A personal note from your Uncle Ralph

My 80th Year Celebration of Life and Reflections on the Lessons Learned

I recently celebrated my 80th year with the valued friends and family,

colleagues and business associates, who had been part of my long, healthy and prosperous life. They all contributed their efforts and expertise, words of wisdom, and encouragement or critique, that resulted in my successes and saved me from my biggest mistakes. We enjoyed reminiscing and sharing the stories, and the lessons we learned together.

This note is a recap of the event and a summary of the highlights to provide some context to my ongoing commentary and business advice and some additional food for thought.

My Life in Eight Decades

 

Who is Del Chatterson?

Delvin R. Chatterson, you can call me Del or your Uncle Ralph

·    Rocky Mountain Boy born in Kimberley, BC – May 18th, 1945

·    Graduate of Selkirk Senior Secondary – Class of ’63

·    Graduate of UBC – Mining Engineering, Class of ’68

·    McGill MBA, Class of ’72

·    Alcan Aluminum, Head Office, Montreal – Purchasing Agent & Financial Analyst (1972-75)

·    Currie, Coopers & Lybrand, Toronto – Management Consultant (1975-82) – Sick Companies, Mine Management & Materials Management

·    AES Data – Word Processing Equipment – Director of Materials Management (1982-84)

·    President of TTX Computer Products and D&D Distribution (1986 -1997)

·    President (146152 Canada Inc), Chatterson & Associates, DirectTech Solutions, and Uncle Ralph’s Publishing Empire (1984-.…?

·    Founder and writer at LearningEntrepreneurship.com

·    Author of the Dale Hunter Thriller Series and other crime fiction and incoming Board Chair of Crime Writers of Canada

Lessons Learned over the past Eight Decades

 

Thank you, Mom & Dad

·    Nice guys don’t always finish last. Be Nice!

·    Be Canadian – Polite, respectful, considerate, responsible.

·    Stop day-dreaming, go and do your homework.

·    You can’t make honey out of dog shit.

·    Always do a good job, then charge like hell! 

Thank you, Family, Friends, Colleagues and Associates

·    Don't waste time.

·    Speak up against stupidity and incompetence wherever you find it.

·    Give more than you get - especially patience and understanding, trust and respect.

·    Step up and speak up, don't stand back and shut up.

·    Do it right, but not necessarily right now.

·    Muti-tasking is a formula for fucking it up.

·    Focus on PDT for better performance: Power, Determination and Technique - for strength, resilience, and mastery of the fundamentals.

·    For a satisfying and prosperous healthy life, remember PPFFF: Constant attention to your Physical, Psychological and Financial health and the important relationships with Friends and Family.

·    Enjoy your life!

My Plans for the Next Decade

(Always optimistic and ambitious.)

·    More Dale Hunter Thrillers, more Kid from California Short Stories, a fictional family memoir, Just a Farm Boy from Saskatchewan, and more business books on Enlightened Entrepreneurship. 

·    Continuing articles and commentary on business, politics and life.

·    More fiction and non-fiction writing published, attracting a wider audience.

·    More time spent with family and friends on leisure activities, engaging with more creative arts, culture and history, attend more world class professional sports events, and tour the sights not-yet-visited in Africa, Middle East & South America. 

Those are my thoughts for your consideration while you’re enjoying a relaxing and thoughtful summer, before we all get back to business with new ideas and plans to be launched with the enthusiasm and energy necessary to accomplish our objectives. 

Be better. Do Better. Be an Enlightened Entrepreneur.

Wishing you well with your own personal and business plans building on a solid understanding of the lessons learned from past experience.

Enjoy the summer break!

Del Chatterson, your Uncle Ralph