As
the community of Valley East continues to struggle in the face
of a large economic slow-down, it is becoming clear that our
entire future will depend on the courage and tenacity of young
people who are willing to avoid the lure of greener pastures in
the south.
I
recently took part in a celebration which recognized close to
one hundred young entrepreneurs who have set up business in the
City of Greater Sudbury during the past ten years or so. Some of
those businesses set up in Valley East. It was a very touching
ceremony, especially in light of my background in marketing and
advertising. I know that small businesses are struggling. I also
know that many people who depended on those small businesses for
part-time employment have lost their jobs and they too are
struggling to make ends meet while attempting to remain in the
Sudbury area.
A
gentleman by the name of Neil Eskelin once said that the way to
understand adversity is to take two identical acorns from the
same oak tree and plant them in two different locations. Plant
the first one in the middle of a dense forest, and the other one
on a hill by itself. The oak standing on a hillside is exposed
to every storm and gale. As a result, its roots plunge deep into
the earth and spread in every direction, even wrapping
themselves around giant boulders. At times it may seem the tree
isn’t growing fast enough, but the growth is happening under
ground. It’s as if the roots know they must protect the tree
from the threatening elements. On the other hand, the acorn
planted in the forest becomes a weak, frail sapling - having to
compete with giant oaks for nutrients and space. And since it is
protected by its neighbours, the little oak doesn’t sense the
need to spread its roots for support.
A
young person, or even an older person for that matter, who
decides to set up business in Valley East is well aware of
adversity and challenges. The business will face many
“storms”, especially in the early going. The business owners
will have to be very much aware of opportunities and be willing
to change direction often in an effort to establish strong roots
in the form of relationships and associations. The young
entrepreneur will have to pay a great deal of attention to
quality of work and be responsible for providing only the best
of service to clients. At times, it may seem as if the business
is doomed to failure, and the long, hard hours of dedication and
work will be difficult to take. Growth will also be very slow as
the business spreads its roots throughout the community in order
to survive.
An
immigrant who came to Sudbury from Europe many years ago, and
lived his life as a successful businessman, compared life in
this city to a cafeteria. When he first arrived in town, he sat
down in a cafeteria-style restaurant and waited for someone to
take his order. Of course, nobody did. Finally a woman with a
tray of food sat down opposite him and informed how a cafeteria
worked. She told him to start at one end and then go along the
line picking out what he wanted. At the end of the line a person
would tell him how much he had to pay. The immigrant explained,
“I soon learned that’s how everything works in Sudbury.
Life’s a cafeteria here. You can get anything you want as long
as you are willing to pay the price. You can even get success,
but you’ll never get it if you wait for someone to bring it to
you. You have to get up and get it yourself.”
These
are two very important lessons, not only for young
entrepreneurs, but for anyone who has enough confidence in this
region to remain in Sudbury, and in particular, Valley East, and
build a life here. First of all, don’t be afraid of
disappointments, frustration and adversity. It will make you
stronger and help you develop a strong root system, which will
enable you to survive all storms you will face over the years.
Secondly, don’t wait for someone to bring you success. You
have to get up and get it yourself.
Good
luck to all young people who are ready to give Valley East a
shot. Our future depends on you.
Until
the next time...