Brett Wilson — a Canadian entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist, public figure, author, Dragon’s Den alumnus, and art collector — will be in Edmonton on Wednesday, April 23 for two unique and public lectures.
If you’re interested in art history and collecting, you won’t want to miss Wilson give his premiere talk about his collection of prairie artwork and antique horse-drawn carriages. Tickets are $15 ($8 for AGA Members); visit youraga.ca or call 780-422-6223. Art Gallery of Alberta, April 23, 6:30 pm.
If you’re interested in the business side of things, attend his Edmonton Chamber of Commerce keynote. Wilson will discuss topics from his book Redefining Success, with insight on achieving a work-life balance. Tickets are $69.95-$79.95; visit edmontonchamber.com for tickets. The Westin Edmonton, April 23, 11:30 am – 1:30 pm.
I had the good opportunity of interviewing Wilson about the stories behind Redefining Success, which provide a good preview for his April 23 talk in Edmonton:
Part of the book details Wilson’s entrepreneurial success with his first business, an investment bank he started from scratch that rose to national prominence and made him very, very wealthy. It also gives an overview of his extensive philanthropic work (“philanthropy is good business; I made money giving money away” Wilson claims), updates from his investments on Dragon’s Den, and insights and lessons from his personal life. According to Wilson, “entrepreneurship is a way of thinking. Whether you’re working as the Prime Minister or at a hospital or opening a small business, the spirit of entrepreneurship is all the same. Being an entrepreneur is about being passionate about what you do and what you pursue, and about being innovative, smart, and forward-thinking in your field. The opposite of passion is delusion; being closed-minded and inflexible. Experience and context will help make this distinction, no matter what field you’re in.”
The title of the book reflects the concept that drives the book, which is Wilson’s call for people to reconsider their definition of “success”. Success, Wilson speculates, is often attributed to measures of wealth and professional accomplishments, but he proposes that everyone needs to view success as an all-encompassing notion that includes achievements in personal relationships, happiness, health, and professional goals. “The cost of an hour at work is an hour at home,” Wilson claims, “so while you’re working towards success in one area of your life, you’re actually missing out on opportunities and achievements in other areas. You have to determine what your priorities for success are: where do you want to focus and spend your time?”
In Redefining Success, Wilson attributes the dissolution of his twenty-year marriage — and his once-tense relationship with his three children — to his work-a-holic lifestyle, where he was working intently six-and-a-half days a week. His divorce, tepid remarks from his children, and the discovery that he had cancer caused him to reassess his priorities and he now focuses his time on health, family, and friends. “So many young people don’t think about their health. If you’re 20 [years old] and healthy you think you’ll be healthy forever, but that’s not necessarily true. Good health is something you have to work on and and contribute to; health is an area of life in which you can try to be successful, and people forget that.”
Interview originally published on where.ca in January 2013.
