It started with a crazy conversation – why not just build your own kayak?

I was in the market for a new kayak and thought woodworking could be an interesting hobby, so why not? Years later, and now an avid woodworker, I encourage newcomers to start with a cutting board!

It wasn’t just the lack of woodworking experience that made this adventure so daunting, it was the lack of project management experience! Materials, tools, venue, planning, expertise, budget - these were critical components which I had hardly considered. Facing all the reasons I should throw up my hands and quit - I committed. I bought the 20-foot-long cedar boards and kept repeating my mantra until it was complete: The answer to how? is YES!

Four months, 350+ working hours, innumerable cuts and scrapes, and a budget projection that still makes me laugh, I had finished my project. I named it Cedar Courage.

Courage is forged in the decision to do what’s right, often what’s hard, regardless of … (budget, perceived capacity, timing, lack of a plan, fear of change, etc.)

I have since paddled over 2000 kms across Ontario and Quebec in Cedar Courage – time enough to reflect on stunning landscapes, and the value of executing and delivering on big ideas. How to take a conversation, hone it into a vision, build a plan, and deliver.

I have taken these lessons and applied them to my professional career in the health and social impact sectors - now I want to bring them to you. Just by showing up you and your team demonstrate courage everyday, so let’s work together on that vision and plan to achieve your next big goal!