Significant Opportunities! - Savage Management

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in organizational development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with David Savage, Founder and President of Savage Management Ltd., located in Cranbrook, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Savage Management coaches leaders and organizations through complex challenges to turn them into significant opportunities! Our key clients are organizations and entrepreneurs that have recognized the barriers they are facing before their goals can be achieved. These barriers are, most often, within the teams and the organizational culture. We serve very small and large organizations that commit to change and innovation.

The key questions organizations that work with us are finally able to answer are:

• What are poor communication, conflict, misunderstanding, limiting perspectives, distraction, hardline positions, misalignment of your people, lost productivity, wasted time, and wasted resources costing you?
• What is the purpose of your business? and
• What are our most important values?

Tell us about yourself

In today's increasingly complex and challenging business environment, I seek to make a positive difference in the outcomes of our people and organizations. I am serving my grandchildren by serving my clients and community. We can not let our future degrade.

My focus is engaging organizations and leaders with the appropriate skills, processes, tools, and resources to work together better. Far too often, we fail without knowing the real reasons why. Or we take "rights-based" or "locked-in" positions that drive people and opportunities away.

By learning, developing, teaching, and coaching leaders and teams best practices and processes on collaborative leadership, communication, innovation, negotiation, and visioning, the future we dream of becomes not only possible but greater.

My expertise, experience, and leadership include oil and gas, renewable energy, health care, entrepreneurship, stakeholder engagement, business development, coaching, and conflict management.

I am the President of Savage Management Ltd., Advisor at The Canadian Energy and Climate Nexus, Director of Waterton Glacier International Peace Park Association, and Chair of the Conservation and Environment Committee Waterton Glacier I.P.P.A.

Past Director, Chair, and President roles include the ?aq’am (St. Mary's Indian Band) Community Enterprises, Rotary Club of Cranbrook Sunrise, Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (District 5080), Canadian Association of Professional Speakers Calgary, Heart and Stroke Foundation Alberta, Nunavut and NWT, Petroleum Joint Venture Association (President) and Mediators Beyond Borders International- Canada.

I have nine published books, including Better by Design: Your Best Collaboration Guide, Break Through to Yes: Unlocking the Possible within a Culture of Collaboration 2018 Edition, The Collaborative Podcast Series, Ready Aim Excel! And Company to Company Dispute Resolution Council published the Let's Talk Handbook. My tv appearances and podcasts offer you over 55 opportunities to learn.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment and resource is the development of a solid, diverse, and courageous network locally and internationally. When I reach out for assistance, feedback, or a challenge, the people in my network have helped me succeed.

My 2016 book "Break Through To Yes: Unlocking the Possible within a Culture of Collaboration" was a major achievement. Unlike other books on leadership and collaboration, Break Through To Yes included the wisdom, insights, and resources offered by over 100 people in 8 nations. My podcasts and tv appearances always offer connection and learning from one another.

Since 2018, I have been speaking on Nobody Gets to Be Right. Curiosity and authenticity are necessary ingredients for loyalty, revenue, and a future focus.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Realizing we can't do it alone. Knowing that even the best educated, highest paid, and most respected executives must have a trusted, diverse and honest circle around them. Leadership can be a very lonely place. By seeing our organizations as a sustainable ecosystem with constant care, we take the heat off ourselves and allow others to help us achieve our dreams.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

1. Dedicate time and assessment to answer these critical questions:

• What is your true purpose as a business?
• Who is asking for your product or service now and in the future?
• Who is your ideal client?
• What is your clear value proposition to that ideal client?
• Do you have the right people, board members, and culture to survive the first two years and then thrive?

2. Preserve cash and maximize collaborations.

3. Dance. Live a great life. Your new business will be energized by fun, engagement, and creativity.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.davidbsavage.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DavidBSavage1/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/savagedavidb/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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