Podcasts about Robson Street

This is about as full range spirituality as I've ever gotten! I talk about… Eyebrow lamination and bikini waxing Learning how to be a more "Benevolent Queen Leader" in EVERY area of my life (not just work) The ALCHEMY OF VOWS: Intention + sound + community = VERY POWERFUL did you know that my wedding dress was actually a bathing suit cover up that I accidentally purchased online from Australia? Oopsie. But...it worked! And I'm sharing some of the rituals that we created that could be used for all kinds of important passages in life. Other keywords: "gluten free wedding," "no pre-nup" and "people gonna be people." This episode of WITH LOVE, DANIELLE (Ep 117) is the BTS of our wedding, but also the profound learnings that came from the planning and the actual crossing of a threshold. If you want the WEDDING ALBUM that accompanies this, mucho beautiful photos are all in my last SACRED WEEKENDS issue. MENTIONED IN EPISODE 117

Craig and Lee discuss the latest retail developments on Robson Street, a key shopping area in downtown Vancouver. They highlight significant changes, such as the transformation of the former Victoria's Secret location into an adidas Concept store and the relocation of Roots due to Arc'teryx taking over its prime spot. This episode delves into the dynamics of retail real estate, showcasing how major brands are reshaping the street's retail mix. Further, they touch on additional developments, including the opening of a Lush Spa and plans for new entrants like Esprit, signaling a revival of the street's appeal. The discussion also covers the closure of Club Monaco and its replacement by JD Sports, illustrating the evolving nature of retail spaces and consumer preferences. The conversation provides insights into how these changes contribute to Robson Street's competitiveness with other shopping destinations. Finally, Craig and Lee speculate on the future of Robson Street in the face of new challenges, such as the opening of Oakridge Park, a major retail development. They ponder the need for Robson Street to upgrade its public realm to maintain attractiveness and competitiveness. Through their dialogue, they underscore the importance of innovation and adaptation in the retail sector, highlighting how Robson Street's evolution reflects broader trends in urban retail environments. Episode Sponsor: SAJO - Canada's first specialized retail builder. Visit SAJO to see their holistic approach and transdisciplinary team to explore and understand your needs. Discussed in this Episode: Robson Street in Vancouver in Flux as New Retailers Prepare to Open Stores [Feature] Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EICFollow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_CanadaListen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcherShare your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Craig Patterson and Martin Moriarty, Senior Vice President at Marcus & Millichap, discuss the dynamic nature of Vancouver's retail market and growth. Moriarty sheds light on the transformation of key areas like the luxury zone along Alberni Street, the vibrancy of Robson Street, and the promising developments around Granville Street. He notes the arrival of high-profile brands like Balenciaga, signalling a robust and diverse retail environment. In their conversation, they touch upon the significant transformations in areas like Oakridge Park and West 4th Avenue in Kitsilano. Moriarty speaks about the comprehensive redevelopment of Oakridge Centre into a mixed-use space, highlighting the expected influx of luxury retailers and the positive impact on the city's retail landscape. The discussion also covers the evolution of West 4th into a hub for direct-to-consumer and outdoor brands, reflecting the street's unique identity and its appeal to a millennial demographic. Patterson and Moriarty then discuss the challenges and successes in revitalizing areas like Gastown, noting the recent upturn in retail activity and the potential pedestrianization of Water Street. Martin expresses optimism about the future of Vancouver's retail sectors, underlining the city's growing appeal on a global scale and its ability to attract diverse international retailers. The conversation concludes with a positive outlook on Vancouver's continued growth and its evolving role in the global retail marketplace.Interviewed this episode:Martin Moriarty, Senior Vice President at Marcus & MillichapMarcus & Millichap This podcast is the audio version of the The Interview Series video podcasts by Retail Insider Canada are available through our Retail Insider YouTube Channel where you can subscribe and be notified when new video episodes are available. Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast! Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EICFollow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_CanadaListen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcherShare your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Craig and Lee delve into a detailed comparison of the retail landscapes in Vancouver and San Francisco. The discussion starts with the alarming number of store closures in San Francisco, where Market Street and Union Square. Vancouver seems to be more resilient in this regard, especially in popular areas like Robson Street and Granville Street. The conversation takes a somber turn as they address the issue of poverty and homelessness which is more concentrated in Vancouver, notably in the Downtown East Side, leading to challenges for retailers in the area. The dialogue transitions to the topic of retail crime, with both cities grappling with theft and shoplifting problems. San Francisco's retail crime appears to be more brazen, while Vancouver is not immune to these issues. The situation has led to a coalition in British Columbia to address these challenges, impacting retailers of all sizes. Despite these hurdles, high-end retailers in San Francisco's Union Square area are reported to be thriving, highlighting the persistence of luxury brands given the wealth in the city. Both cities offer a unique shopping experience, with San Francisco featuring a wide range of luxury boutiques and Vancouver ranking as the second-best city for luxury shopping in Canada, with continued growth potential. The discussion concludes with a visit to Gastown and the Woodward's atrium, highlighting the architectural and historical significance of the area. While they appreciate the unique elements, the hosts acknowledge the challenges posed by addiction and homelessness. Despite these difficulties, they hope for positive change in the future and emphasize the importance of discussing and addressing these issues in the retail context. Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EICFollow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_CanadaListen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcherShare your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Thanks for checking out this week's Three Things podcast. Last week, Shelagh and I were in Vangroovy, as our friend Fitz calls it. Along with our checked baggage, I brought home three pieces of thankfulness and gratitude: 1. Bridge lights – you run into former ATB Financial boss Dave Mowat when you least expect it. 2. A stick of butter – or, an ode to Rhiannon at Whole Foods on Robson Street. 3. Flying home – an eye- and heart-opening exhibit at UBC. The original music in the podcast was composed and performed by Edmonton pianist Brendan McGrath. The end bells are courtesy of Edmonton metal artist, humanitarian and O'Leary Spartan (‘82), Slavo Cech. Here's the transcript. I am at glenn.kubish@gmail.com

Born and raised in Vancouver, B.C., Serge Biln entered the workforce with a job in the mail department at a banking institution. From here, he swiftly rose to the executive level, eventually culminating in the position of vice president at Canadian Western Bank. After a rewarding career in finance, Serge ventured into the community pharmacy retail space. He built and opened his first Pharmasave in 2005, followed by six new locations, and two years on the board. Serge's serial entrepreneurial spirit kicked in once again when cannabis became legal in Canada. In 2019 he co-founded Inspired Cannabis with his cousin, Jesse, creating a family-run, independent cannabis retail business. Since launching its first location in Courtenay, Inspired Cannabis has grown to 16 stores nationwide, with its most recent flagship location on Robson Street in Vancouver. Adopting a unique approach to traditional cannabis retailing, Inspired Cannabis recently introduced the House of Brands, an interactive gallery experience in its flagship store. Here, customers can experience Canada's top brands like never before with pop-up greenhouses, product showcases and other interactive elements that promote much-needed education in this emerging industry. With further growth expected in 2023, Inspired Cannabis launched an online store and delivery service, connecting customers across the Lower Mainland with a range of products that can be delivered to their doorstep between 9am-11pm daily. Inspired Cannabis's 16 stores include seven locations in BC, two in Saskatchewan and seven in Ontario. Additional store openings will be announced in the coming months. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of Canada's economy. To support Canada's businesses, subscribe to our YouTube channel and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. Want to stay up-to-date on the latest #entrepreneur podcasts and news? Subscribe to our bi-weekly newsletter

We loved talking with Robinne about her amazing book and much more! Thanks for being our first guest! SHOW NOTES: Robinne recommends: - In Vancouver BC Canada: Honey's Doughnuts, Bao Bei, Sutton Place Hotel for celeb spotting and Robson Street for shopping - Books: "Seven Days in June" by Tia Williams; "The Last Thing He Told Me" by Laura Dave; "The Paper Palace" by Miranda Cowley Heller; "Malibu Rising", "Daisy Jones and the Six", and "Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo" by Taylor Jenkins Reid. Listen to Robinne narrate "The Idea of You" and "Daisy Jones and the Six" audiobooks, watch her in "A La Carte" streaming now on ALLBLK, and keep an eye out on Netflix this fall to see her in "Jigsaw". To follow Robinne: IG and Twitter @robinnelee and on Facebook @therobinnelee (and maybe we'll see you in The Idea of You FB group!). ------------- Join Instagram book creators Lauren and Sheryl from @litchicksread as they chat about their favorite books, interview guest authors, and more. This unscripted, uncensored, conversational podcast will give you the book cub experience you've been waiting for. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for book recs and fun: www.instagram.com/litchicksread www.tiktok.com/litchicksread Join our exclusive community and help support this podcast: www.patreon.com/litchicksread E-mail: litchicksread@gmail.com

This episode is a special edition, in partnership with Herschel Supply & Herschel Vancouver. Thank you to the Herschel team for reaching out about doing a live conversation slash live podcast recording with us at their Robson Street location, bringing the community together for an fun, inspiring night—I'm super honoured. To friends and community who came out last Tuesday evening, thank you from the bottom of my heart for being warm, open, and eager to listen to our conversation. Here's to a second round sometime in the near future and many more The Craft live conversations to come in this city and others around the world.For me, this one is also special because it brings back my very first podcast guest and dear friend, Garret Louie. A legend and pioneer in the fashion, arts, culture, music & entertainment scenes for over 30 years, he's an inspiration and leader to all generations.In this conversation, we dive a little deeper into his growing up; big milestones he's had over the last two years selling Livestock to JD Sports, launching his brand, and getting healthy in the mind and body; the most important thing he learned during the process of selling Livestock; his relationship with connection & community; the things he's strong at in brand building and what he delegates to others who are stronger at other skills; how his personal evolution has affected the way he approaches creativity & business; the genetic codes he's leaving behind for the next generation to build upon; emerging trends he's seeing; what he'd like to express to the people & friends he's worked and collaborated with along the way; and more.

Randa Salloum has a will to her that's unstoppable and an insatiable desire to keep learning. She's had many career chapters in her life, from respected fashion blogger and creative agency owner to now founder of second hand & vintage clothing shop Collective Will. She was born to immigrant parents, her mother from Jordan and her father from Lebanon, who met and fell in love in Vancouver. Artistic and entrepreneurial, they were contrary to typical Middle Eastern parents: Randa and her brother were given the freedom to explore things that gave them passion, and were never put in boxes. This sense of fierce independence and hustle are still core to the way she operates today.After graduating from the Art Institute of Vancouver, her fashion career launched quickly, from assisting stylists and visual merchandising at Club Monaco to creating content at an online magazine and her blog, to launching I See Noise and CIEL Creative, working at Robson Street's BIA and finally founding Collective Will, where she's found her new stride. In this conversation, we explore how childhood bullying had affected her deeply growing up; her organic career journey through almost all facets of the fashion industry; the ways in which visual merchandising is analytical as much as creative; how being independent has been both a blessing and a curse; what it's like to have synsesthesia; the fascinating evolution of her relationship to sustainability; what it means to be seen and heard; and much much more.

Being a mum can make writing a challenge, but it can also be a source of inspiration and drive. Lisa Bournelis is a mum and change management specialist who recently published a children's novella about her son's experiences with OCD during the pandemic, Louie and the Dictator. In this episode she shares how her son's struggle motivated her to write her debut book and what she hopes to accomplish it. She also shares change management tools that she applied (and you can, too) to get the book done in an impressively short time-frame despite feeling overwhelmed as a newcomer to the publishing industry. Connect Lisa via her website: https://makeoneshift.com or via Instagram: @makeoneshift. Lisa will be hosting a book signing at the Chapters / Indigo in downtown Vancouver (1033 Robson Street), on Saturday, 21st May from 1-3 pm. Learn more about the genesis of Louie and the Dictator in Lisa's recent TedX talk, Three Questions that will Change Your Life, https://youtu.be/-phsazjlhkc. Connect with the These Mums Write community Join the These Mums Write Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thesemumswrite/ Get my freebie guide on creating more time to write: https://www.subscribepage.com/tipsforfindingtimetowrite Find out about upcoming workshops on creativity and writing for mums by joining my newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/c1z8b4

In this week's episode I talk about being an Ambassador for this year's Oceanwise Seafood Festival that takes place in February. I will talk about the Vancouver Coffee Drink Challenge as well as the Grilled Cheese Challenge. I will talk about some new restaurants that I have visited recently including Nukid Bakery & Cafe — 1660 Robson Street — instagram @nukidcafe The Golden Horn Turkish Bakery— 2809 Cambie Street –instagram @tghbakery Tachingon –2967 W Broadway — instagram @tachingon_vancouver Sunny M Specialty Coffee & Tea — 1345-4540 No. 3 Rd. Richmond — instagram @sunnymspecialty I will talk about the @thisisplantcurious deals book. I will also talk about cooking with Sauce club sauces and some dishes that I made recently. I will talk about cooking with Organic Ocean Seafood and some recipes I made to celebrate Lunar New Year. You can order @organicoceanseafood healthy packs or other packages of fish which can then be delivered to your home around Metro Vancouver, it ships frozen. Follow me on Instagram and Twitter @Vanfoodster as well to visit VancouverFoodster.com for everything food in Vancouver and beyond.

At the start of 1985, things looked good for Jimmy and Lily Ming. The couple had two small children, owned their own home and worked in the family's thriving Robson Street restaurant. But by the end of January, Jimmy and Lily had been kidnapped from their Vancouver house, the restaurant was closed and the rest of the Ming family feared for their lives. This episode is based on original research and interviews from my book Cold Case Vancouver: the city's most baffling unsolved murders. For show credits, photos, sources and information about my books, blog or podcasts, please visit https://evelazarus.com

This week, Craig and Lee talk about Vancouver's Robson Street and provide commentary on the recently published retail tour published by Retail Insider. **Podcast Sponsor (MSC): As one of the world's leading container ship lines,  MSC is promoting a sustainable business model that goes far beyond the ‘business as usual' approach. [Read more on MSC's Sustainability Program]The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.Discussed this episode:Retail Profile: Robson Street in Vancouver (Summer 2021) Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EIC Follow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_Canada Listen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcher Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

This week, Craig and Lee talk about Vancouver's Robson Street and provide commentary on the recently published retail tour published by Retail Insider. **Podcast Sponsor (MSC): As one of the world's leading container ship lines,  MSC is promoting a sustainable business model that goes far beyond the ‘business as usual' approach. [Read more on MSC's Sustainability Program]The Weekly podcast by Retail Insider Canada is available on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players.Discussed this episode:Retail Profile: Robson Street in Vancouver (Summer 2021) Subscribe, Rate, and Review our Retail Insider Podcast!Follow Craig:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/CraigPattersonTorontoInstagram: @craig_patterson_torontoTwitter: @RI_EIC Follow Retail Insider:LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/Retail-InsiderFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/RetailInsider/Twitter: @RetailInsider_Instagram: @Retail_Insider_Canada Listen & Subscribe:Apple PodcastsSpotifyOvercastStitcher Share your thoughts!Drop us a line at Craig@Retail-Insider.com. You can also rate us in Apple Podcasts or recommend us in Overcast to help more people discover the show!Background Music Credit: Hard Boiled Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

When I lived in Vancouver, my guest today and I once made plans to meet for coffee on Robson Street. Our shoot ran long that day at EP. Running behind, I raced across downtown, trying to get to my meeting. I was 10 minutes late. I was prepared to apologize profusely, to make it up […] The post #27 HTFG: Ali appeared first on Scott C. Jones.

More now on a story we've been discussing on Global News in recent weeks, and that's the apparent increase in the number of thefts and violence that local businesses are enduring at their premises.   Guest: Teri Smith Executive Director of Robson Street Business Improvement Association

The owner of the IGA on the corner of Robson and Richards in Vancouver says crime is getting out of control. A recent video from taken inside the grocery store shows a violent confrontation between a man and a loss prevention officer. The video shows the man allegedly attempting to steal something from the cash register. When the loss prevention officer approaches, the man punches him in the face.  Global News reporter Jordan Armstrong spoke with David Sullivan, the owner of the IGA on Robson Street in Vancouver who says that he is not surprised by the video because recently  his staff has reported catching 4-8 people PER DAY stealing merchandise.

Chapter 1 It's @MikeSmythNews's

In this weeks episode I talk with Erin and Darby from the band the statistics. We talk about their brand new album called “Robson Street hymes” which is out right now!! This band has a very funky country sound yet stays true and genuine to folk.

Jigme Love (jigmelove.com) is the Founder of the luxury resale store Mine & Yours. She has operated retails stores and pop-up shops on Hornby Street, on South Granville, Robson Street, 4th Avenue in Kitsilano, and in Yorkville in Toronto, and Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles. She specializes in creating sophisticated retail shopping experiences and building long-standing community relationships. She is a passionate entrepreneur. As the Founder of the Dream Factory Mastermind, she creates community, inspirational experiences, and leads and facilitates business growth and strategic collaborations among entrepreneurs. She holds an MBA from the International University of Monaco.

On this episode, I’m joined by Jeremy Vaughan. Jeremy is a Vancouver-based personal trainer and movement coach who is much more than what meets the eye. Jeremy only recently started opening up about his incarceration in a US federal prison and I had the pleasure of sitting down to hear his story. Jeremy's stint in prison shaped him into who he is today. Literally and figuratively. jvmovement.com @jvmovement604 *CHECK OUT MY PATREON Ben Owens Photography

Doug and Michelle Sikora of S&M Sweets Shoppe in Gibson British Columbia are giving away free joints.. We join them live on location from the City Cannabis location at 610 Robson Street.

Books are back on Robson! Indigo, the “world's first cultural department store”, has opened its 29,000-square-foot flagship at 1033 Robson Street. The launch of Indigo Robson marks the brand's return to downtown Vancouver after the three-level Chapters flagship at 788 Robson Street was shuttered in early 2015. Located at 1033 Robson Street, the two-level, 29,000 square foot location marks the company's return to the globally renowned shopping district. A destination for the whole family, customers can look forward to grand opening weekend events from November 3-4 including author signings, kids' storytime, fun activities, live music and more. Simi caught up with CEO Heather Reisman to talk about the new store, how she picks her ‘Heather's Picks', and how the bookstore model has changed in recent years, Guest: Heather Reisman Chair and CEO of Indigo

Chapter 1 Hot question of the day An unnamed CKNW employee came to work in a Christmas sweater this morning. Do you think it is too soon for people to be in the Christmas spirit? Yes No   Chapter 2 McCallum says Trudeau ‘supportive' of Surrey SkyTrain plans, local police force Surrey mayor-elect Doug McCallum says Justin Trudeau told him he won't stand in the way of Surrey's plans to scrap LRT and build SkyTrain out to Langley. While speaking at the Vancouver Board of Trade yesterday, Prime Minister Trudeau had this to say about Surrey's Skytrain plans… Guest: Janet Brown Global News Reporter   Chapter 3 Simi chats with Indigo CEO Heather Reisman about new Robson Street flagship store Books are back on Robson! Indigo, the “world's first cultural department store”, has opened its 29,000-square-foot flagship at 1033 Robson Street. The launch of Indigo Robson marks the brand's return to downtown Vancouver after the three-level Chapters flagship at 788 Robson Street was shuttered in early 2015. Located at 1033 Robson Street, the two-level, 29,000 square foot location marks the company's return to the globally renowned shopping district. A destination for the whole family, customers can look forward to grand opening weekend events from November 3-4 including author signings, kids' storytime, fun activities, live music and more. Simi caught up with CEO Heather Reisman to talk about the new store, how she picks her ‘Heather's Picks', and how the bookstore model has changed in recent years, Guest: Heather Reisman Chair and CEO of Indigo   Chapter 4 Metro Vancouver home sales plunge in October Home sales in Metro Vancouver continue to fall, according to the latest numbers from the Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouver. 1,966 homes were sold in October, down 23% from September, and 34.9% from the same month a year ago. Board President Phil Moore says, "The supply of homes for sale today is beginning to return to levels we haven't seen in our market for four years." He says for buyers that means more selection to choose from, and for sellers it means more competition from other listings. The composite benchmark price was just over $1-million, a 3.3% decrease over the past three months. Guest: Phil Moore Board President   Chapter 5 Ottolenghi keeps in simple in his new cookbook In Ottolenghi Simple, powerhouse author and chef Yotam Ottolenghi presents 130 streamlined recipes packed with his signature Middle Eastern–inspired flavors, all simple in at least (and often more than) one way: made in 30 minutes or less, with 10 or fewer ingredients, in a single pot. Guest: Yotam Ottolenghi Author and Chef

Ep 200 Andrey Pavlov Vancouver’s Out of Control Commercial Real Estate Market Walk down Vancouver’s Robson Street these days and you’ll see store after store papered over. The businesses that used to occupy the spaces are empty; the shops have “For Lease” signs on them. Those businesses shut down because the cost of rent has skyrocketed in harmony with the skyrocketing value and subsequently the skyrocketing property taxes of commercial real estate – a market that was ignited when the Provincial Government introduced the “Foreign Buyers Tax” on residential properties. To people looking to invest in Vancouver Real Estate, the "go home" tax didn’t make them walk away from owning land in Greater Vancouver; they merely shifted their focus. They were able to do this because the Province’s publicity infused, vote getting campaign designed to cool the housing market didn’t include a “stay out of BC” clause on commercial real estate. There are no school taxes, no empty home taxes, no foreign owner taxes on commercial and industrial real estate. Human beings did what they always do, they simply adapted to government policies and found ways around the rules in an effort to meet their own needs. In doing so they are driving up commercial property values, which in turn drive up rental rates and property taxes. Tenants are not only seeing rising rental rates, they are also responsible to pay the increased property taxes which in turn are driving many independent businesses out of business. The only companies that can afford the rent are national and international chains which charge more for their goods in Vancouver than in any other North American city. Along the way, the very soul of Vancouver’s retail market is disappearing along with thousands of jobs. We invited Andrey Pavlov, a Finance Professor at the Beedie School of Business to join us for a Conversation That Matters about the unintended consequences of a tax that forgot to look at the downstream effect it would have.   Simon Fraser University’s Centre for Dialogue presents Conversations That Matter. Join veteran Broadcaster Stuart McNish each week for an important and engaging Conversation about the issues shaping our future. Please become a Patreon subscriber and support the production of this program, with a $1 pledge https://goo.gl/ypXyDs

Imagine you had a program that generated over $150,000 a year. Let's also imagine that this program always had a waiting list and that clients loved it. Would you stop the program, or let it run? In 2006, we started the Protege Program and by 2009, it came to an abrupt halt. But was it abrupt? And why did it stop in the first place? These stories and more show up in the Psychotactics story. There's not a moment of boredom as we head into the roller coaster of 2009 and beyond. Where we explore the crazy world of workshops, this time outside the safety of California. It's one nutty, exciting ride. Buckle up, because it's action-packed and full of lessons for your own small business. http://www.psychotactics.com/stopped-protege/ Psychotactics Workshop Story: Part 2 “This transcript hasn’t been checked for typos, so you may well find some. If you do, let us know and we’ll be sure to fix them.”   It was February 2006 I’d just started a crazy venture called the Protege. Well it was crazy for me at least. I’d written a sales letter promising that I would teach six courses in one year. The courses were Article Writing, Copy Writing, Information Product Strategy, Website Strategy, Core Marketing Strategy and  PR (Public Relations). And no sooner than the Protege sessions started up when I had this idea of holding a workshop for the Proteges in California. There was only one problem This workshop was not part of what I’d promised. It was an extra workshop of five days. For the first three days we’d be working on Website Strategy and the next two days would be closed-door Protege sessions. So the problem that arose instantly was one of scheduling, money, effort and a few dozen assorted issues. For me it meant that I had to book a room somewhere in the U.S., book flights and do an entire workshop in slides in less than eight weeks. What’s more interesting is that the workshop didn’t exist. Notes didn’t exist and neither did the slides. This was compounded by a few interesting facts The Protege year was something that was just dreamed up in a salesletter. No material existed for any of the six courses (today they all exist in audio/text, but back then I was creating it as the courses rolled along). So I had this cute little challenge of hosting live teleclasses (training calls), creating content on the fly, managing a forum with 15 proteges and preparing for a workshop all at once. Admittedly those were problems that were pretty rough but that was the least of my problems I also had a bit of a mutiny on my hands. I hadn’t made the workshop a compulsory attendance issue (you could attend if you like to) but I sure stressed it was important. I also required each of the proteges to cough up an additional $500 for the workshop (it was just to cover the costs of the venue etc.) This additional payment didn’t go down well. What made it worse was they had to travel to Campbell, California, stay in a hotel and had all of this additional expenditure—not to mention they all had to take at least a week off from work. They were not happy in the least. It was almost like a bit of bait and switch. But in my mind it wasn’t bait and switch at all I really felt that those five days would be of immense help to the Proteges. For one there was the factor of learning in a compressed state (over five days). There was also the factor of connecting with each other because when people connect, they work better after the connection. To me it seemed quite sensible to have a meeting like this totally out of the blue (just kidding). But this sudden move kicked up a ton of dust and I then spent a fair bit of time on the phone, and via the forums and email sorting things out. Once things were sorted out the real work began We had to find a venue and get on with the job of getting the show on the road. Because Renuka’s sister, Audrey lived in Campbell, she did some scouting around for us and we soon located a meeting room at the adorable Pruneyard Plaza just 5 minutes away from Audrey’s house. And unlike the earlier workshops there was absolutely no drama at all this time around. All we had to do was land in San Francisco, and we were picked up from the airport. We were chauffeured around from Kinko’s (where we got our binders and notes photocopied) to Costco and just about everywhere. In fact the hotel even picked us up at 7am from the house every morning and dropped us back every evening (I bet no one has ever done that before or since). And the workshop went like a dream. Oh I forgot to tell you how we made a profit on the workshop.  So here’s how we made a profit $500 per Protege wasn’t even barely going to cover the airfares and costs of the workshops, and if you’re going to do a workshop might as well make a profit. That’s only part of the issue. When you’re doing a workshop, you want to make sure you have a full house. Having just ten or fifteen people in a room is nice, but having about 25-30 people in the room really creates enormous energy in the room. So we decided to sell 15 -18 seats (we only ever take 33-35 attendees—never more). And the good thing was that we had already “sold” 15 seats because  all the Proteges decided to show up. This created an instant urgency because 50% of the seats were taken. Bear in mind this workshop was selling at $2200 per head or thereabouts, so it wasn’t an easy sell. Even so, the workshop was soon filled. The Campbell workshop was well on its way. The Campbell workshops and the Protege Program went on till the year 2008 The Protege Program was a reasonably profitable program generating anything between $100,000-$150,000 a year. And year after year we’d have the workshop in Campbell, CA and there were never any hitches. And it became part of the Prot’g’ Program. What was even cooler was we started speaking at the System Seminar in Chicago, which was often held around the same time as ourProtege sessions, and so we’d finish the Protege and head to Chicago, do a speaking engagement and head for a well deserved break either within the US or to Europe. But then in 2008 we decided to pull the Protege Program As I said, the Protege Program was a reasonable sum of guaranteed income year after year. But to my mind it wasn’t good for consumption. Expecting a client to learn five or six new skills in a year was like learning five or six new languages a year. It wasn’t just bad for consumption, but it wasn’t (in my mind at least) doing the customer any good. So we pulled the Program. And people often asked me what I would replace the program with. And I didn’t plan to replace it with anything. As far as I was concerned, I was more interested in teaching and getting the clients to learn and implement. To me the Protege Program, wonderful as it was, wasn’t achieving exactly what I set out to do. And so when we pulled the Prot’g’ Program, we pulled the workshops as well. Not all workshops of course We’d still do some workshops in Auckland, where we live in New Zealand. One or two a year if at all. But the workshops held locally didn’t require the same level of planning and precision as the international workshops. Plus there were no travel costs, hotel costs or any fancy costs. Even our core costs of the room hire and expenses were lower here (There’s no gratuity or tipping required in New Zealand and all costs are inclusive of taxes, so there are no surprises whatsoever). And then the year 2009 rolled along. It was the first year we’d didn’t do any workshops. Not in the US. Not in New Zealand. And I hadn’t really planned to do any in 2010. In fact I was pretty much happy to be back in New Zealand after a three week vacation in Argentina and Uruguay. And we were sitting at our favourite cafe when Renuka suggested we do the US/Canada trip. In every situation, I have an idea and Renuka says no In this situation, I was saying no and Renuka wanted me to go ahead. And we had a lead time of just four weeks. In four weeks we had to get at least 35 people to sign up at two venues: Vancouver and Washington D.C. And I wasn’t even keen on doing the trip. But Renuka said we had to do it. Um did I say 35 people? I meant 70 people (35 at both venues). It was a start of a mini nightmare. The nightmare wasn’t so much getting the sign ups for the workshop The nightmare was getting the venue for the event. You see, all those years of California sun had made us pretty complacent. Getting a venue for the workshop simply meant that we fixed a date, called the hotel and got our room. And bear in mind the booking is always temporary. Even though our workshops have always been solidly booked, we still will always make a temporary booking—just in case. This time around there was no temporary booking to be had Unlike the usual California venue, we were looking for places in Washington D.C. and Vancouver, Canada. And two instant problems cropped up. One was the obvious one: we’d never had a workshop in any of these places, so we were totally unfamiliar with the territory. The second one was that we had no relationship with the hotel—and hence not a clue of what to expect. But at first it all seemed simple enough I went online, and looked up hotel meeting rooms and there they were—dozens of options just waiting to be picked. What surprised me was that most of them were costing as little as $200 + taxes per day. I was astounded—truly astounded, because these were hotels in prime areas. Some of them were within walking distance of downtown areas, even the White House. But hey, I wasn’t going to complain. I now had a pick of hotels and I was going to do my cherry picking all right. So I did what any sensible person would do I emailed half a dozen hotels and asked them if they would be willing to book a meeting room for the dates we’d decided upon. And with that job done and dusted, I moved along to making sure I had the sales pages ready, because we needed to get participants to sign up as well. And the first email that went out was pretty darned heartening. Over 50% of the seats got taken in just a few days. This was looking better than I thought, until I checked my email. The inbox was swamped with responses to my queries But the common question I kept getting was: How many rooms can we block for your guests? Hmm, I figured 35 people were going to show up, so I told them we’d have at least 15-20 rooms taken up by the guests. But I couldn’t be sure, I admitted. After all, the guest may choose to stay at the hotel or elsewhere. So I asked them to block a temporary 15-20 rooms and as we signed up participants, we’d direct them to the hotel and they could sign up. Of course there would be a cut off date, so the hotel wouldn’t have to keep the rooms booked forever. But the hotels didn’t want to play ball They wanted us to guarantee the rooms. And guarantee at least 80% of the rooms. So if you consider 35 participants, then 80% is about 28 rooms. Consider that every guest stays 3 nights, and that’s about 84 bookings. Each room may be in the range of $100-$200. You get the idea, don’t you? The hotels were asking us to guarantee between $8500-$17,000 worth of bookings. And if the guests didn’t show up, we’d have to foot the bill. So I changed the question. I asked: If I don’t guarantee the rooms, what will you charge for the meeting rooms? $6016 came the answer from one of the hotels. That’s $6,016 per day. A lot better than paying $17,000, you’ll agree, but still not a risk worth taking. And now we were in a real soup. Most of the participants who’d signed up were told that we’d have the workshop in Washington D.C. and Vancouver, Canada, but the exact details were going to be revealed later. Now we had sign ups but not a meeting room in sight. It was time to fill in every hotel form we could find I don’t know how many forms I filled up, but I hated every one of them. It was the same boring set of questions over and over again, and because they’re all forms, both Renuka and I were cutting and pasting endlessly. And then the responses started coming in by the truckload. Every time we’d check our email there was a whole bunch of emails with counter questions: How many rooms will you book? Will catering be involved? What is the minimum catering you’d require. The answer was none, no and nothing. But it still took up hours and more hours every day. I was feeling like a zombie dealing with what seemed like an endless barrage of queries. That wasn’t the only problem The other problem was they were so many hotels (some with similar brand names) that they all started merging into one in my head. It was at this point that three saviours stepped right up. In Vancouver, Leanne asked if she could help. In Washington D.C., Marina and Natalya volunteered as well. By this point we were exhausted, but we’d managed to get a few hotels to agree to our terms. So yes, we’d do a temporary booking. And no, there’s no need of any fancy catering. And no we can’t guarantee the rooms. And some agreed. So now it was a matter of creating a shortlist. Excel and me aren’t the best of friends In fact we hardly know of each other. In all my year on a computer—and I’ve been on computers since around the early 1990s, I’ve never so much as opened up Excel, let alone do a spreadsheet. But as I said, I was desperate. Someone (I forget who) created a Google docs spreadsheet and we started to fill in whatever details were available. And things were starting to look good. The sign-ups had slowed down considerably since the early burst, but to be fair we’d only sent out one or two emails. Now that the hotels were kinda falling in place, we could have the luxury of filling in the rest of the seats. Actually things were looking better than good We’d settled on hotels that were in great areas: In Georgetown, Washington D.C and downtown Vancouver. At which point Marina and Natalya volunteered to look up the hotels. Natalya was in Washington with her husband and kids, so she jumped on the metro and very magnanimously checked out the hotels we’d shortlisted. And she came back with a “F” on the hotels. She wasn’t impressed. The one we’d set our hearts on, was in the basement, very squeezed and with a distinct odour of mildew. But Natalya wasn’t giving up Right at the start she’d hinted about a hotel called Hampton Inn, located near the Reagan National Airport. Now she set about checking it out as an alternative. And yes, the “shoe” fit. She approved of the meeting rooms and the hotel accommodation. But this close miss had set our hearts racing. What if we’d made the same mistake in Vancouver? This time it was Leann’s turn. She made the long drive from Whistler to downtown Vancouver just to recce the various options. And yes, lightning does strike twice. The one we’d originally chosen was a bit of a dump. Slightly tacky. Not so hot. But just like Natalya’s story there was a happy ending The Listel on Robson Street, Vancouver was actually happy with our crazy terms. And they were ready to make a booking for those meeting rooms. That Excel spreadsheet was finally down to two choices, one in D.C and one in Vancouver. But it’s not like the emails stopped. You see we’d contacted (I don’t know) maybe 40-50 hotels (maybe some twice, even). And they were all writing in asking to confirm. We even had some long distance calls to top up the emails. For a change it was nice to say NO. And yes, our trip was finally getting underway. And not a moment too soon Participants had to fly in—and some from tiny airports, so they needed to know quickly which airport to fly into. By this point we knew the answers. Luckily from that moment on, nothing much went wrong, but that week or two was pure misery. I’d go to bed completely drained—even frustrated. To have those rooms booked and the event underway was such a relief. All I had to do was make sure that the rest of the seats were filled and I got down to the business of making sure we got the blog rolling (to create a factor of excitement and anticipation) and the slides and the music for the event. The Brain Audit workshops were kinda unusual For one it wasn’t just a workshop. Every four years, we have a Cave Party + workshop. At this Caver Party, we not only learn, but we go out on a day trip, do a treasure hunt, sample the wines in wineries and spend lots of time over lunch and dinner. But I was still a bit apprehensive. Some of the participants had been with Psychotactics and 5000bc for a long time. And some of them had read The Brain Audit in Version 1, Version 2 and also Version 3. They were members. They’d been on our courses. And there I was, talking about The Brain Audit. I was afraid it would be super boring for them. I mean we’d gone over this stuff before in the books, audio and video. How could I straddle the expectations of those who’d just read the last version of The Brain Audit vs. those who’d read every version. Sleep wasn’t easy to come by And it wasn’t because of jet-lag either. Sure we’d flown in from New Zealand to California, woken up at 4am and got onto a flight bound for Washington DC. Sure we were tired and crossing squillions of time zones. But exhausted as I was, I couldn’t sleep. I’d wake up at 2am to practice my presentation and go over it again and again, making dozens of changes. Even the second day (which was the day off) had me a little perturbed. I wasn’t sure how we’d go about the treasure hunt. Were we going to play dodge ball? How would people react to having to spend an extra day for no apparent learning? These things bothered me a lot. And it wasn’t till Day 3 that I truly started to relax just that tiny bit. I wasn’t well either I was definitely very exhausted. Not sleeping well. Apprehensive. And yes, I had a reasonably irritating acidity problem as well. This meant instead of gorging everything in sight, I had to restrict myself to “baby food”. Anything that was bland, non-oily—as I said, baby food. Alcohol, chocolates, coffee, icecream: they were all off the menu. Of course I wasn’t paying much attention at first. So I went out. I ate Ethiopian food, then Mexican, then Italian—yes, back to back meals. And I was in more than slight discomfort. That didn’t help me overall. And now I’m sounding like a real wus, but I managed to stiffen my shoulder and neck as well. So why am I telling you all this? Well there’s sympathy (ha, ha) but more because you need to know that these things happen. That you’re not going to get this free ride into everything turning out just hunky dory. And yet if you listened to the recording of the workshops or were there at the workshop itself, you’d notice little or nothing unless I told you about it. The last night in D.C. We’re all packed and ready to catch an 8am flight the next day to Vancouver, Canada. It’s an international flight, so we have to be at the airport by 5 am or so. And so we make sure we get to bed before 10pm. Then at 10:30pm, the fire alarm goes off. There’s this insistent beeping, and we’re roused from a deep, tired sleep racing around the room madly. I tried to call the reception, but the phone seemed dead. Renuka ran barefoot into the corridor only to find it completely peaceful (Folks were coming back from dinner, and seeing Renuka barefoot, another woman took off her shoes). No one seemed slightly disturbed. It was like we were the only ones panicking. Then I looked at our bags. They were sitting right under the sprinkler. And I thought it was a good idea to move the bags before the sprinklers went off and soaked all the equipment. As I moved the bag, the sound of the fire alarm shifted Aaaagh! It was our travel clock. There was no fire. Somehow the travel clock had shifted and an alarm had been set for 10:30pm. And that’s what was going off. I know it seems funny to you. And it was funny too us. We enjoyed the madness for five minutes and then hopped back to bed and dozed off immediately. By the time we got to Vancouver, my diet was doing really well. The workshops were far more relaxing for me. I smiled a lot more. And then, after a few days in Vancouver, we were ready to go back to San Jose, California for a week, before heading back to New Zealand. The original plan was to have three workshops. One in Vancouver, Canada. One in Washington D.C. and one in London, UK. Thank goodness we stopped at two. I was exhausted. I was ready to see sheep and head back on my Air New Zealand flight back home. And we did. We had a little hiccup or two (the flight was delayed by 12 hours; I acted like an idiot and ate spicy Indian food and re-started up the acidity) but all in all it was just part of the game. Workshops are stressful There’s so much to do. So little time. It involves pre-selling, getting venues, making sure everyone’s comfortable, getting great content and running a tight ship in terms of budgets—amongst other things. Things go crazy in workshops. And not so crazy. And these experiences may intimidate you a bit. Believe me, you should have workshops. They’re what helps you connect with your audience in a way that no Internet browser can do. They’re what help you become a better teacher, presenter and consultant. And it forges a bond that causes clients to become friends. We went with Marcus Stout for sushi. Stew Walton spent close to 6 hours to come and say hello, join us for dinner, and then went back the next day (another six hour journey). Greg Lee brought his daughter, Rabia and his wife Penelope along to meet us for dinner. Marina Brito took us to lunch, showed us around, and hosted another lunch for several of us. Steve Washer helped us with the video shooting, production and editing. Tom Clifford helped us by being the perfect interrogator. Karen Tiede and Warren Hayford made sure I ate sensibly at the workshops. The list goes on and on and these are just folks I’m mentioning from the D.C. Workshop. Everyone plays a massive role—way more than you can imagine. This isn’t just some passive “show up and learn” workshop. Everyone gets “goodies” from their hometown. Everyone takes pictures. They have long chats. Dinners. This is like Thanksgiving or Christmas lunch (without all the tension ;)). It’s magical. Often even very emotional. And yes it’s a moment in time that you can’t recreate by just being a speaker at some event. You have to wade in and it’s not always pretty, but it’s always exciting and memorable. And so far, it’s always had a happy ending. These are events you can’t recreate sitting at your desk in the comfort of your office. You have to be a little brave. A little scared. A lot hassled. And you’ll find rich rewards in hosting workshops. So there you have it. A glimpse into just some of the episode into our workshops. Let’s head off to the next chapter: the story of 5000bc. Footnote: You always want enough people in the room, and it’s not because of cost and profit factors alone. There’s also the factor of having enough people in a room. If there are too few participants, it’s much harder for both the presenter and the audience. For the presenter, having a group size of between 20-30 ensures a high level of energy in the room. You get all sorts of folks when you have about 30 of them in the room, and invariably you get introverts, extroverts, funny folks, more serious folks. In short you get a good mix. This is critical for a presenter, because not only does it assist in the actual presentation, but also in group sessions where a good mix is pretty darned essential. Still reading? Don’t miss the Psychotactics Workshop Story: Part 1  

Toronto's latest hype band Moon King is two best friends: Daniel Benjamin and Maddy Wilde. These two have been making music together for most of their lives. They started Toronto youth-pop band Spiral Beach when they were barely teenagers (along with Daniel's brother Airick who is now the man behind Montreal buzz band Doldrums). I chatted with Daniel on a busy Friday night Robson Street. We talked about everything from surviving a band break up, what it's like working for his brother Airick (as the drummer in Doldrums) and that strange song Daniel wrote about Jupiter having sex with Mercury. You have to listen to our chat! Daniel told me that the Moon King “Only Child” is the track Moon King fans know his band for the most, but do Moon King fans know what (and who) this song is about? You'll have to listen to our chat to find out. Since I talked with Moon King, the band has signed to indie powerhouse Last Gang Records (home to DFA 1979, Purity Ring and Ryan Hemsworth among others) so expect to see BIG things from these two in the near future. Tracks played on the show... 1) Moon King Obsession I EP (2012) "Only Child" 2) Moon King Obsession I EP (2012) "Sleeping In My Car" 3) Moon King Obsession II EP (2013) "Appel" 4) Moon King Obsession II EP (2013) "Dream Trap" ALL songs CANCON

Rhea's line of the night was, "If you think there's a crowd on Robson Street you oughta be here -- Robson Street got nothing on us!  You couldn't fit another body in here..." Performing in this show: Feature Performer: 100 mile house Darryl Matthews Erin Faught & Dylan Greenough Sebastien King Tim Chesterton OJ Clarke Kevin Smith

[Show Notes Link]Direct Download Link | | Direct download link Running an errand for a friend, I brought the minidisc with me while buying gourmet cupcakes for Laura’s mom’s birthday. Cupcakes on Denman St. is a pretty neat place, and I recommend getting some goodies from there if you have some cash to spare. From there, I hop a bus to give you a sample what that type of experience is like. We’ll do a little walking around downtown before I head back up to Robson Street to finish this recording. Forgive my addictions, but I had to duck into Blenz for a chai latte as well. Music used in this episode: Vate – por debajo del agua 36:41 minutes Email: radiozoom [AT] gmail [DOT] com Show notes: https://johnbollwitt.com/radio/Subscribe: RSS Podcast Feed Subscribe on iTunes © Copyright Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), RadioZoom (John Bollwitt)

[Show Notes Link]Direct Download Link | | Direct download link This was my first experience ever doing anything mobile. I have a not so great lapel mic and a portable minidisc recorder. I was on the way to meet Rebecca and some friends for a movie, so I recorded the sounds of walking from the apartment to the movie theatre. I do some talking a long the way but have lots to learn about being a good tour guide. I hope you enjoy the sounds of Robson Street in downtown Vancouver. Oh yeah, and I know I called it “The Secrets of Narnia”, so please forgive my error. It’s the “Chronicles of Narnia.” Please send an email or audio comment to radiozoom [at] gmail [dot] com. Also, send your mp3’s of music you’d like to see played on my podcast to the same address. 17:23 minutesSubscribe: RSS Podcast Feed Subscribe on iTunes © Copyright Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0), RadioZoom (John Bollwitt)