The death of a Canadian business owner
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The death of a Canadian business owner
Frank Sep. 11, 2014 in Waterloo, On. Ca. Updated Oct. 23, 26, & 29, 2019, Jan. 3, 2020
http://www.kwcg.ca/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=61910&do=blog&id=3742
People is a body of a piece of skin wrapped 206 bones, struggling to survive for a certain years, then returns to eternity as nutrients to nourish new bodies. From generation to generation, people continue their survival activities forming so-called society and culture, accompanied with so-called history and civilization.
The people will experience many things in the lifetime, many of them would be forgotten, but some of them can never be forgotten, but often, they are haunting in the mind. Some of them are happy, but the most of them are sadness; maybe, this is the part of life. It was such a feeling to motivate me writing this topic.
--- Frank Oct. 23, 2019 in Waterloo, On. Ca.
Enterprises are the basic cells of national economy in determining the fate of a nationality or a country. It is not only the personal responsibility of the enterprises' owners; it is too heavy to burden. We need to set up institutions to provide daily management and strategic consulting to private enterprises. Even directly helps to deal with troublesome leadership conflicts, weeding out incompetent people.
--- Frank Oct. 16, 2023 in Waterloo, On. Ca
To hire professional people outside of the family business to establish a management board has unique advantage, because of those new comers have no former relations in vital interest or kinship with those original employees or family members, they will be able to relieve or resolve down the conflict that may originally exist between the employees and bosses. Such conflicts are hardly to handle, and the harm for the enterprises are fatal.
I remember a report that when the most companies are worrying for business downturn, but the companies with management boards say they have growth expectations.
--- Frank Nov. 4, 2023，in Waterloo, On, Ca
Recently, I noticed that the Canadian government held a meeting to help small enterprises development. Luckily, they found right business thay should focus.
--- Frank Nov. 9, 2023, in Waterloo, On. Ca
Contents
1.. The hardship of Canadian business owner
2.. A supervisor makes trouble for business owner
3.. The separation of the business founder
4.. The death of my former boss Jerry
5.. The friendship with the busses owners and my supervisor
6.. Family Business and Management Board
Birth, sickness, aging and death is the law of nature, it may be the only equality and fairness that can be enjoyed by every human member on this chaotic globe, whether Easterner or Westerner, the Rich or the Poor.
I often think of my Grandpa(s), Grandma(s), Dad, and Mama, though they have died in decades or years ago, however, their figures and faces are still able to clearly show in my mind.
The saddest was the death of my Mom. My Mom has been in stroking hemiplegia for 25 years, and died in a sudden large area of myocardial infarction in China, at that time, I live in Canada and had years not meet my Mom besides phone calls about twice a week.
For my mother's death, at the first, I was no strong feelings of sadness, in most of time, I was in the hallucinations that my Mom is still alive, until about two years later, the fact that I have lost my Mama was fixed in my mind and since then I am easier tearful, even when facing a slight sad matter that has no any relation with me.
I miss them, I tear for them, because they once paid me a lot of love and I loved them very much also, which is with kinship that cannot be separated.
However, there a figure and face of a foreign man is also often showing in my mind and also making me tearful.
He was Jerry who was an Armenian from former Soviet Union and died years ago in Toronto.
Jerry was my first boss of my first job after I newly landed in Canada as an independent technical immigrant with a senior engineer background.
I miss him; I tear for him, am not due to the kinship reason, but, was the tough life of him, as an immigrant and a business owner of Canada.
I never forget that, in the fourth day of my working in his business, we met each other at first time, he increased my payment initially based on that has been settled in job interview days ago. I guessed that might be due to we were both immigrant in sharing same feeling of difficult life. His hard experiences made him easily understand the difficulty of me as a new immigrant.
My grandparents and parents died due to irresistible natural aging at their age of about 80 with enjoyed their later years. But, Jerry died due to psychological pressure from business operation at his prime age of about 60 without enjoying his later years.
His kindness and hardship in business operation induced me long thinking for the meaning of the enterprises and entrepreneurs.
This is why that I mentioned him again and again in my articles, and today, I specially recall him with a special title.
Now, I am tearful again.
1.. The hardship of Canadian business owner
Jerry was the big boss and was too busy to see him in the workplace; we were rare chance for chatting, so that I cannot tell more about him directly. However, from some of my experiences we can imagine the hardship of his life as a Canadian business owner.
April 11, 2013, in my article Why am I concerning the corporate management?, there a section relates with Jerry, I excerpt some as follow.
Jerry and Adam were the owners of Auto Parts Company in Toronto, after landed in Canada, my first job was in their company, and Albert was my supervisor.
Jerry was the big boss, and Adam was the second boss. Jerry was too busy on business running to see him in workplace. Adam was aged with full head of white hair and all day busy in the warehouse.
In the second day of my newly working in the company, I heard Adam scream loudly, I looked toward the place of he was working; found that he sat down on an Auto Parts box. I ran to see him.
His right arm was lifted, and his left palm was under the right elbow, which seemed to want to touch but dared not touch. The pain made his face grimacing with sweating profusely. I did not know what should I do, and froze there with scare.
After a while, Adam recovered from the pain. He asked me that, have you scared, right? I nodded my head as answer with tears in my eyes.
He said that, 30 years ago, he and Jerry escaped from Armenia, former Soviet Union to Turkey and Iraq in the period of the reign of Stalin. Then they moved to Canada. In order to make livings, he and Jerry started to make auto parts. At that time, the most of the jobs were heavy physical one. He and Jerry was both suffered arthritis on the elbow of the right arm. After said that, he rolled up the sleeve of his clothe and untied wrapped gauze on the right arm, to expose the elbow.
Previously, I had read the article about arthritis causing femoral head deformation and effusion. However, when I saw it in true one, I was shocked, the bone ends grew up in heavy deformed to form a large gap between the two side bones. The water of joint effusion caused the skin falling; it looked like a yellow light bulb in bout 6 cm long.
He said that he was old enough for retirement. However, he could not stand without the smells of lubricants oil and the noise of CNC Lathe. He had to work in the warehouse every day, otherwise, he would sick.
He continued, when his working, he often forgot the arthritis on the elbow to use right hand, and repeatedly made painful as that of today.
I said: “in the future, if you have something to do, please call me, I am your right arm and hand.”
Since then, we became good friend. Also, since I worked with full heart, and became good friend of my supervisor Albert. Until now, I left the company for more than 8 years already, but, we are still in contacting each other, and concerning each other.
As same as most of aged people, Adam was also talkative. Every time, when he came in workplace, he would loudly shout my name.
At the start, I exchanged with my supervisor by eyes, later, I directly went to work with Adam, when my supervisor needs my help, he would show me the work list and said that was urgent, and I showed it to Adam and then worked on the task of my supervisor.
At that time, I understood that why Jerry was always wrapped right elbow with bandage, when taking short-sleeved shirt in summer. And his right arm was never pendulous straight.
Maybe, he also often made himself painful as that of Adam today when working or in daily life.
Also, Jerry has to taking the pressure for financing, production organizing, marketing……, he would worry when was short of order, he would worry for production when were too much orders….., while suffering elbow pain from time to time……
The common people never understood the hardship as business owner.
I am tearful…….
It was the experience in this company, especially the hard experience of Jerry, Adam and Albert in business running; I began to focus on the business management in Canada.
Apr 11, 2013, in my article Family Business and Management Board, also there some relates with Jerry, I excerpt some as follow.
Some employee, though, are not the family member, but, because of there is merit or great contribution for the business, will be produced in the same trouble as that of the family members.
2.. A supervisor makes trouble for business owner
In the Auto Parts Company, there was a supervisor John who was taking charge of shipping, receiving and a group of people of packaging. he said that he worked with Jerry from the business' starting on his 15 years old in 30 years ago.
He came to work at around 10:30 - 11:00 am every day, sometimes did not show up. Some operators had to do his job temporally.
The reason for John dared do so, I thought, it was that he thought himself to have contributed too much for the foundation of the Company, so he should enjoy the treatment as that of the father of the owners.
Maybe, as the same reason, for the preposterous behavior of John, the owner dared say nothing besides had to hire another supervisor - Albert to take part of his job, especially for some important jobs, such as, the shipping and receiving when John did not show up.
At that time, I worked with Albert. John told me that he was big supervisor, and all people there should follow that what he said. He always made trouble for Albert. Such as:
He often put received auto parts on the walkways of the area that was my supervisor taking the responsibility. Of course, that had badly affected the normal work of many others, they miss-complained that it was the fault of my supervisor. Sometimes, my supervisor was even tearful.
Finally, John was fired due to that he sold auto parts privately on the way for delivering.
3.. The separation of the business founder
There were three founders of the auto parts Company; they were all running own family retails of auto parts.
Maybe due to the good relation with all people there, they often ask the help from me. This reason made me experienced the sadness of the separation of the business founder.
One day in morning, the big buss Terry handed me a list and led me to a skid that put some auto parts in mess with broken boxes and dust, said please to pick up for me according to the list.
In about 10 minutes later, the second buss Adam came to handed me a list and said please do this one at first.
In about 20 minutes later, Jerry came and asked me that did you finish them all? I said no, while showed him with the list of Adam. Soon, I heard that two bosses happened fiercely argument in Russian, and later, I heard Adam said I quit, and Jerry said ok, that’s fine.
Adam once gave me a phone number and said the gentleman was his neighbor from Hong Kong, he was very nice, and suggested me to make friend with him. But I never made phone call. Now, it was really useful.
I called by phone number and learnt that Adam fallen in heavy sick and said that his business was robbed.
One day, in the workplace, I heard the argument between Jerry and Arto of his son in law. Jerry said: boring talking every days, made me headache; from what they talked, I guessed that Adam requested Arto to persuade his father-in-law to make concessions and allow him to return to business, but, from the arguing loudly, I realize that the effort of Arto has failed.
Why did Arto so hard help Adam? I imaged that as business copartners, the kids of each other have been treated as own, the intimate connection as blood relative has been established between each other.
The decades of friendship of business co-partners were so easily broken.
Above section was added in Oct. 23, 2019.
4.. The death of my former boss Jerry
Years ago, when I visiting my supervisor Albert, I learnt that the big boss Jerry died. With the business decline helplessly, his health condition was also declined helplessly and finally on an operation bed he never stand up.
I will never forget the scene that day my Supervisor told me that Jerry has died: he was pointing a big photo of Jerry and the president of Armenia that hangs on the wall at entrance where was as the office and a retail store also. His red eyes with moist, we kept silent for many minutes.
On the photo, the two gentlemen were smiling with closely holding the hands of each other.
The President of Armenia might only know that his compatriot successfully running a business in Canada, but he might never know that what hardships of his countryman has experienced in Canada......
Now, I think of a shocking experience in years ago, when driving, I saw a duck in the middle of the road in my front, after closer, I found a pile of squashed feathers with similar color of the duck. The duck was just wandering around the feathers with a low voice tweet. Obviously, it was not too long ago, a duck was killed by a car and then, there were a lot of cars rolling again and again.
What was the relation of the duck with the duck of the feathers on road? Was husband? Was wife? Was child? Or just was the companion......
The grief for dying is not limited in human
I knew that the death of Jerry was a huge psychological blow for Albert - years of friendship, peer’s farewell, forever......
Here, it is worth to mention that, when I worked in the Auto parts Company, the most people who worked there were Jerry's fellow man from same country - Armenia, former Soviet Union. Thus, the Auto Parts Company played a role as a refuge for those displaced compatriots to survive in Canada. As a normal human sense of morality, those who had to replaced people from the same country should thank for the merit of Jerry.
However, I felt that, for the great help of Jerry, his compatriots had no sense of gratitude for him at all. Especially supervisor John, at the time as a 15-year-old child, if there was no the help of Jerry, how could he live a decent life. I thought, it was due to that those Armenian believed that Jerry was making money by exploiting of their labor.
For this point, that deliberately made nonsense of supervisor John was a good example.
It is the common sense for majority of the people world widely, that operation of company is for making money, with failed to recognize the social significance that company in playing - to provide jobs for people making livings and revenue for social governance.
It was such a absurd ideology that resulted in supervisor John's absurd behavior.
The difficulties in business management
Here, there was example to show the difficult in business management of Canada.
With the increase of imported cheaper quality auto parts from Taiwan China, company stopped the production of own CNC lathes and prepared to layoff the operators.
My supervisor had two Indian guys of CNC operators to work in my workplace.
One day, my supervisor told me that he will be off in next morning until noontime, and he told me to direct the work of two Indian guys with a list of work tasks.
Next morning, I prepared for work of our three in separated area.
They found that supervisor did not come, the Indian guys went to smoke and chat at the area between shelves of auto parts with a little job finished.
Afternoon, my supervisor came back and happily asked me about the jobs of finished, I pointed the work of the two Indian guys finished; the happier expression on the face of my supervisor disappeared immediately, and since next morning, I never see the two Indian guys in the plant.
The West has long been preaching that India will soon replace China, due to it plays democracy in young population. The low IQ people always limit their view to appearance and do not look at the essence.
Indians are sneaky and cunning, regardless of the consequences. They built bridges that collapsed, built dams that collapsed, and repaired airplanes that fell into free fall. This country will stay as son of cow.
5.. The friendship with the busses owners and my supervisor
In the fourth day of my working in the auto parts company, when I taking two auto parts with two hands to go down on a tall metal ladder, maybe the loud sound caused by my fast step hitting the steel ladder, Jerry suddenly rushed to my front from the back of the parts shelf and pointing the parts in my hands to ask me: “which number?” After I showed him the papers with the parts number, he went away immediately, and just after several steps he turned back again, and told me that:”Give you one dollar more pays, keep in mind don’t tell others”, and then he went away with fast paces immediately.
One dollar more pays meant additional expenditure of 40 Canadian dollars per week. At the time, I guessed, maybe the second boss Adam introduced our talks in one day ago, and he learnt that I was a new immigrant, once worked as senior engineer with a good educational background, and a lot of rewarding certificates, which I showed to my job interviewer.
Anyway, as an old immigrant, jerry have experienced tough life, and understood the hard of me as a new immigrant.
Months later, my supervisor Albert told me that: Company cannot increase your payment any more, your payment is higher than others who came company at the same period; I knew that you need money as a new immigrant, please come in Saturday morning to work half day and to get four hours over time pay, and please tell me what you would like to eat and drink, I make phone call to order for you.
He also proudly said that: there are so many people in company, only I have right to sign for ordering foods and drinks. At that time, I came to understand why that at the lunch time, often there some people pulled and pushed him to go out with loudly laughing.
From here, we can feel the trust of the Jerry for Albert, and the sudden death of Jerry was a big blow for Albert.
There was still one thing that I must talk here.
After I left the Auto Parts Company, I moved to other city where my son entered University. I have to send resume looking for new jobs. Each time, the phone call to ask my reference, Albert has told me in detailed.
The enthusiasm and concern of Albert deeply inspired me and gave me courage to overcome difficulties in the new city as immigrant.
Please remember that Jerry and Albert was both Armenian, from former Soviet Union, and I was from China, we never met each other before I work with them.
This was the reason that I visited my supervisor after years left Company, and learnt the death of Jerry, thereby made the hardships of Canadian business owners was lingering in my memory, and forced me to write this article to commemorate.
I am tearful again.
This is probably the reason of my greater concern in business management in Canada with many articles to discuss about such issues.
My first writing in English on corporate management was discussing how to reduce psychological pressure in the workplace - Canada's Corporate Management & Reducing Psychological Pressure in Workplace in Dec. 21 2010.
Now, to review back, the motivation for writing the article might be inspired by the death of Jerry. Follow is some excerpt of the article.
"Many modern studies have shown that stress or psychological pressure is the main inducement for most diseases."
"Pathogenic role of stress cannot be changed; however, the stress can be reduced even avoided. This article is try to discuss how to reducing the psychological pressure."
"Nearly 1 / 3 of the prime time of our life are spent in the workplace, and that's where a lot of psychological pressure comes from. Therefore, there is necessary to consider seriously."
In June 25, 2013 article My view on Entrepreneurs and Enterprises inspired by Peter Shoore, I comment with that:
"A two times heart attack sufferer Rob by the pressure from business running, after sold his 20 years running business, wrote on company's news letter with that: 'Now that we have been delegated to the back pages, the pressure is off to be profound, witty, and entertaining at the same time. But that still doesn't stop us from wanting to have something to say, that will inspire and be interesting to read. We can reminisce, about the old days, like your grandfather carrying a bucket of water up hill, in a snowstorm without shoes.'"
The new owner was Dr. Peter Shoore, the owner of Sunrise Farms, Vancouver B.C. Canada, who has studied classical music in the Netherlands for seven years to have earned his doctorate in music; however, he becomes an entrepreneur in chicken industry Canada in 3 decades ago. As a doctorate of Music, obviously, the music is his favorite. I could not imagine his feeling when he has to play immetrical music with chicken by giving up own favorite?
I told Rob, he must request working here; otherwise he cannot stand once left 20 years run business. Dr. Peter Shoore lets Rob taking charge of maintenance of the facilities of plant. Once Shoore asked Rob re-decorating inner of workshop, Rob said that will cost millions, Shoore said that he would like to see his employees work in a comfortable working environment.
Dr. Peter Shoore allowed Rob worked another 6 years, but Rob was kicked out by vice president who took charge of the business of Sunrise Farms in Eastern Canada for over 20 years with great contribution to company, but he was fired due to that Rob died soon after left Company.
I am tearful again.
"Enterprise is the important organization of social production to create material wealth for human survival, and the entrepreneur invests their money to run the enterprise with a frugal living and risk taking, to provide employment for public living and revenue for social governing."
"The entrepreneur is the best social servant and the communist in the reality."
"However, historically, in worldwide, it has been lacking of concerning and supporting for Entrepreneurs, even, until now, there great many people are with hostile attitude toward them. The law seems to have ignored this group also, but tended to protect employees without updating of the outdated concept from the times of Industrial Revolution with ignoring that modern society has provided thoughtful social welfare and comprehensive legal protection."
"The outdated ideology and practice has badly affected the work ethic of employees and to have made Enterprises difficult for managing, even, encouraging some mindless employees' pranks boldly in the workplace without the fear of being punished. It not only badly affecting the production efficiency, but more terrible, it even caused the closure of some Enterprises."
In Feb. 09, 2014 article Management is the Art of Playing Human Nature, I comment with that:
"Essentially, the Enterprise is the lifeboat to be sharing by owner and employee to struggle for survival in nowadays hard time."
Feb. 2012, I learnt that my supervisor Albert and his son had left the company together. I worried about very much and contacted him by email immediately. He returned me a new address in Toronto. I drove there eagerly. He has his son Sasoun as the manager opened an auto parts retail store.
Best Way Auto Parts, 416 499 2378
25 Glendinning Ave. Unit 5, Scarborough, Toronto.
Here, it is necessary to make some explanation. When I landed in Canada newly, due to my poor oral English, it was difficult to get a job. One day, I found a job post of an auto parts company; I sent my resume with my senior engineer background on metallic profession.
The interviewer was the third boss of the company, before interviewing, he has prepared many parts on table, and asked me about the materials and technology for manufacturing, of course, I was successful, while, I showed him with my certificates of education, professional qualifications, professional training, and many rewards for my outstanding work …...
Maybe, that was the reason that Jerry increased my payment in first time met me, and my supervisor treated me as old friend.
I am teraful again.
My articles' links
My view on Entrepreneurs and Enterprises inspired by Peter Shoore
http://www.kwcg.ca/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=61910&do=blog&id=1373
Management is the Art of Playing Human Nature
http://www.kwcg.ca/bbs/home.php?mod=space&uid=61910&do=blog&id=3781
Family Business and Management Board
Frank Nov. 4, 2013, In Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
http://frank-waterloo.blog.163.com/blog/static/20523902920133116223987/
The motivation of topic:
The death of the business owner of my first job in Canada shocked me very much, because he was in prime age and the cause of the death was simply due to psychological pressure from business operation, especially a supervisor who has been deliberately making trouble in workplace. Due to the concern of the troublemaker has made significant contribution to the business, the business owner cannot do anything besides had to hire extra supervisor on the same position and continuously suffered psychological torture.
I was deep in thought, how to avoid such tragedy. This was the motivation to write this topic.
Hired professional manager saved a family business of China.
Years ago, there was a TV program from China, which introduced a story about the running crisis and the smart improvement in management of a family business. The smart practice touched me deeply, so that after many years, I did not forget.
The second brother was as the president. His brothers, sister-in-laws and relatives took the executive position of the different departments.
The president felt that he was difficult to proper running the business due to those executives were tending to do according to their own will in ignoring the interest of the whole business, because of those executives all had greatly contributed to the foundation of the business, and the most of them thought that they were qualified as the president.
On other hand, as the members of same family, the brothers and sisters are with friendship in kinship, so that it is difficult to deal impartially with some problems that happened in business operation due to worry of harming the normal relation. In particular, the embarrass that produced when pointing out the shortcomings of others in face to face.
The business was declining, as a way in no way, the president had to step down as vice president and to hire a professional manager as the president to form a Management Board.
New president established comprehensive management regulations with discussion and agreement of the former president – the owner. He put his will into the written regulations to conduct the owner’s families and all of staff rather than face to face conducting orally.
By the regulations in documents form, the new president was able to control the business smoothly. Suppose that they did not establish the regulations, new president would face more difficulties in business management than that of former president.
At the time of TV interviewing, new president only managed about one year time, the business had a brand new look. Only the procurement cost for raw material saved more than 4 million Yuan of Chinese currency a year.
The executive of responsible for procurement is the wife of former president. An audience in site of TV interview asked that: where did so much money went? The wife of former president was in site also, but no answer with an embarrassed facial expression under the camera.
Business procurement is a hotbed for nourish corruption, which is not only the matter in China, but also it is common world widely.
It is worth specifically pointing out that even if hired general manager from outside of family, that fires incompetent staff is also very difficult, for example, to fire the wife of former president.
The feasible way is to pre-set conditions for dismissing unqualified employees as an important and indispensable clause in the regulations document, which may need to be updated according to new emerged problems, such as, the wife of former president, this time was not fired due to no corresponding terms for dismissing her, but, management board must set corresponding terms for preventing next time.
I guessed from the perspective of the inborn instincts in emotional reactions and social behaviors of human beings, above crisis in management would be common in majority of the family business of China, even if listed companies. As my personal experiences from working in different type of Canadian enterprises, it is same in Canada.
This section was added in Oct. 24, 2023 in Canada.