Creating Balance Between Your Business and Family

By Jarvis Nicoll, an EO Calgary member, and director and owner of Canada West Land Services, Ltd.

Experiencing year-over-year growth has been one of the best things that’s happened to me. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re right, I’m talking about the business … of balancing work and family.

I work in a sales-driven business where time seems to be the biggest challenge. The quicker decisions are made, the more I hear yes’s. The quicker I hear yes’s, the more people listen to me, and the more I get used to it. The problem exists when this mentality comes home. It did. I was caught, and I’m grateful for it.

A great discussion revolves around understanding the difference between being a boss and a father. It was a hard realization when I noticed that my family learned to live without me being around. By taking me out of the equation, they learned how not to be let down.

I got into EO for the purpose of balance, and it has been instrumental in learning about personal relationships on route to challenging my own vulnerabilities and fears that aren’t normally discussed in the work environment. To have a group that understands the hardships and struggles between the balance of work and life has created unyielding strength. I have since seen significant results within my family and work dynamic. For example:

• I’ve learned the importance of leadership and being stoic in the face of challenges.
• I’ve learned that being a good dad is about being engaged, present and involved in my kids’ lives.
• I’ve learned that it’s the little things that matter the most, and being a better dad has enabled all of our lives to flourish.
• I’ve learned to prioritize. Family. Marriage. Work. Social life.

Trust
My experience with EO has also taught lessons that have trickled down into the workplace at Canada West Land. Notably, I’ve grasped what tasks I can and cannot do, in turn trusting others who have better experience in different areas to do what they do best. Hiring a CFO was one of the best business decisions I’ve ever made, not because I can’t do it, but because they can do it better. Filling seats with the right people has been advantageous to the growth of the company. I’ve found that truth enables efficiency, trust highlights teammates capabilities and tradition keeps the company rooted with a small company mentality.

Team
I used to preach team, and now I practice it. Creating and witnessing a culture of invested teammates has not only helped the company, but has pushed myself to continually grow. I firmly believe that our teammates have been the major driver for growing the company 100% year over year for the past five years. Sharing the vision with the team has made it easier to all pull the wagon in the same direction.

Redo’s
I wish I had spent more time on planning, more time for strategy and less time on operations. A five-year growth plan and the hiring of CFO earlier on would have been significant to Canada West Land during the early stages of growth.

8 Words
Relationships, leadership, sophisticated, be humble, be genuine, be vulnerable, be yourself, revolutionize.

• “To share your weakness is to make yourself vulnerable; to make yourself vulnerable is to show your strength.” – Criss Jami
• “The only person you need to be better than is the person you were yesterday.” – Unknown
• “A humble man will always receive the best that others have to offer; for he recognizes the truth.” – Jeremy Aldana