Retiring WOW

Closing one chapter - opening another

After 32 incredible years, I am officially completing the slow and thoughtful retirement of WOW Communications & Training.

In 1994, while working in a high-profile and well-paying position in Development and Public Relations at the University of Lethbridge, I made a leap that would change my life. I left security behind and stepped into entrepreneurship.

What began as ad agency services — design, media buying, and website development — evolved quickly. In 2000, I opened a Calgary office. With so many agencies in that market, I chose to specialize in Brand Strategy. That decision opened doors across Canada. One client was a large Management Consulting organization that hired me as a coach in Brand strategy. This allowed me to work with large, multi-million-dollar Canadian companies I would never have reached on my own.

Ironically, during those early years of national growth, I only had two clients in my hometown of Lethbridge.

In 2008, during Alberta’s oil crash, I saw businesses struggling deeply with sales. That inspired me to write my first book, Sales Suck, Now What? It was written as a practical, respectful, back-to-basics guide for business owners who needed clarity and confidence in their sales approach. The principles were simple and solid — and that’s why the book remains timeless.

Later, while teaching Marketing, Sales, and Networking for a government entrepreneurship program, I recognized another gap. Entrepreneurs needed branding guidance that spoke to real budgets — not New York businesses with multi-million-dollar campaigns. That led to my second book in 2020, Be the Unicorn, It Starts with Your Brand. Like the first, it focuses on fundamentals that never go out of style. Strong branding, done properly, is timeless.

Looking back, it has been a wild, exhilarating rollercoaster ride — and I loved it. I am proud to have helped thousands of people across Canada, as well as clients in the United States and Europe. Watching entrepreneurs gain clarity, confidence, and growth has been one of the greatest privileges of my life.

So what’s next?

Three things (for the moment...):

  1. I am just putting the finishing touches on my third book, ABroad Escapes - nothing to do with Branding and everything to do with travel, another passion of mine.
  2. I have been reading Tarot cards for people for more than 30 years. I deeply love this way of helping people. As of 2026, I have provided Tarot readings for people across the globe, except in China, New Zealand and Britain. Hmmm, I'd better start reaching out to those areas. 
  3. I am, at heart, someone who always wants to learn. I am now studying to become a Certified Naturopath. Through WOW, I helped people build healthy businesses. Now, I look forward to helping people build healthy bodies and lives — with the same focus on clarity, fundamentals, and confidence.

It feels less like an ending and more like an evolution.

Thanks to my family for walking beside me for 33 years — through every twist and turn. I may not said it often enough, because it makes my heart explode and my tears run, but their support has meant more to me than I can put into words. I carry it with me every day.

Thanks also to every client, colleague, partner, and friend who trusted me along the way. WOW Communications & Training may be retiring, but my passion for guiding, teaching, and learning certainly is not.

Here’s to the next chapter...