Business Insights

George Torok is a bestselling author of “Secrets of Power Marketing”. He is the host of “Business in Motion” He is a specialist in helping small and medium sized business gain an unfair advantage over the competition.

George Torok offers insights and ideas for small and medium sized buisness on branding and building relationships.
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Insights from this radio show

Branding might not be the answer to your marketing needs.
Big business spends lots of money on branding because they have no other choice.
Small and medium sized buisness can build relationahps instead.
Branding is only a second rate perverted relationship.
The magic words to building relationships are please, thank you and you’re welcome.

Small Business Branding on Business in Motion

Interview with Beth Oakes, Managing Partner of The Oakes Group

The Oakes Group provides career advice to executives and professionals. Beth Oakes has worked most if not all her career in the business of human resources and human capital. She previously held the positions of Managing Partner at Millar Dallas – an outplacement firm and Executive Vice President at DHR - an executive search firm.
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Insights from this interview with Beth Oakes

In spite of her corporate experience, Beth has always seen herself as an entreprenuer.

Entrepreneurs can make their own decisions and they can fall by them.

This industry of coaching executives and managers is new within the last 5 to to 10 years and it is growing. Corporate executives and managers have much less time to mentor and guide their staff.

Coaching can be like being a parent…

As an entrepreneur you worry about the cash flow and you can be lonely.

Advice to an entrepreneur: Write a good business plan and create an advisory board.

Steel on the outside – cotton on the inside.

Building a good network is much more than making friends.
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Listen to the podcast of this radio interview with Beth Oakes

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George Torok is the host or Business in Motion, the weekly radio show on CFMU

Interview with Murray Hogarth, Executive Chairman of Pioneer Petroleums, President and CEO of the Pioneer Group

Murray Hogarth launched the first Pioneer gas station in 1956. Today there are more than 150 Pioneer gas stations across Ontario.

Pioneer donates 1% of profits – not revenue to charity.

Murray Hogarth was instrumental in the formation of CAFE – the Canadian Association of Family Enterprises.

Pioneer is the largest independant gas station chain.

Murray Hogarth was voted the Entrepreneur of the Year by the Burlington Economic
Development Corporation for 2010.
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Insights from this interview:

“We wanted to beat the major oil companies at their game.”

“In the existing model, the customer was an interruption and the employee approached the customer with a bad attitude.”

“We introduced the first loyalty program – bonus bucks.”

“Where do you get innovative ideas? Listen to what your customer wants.”

“You have to have drive and a vision.”

“Insulate yourself from the risk.”

Listen to this radio interview

George Torok

Host of Business in Motion

Canadian Business Speaker

Interview with Jan Nichols, President of Bay Gardens Funeral Home in Burlington and Hamilton, Ontario.

Listen to podcast

This is not your standard funeral home. It’s exciting. It has high ceilings, a waterfall and videos screens.

Insights from this interview:

“The most successful opening of a funeral home in North America. Most are lucky to get 100 people to attend. We had over 800!”

“Rooms are named after waterfalls, plants or ponds instead of being called Salon A and Salon B.”

“People want food at a funeral – but not in the same room as the body or in the basement.”

“Reaching out to non-profit organizations and giving them free access to meeting rooms.”

Listen to this podcast of the 30 minute interview with Jan Nichols here.

More podcasts from Business in Motion