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Staff post about: Brett Wilson Become an Author

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In 1997, before Wilson had become something of a household name thanks to his appearance on CBC's Dragon's Den, he had already been ranked one of Canada's Top 40 Under 40. Now in his 50's, Wilson could surely sweep the title for this decade as well. How did this small town Prairie boy make it in the world of big business - and with a big heart to match? Passion: Wilson once had to seek treatment from a work addiction counselor because he spent so much of his time and energy devoted to his business. Though he has now achieved a more balanced life, Wilson's dedication is evidence of his passion. "Entrepreneurship is in my blood," he says. "My biggest high came from co-founding my first business." It was that passion that enabled him to put in the hours to take his company to the top.

Marketing: Wilson once said, "One way to reach your fullest potential is to keep learning." He applied that principle to his marketing approach, constantly watching and learning from others in the know. As a result, he has tapped into some of the most unique and successful marketing strategies in his industry.

Diversification: "Commit to reaching your own potential for the good of yourself and everyone else," says Wilson. That means getting more than a 4.0 GPA in school. For Wilson, that meant taking an outdoor survival skills training course. For others, he suggests it could mean joining a sports team, or volunteering for a charity. Whatever the route, making sure you are well-rounded in terms of experiences and skills will help you in every situation.

Charity: Wilson has never pretended that his charity work is entirely altruistic. Indeed, since the early days of FirstEnergy, it has factored into the company's marketing strategy and budget. Still, both inside and outside of work, Wilson has made it a priority to give back to the community from which he came. Whether for good, or good for business, Wilson has become one of the country's most generous philanthropists.

Failure: "Innovation is an absolute," warns Wilson. "It's a constant." If a company is going to survive in today's market, it does not matter what industry it is in, that company has to be innovative. So says Wilson who has made innovation a key priority at FirstEnergy. Still, with innovation comes failures, and the opportunity to learn from those failures. It is, in fact, in those lessons learned that some of the greatest discoveries can be made.

When Wilson learned of his prostate cancer, he says he went through the mortality thought process. "One of the early things I did was plan my funeral, which was more about the celebration I hoped would occur. But after a couple of hours, I truly closed the book and said, ‘Enough of that.' It was a very cathartic process to feel that the end is planned. But now it's ‘Let's get on with living, because I have a fair number of new things to get done."

He might have scaled back his participation in FirstEnergy, but Wilson is far from slowing down any time soon.

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