre Developments
Ltd. has sold an almost 20-acre chunk of land to the Town of Tecumseh for part of a major town housing development.
The land, just south of Sylvestre Drive and the west side of Manning Road, was acquired by the town for $10.7 million.
The property is part of the Manning Road Secondary Plan Area, more than 240 acres of mainly undeveloped land southwest of County Road 22 (a continuation of
E.C. Row Expressway) and County Road 19.
The land is earmarked for residential development, to hold up to 3,300 new housing units. But the area must be serviced, including a stormwater management system with three retention ponds.
The land Sylvestre sold is being used to construct the Baillargeon Pond.
The overall cost of the stormwater infrastructure will be shared three ways between Tecumseh, the
County and the developers, which includes Sylvestre.
The cost is $32.5 million, with estimated costs allocated to Tecumseh ($9.5 million), the County ($11.5 million) and the developers ($11.3 million). Those costs could change depending on future grant funding.
Besides Sylvestre, the other developers in what is being called Trinity Gardens are the well-known
Continued on page 15
Area HVAC firms merge under Goyea banner MERGER
Two well-known HAVC businesses have merged under the GMS HVAC banner.
They are Goyea Mechanical Services Inc. and Comfort-Tek Heating & Cooling Inc.
Both companies have been in business for about a decade.
In 2018, Comfort-Tek acquired Morrell Heating & Cooling
Dave Jones of Comfort-Tek said a major reason for merging is acquiring skilled technicians.
Jones said that since the Covid19 pandemic, “the demographic has changed, and it’s been really tough to find skilled labor” particularly the licensed trades.
“Everybody wants to be a service tech; nobody wants to be an installer,” he said.
There are two training programs locally – St. Clair College and Great Lakes College of Science & Technology
Dave said even service techs need to know “how something is installed properly in order to understand how it works.” A lot of service calls have to do with poor installation, he said.
HVAC offers a broad range of HVAC equipment and services, “and it’s really a career” move for him, he added.
Meghan and Willis Goyea run the larger of the two companies.
“The biggest reasons for merging were staffing, and ensuring quality control and values,” Meghan said. “It’s hard for one person to keep those going.” As some of the larger corporate players place less emphasis on quality control, it is “something we didn’t want to lose.”
It also expands the firm’s reach; Goyea serviced primarily commercial and industrial HVAC clients and offered property management. Comfort-Tek served primarily the residential market.
HVAC continues to evolve.
“You always have to be reading, there’s always new technology such as ECM (electronically commutated motors), a brushless design paired with on-board electronics to deliver precise, variable-speed airflow,” Dave said. “Heat pumps are also huge right now. With a heat pump, your qualifications have risen because they’re a lot more difficult to diagnose than a traditional residential AC or furnace.”
Partner Willis Goyea said he is happy with “everything Dave brings to the table. And with us being able to offer him more tools, we know he will be just as successful as the rest of us.”
RON STANG
Non-profit buys 50 acres near former Raceway
Continued from page 1
More widely, it is adjacent to the Ojibway Prairie Complex. The city’s Ojibway Nature Centre administers five of those six areas. These are Ojibway Park, Tallgrass Prairie Heritage Park, Black Oak Heritage Park, Spring Garden Natural Area and Oakwood Natural Area, totaling 260 hectares. The sixth area, Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve with 105 hectares, is administered by the province. The majority of the sites are designated ad an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).
The Complex is considered unique in Canada, noted for its variety of vegetation and animal life. Its wetlands, forest, savannah and prairie provide habitat for more than 4,000 species. These include more than 160 rare plants, insects, reptiles, birds and mammals.
THE ACCELERATOR IS A GROUP OF CONSERVATION EXPERTS WHO WORKS WITH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERS TO RAISE CAPITAL TO ACQUIRE LAND.
The Complex is currently being considered to be part of a National Urban Park. Former Windsor West MP Brian Masse tabled a private member’s bill to create the park, passed by the House of Commons in April 2023 and which is still being studied by the Senate, generating criticism for the length of the process.
The park could also include more local property such as Ojibway Shores along the Detroit River, for 940 hectares in total.
No one from the Accelerator responded to requests for comment.
The Accelerator is a group of conservation experts who works with public and private partners to raise capital to acquire land. It has “driven tens of millions of dollars into conservation projects,” according to its website. It has helped conserve more than 10,600 hectares and is currently working on more than 50 projects.
Accelerator Executive Director Mike Hendren has worked with the Bruce Trail Conservancy and Ducks Unlimited to acquire land. He’s a registered urban and regional planner, with a business degree from Trent University and a Masters in planning from Queen’s University
At one time, Coco wanted to build a 450,000-square-foot big box
retail site on the property, which a local environmental group, Save Ojibway, challenged but lost at the Ontario Municipal Board.
It’s unclear why the Accelerator would acquire these 50 acres of land.
Windsor Raceway operated there from 1965 to 2012. The status of the remainder of the property is uncertain, although it could be included in a new national park.
BANKRUPTCY
BY RON STANG
Property scooped up by greenhouse
Lebo Farms, a massive greenhouse operator in Leamington, has scooped up the assets of the former Comber-based Green Acre Services business, which filed for bankruptcy last year.
Lebo obtained the 30-acre property for $1 million, via vesting order by the Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Green Acre Services appears to have gone into business in 2020 as a greenhouse installer, maintenance
and repair firm. Online reviews were highly positive.
A filing last summer showed MNP Ltd. of London became the creditor the insolvent firm.
Secured creditors included Canada Revenue Agency, Municipality of Lakeshore, Enbridge Gas and ELK Energy, although no amounts were given.
The bankrupt firm has not yet provided a list of unsecured creditors; MNP indicated it would obtain a realtor to sell the property.
Sales information indicates Lebo was represented by Heinrich Neufeld, who did not return calls requesting comment.
Lebo Farms was founded by Leamington’s Neufeld family, owners of a 34-acre cucumber greenhouse known as Vine-Fresh Acres, a supplier of English cucumbers to Nature Fresh Farms. A report indicated the family intended “to expand their offerings with additional commodities under the Lebo Farms brand.”
Jayson Bastien CFP™, CPA™ and CIM™ Financial Advisor 519-979-7334
jayson.bastien@edwardjones.com Tecumseh
Jennifer Johnson Financial Advisor
519-969-1419
Jennifer.Johnson@edwardjones.com South Windsor
Business park prostate center sold
Well-known local urologist Dr. Ron Sorensen has sold his former International Medical Surgical Centre (International Prostate Centre) on Rhodes Drive.
Sorensen, famous for pioneering advanced technology in his Windsor clinic and advancing treatment methods throughout North America, sold the building to a numbered company associated with Arlen Tool, which happens to be a backyard neighbor on Deziel Drive.
Owner Steven Lenardon did not respond to requests for comment.
“He’s been wanting the property for years, for the land more than the actual physical plant or the office,” Sorensen said of the new owner. The almost two-acre property sold
for $2.4 million in March. Sorensen had been there since 1993; he has moved his practice to The Windsor Health Centre at 700 Tecumseh Road.
While thousands of patients once flocked to the center and were treated by several doctors, similar technology was approved in the U.S., which kept stateside patients at home. “There was no motivation for a patient to come to Canada. And it was covered by Medicare,” Sorensen said.
The technology was Trans Urethral Microwave Thermotherapy (TUMT), using an antennae inserted through the urethra to the prostate and transmitting microwave energy to heat and kill tissue to shrink enlarged prostates. “I was
the first in Canada to use it,” he said. And it was limited in the U.S., so American patients came here. There was also hope the provincial government would pay for expanded outsourced urological surgeries, like how cataracts are now outsourced, but that never occurred. Covid also struck a blow with patients not permitted to come in for certain treatments. “It almost killed us. Everything was put on hold,” Sorensen said. In recent years Sorensen has still carried on a regular urological practice.
Arlen Tool Group has been in business for more than 60 years in consumer, medical, industrial, heavy truck and automotive industries, and has a 70,000-square-foot manufacturing facility.
New epoxy hobby shop opens in LaSalle
NuLook Epoxy is branching out in a creative new direction, with the recent opening of the Epoxy Hobby Shop Art Studio on Malden Road in LaSalle.
The new space offers epoxy art classes and supplies for do-it-yourself enthusiasts looking to learn more about the increasingly popular material. While NuLook Epoxy, located on North Talbot Road in Oldcastle, is best known locally for epoxy coatings on garage floors, porches and basements, co-owner
Tom Tar said the new venture allows customers to explore the artistic side of epoxy as well.
“We were doing a lot of art at our showroom, and it really wasn’t the proper place to be doing it,” Tar said. “I had art classes before at our old Jefferson location, so I knew people enjoyed coming to them.”
NuLook Epoxy was established in 2016 Jefferson Boulevard by Tar and Gavin Blunt, where the original hobby shop location operated until shutting down around the COVID19 pandemic.
Tar said the expansion was something he had been considering for some time, as he observed the interest in epoxy art and DIY projects growing in popularity.
“It was just something I had in
my mind,” he says. “I wanted products, and I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to also do classes.” The hobby shop currently attracts mostly adults aged 40 and older, many of whom are looking for a creative activity to enjoy with friends or family.
“It’s usually people interested in learning how to use epoxy and getting out of the house,” said Tar.
The classes at the new hobby shop, which opened its doors in March, feature a variety of themed projects, including beach-inspired artwork, tree art and geode-style pieces. Tar says the themes are changed regularly to keep customers interested and encourage them to return for new experiences.
In addition to the classes, the shop also carries various epoxy supplies for customers wanting to try projects on their own at home.
Looking ahead, Tar hopes to make the LaSalle location even more community-focused. One idea involves creating a membershipstyle setup, where customers could rent workspace and work on projects whenever they choose.
“I want it to be a place where people can come whenever they want, and do their own artwork,” he said.
QUESTION: What is a good work habit you’ve developed over time? What is one of your bad work habits?
“I like to start each day with three to five important tasks, and tackle the hardest one first. My bad habit is checking Email and texts too often, as it interrupts my focus and overall productivity.”
Mike Burnett, President, Advance Business Systems.
“Staying organized and consistent is a good habit. In the cleaning business, attention to detail and reliability are everything, so I ensure schedules, supplies and client expectations are always managed properly. One bad habit I’m working on is trying to delegate to improves efficiency and growth.”
Haya Obaida, Owner/Operator, 2 The Point Enterprises Inc.
“A good habit is to work with competitive urgency. Simply put, it’s to treat each situation like your customer would move to a competitor, or not become a customer. A bad habit is trying to take on too much, by not allowing others to perform tasks normally assigned to them.”
Len Meloche, New Business Consultant, Cintas.
“Some good work habits are to write notes, or set a task in my phone. Make tasks reasonable and reachable, then prioritize. A bad work habit is procrastination, like ‘I’ll take care of this tomorrow.’ Tomorrow comes and goes, and so do your opportunities!”
Carlo Abati, Membership Chair & Director, Rotary Club of Windsor-St. Clair.
“One of my strongest work habits is maintaining high standards and catching issues early to ensure quality. My biggest challenge is taking on too much myself, instead of delegating, which can create unnecessary stress and occasionally lead to burnout.”
Lisa Rowley, Co-Owner, Songbird Florals.
THE FOLLOWING, PROVIDED BY REALTRACK.COM, REPRESENT SOME OF THE TOP COMMERCIAL PROPERTY TRANSFERS IN THE WINDSOR AREA:
SOLD
Address: 1525-1545 Tecumseh Rd.
E. & 2125 Lincoln Rd.
Selling Price: $1.15 million
Vendor: Named Individuals
Purchaser: Galaxy Grail Restaurant Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1100 Ouellette Ave.
Selling Price: $3.25 million
Vendor: 1560852 Ontario Inc.
Purchaser: 1001589576 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1151 Drouillard Rd.
Selling Price: $1.025 million
Vendor: 16286704 Canada Inc.
Purchaser: Named Individuals
SOLD
Address: 832 & 840 Lauzon Rd.
Selling Price: $1.225 million
Vendor: 3546454 Canada Ltd.
Purchaser: 1001590746 Ontario Inc.
SOLD
Address: V/L Matchette
Rd./Sprucewood Ave.
Selling Price: $10 million
Vendor: 1223244 Ontario Ltd.
Purchaser: Ontario Conservation Accelerator
SOLD
Address: 3030 Howard Ave.
Selling Price: $4.5 million
Vendor: Ontario Superior Court of Justice
Purchaser: Circle Retail Properties GP Inc.
SOLD
Address: 1290, 1320 & 1350 Walker Rd.
Selling Price: $11.2 million
Vendor: 1000846772 Ontario Inc., 2558873 Ontario Inc. & 2244258 Ontario Inc.
• Pure Flavor Farms is constructing a new agricultural building on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $16 million.
• Canadian Pacific Railway is building an addition to offices on Base Line. Value of construction: $275,000.
• National Trust Co. is renovating offices on King St. W. Value of construction: $275,000.
• Timbertec is constructing a new agricultural building on a farm on Front Line. Value of construction: $265,000.
• Skyline Retail Real Estate is renovating a restaurant on Grand Ave. W. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Sunmaster Produce Inc. is constructing two new agricultural buildings on a farm on Rivard Line. Values of construction: $5 million and $3 million.
• Individuals are constructing an addition to a farm building on Victoria Rd. Value of construction: $1.136 million.
• Individuals are constructing a new building on a farm on Spence Line. Value of construction: $275,000.
• The Municipality of ChathamKent is renovating government offices on Creek Rd. Value of construction: $5.5 million.
MUNICIPALITY
OF CHATHAM-KENT RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are renovating a sin-
• North Shore Properties Ltd. is renovating an apartment building on Queen St. N. Value of construction: $100,000.
gle-family dwelling on Duke St. Value of construction: $90,000.
• Kevin Vreman Construction is building an addition to a singlefamily residence on D Shadd Rd. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Rumble Homes Ltd. is a singlefamily dwelling on Middle Line. Value of construction: $700,000.
• Park Hill Custom Homes is building a single-family residence on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Talbot Trail. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Mi Caza Construction Inc. is building a single-family home on Cherry Blossom Trail. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Bouma Builders is building a single-family home on Bloomington Way. Value of construction:
$800,000.
• Maple City Homes is building a single-family residence on Ironwood Trail. Value of construction: $800,000.
• Affinity Homes is building a single-family residence on Cherry Blossom Trail. Value of construction: $385,000.
• Maple City Homes is building five single-family residences on Ironwood Trail. Values of construction: three at $430,000, $400,000 and $450,000.
• Timbertec is building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a residence on Boundary Line. Value of construction: $400,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on Centre Sd. Rd. Value of construction: $300,000.
• Individuals are renovating a single-family residence on Mull Rd. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on Lakeview Dr. Value of construction: $101,000.
• Ewald Homes Ltd. is building a single-family residence on Rosewood Cr. Value of construction: $500,000.
• Individuals are renovating a single-family home on Forhan St. Value of construction: $50,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily residence on Chestnut St. Value of construction: $225,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family home on McKinlay Rd. Value of construction: $200,000.
• Individuals are building an Accessory Dwelling Unit to a residence on Alden St. Value of construction: $168,000.
Continued on page 13
BY JEANINE “J.T.” O’DONNELL
The job market is feeling frozen
Dear J.T.: I’ve been posting on LinkedIn a lot to try to get found by recruiters, but I’m hearing the new LinkedIn algorithm is cracking down on AI content. I’ve been using Chat-GPT to help me write my posts so I can stay consistent. Am I hurting myself? What should I be doing instead?
— Anna
Dear Anna: Yes, you’re hurting yourself, and you’re not alone. A lot of job seekers are in the same spot. Let me break down what’s going on and what to do about it.
LinkedIn is fighting back against what people call “AI slop.” That’s the flood of posts that all sound the same. Same opener, same neat list of five things, same upbeat close. The platform knows users are tired of it, so the algorithm is now pushing this kind of content down in the feed. At the same time, it’s pushing posts that sound like a real person wrote them up the feed.
For a job seeker, this matters a lot. LinkedIn is where most recruiters find people. If your posts get buried, you don’t show up. You don’t build a name. You don’t get the inbound notes that turn into job interviews.
So if you’re using AI to crank out posts to look active, you might look busy but the right people aren’t seeing you. Here’s what the algorithm watches for: posts that start with a question and then drop into a clean numbered list. Stock phrases like “in today’s fast-paced world” or “let’s dive in.”
That doesn’t mean you can never use AI. You can. Just use it the right way. Use it to think out loud, sketch an outline, or test your point. Then write the post yourself, in your own words, with your own real examples. The trap is copy and paste. Don’t do that. The bot can tell. The recruiter can tell.
So what should you post? Share things only you could share: a short story from a real day at work. A lesson you learned from a tough boss. A weird thing you noticed about your field that most people miss. A photo from an event you were at. Short and real beats long and polished every time. Five to eight lines about a real moment will do more for you than 800 words that sound like every other post in the feed. And here’s the part most people miss: recruiters don’t just search LinkedIn. They also look at your recent posts and comments. If your feed is filled with bot content, you look like noise. If your feed is filled with real, thoughtful, useful posts from your own work life, you look like someone they want to meet. That’s the version of you that gets the message in the inbox.
One more tip: comment on other people’s posts too, not just your own. But skip the “great post” replies. Those don’t help you. Write a real comment with a real thought. Smart comments on posts from people at the companies you want to work for can be a faster path to being seen, than your own posts will ever be.
The main takeaway is simple. Stop trying to trick LinkedIn. Start being a real person on it. Post less if you have to, but post things only you could have written. Use AI to
think, not to write for you. Talk to real people in the comments. Build a feed that shows the kind of pro you are.
That’s the new game. The people who play it well are the ones getting found right now.
J.T. O’Donnell is the founder and CEO of the job search career coaching platform Work It Daily. Visit workitdaily.com to submit your questions.
THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS RECENT CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY IN ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT:
Continued from page 12
• Individuals are renovating a single-family residence on Longwoods Rd. Value of construction: $86,000.
• Individuals are building a new single-family residence on Mariners Rd. Value of construction: $500,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON COMMERCIAL:
• Contractors are renovating an industrial warehouse on Highway 77. Value of construction:
$150,000.
MUNICIPALITY OF LEAMINGTON RESIDENTIAL:
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Askew St. Value of construction: $1 million.
• Contractors are building Accessory Dwelling Units to three residences on Eagle St. Values of construction: $50,000 each.
• Contractors are building a multiunit residence on Victoria Ave. Value of construction: $800,000.
Continued on page 14
BUILDING PERMITS
Continued from page 13
• Individuals are renovating a single-family residence on Debergh Ave. Value of construction: $12,177.
• Contractors are building an Additional Dwelling Unit to a single-family residence on Marlborough St. E. Value of construction: $300,000.
TOWN OF ESSEX RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building a Detached Dwelling Unit to a singlefamily residence on Erie Aire Beach Rd. Value of construction: $100,000.
• Individuals are renovating a single-family residence on County Rd. 15. Value of construction:
$50,000.
• Individuals are building a singlefamily home on County Rd. 12. Value of construction: $1.065 million.
• Individuals are building a Detached Dwelling Unit to a singlefamily residence on County Rd. 12. 400,000.
• Mike Beetham Construction is building three sets of semi-detached homes with an Accessory Dwelling Unit on each on Laird Ave. Values of construction: four at $352,000 and two at $110,000.
• Frontline Builders is constructing a single-family home on Maidstone Ave. W. Value of construction: $600,000.
• Frontline Builders is constructing four Attached Accessory Dwelling Units to single-family residences on Maidstone Ave. W.
Values of construction: two at $116,000 and two at $125,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Brien Ave. Value of construction: $356,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Golfway Dr. Value of construction: $88,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE COMMERCIAL:
• Contractors are doing interior fit ups to a butcher shop on Malden Rd. Value of construction: $130,000.
• Contractors are building washrooms for a pickleball court on Laurier Pkwy. Value of construction: $50,000.
• Contractors are building a storm-
water pumping station and electrical building to a park on Reaume Rd. Value of construction: $1.8 million.
• Contractors are building a stormwater pumping station and electrical building to a park on Laurier Dr. Value of construction: $3.8 million.
• École élémentaire catholique Monseigneur A. Caron is building a universal washroom to the school on Matchett Rd. Value of construction: $80,000.
TOWN OF LASALLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Individuals are building an addition to single-family residence on Howard Ave. Value of construction: $520,000.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Matchett Rd. Value of construction: $2.3 million.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Oke Dr. Value of construction: $598,624.80
• Contractors are building two units of a semi-detached dwelling on Montgomery Dr. Values of construction: $536,766 each.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Croydon Ave. Value of construction: $326,535.17.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Wahneta Ave. Value of construction: $990,300.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Mayfair Ave. Value of construction: $1,058,990.
• Contractors are building two units of a semi-detached dwelling on Mayrand St. Values of construction: $468,570 each.
• Individuals are renovating and building an addition to a singlefamily residence on North Townline Rd. Value of construction: $250,000.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily home on Oke Dr. Value of construction: $663,650.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE COMMERCIAL:
• Ridge Farms is building a multiunit dwelling to a property on Albuna Townline. Value of construction: $600,000.
TOWN OF KINGSVILLE RESIDENTIAL:
• Advanced Build is constructing a single-family residence on Graham Sdrd. Value of construction: $410,000.
• 1839543 Ontario Inc. is doing repairs to a single-family residence on Heritage Rd. Value of construction: $30,000.
• Windsor Essex Community Housing is doing repairs at a multi-unit dwelling on Prince Albert St. S. Value of construction: $8,000.
• Individuals are building an addition to a single-family residence on Erie Ave. Value of construction: $38,000.
• 2683601 Ontario Ltd. is doing alterations to two multi-unit dwellings on Talbot Rd. Values of construction: $100,000 each.
• Contractors are building a singlefamily residence on Mayfair Ave. Value of construction: $783,750.
START UPS
WINDSOR, ESSEX COUNTY AND CHATHAM-KENT COMPANIES WERE RECENTLY ISSUED CERTIFICATES OF INCORPORATION UNDER ONTARIO’S BUSINESS CORPORATIONS ACT:
• Aarav Ag Canada Logistics Ltd.
• Affogato Espresso Bar Inc.
• Al-Can Roofing Inc.
• Alhiwi Logistic Inc.
• Aoda Health Inc.
• Arg Petroleum Windsor Inc.
• Attract Tech Trading Ltd.
• Axis Dock & Door Inc.
• Bayside Home Healthcare Ltd.
• Big Water Marine Services Inc.
• Blue Crest Plumbing Renovations Inc.
• Border Land Arts/Cinema Kollective Inc.
• Bridge Builders Youth Outreach Network
• Bunyan Homes Inc.
• Calmag Contracting Inc.
• Cargotrip Truckline Ltd.
• Conroof Contracting Inc.
• Custom Wall & Floor Printing
• Dr. Adrian I. Cozma Medicine Professional Corp.
• Drain & Flame Plumbing & Mechanical Corp.
• D-Speed's Media Production Inc.
• Eee (2009) Capital Holdings
• El Olam Contracting Ltd.
• Elevate Outdoor Advertising Inc.
• Essex Dental Laboratory Inc.
• Fatima Afzal Medicine Professional Corp.
• Gorilla Gate Security Group Corp.
• Holland Performance Development Inc.
• Home Lifestyle Cleaning & Organizing Corp.
• Hunter Home Furnishings Inc.
• Imago Zara Manufacturing Services Inc.
• J Badesha Logistics Inc.
• Jones' Pools & General Contracting Inc.
• Kennette Contracting Co. Ltd.
• Laminé Bakeshop Inc.
• Lanspeary Market Inc.
• Local Journalism Network
• Lucas Plumbing Inc.
• Macro Foods Holdings Inc.
• Mava Tax & Accounting Solutions Inc.
• Moussa Group Holdings Inc.
• North Eagle Enterprises Ltd.
• Northspan Packaging Solutions Inc.
• Northstar Networking Services Inc.
• Nura Trucking Logistics Ltd.
• Onesta Logistics Inc.
• Palm & Pine Indian Groceries Inc.
• Paulbensylvia Global Service Ltd.
• Porrone & Co. Inc.
• Porter Auto Sales & Services Ltd.
• Rankpin Google Business Profile Marketing Inc.
• Reach Discount Vapes Inc.
• Residences At Roseland Inc.
• Rock Developments LaSalle
Inc.
• Seventh Line West Inc.
• SH Automation Controls Inc.
• SK Accounting & Financial Solutions Inc.
• Southpoint Search Society Recruitment Inc.
• SR Prime Logistics Inc.
• Steeledge Construction Inc.
• Stefanus Edward Professional Corp.
• Sun County Skippers
• Tejamannem Technologies Inc.
• The Edgewater Group Inc.
• Thomas & Brae Delivery Serv-
ices Inc.
• Translarco Logistics Inc.
• Vectis Capital Inc.
• Vin Electric & Controls Inc.
• W2ms Web To Mobile Services
• Walker Place Inc.
• Wallaceburg Land Development Inc.
• Windsor Grainswap Inc.
• Windsor Pizza Heritage Society
• Wright Way Landscape & Hauling Ltd.
• XBS Business Solutions Inc.
• Zaza Lounge & Bar Inc.
• Zephyrizor Safe Dynamics
Tecumseh buys 20 acres for development MUNICIPALITY
Continued from page 4
Valente and Petretta groups. The three developers own almost 90 percent of the land.
The stormwater infrastructure is needed to “alleviate flood risks to the existing developed areas, and meet the needs for the County of Essex for planned road improvements for County Road 19 and County Road 22,” Phil Bartnik, the town’s public works director, told
town council last year.
Bartnik told Windsor Business development is already taking place – a hotel and apartments, for example – in some of the area. Servicing is being sequenced.
The area is one of two greenfield sites the town has earmarked for development, the other being Tecumseh Hamlet east of Banwell Road across from NextStar Energy.
Other services include roads, besides stormwater infrastructure.
Successful salespeople are consciously competent
Ever wonder what makes a salesperson successful?
Great communication skills?
Great products? Hard work? I believe the successful salesperson is someone who understands himself and attempts to understand others. In the marketplace, those “others” are prospects and customers.
If you can do the understanding thing, you can be a successful salesperson even with a mediocre product or less than spectacular communication skills.
You can’t do without the hard work, though. I know a lot of successful salespeople, but I don’t know any lazy ones. Know yourself; the key to knowing yourself lies in the ability to manage your ego. This means you can look inside and identify your weaknesses, then have the inner strength to defy your ego and fix those weaknesses.
Knowing your customers begins to happen when you are able to suppress your ego, and allow the prospect to tell you what they know,
and what they need, first.
You don’t have the information that will make you successful. Your customer does. The best ego food is success, which is served up when you are listening, not talking, to your customers.
There are two levels of professional consciousness and two levels of unconsciousness which have been identified. Understanding these levels actually works for all of life’s endeavors, but here I want to focus on just some.
This person doesn’t know that he doesn’t know. A DK2 is totally clueless about his inability, and likely is quite blissful about it. At different times in our lives we have all been DK2s. When you are learning something new, you haven’t yet learned the rules and protocols and, for a little while (hopefully), you don’t know that you don’t know.
Professionally speaking, DK2 is a terminal condition for salespeople.
Generational wealth can provide your family with freedom, security and a strong financial foundation, well into the future. Your children’s children’s children will thank you.
Mark Abraham, B. Comm. (Hons), CIM®
Senior Investment Advisor and Associate Porfolio Manager
Abraham & Associates
Wealth Management Group
156 Ouellette Avenue, Suite 300, Windsor, ON N9A 1A4
Tel: 519-253-2193 | Toll free: 800-287-1898
mark.abraham@td.com
“But,” you are asking, with voice trembling, “If I don’t know that I don’t know, how do I cure myself?”
Answer: Mathematics. Doing the math on the sales numbers for a DK2 doesn’t take very long because DK2s don’t sell much. When the multiplier is six percent commission, and the multiplicand is zero, the product of this calculation is also zip. If you are working hard but success is not happening, and you don’t know why, you might be a DK2.
2. Conscious Competent
This is the level of consciousness you want to attain. This person gets the job done and knows why.
You can’t be a competent salesperson until you to have learned the fundamentals of professional selling. The conscious part comes when you can identify what happened when you succeed, and more importantly, are aware and take ownership of what happened when you fail.
To become a Conscious Competent you have to be able to take a good look at yourself and do something called Self Analysis. Self Analysis is when you are conscious of and think about what you do well and capitalize on it, and are conscious of, and think about, what you don’t do well and improve, or minimize it.
Ego gets in the way of Self Analysis when it tells us we are successful because we are so smart. Ego also tells us it isn’t our fault when we are unsuccessful, which turns a healthy Self Analysis opportunity into a whining pity party. Ego is where Self Analysis goes to die.
Remember, sometimes your brain can fail you, but the fundamentals never will. Conscious Competents know this.
Competence is not some professional designation like a B.S. degree, CPA, or M.D. You have to work on it all the time to maintain proficiency. And remember, you have to plan to be conscious, and work hard on maintaining professional competence.
Write this on a rock: A Conscious Competent is always aware of his strengths and weaknesses. When you become a Conscious Competent salesperson, success will come and play in your back yard.
Jim Blasingame is the author of The 3rd Ingredient, the Journey of Analog Ethics into the World of Digital Fear and Greed. Visit jimblasingame.com.
Lori Seguin (Client Service Associate), Mark Abraham (Senior Investment Advisor), Tori Forsey (Client Service Associate), James Labiak (Associate Investment Advisor)
