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In early 2011 I had a revelation. I had an enormous decision to make in my life. Would I continue in my family business, doing something I enjoyed, but in a company I wasn’t enthralled with? Would I leave the family business altogether? Or would I take on the company and transform it from the inside out? I am happy,

Every frame is a work of art and every frame job is special in some way… But every once in a while, something truly rare and special comes your way. We have the honor of restoring a very rare frame in our Toronto HQ workshop. Originally constructed in 1890 in Paris, this Art Nouveau-inspired masterpiece is a rare find. Its

Today was the last day in Houston and it was emotional, to say the least. It is so crazy to think how quickly the past 4 days have gone by, I feel like I have finally gotten into the mucking and gutting routine instead of answering emails at my desk. The past few days I have been working with an

It’s hard to believe that the 2-year anniversary of Hurricane Harvey is only a few weeks away when there are still so many residents here in need of assistance. Can you imagine bracing for a Category 4 storm when it’s been 12 years since any hurricane made landfall over the Houston metro-plex (Wilma, 2005). Even for residents who maintained memories

I awoke this morning to the quiet sounds of rustling bags, as my bunkmates began to prepare for the day ahead. I rolled over to check the time on my phone, I couldn’t believe that it was already 6:00 am. After two days living here at ‘The Base’ as it’s affectionately called, we had all learned the drill. Everyone gets dressed

Day 2 Recap – In the Field – Houston, TX Today was the first day we were on site at the Jackson’s house, Amy’s house, and Chris’s home. Each of us were at a different location site, all geared up and ready to go. The day started with orientation and safety training for the week. We were already made aware of our

Mission Houston 2019 Begins – Houston, TX Day one was filled with anticipation, excitement and a whole lot of fun!  It always feels like the first day of school where you don’t know what to expect… you have excitement and butterflies in your stomach. The Toronto team had a flight out of Pearson International Airport at 8:15 am. So it was

Wow! It’s been an incredible week in Detroit. Not only is today our last day, but it’s also the last day for the kids. They’ve been here for six weeks and their summer is wrapping up with a park party, complete with bouncy castles, obstacle course, slides and a mobile video game truck. This is the first time that we’ve

Decisions. We all have decisions we can make. For me, it was the decision to be a part of something bigger than myself. It was the decision to make a change. During my week here at the CDC my eyes have been opened to just how lucky we are. We’ve never had to worry about receiving an education, we’ve been

The day started early at 6am preparing breakfast for the group. We had egg casserole, fresh fruit and toast. We couldn’t help but think that in a couple of hours the kids would be having a bowl of cereal with milk at the day camp. For some of the kids, the meals at the day camp may be the only

It’s 6am and the team begins to wake. We shower up and begin making bacon, eggs, toast, fruit, coffee, juice and tea to fill our tummies for what is going to be a long day. We wash up with toothpaste and put on our clean clothes. We jump into our new white rented van and head out to the Central

This morning we began our week here at the CDC. We were given a tour of Central Detroit Christian Community Development and learned more about the summer program we’ll be helping out with during our week here. We were introduced to Kayla, a staff member who instructed us on getting the tables and chairs set up for the kids who

So it’s been four days now, and we’re exhausted! But as the others have said before me, it has been truly rewarding. As Roma’s videographer, I have had the unique opportunity, to experience this mission as both a participant and through the lens of a camera. Every day, I was able to document and see just how hard our team

Today, the team split up to work in two locations. Below are the stories from three team members who were split between both groups.   Mike’s House Today was our day to finish the work in “Uncle” Mikes house that we began yesterday. Yesterday we focused on gutting the place, but today Mikes place began to take shape again. As we

Today, we met an 84 year old man named Mike. In his early years, Mike owned his own construction company and was very successful. During his latter years he endured Hurricane Katrina and a loss of property and personal belongings. Five years ago, Mike suffered a severe stroke that left him in a wheelchair, paralyzed on his right side and

Today was truly an amazing day of giving and receiving! Today began our journey with the people of Hands On and the residents of New Orleans! The day started with a one hour journey to the areas affected by major flooding. We were greeted and briefed by the kind people of the local Morman Church in Hammond. At first glace,

“Quality means doing it right when no one is looking” – Henry Ford Recently, I’ve been inspired to write this blog on “Quality” for a number of reasons! I’ve always been infatuated with companies who delivered quality on a number of fronts. Whether it is the quality of their products, quality of their… Read more at TonyGareri.com

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result. Clearly, Einstein was onto something!!! In today’s busy, fast paced, volatile market place, many business entrepreneurs and leaders have subscribed to Einstein’s definition. Sadly, many organization subscribe to language that supports the very definition of insanity… Read more at TonyGareri.com

[quote title=”” Text=”Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” name=Source: Hellen Keller] Over the past 6 years or so, I have been enamoured by the positive effects of creating winning company cultures. From every company I visit, to every person I meet, to every talk I deliver, the list of positive benefits on building company

No one can take away your potential and opportunity! The journey of life can be very dynamic and can also be subjectively logical. Do you ever wonder and ask: What is stopping me from having the life I love? What is limiting me from living my true dreams? When do I get my opportunity in life? If you’re asking these

I truly believe we live in one of the best times in history! We live in an era that if you can dream it, you can do it. Humans around the globe are transforming the world around us at lightening’s speed! From mobile supercomputing, intelligent robots and self-driving cars to neuro-technological brain advancements and bionic strength suits, the world around

If you don’t ask you surely don’t get… It’s an age-old adage, and one that almost always prevails. Did you know? According to multiple sources on the Internet, the average amount of remotely conscious decisions an adult makes each day equals about 35,000. Researchers at Cornell* found that people make an average of 226.7 decisions about food alone. The amount of

At Roma, we are proud to open our doors and host Tours to our friends, neighbours, businesses and anyone interested in learning more about company culture! We are so proud to host tours, that we dedicated a section of our website to it. Recently, during an interview, a candidate asked, “Why do you host tours, and how do they affect your

All of us, no matter where we live, no matter what nationality or culture we are; we all experience a warm feeling when we give or receive generously. Many argue that generosity is a win-win for all… and I tend to agree. Generosity is the quality of being kind, understanding and… Read more at TonyGareri.com.

Every once in a while a phrase or a quote has a profound impact on me! It tends to hit me right up side the head and often causes me to launch my own inquiry. As many of you know, I do my best to expand my thinking, learn new things and stretch my own conventional thinking about business and life!

I believe people are genuinely good at heart! Not all people see the world this way and that’s okay; neither did I! From early childhood, your parents, teachers, and friends prime you to be careful. Watch this and watch that, don’t do this and avoid that. Moreover, you’re told that life is hard, a battle, often a struggle and that

Everyone loves to do it, but they rarely find the time, procrastinate or simply forget.   No, I’m not talking about exercising or booking your next vacation, although both are really good things to do.   Instead, I’m talking about the simply act of celebrating wins! Yes, you read correctly … Celebrating Wins!!! To celebrate is to publicly acknowledge something significant, whatever it

The New Year is upon us… Welcome to 2016!!! Many people are now reflecting on what transpired in the previous year while setting new goals for the year at hand. This year I’ve decided to take a much different approach. I’ve decided to do without goals, resolutions or to do lists. Although there is nothing wrong with creating lists, goals

Whatever you choose to do in life, find your passion and you’ll win!!! Passion is an intense emotion, a compelling enthusiasm or desire for something.  It is the very thing that lights you up, the thing that has you jump out of bed in the morning and the thing in life that you would do no matter the pay. Do

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “The time is always right to do what is right.”  I’m a firm believer that most people would agree with that statement.  The challenging part is knowing, “what is right?” I’m not here to tell others how to live their lives or decipher right from wrong, but instead I will share how my

My personal mission is to Move, Inspire & WOW the people I come in contact with to help enrich their lives.  I’m personally driven to challenge the status quo, think big, then think bigger and never, ever settle for anything but great! I’m driven by the belief that your time on earth is truly limited, so spend it doing something

There are many ways to live an extraordinary life, but one of the most rewarding ways to achieve this is to create and nurture extraordinary relationships. The concept that I’m about to share can be used in every area of your life, whenever it pertains to people. Whether at work or home, with your spouse or child, or even your

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou  Sometimes your product is so good that your standard of customer service is irrelevant. Unfortunately, most of us don’t have that luxury and need to establish epic standards of care and detail

I’m sure you’ve all heard of it, in many cases felt it, embraced it, wished you did it, and always love when it happens to you. It’s one of those things in life that doesn’t cost much, doesn’t take up a lot of time, promises a favorable outcome, and most often results in a warm smile. The good news is,

You truly can never judge a book by its cover, nor can you judge people by their outward appearance. This past weekend the Roma Wish Team headed to New York City for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to assist the amazing Bowery Mission serving New Yorkers in need. A dozen of us spent a few days helping the Bowery Mission however we

Day One Hey Roma family! It’s Melissa writing to you from the Bowery Mission on our second day in NYC! I apologize for the delay in writing to update everyone how the trip is going, but the mission needs so much assistance that they got us to work right away! Our mornings here are extremely early, beginning preparing breakfast

I believe we’ve made huge strides as a society lately to become more transparent. Thanks in part to social media, we are now offering the world a glimpse into who we are as people, as well as who we are as businesses. Because of this, it’s more important than ever to be transparent – to be open, frank and candid. Whether

A simple thank you goes a long way! Sometimes I think it can be easy to forget how impactful it is to show appreciation to the important people in your life. And in business, how important it is to show appreciation to your team members. I make it my mission to give gratitude, which is the quality or feeling of

People often tell me that they admire my positivity and my outlook on life. I love hearing it, of course, but I want you to know you can achieve this too. All it takes is changing your perspective. I am a firm believer in living a life that you design for yourself, and to me, this all comes down to

The folks who know me know I feel that winning isn’t everything…it’s the only thing! Now for some, this statement may make them cringe. But for others, like myself, it’s a way of life! I must confess, I wouldn’t want to be the team that loses the Super Bowl and is seen weeping on the field. I want to be

When it comes to creating a great company culture, the question I am most often asked is “Where did you start?” Recently we had a n entrepreneur business coaching group, the eCircle, in to the Roma Moulding headquarters for a Roma Tour so they could witness Roma’s winning culture in action. Afterwards I had an AMA session with them, and this question again

In today’s multitasking, time-sucking, series of events we call life, it’s easy to get caught up in the rat race. We are all so busy doing “stuff”, we put off the great things until tomorrow. We ignore our dreams each day. We often say to ourselves, “I’m busy but when I get through this, I’ll start making my dream happen!”

Coach John Wooden, was one of American’s most respected and revered basketball players and coaches. Nicknamed the “Wizard of Westwood,” he led the UCLA men’s basketball team to ten national championships in a 12-year period, including an unprecedented seven in a row. Within this period, his teams won a men’s record 88 consecutive games. When I stop and admire the

For some, it may be their worst nightmare but to me it’s my dream. I find myself at the front of a large room filled with 99 passionate HR professionals all hanging on my next word. Things are going well but in a moment I decide to truly let myself be authentic and say the next thing that comes to

I’m in the middle of a closely guarded facility where access is granted to only a select few. I’m surrounded by advanced technology that looks like it’s from some big budget science fiction film. The feeling of innovation is palpable; even without knowing much, I know the future is being built here. My guide enthusiastically shouts, “Ok robtos – Go!”

As many of you know, I love to read – a lot! I especially love to read books that allow me to gain insights into some of the world’s best companies. I love learning about how they became great, their trials and tribulations and why they continue to kill it and succeed. Over the past few years, I’ve become fascinated by one of America’s

It’s 6:30am on a dark Saturday morning in February when I begin to hear what sounds like rain hitting the exterior of an aluminum window. As I slowly open my eyes, I see that it’s not raining; instead, it’s our little dog walking around our bedroom doing his best to wake us hoping to avoid peeing on the hardwood floor.

A recent Gallup study shows some staggering numbers regarding workplace engagement and happiness. The latest figures indicate that 70 percent of Americans feel disengaged in their jobs. Meaning they’re checked out, sleepwalking through the day, or worse, just passing time. If that wasn’t bad enough, of those 70 percent, 18 percent are ‘actively disengaged’, meaning they are miserable at work

For the past 17 years, one of my annual highlights is attending the Moulding Design Show in Italy. I love it because in my experience, Italy is the worldwide leader in producing the best-designed products that feature superior quality. Aside from viewing the amazing craftsmanship on display, the weather was awesome and it goes without saying that the food was

All of us want to be successful. Throughout my travels, I’ve never met someone that didn’t want to achieve some form of success. Many of us have different versions of what success looks like. Some want to earn a certain income; others want to own a certain house, while others want a balanced lifestyle as part of their search for

For the folks who know me well, you know that I’m a huge advocate of social media! I also know that I can be a big pain in the butt when it comes to sharing the benefits of social media. The benefits of personal social media are awesome but for this blog I want to focus on social media for

Keep avoiding failure, I dare you … How’s that working out? The fact is, failures are the secret and most powerful ingredient to success! You may be asking yourself, really? No way? It can’t be true – failing sucks! Truth be told, no one loves to fail but those who fail often come back and win. Does that make you

The retail market is tough! We’ve all seen the much-publicized closures over the past few years and recently even more major retailers have begun to pull the plug. In the past six weeks alone, Target, Mexx and Sony have announced that they will close all of their Canadian stores. Wow. That’s a total of 317 brick and mortar stores that will all leave the landscape shortly. What

You know that new car smell that everyone loves? How about the feeling of cracking open a book for the first time? Maybe you love peeling the plastic off of a new mobile device. All of these are related in a couple of exciting ways, chiefly, the fresh, newness of them all. Not only are they new but they hold

I need to come clean folks. I’m guilty of one of my cardinal sins, even though I’ve repented my old ways. I too had an office and worse yet, had all my leaders in offices at some point. We don’t have them anymore but there was a time when I thought an office was a vital reward for climbing the

“The old rule was to create safe, ordinary products and combine them with great marketing.” Seth Godin, from Purple Cow. We grew up in a by-gone era. Gas was cheap and electronics were expensive. One good income was likely enough for a family to thrive and daddy always got the big piece of chicken (I urge you to Google, Chris Rock big

Leadership can be scary but so can a lot of things in life such as raising a family, going on a first date or skydiving. As scary as those things can be, there’s no shortage of people willing to take on those challenges. I believe that at its’ core leadership is a great opportunity to make a difference in someone’s

While most North American sports are in-season, baseball just wrapped up the World Series a few weeks ago and now begins their offseason. General managers meet to gauge other’s interest in their players while perusing the list of available free agents looking to add key personnel to their teams. While my hometown team, the Toronto Blue Jays, hold the distinction

From November 5th to 10th, seven Roma Team Members left the comforts of home to volunteer at the Hands Across The Sea – Haiti (HATS) as part of Roma Wish Mission Haiti. HATS features children’s home, a school from preschool to grade 10 with over 400 children, and an outreach ministry to families in the surrounding communities. Our Roma Team

I’m dirty. I’m sweaty I stink and I’m probably a little hungry. Most of all, I’m tired, so very tired. My hands and feet are calloused while my back aches. I want nothing more than to shower and rest. Just when I feel like I’m done, a child pulls me into a game of soccer and I realize that I’ve

“Don’t it always seem to go that you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone.” Joni Mitchell wrote that profound lyric back in 1970 but remains as true today as it was the day it first hit the airwaves. While the author wrote about pressing environmental concerns, it’s equally applicable in many aspects of life; especially how a leader

“If one cannot enjoy reading a book over and over again, there is no use in reading it at all.” Oscar Wilde. I agree wholeheartedly with one of history’s most quotable authors. Some books are the perfect escape to far away lands; some are inspirational as you learn about someone’s triumphant journey. Other books are so chock full of goodness

Imagine this: you’re hanging out at the dock one day, looking for work and maybe an adventure. You hear rumblings of a great voyage about to take place and are intrigued to learn more. After hearing a few details about the journey you pack your things and board the ship ready for whatever awaits beyond the horizon. Prior to leaving

I love learning. It’s ingrained in everything I do as I seek new ways to develop as a person and a leader. I’ve had the privilege of traveling the world to attend incredible keynotes and conferences that have aided me in my pursuit. However, even with technology assisting us getting the content we desire, I remain steadfast on this simple

From a very young age, I knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. As the firstborn child of an entrepreneur, it was clear that my family wanted me to be heavily involved with the business my father started 30 years ago. So it’s fitting that growing up, I knew I wanted to be a CEO. I attended

I have a problem that I’d like to share with you. If you’ve followed my blog, you know that I truly believe that people and culture are your only differentiators and your biggest competitive advantage. I refuse to look at people like a commodity or resource. People are the collection of hopes, dreams, ambitions and passions; not a widget to

In the previous blog, we started to look at the two sides of our lives, professional and personal. We defined that you are more likely to hit your personal and professional goals, despite having very little choice when compared to your professional life. We began to examine the role of policies and procedures in the workplace and posed the hypothetical

Recently, I had an epiphany; a euphoric moment of clarity that I’d like to share with you all. Let’s take a quick look at our lives. You go to work and then you go home. Let’s divide the two and call one your professional life and the other your personal life. At home, just like at work, we have goals.

I was pumped for my vacation. Between running a company, mentoring my team and being available for my family and community, there’s not a lot of time left over. I’m fortunate to be able to do what I love but that doesn’t mean I don’t look forward to some relaxation. After attending Leadercast Live in Atlanta, I met up with

I love being a leader. It’s something I’ve worked very hard to achieve and here’s my secret: I work even harder to maintain my position as a company’s leader. Anyone who knows me or who regularly follows this blog, knows that I passionately pursue opportunities to stretch my boundaries and become a better leader. Why am I so motivated to

Do you remember that time when you met someone who simultaneously inspired and challenged you? That person who made you a little uncomfortable because they took you outside of your comfort zone; the one whose expertise and guidance helped you to achieve a goal you previously thought was unattainable. They were an “A” player and the kind of person you

I’m 35 years old and live my life knowing I have roughly 40 more years on this planet before I suck earth for the rest of eternity (based on average life expectancy). That may seem like a depressing way of starting a blog but it’s the truth and like many things in life, it’s entirely based around how you look at

A hush falls over the energetic crowd. Everyone holds his or her breath for a moment, awaiting the final verdict. Numbers are announced over loud speakers as the crowd once again erupts with joyous applause. After the performance of a lifetime, a dream has been realized; an athlete has won Olympic gold. As we watch the Olympics unfold, it’s important

“The truth is like a lion; you don’t have to defend it. Let it loose; it will defend itself,” Augustine of Hippo. Leadership is about vision! It’s also equally about creating and fostering a climate of truth, where you and your team can hear the good and the bad. For one to lead, you must instill a culture where people can

We live in a world full of devices that tend to keep us apart. Every year amazing advances in technology afford us new opportunities – such as seeing our loved ones face when we speak across great distances. Cloud computing provides the opportunity to share documents and work collaboratively despite being miles away from each other. There’s even well established

When I bought my home, it was a hot mess. While it had beautiful mature trees, a stunning lot and incredible structural integrity, it also had purple toilets, scratched and dented floors as well as windows so old the wind blew right through! I had the option of tearing the whole thing down and starting with a fresh canvas but

After reading the title of this blog, you must be thinking. “What? Are you nuts? How could you fire all your managers? What’s going on there?” Before I explain our philosophy, let’s quickly take a look at the definition of a couple of key words. Manager: a person who has control of an institution, business. Leader: a person who guides, moves

The curtains are drawn while I pace calmly, going over in my mind what will happen next. The lights are bright and the stage is set as a hush falls over the crowd. The anticipation has been building for months, leading to this moment; the moment I’ve waited for since I last walked off this stage on April 4 at

At 37 years old Tim Duncan thrives in a sport dominated by younger men in their 20s’. Duncan and his San Antonio teammates just wrapped up their battle with the Miami Heat for the 2013 NBA Championship. How can Duncan, already a four-time champion and future Hall of Famer, defy age and continue to dominate while propelling his team to

Zoom. The bullet whizzes past your head as you jockey for position and a clear shot. A head peaks around the corner as you steady your aim, waiting for the precise moment to strike. With lighting fast reflexes you squeeze the trigger then duck for cover. You’re panting with excitement as you hear, “You got me. That’s it – You

The alarming sound awakes you from your slumber.  The insistent beeping from your phone or clock won’t let up until reality sets in. Your pulse quickens and palms become slick with fresh perspiration.  Today is the day; your first day at your new job. Do you remember your first day or first week at a new job? Stop – take

Company culture is a key component to any thriving business. It has been described as the only truly unique competitive advantage one company has over the other; it is the DNA or soul of the organization. For that reason, when a company’s culture is strong, aligned, defined, and properly guided, magical things happen! For us at Roma Moulding, magical things

Why Company Culture is So Important! Each company is defined by it. Not many know it by name and many don’t even know it exists! It’s your company culture. Your DNA, if you will, of your organization! A company’s culture is the only truly unique identifier. Things like your products, your strategies and even your techniques can be duplicated. The

Today’s world is a very different place than just a few years ago.  Today, we live in an ultra fast paced world with an abundance of everything from toothpaste to TV stations, computers to cars; the market place is filled with tons of choices! One major choice in people’s lives is a job or career.  Gone are the days of reviewing the career section in