Tag Archives: Taking Risks

Edwards on Success | UofT Convocation

Murray Edwards Oil an Gas Dry Holes

Edwards (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N._Murray_Edwards) has $100,000 + his savings of $100,000 and started an oil and gas company. He had 10% of a 2 million dollar company (Canadian Natural Resources) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_Natural_Resources. When he found no oil in the hole he drilled in Saskatchewan…and found no oil. Murray Edwards has a net worth of 2.2 Billion today and owns the Calgary Flames. His three big lessons from business:

  • People: you need quality people around you; collaborative decisions;
  • Plan: you need a clear well defined goals, business plans in details; think big and small.
  • Passion: you need to love what you do…..
  • Pony-Poop: children have access to the toys or pony poop. The kid that chooses the pony-poop will be more successful. Why because that kid is smart; “there must be a pony if there is pony-poop.” Always see the pony and be an optimist.

A Novel Trick: ask the listeners to complete a quiz and email the answer for tickets to a hockey game.