Sphero 2.0 rolls into retail

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Revolutionary new gaming platform

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

Formerly published in the Other Press. Nov. 2013

Usually when a new gadget, game, or technological advancement appears on a retail shelf, I’m rather apathetic. To me, it seems as though innovation is leapfrogging itself everyday; today iPhones are better, tomorrow Androids are better—what’s the point? But once in awhile a new tech-toy catches my attention and sparks my imagination. I’m talking about Sphero 2.0, developed by the Colorado-based company, Orbotix.

At a glance, there is nothing fancy about Sphero 2.0. It looks like a cue ball with an adorable logo on the top. But when I plug the charging dock into the power outlet and place the Sphero on it, suddenly it illuminates, transitioning to different colours. I’m intrigued. I follow the instructions, downloading the app, connecting it to Bluetooth, and then loading up the game. I set Sphero 2.0 on my kitchen floor—suddenly it’s the most responsive radio-controlled (RC) toy I’ve ever had, and I control it with my iPhone.

In the beginning it was difficult to pilot that little rolling orb. Sphero 2.0’s dynamic engine allows the ball to travel up to two metres per second. It came out of the box with two small ramps, but catching any sick airtime was almost impossible. The game also allowed me to upgrade, making it faster, easier to handle, and offering a greater spectrum of colours. I navigated it around my furniture, crashed it into walls, and frightened my dog for a bit. Now, at this point you must be thinking, “Surely you can’t be excited about a rolling, glowing ball.”

No, Sphero 2.0 does something a little more than your average RC car or helicopter: it utilizes the functionality of smartphones and creates a new interactive experience. Augmented reality has been around for some time now, but few gaming platforms have been able to incorporate it. Sphero 2.0 does a decent job at it. It currently has over 25 apps in its library, and with a lot of attention from programmers and designers, there will be many more to come.

One of Sphero 2.0’s most notable games is called The Rolling Dead, where the objective is that the user must maneuver Sphero against a zombie attack, while shooting fireballs to destroy them. And it’s all happening in your kitchen, your bedroom, or you backyard.

The ball is also shockproof and waterproof, so imagine taking Sphero 2.0 to the pool and having the glowing ball chase you in a game of Marco Polo.

Perhaps Sphero 2.0’s number one quality is its versatility. It can play the centre-piece in a party game or as a controller for tilt-based games. Pass the Sphero, another popular app in the collection, is a hot potato game that requires a group of players to toss the orb around until it vibrates, simulating an explosion, thus eliminating that player. Exile is a game where Sphero is a spaceship travelling through a war-torn galaxy. The user operates the spaceship by controlling Sphero like a steering wheel.

Like most games, Sphero 2.0 comes with a bit of a learning curve. It’s not a simple robot vacuum cleaner—it’s a toy. Although Orbotix realized the many demographics for their product, they aren’t trying to target a specific audience. Children love the interactive game play, parents and adults love the educational factors, and programmers and developers love the hack-ability of the device, enabling them to create more games.

At approximately $130, it’s hard to justify Sphero 2.0 as the Christmas gift of choice, but like investing in a big name console like PlayStation or Xbox, Sphero might just be mobile users’ console of choice in the not too distant future.

CrackBerry tale

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

The slow deterioration of BlackBerry

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

Formerly published in the Other Press. Nov. 2013

Flashback to three, maybe five years ago, when BlackBerry was supplying the dominant product in the smartphone market. Then BlackBerry phones disappeared. One moment we were hearing the trademark clicking of fingers to keypad, and the next there was silence. Consumers lost interest, and stock value plummeted. New executives were brought in, but nothing could save the former titan of mobile devices from irrelevancy.

Technology, like evolution, has always been about survival of the fittest. Whoever adapts to the changing environment first will gain dominance. BlackBerry, however, was unable to foresee that touch screen was the next phase in smartphone technology. BlackBerry founder and former CEO of Research in Motion, Mike Lazaridis, underestimated the market and overestimated consumers’ loyalty to his product. After the initial release of the iPhone, BlackBerry executives held a board meeting where Lazaridis denied change. He pointed at a touch screen example and said, “I don’t get this.” People like the keypad, he thought—and if it isn’t broken…

Like the story about the tortoise and the hare, there is just no way for the hare to catch up now after waking up—not from a nap, but from a productivity-coma. But what choice does the company have now that it has pretty much given away its most valued asset, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) and appointed a new interim CEO, John Chen?

I believe there are three possibilities for Chen and BlackBerry in the next five years. One is for them to peter out. They’ll continue down the path they are going, trying to keep up with Apple and Android. Even if their products are of greater quality, their diminished reputation will leave consumers wary about purchasing—there might be a few loyal CrackBerry-heads, but appealing only to them would either leave the company in ruins or forced into a merger or acquisition.

The second possibility is for BlackBerry to transition away from creating devices and focus on being an iMessaging company. This scenario might seem like a huge step backwards, but I believe it’s the most reasonable. Since product experts already consider every BlackBerry smartphone to be obsolete, there is no reason to waste precious time and money developing them for the waste bin. By focussing on perhaps their best innovation, BBM, they can gain some leverage and loyalty back. As it stands, BBM currently has 80-million active users.

The third possibility brings me back to BBM and the idea of thinking ahead of the curve and anticipating trends. BlackBerry failed to do that with touch screens, but they were able to foresee the future of instant messaging—well, at least they did many years ago. The original concept was risky. They made BBM exclusive to BlackBerry devices, which forced consumers to own a BlackBerry if they wanted to use the free and efficient messaging service. That tactic won’t work now, but there are many more innovations out there in the sea of wireless technology. In this scenario, it really does become an arms race, because Apple, Android, and a bunch of other little fish are racing for the same best new idea.

Ain’t no butterfly style

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Washington Capitals v Philadelphia Flyers

Toughest active NHL goalies

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

Formerly published in the Other Press. Nov. 2013

Philadelphia Flyers’ Ray Emery has a reputation: he’s a fighter and a competitor, which are quality traits for any professional athlete—most of the time. He’s bounced back from avascular necrosis, a disease that interrupts blood supply to joints, to win the Stanley Cup and the Williams Jennings Trophy, along with Corey Crawford, as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks. There is no doubt that Emery is as tough as they come, but despite all his achievements, his legacy might simply be the hotheaded bully who strayed too far from the crease.

While others debate whether “Sugar Ray” Emery’s actions—which include an altercation with his then team trainer in 2009 when he was with the Atlant Moscow Oblast, and recently instigating a fight against a passive Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals—are appropriate for the sport of hockey, I can’t help but wonder, if goaltenders were to enforce each other, whom would I choose to go 20 rounds, fist to fist against the undisputed heavyweight of goalies.

5. Mike Smith: The Phoenix ‘tender is known for having an aggressive style in net—and for pulling Flames’ right winger David Jones’ hair after the player crashed into Smith. More often than not, Smith lets the opposition know when they are too deep in his crease by giving them a slash or a trapper to the face. He doesn’t wait for the defencemen to come in to protect him. Smith is always a part of the kerfuffle around the net.

4. Tim Thomas: After his yearlong sabbatical, the goalie we remember so well from the 2011 playoffs has returned to the NHL as a Florida Panther, only to be injured early in the season. Although he isn’t at his healthiest state, I believe his track record can speak loudly for him. Thomas is as blue-collared as a goalie can get, and he has often made claims to being a big fan of mixed martial arts. When it comes to his style, he’s as active in the crease as he is out of it. He has scrapped with the likes of Alexandre Burrows, Sean Avery, and Jason Chimera—all tough guys.

3. Jonathan Bernier: The Toronto Maple Leafs finally have a tough goalie. Gone are the days of Vesa Toskala, Mikael Tellqvist, and Jonas Gustavsson. Although his only NHL fight was against the often tepid Ryan Miller of the Buffalo Sabres in a preseason game, Bernier showed that he indeed has some tenacity. He is young and so is his career, but I foresee many more bouts involving him.

2. Carey Price: The Montreal Canadiens’ goaltender has never shied away from confrontations, and his spunky attitude has both won and lost approval from fans. The days of him mocking the home crowd are now replaced with him standing up for his teammates. Price has matured as a player and is no longer simply looking out for himself. His most recent fight with our number four ranked Thomas showed off Price’s strength, when he pulled Thomas’ jersey over his head and dragged him a few feet across the ice. As tension builds in games, I’m no longer surprised to see Price drop the mitts and throw some hits.

1. Semyon Varlamov: The Avalanche’s goalie has never been in a fight, but due to the charges he is currently facing, I feel he deserves to be first on the list—if for no other reason than to picture him being pummelled by Emery. Varlamov may not have fought any opposing hockey players, but he did allegedly kick his girlfriend, Evgeniya Vavrinyuk, in the chest, knocked her down, and then continued to stomp on her. On October 30, he turned himself in on charges of domestic violence, including second-degree kidnapping and third-degree assault. So, wouldn’t we all like to see this tough guy get what’s coming to him?

The boomerang generation

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

How I learned to stop worrying and love debt, parents, and unemployment

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

Formerly published in The Other Press. Nov. 2013

It’s a cornerstone of North American culture to cherish independence; but how can parents really know when it’s the right time to strip off the training wheels and allow their children to go careering into traffic? How are the young adults going to balance work, school, and a social life while managing a household, or even just a small one-bedroom apartment? In this society, the ultimate proof of maturity isn’t a beard, a full-time job, or a college degree—it’s irreversible debt.

If you’re between the ages of 20-29 and you’re still living with your parents, relax—you’re in healthy company. The 2011 Census of Population by Statistics Canada reports that approximately 42.3 per cent of young adults in that age range are still living at home. This figure is much higher than it was in the past few decades, though: in 1991, the figure was 32.1 per cent, and in 1981 it was 26.9 per cent.

“Thirty is the new 20,” I remember some people saying when I reached the double-decade mark in my life. I wasn’t sure what that phrase meant then, but now I do. What they meant to say was that we now have until our 30s to get our shit together and build a life of our own. I must have wiped a bead of sweat off my forehead upon hearing that, feeling a bit relieved by the extra running room; but as it stands, with so many financial obstacles on the horizon, the dirty 30s may lead to more shameful realizations.

The quarter-life crisis

You did this to yourself—or maybe your parents and friends nudged you a little bit. Either way, you’re on your own now. No longer will your life magically clean itself when you’re off to school or work. Independence is an admirable trait, and most will respect you for it, but is paying your way through the hardest part of your life worth it? Taking a step forward is great, but you would hate to take two steps back.

Failure to launch is one thing; exploding in mid-flight due to a lack of preparation is a disaster all on its own. Or, at least, some will see it that way.

Progress is important. It’s what life’s all about, but there are no bad experiences as long as you learn something. Moving back home happens, and there’s nothing wrong with it. But how does one recover after such a defeat?

Whether you lost your job or got evicted, moving back home is an embarrassing endeavour. As disgraceful as it is, it still happens. A recent survey by the Pew Research Center showed that approximately 36 per cent of American millennials are living with their parents, thus labelling them the “boomerang generation.”

If or when you do return home and see the room you grew up in, nostalgia hitting you as fast as your mother’s nagging, remember that this is your chance to display some redeeming qualities. Don’t—I repeat—don’t fall back to old high school habits.

First off, you’re no longer allowed to whine about your parents. Consider another safety net: who else would catch you when you fall? There aren’t many choices.

That being said, you’re now entitled to have a lock on your door, if you didn’t have one before. You’ve created your own independence, and it’s important that you continue to keep your space separate from that of your parents’. Let them know that your room is sacred and should be respected, and vice versa.

Pay rent. Your parents will understand that you’re financially unstable—duh, you’re back home—but do chip in to show your appreciation. They may love you unconditionally, but they still deserve a retirement. Paying a bit of rent will mitigate the guilt.

Get out of the house as frequently as you can. Don’t loaf around waiting for an opportunity to knock on daddy’s door. Here is where you bounce back with grace. Seek work tenaciously, volunteer, intern, take a course, do anything to show your family that you’re not going to boomerang again—you’re going to slingshot.

The follow-your-passion generation

The social stigma of living at home with your mom and dad needs to stop. Parents need to understand the struggles that their children are facing. Since the recession in 2008, the unemployment rate for young adults has remained relatively unchanging—at about 14 per cent, says Statistics Canada. That might not seem high, but one in four working millennials with a college degree has a full-time job that doesn’t require it. Moreover, almost half of young people are in low-paying employment such as retail, food service, or low-level clerical work—none of which are enough to reverse student debt.

There are many names for our generation these days, but the one I prefer is the “follow-your-passion generation.” Some may see it as indolence or underachievement, but I don’t. It’s easy to settle and fall into a repetitive job and become a lifer, going from paycheque to paycheque, frugally supporting yourself and a family. Although student debt, the bank, and the Hotel of Mom and Dad may seem like a millstone with higher interest rates than expected, we must remember the ultimate goal: it might all be a ticket to a better life.

It’s not easy pursuing a passion. Even though you want to be the ultimate success story, the model of independence, and a perfect example of a self-made person, the fact is “self-made” anything is a complete fiction. Alter your values a bit: don’t just aim to be successful, be gracious as well. Accept help when it’s offered, and return it. After all, the hand that feeds you needs you.

The perfect storm for us millennials is unfortunate, and braving it alone can be daunting. Moral, emotional, and financial support can do more for young adults than a dingy $600 per month basement suite. Avoiding the risk of fostering entitlement and sloth, parents willing to accommodate their children until they have a firm footing must understand the difference between independence and interdependence. Parents must humble their children without discouraging, and support them without smothering.

Kids, don’t view your parents’ home like a probation office, because it isn’t. It’s your home, too. You’ve been living there for 20-something years. You might have had some chores now and then, but your mom and dad never counted on you to do any heavy lifting before. By contributing now to the mundane housekeeping, you’ll prep yourself for the inevitable. Just like the boomerangers, show your family progress. Regardless of the length of your stay, take them out to dinner and tell them about school, work, or anything else. Believe it or not, your parents really do want you to be happy—so quit complaining about how unfair life is.

Remember, as long as you’re contributing, you’re not mooching.

The third culture kids

The “third culture kids” phenomenon is becoming more prevalent today due to the high immigration rate throughout the past several decades. The best way to describe a “third culture kid” is with colour—bear with me: if parents from a blue country move to a yellow country and have a child, that child will grow up in a green world, thus trapped between cultures. I am a third culture kid, and I am currently facing the decision; should I abide by the customs of my ancestors, or of my home?

Occasionally, my parents will remind me of all their successes when they were young. After all, at the ripe age of 24, they were married, starting their own business, and had a mortgage and a child (me). I have none of that, but I do offer expertise that my parents don’t have. Whether or not they think of me as an investment is besides the point. The point is, I am their only child and sooner or later, due to Chinese customs, the responsibility will fall on me to take care of them; not some pension plan or retirement home—me.

That is the prevalent tradition in many countries, including Italy, India, and South Korea. In Anglo cultures, multi-generational households seems to be a burden, but it’s in fact highly beneficial. These households create their own little community, where each member plays a certain role to minimize the stress and responsibility. To move out before marriage would be abandonment, and to families that practice this custom, they see shame in the defiance of responsibility—not in a lack of independence.

So here I am, in my mid-20s, dreaming the Canadian dream, torn between what I want, what my family wants, and what society deems respectable. So the decision, like my bed, remains unmade: should I stay or should I go?

Five Holiday Tech Purchases to Avoid This Boxing Day

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Holidays and bargains go hand-in-hand these days. Shopping has become a tradition, but that shouldn’t mean aimlessly picking up every discounted item in the store.

With technology, we must recognize the good deals from the products that will inevitably be obsolete in a couple of years—maybe less. Here are some notable technologies that might not even be worth re-gifting this year.

1. DVD Players: Your DVD collection, the white elephant in the room. You have found yourself packaging these ancient entertainment relics along with other gift for friends and family this year—you know, as a joke. Yes, we remember the Great War between Blu-rays and HD DVD. Now the war is over and there is peace this holiday season—DVD is dead.

But that doesn’t mean your complete collection of The Sopranos is garbage: you can still play DVDs on your computer and gaming consoles. Be wary about buying Blu-ray as well; physical entertainment is at a crossroad. Many are choosing the path of downloading and streaming. But perhaps DVDs will make a come back like vinyl—though don’t hold your breath.

2. Low-level Digital Camera and Camcorders: I’m going to take a wild guess and assume you have a smartphone. And through that skillful detective work, I am also guessing you are capable of filming and taking pictures with that said smartphone.

The popular Samsung Galaxy S4 has a 13-megapixel camera and the iPhone 5S has an 8-megapixel camera. By this time next year, don’t be surprised to see all standard smartphones with fully capable cameras to take selfies with. The Nokia Lumina 1020 has set the standard for consumer camera/phone with their 41-megapixel camera.

There is no reason to buy a point-and-shoot camera or camcorder anymore, unless you want to entertain a child—even then, they might have caught on already too.

3. GPS: If you are buying a GPS, you’re obviously already lost. There was a time when we were paranoid about the government knowing our whereabouts—now it’s a little alarming if we can’t Google Map our way out of a suburban cul-de-sac.

Smartphones have built in GPS that are as reliable as any store-bought portable GPS and newer vehicles are equipped with built in navigation systems as well.

4. Fitness Trackers: Love it or hate it, fitness trackers are now officially a thing. This popular trend has taken our health-conscious culture by storm—but where exactly is this storm? Fitness technology often operates with an initial burst of motivation. New Year’s resolution: you’ll get back in shape. But odds are by March the fitness tracker you bought is hidden in your sock drawer where it can’t shame you.

Before you commit to this purchase ask around, I bet you already have a friend who has an abandoned fitness tracker they will happily “lend” to you. Give that a test drive. Moreover, the iPhone 5S’s M7 motion co-processor functions as an effective fitness tracker all on its own.

5. MP3 Player: For too long MP3 players have lived in the shadows of iPods. Few can compare itself to the iPod Classic and its 160 GB of hard drive or the functionality of the iPod touch. Any MP3 player purchased at a discount price will have a limited hard drive—you might as well stick with the music playing function on your smartphone.

Consumers are beginning to seek out all-in-one options with their technology. We want our devices to behave like a Swiss Army knife. Saving room is the theme of this holiday season and especially when it comes to our wallets. There are a lot of fantastic new stuff this year, so don’t get caught up in the bargain basket. Have a happy holiday.

Conquer Mobile the First Company to Join Health Tech Connexx Incubator

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Earlier this month, the city of Surrey announced the start of the Innovation Boulevard and Health Tech Connexx (HTC), an incubator that will provide lab spaces and services to those in the tech industry seeking solutions for real-world problems.

The first company to join this innovative collective is Vancouver-based Conquer Mobile, best known for their collaboration with GenomeDX and NGRAIN.

Upon joining HTC, Conquer Mobile’s goal is to develop virtual reality simulation for medical experts practicing their craft of lifesaving. Conquer Mobile and other companies that will join HTC will work with Kwantlan Polytechnic University to help advance the technology and education in the medical field.

“Innovation Boulevard offers a space for high-technology companies to get together, to create a critical mass—of over a hundred,” Aaron Hilton, CTO and co-founder of Conquer Mobile told Techvibes. “This critical mass is really important because it allows meet-ups, group activities and anything else like that to be convenient for everybody. We can all start trading ideas with each other and have a rich mix of surgeons, nurses, trainers and the whole structure of health care plugged in with the high-tech people.”

Conquer Mobile and the other companies that will join HTC are projected to be moving into the newly built office and lab spaces in the spring of 2014. Until then Conquer Mobile continues to develop innovative solutions to problems in the medical field and the most pertinent one is applying virtual reality to help and educate doctors, surgeons and other medical professionals as they prepare for high-risk procedures.

“We are trying to avoid the bubble-think phenomenon,” said Hilton. “If you search for the same stuff, you’ll only know a certain amount—you don’t really get a broad understanding of it. Our objective with the simulation and training is to test your limit. We need to know the broad stuff. You can’t just think about the ordinary. When things go smoothly, that’s great. That’s basic training. But what happens if you knick a vain and the patient is bleeding? What do you do—right away? You need to get everyone on the same page.”

An overwhelming amount of medical professionals are now relying on technology to improve their practice. Hilton suggested that all doctors and surgeons today are using iPads to perform their duties. Of course iPads are a consumer product, nothing too special. With technology more accessible to patients than ever, many of those with ailments are diagnosing themselves or meeting the doctors with great knowledge—but with untrained errors.

“[Educated patients] is just a reality doctors have to deal with,” said Hilton. “Not all your patients are idiots and you’ll have to keep up. It’s kind of interesting, the next generations of doctors are going to start leveraging tools.”

As HTC and Surrey’s Innovation Boulevard prepares for accommodation, Hilton is welcoming innovators and virtual reality enthusiast to Vancouver VR, an event showcasing new virtual reality gears and opening dialogue about the future of digital health.

Vidoyen Offers Answers Without the Hassle of Reading

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Toronto-based Vidoyen is innovating the way we exchange knowledge through social media.

Amidst all the rambling rants, self-brags, and gossips comes trustworthy and stimulating video content from experts in the world of politics, business, academics and other respected professions.

“We [Vidoyen] are like TedTalk meets Twitter,” founder and CEO of Vidoyen, Arshia Tabrizi explains to Techvibes. “We are a site that provides two-minute videos that’ll inform and inspire. And for the experts we have built a custom social media platform for them to engage with their audience in a much more authentic way.”

We are all bombarded with information and content daily. There is an overwhelming amount noise out there; on social media platforms where there are no moderators or curators, it’s often the loudest voices that get heard—and they aren’t necessary the most valuable.

Vidoyen has filtered out the nonsense and assembled a group of contributors with expertise. These contributors are selected through an application process where certain aspects are assessed including established reputation and knowledge in a particular field. Unlike YouTube and other user-generated content sites, Vidoyen only publishes videos with helpful and reliable answers to compelling and sometimes complicated questions.

“Anybody who is busy would not want to spend a lot of time scouring the Internet,” said Tabrizi. “They want smart, short-form video content that they can trust.”

Vidoyen has developed a one spot create, review and share platform, which allows both the creators and audience to push the content out to all social media channels. While the questions for the experts can be complex, the usability and the content must be short and simple.

“People are tired of reading text,” said Tabrizi. “We are constantly reading stuff on our mobile phone—a lot of reading devices have small screens—so no matter what we do it’s still hard on the eye. People are looking for different kinds of media to consume. We believe that video is great for communicating and retaining information in the way that distinguishes itself from text.”

On a text-heavy planet, it’s easy to disconnect ourselves from the people around us. Often times we forget that there is another person on the other side of a text message or an email thread. Vidoyen stresses the value of personalities and the significance it adds to the information and opinions being offered. The tiny human element that is often lost in words can be captured in video, especially when you witness the passion behind the person speaking about a subject that really matters to them.

The Internet has become a megaphone for people with something to say, but the freedom of speech has lowered the standard of legitimacy. While some are shouting into the void of YouTube, others can be found on Vidoyen chiming in and offer their insights to questions worth answering and commentary worth hearing.

“We insure quality,” said Tabrizi, “we are about quality over quantity.”

For those who wish to contribute to Vidoyen the next round applications will be opened until December 15.

Nice Guys Can Lead Startups, Too

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Here you are, straight out of grad school on a pervious entrepreneurial endeavour. You have been warned about the trials and tribulation of managing your own business, leading a team, and branding your ideas against a thousand other brilliant ideas.

The ecosystem is more competitive than ever and nobody has to tell you this again. Still, you believe in yourself, your team and the company culture—but do you have the guts to say “no” when it really counts and still be compassionate?

IT’S HOW YOU SAID IT

With the advances of technology came the decline of alpha male CEOs; startups can no longer function as a dictatorship. The majority of communication today is done through text, emails and social media: there isn’t the same opportunity to be bold and ruthless with big decisions.

Leaders are merely members of the troop and even though certain responsibilities fall upon their shoulder, they should not forget that the company comes first. Albeit the original concept may have been their brainchild, it took a team effort to bring it to life—even though it might still be in its infancy.

It’s easy to be blindsided as you company expands, especially when investors show interest and competitors take notice. You consider all that to be good. Somewhere along the lines you have shaken the right hands and smiled the right way. The reason for such success may be your company’s appeal, but it’s probably your passion.

Communicating your company’s vision with enthusiasm is the best way to be likeable. But then you listen to others responses and they throw in their two cents and start making criticisms. You reevaluate your objectives and here is where good leaders stand up with their company’s conviction.

Be adaptive, but also assertive. The worst thing a leader can do is to lose focus of the company’s ultimate goal. Good leaders will take opinions into consideration, but they will not be easily swayed or led astray.

COOK UP SOMETHING GOOD

Humbled by the fact that you need your team as much as they need you, you check your ego at the door every day and work hard to grow and scale your business. You play by the rules, offer a slice of pie to everyone on the team and wait for the $3 billion offer from Facebook or Google or whoever is willing to drop some crumbs down to you.

Sounds a little pathetic, huh? But believe it or not, we are all after the same crumbs—there is nothing glamourous about this area of business.

Gratitude is an important value not just as a leader, but also as a human being. Your company’s journey will hopefully be a long one and that means your employees, like all people will get complacent. Acknowledging achievable milestones and creating incentives when they are reach is a way of showing your team how much you appreciate their efforts in an authoritative manner.

You might be after the crumbs—but you can offer some, too.

FULL STEAM AHEAD

In journalism it’s often known as the scoop; it’s intelligence that few know. As the leader, you are often rewarded with key information that you can choose to share or keep to yourself. Quality leaders need to know how to stymie gossip and inform others.

But not everything should be communicated. Leaders should be able to recognize certain discouraging data that may ultimately stress the staff. Turbulent times will test you leadership qualities best. If bad news surfaces within the collective, do address it by holding a meeting or through email, connecting in some way will allow you to refocus the group on the company’s goal and finding a solution to the problem.

People want to talk. But when the talking ends, you must make a clear decisive decision. If it fails, the collective fails—if it succeeds, the collective succeeds. You made the decision, but it’s not about you.

It’s best to leave the group out of the daily mundane worrisome junk that every business has to deal with. Don’t forget that you are captaining the ship and it’s important to keep moving forward. As a leader it’s your duty to take some of the pain during though times. You may feel like a push over and that you don’t deserve the emotional beating, but remember pressure is a privilege. Take ownership and rise above it.

NICE GUYS FINISH LAST

If you don’t succeed, you might use this old saying as some comfort. “At least I’m nice,” you’d say to yourself.

Nonsense. Ignorance finishes last, miscommunication finishes last, belittling other’s ideas finishes last—nice guys and nice leaders are reasons the startup industry is so appealing. It’s what makes entrepreneurs who have failed try again.

So: nice guys out there who have paid their dues and still haven’t reap the rewards, I advise not to change your attitude, because nice guys will always get second chances, while the bad guys might just have to go for broke.

What’s on tap?

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / Leave a comment

Quit your “wine-ing”—it’s just beer

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

Formerly published in the Other Press. Nov. 2013

Wine drinkers are often associated with distinguished sophistication—and a bit of pretentiousness. At one point or another, we have heard a wine snob complaining about Merlot’s dry taste, or how they can’t tolerate the sweetness of Chardonnay. Well, it looks like alcohol snobbery affects more than just wine. Since the rise in craft beer’s popularity, beer snobs have taken the judgmental reins in house parties, bars, and poker tables all across the country—and they need to put a cork in it.

Ever since I acquired the taste for beer, it has been my go-to choice at most social events. There’s a simplicity to beer drinking. You don’t need to mix, or shoot, or anything like that—whatever is in the glass, bottle, or can is good to go. Sure, there are fancy choices, like the “Rolls-Royce” Wild Rose, or the “Louis Vuitton” La Fin Du Monde; but more often than not, I just want to be financially responsible and go for the “Honda Civic“ Molson Canadian or “H&M” Kokanee.

On average, booze prices in BC are some of the highest in Canada, and it isn’t even worth comparing to our neighbours down south. Whether the government decided to tax alcohol so heavily to help funding or to discourage drinking is irrelevant—the point is that if we want to enjoy a beverage, it’s going to cost us.

The truth is, I’m a beer-lover and I enjoy the fancy craft beers and microbrews as much as any other enthusiast, but the same way I don’t go and have a medium-rare steak at The Keg every night, I don’t splurge on the “la-dee-da” imports every time I order a drink, either. Whatever is on tap will be just fine for me. After all, I’m on a student budget. I don’t need you to remind me about that. So stop acting so high and mighty—it’s just a drink.

Some people consider drinking a bad habit; I consider it a relaxing way to pass the time with friends. Snobbery and unfair judgment, on the other hand, I do consider a bad habit. Truth is, beer snobs are usually unaware of their snobbery, because they’re blinded by their passion. That way most music snobs think only alternative music is relevant? Beer snobs feel the same way about beer.

Instead of being snobby about others’ choices, beer snobs/aficionados should share their knowledge and explain why they made the premier or the unconventional choice. Be generous and offer others a sip. The diversity of beer is astounding and it shouldn’t be a solitary exploration. Not everybody can afford to be adventurous every time they go out, so be respectful. After all, good beer doesn’t equal good times, but good friends do. Cheers.

The test of time

December 28, 2013 / Elliot Chan / 1 Comment

Longer life expectancy means less financial stability in the latter years

By Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor

For those still in their roaring 20s, let’s think longterm for a moment—say, 40 years from now. The world has changed and so have you. You have a family, a mortgage, car payments, a stable job, ailing parents, credit card debt, medical bills, and multiple other financial responsibilities to worry about, yet retirement is around the corner. You ask yourself, “Am I ready for it? Have I saved enough? Or will the next 20 years be as gruelling as the first?”

Don’t act so surprised when I tell you that most millennials aren’t thinking about retirement—not because they don’t want to, but because they might not get one. We have been crippled by so many different factors, including increased taxes and cost of living, disappearing pensions, high educational debt, and a competitive job market. At this point, it’s hard to imagine life as a 40-year-old, let alone a 70-year-old.

It’s rare to see people hang up their work clothes at 55 nowadays. According to Statistics Canada, the average retirement age in 2011 was 63.2 for men and 61.4 for women. There are simply too many financial burdens, so every extra year of work adds a buffer to the savings account. If baby boomers are having such difficulty retiring, what about the millennials?

I’m not saying that we should call for a crisis or have the government hold our hands through this lifelong ordeal, but what would benefit us is a bit of systematic assistance. I suggest a mandatory test every decade to help with the retirement mathematics. The test would examine multiple factors, including financial stability, health, and family status. Although privacy is important, it’s critical that we learn to take care of ourselves, lest we become burdens on our family, friends, and society. This will break our fears and reluctance of taking out the “retirement calculators” and finding out how many dreadful zeros we’ll need in order to survive.

Retirement funds aren’t a problem we millennials can solve now. What we can do is stay the course, and even if there aren’t any implemented tests to assess our stability, we can still manage that ourselves. Don’t waste your youth worrying, but it never hurts to consider the necessities of your long life. A survey done by Pentegra Retirement Services found that 62 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds think $500,000 is enough for their retirement. The consensus is that number is too low. According to Statistics Canada, the current annual spending cost of a couple over 65 is $51,000, but for an enjoyable retirement they’ll need as much as $60,000 a year. The price will undoubtedly increase for us.

It might seem completely bleak at the moment, but allow us to go back to the short-term; we’re still young and we have full control of our lives. We’re packed with potential and opportunities are still knocking. If we don’t want to be eating peanut butter and jelly everyday in our old age, we can change that. Now is the time to get the upper hand. Rainy days and debts are inevitable, but hey, there’s a silver lining to those looming golden years.