Partnering for Success: Navigating Entrepreneurship, Turning Ideas into Action, and Finding Joy in Your Journey with Gordon Haddock
On this week’s episode of The After Business School Special, host Carlee Snow is joined by Gordon Haddock to discuss all things entrepreneurship! The name Haddock is synonymous with entrepreneurship, with Gordon and his wife and business partner Maureen Haddock successfully starting, growing, franchising, and investing in multiple companies.
Ever shopped at Lululemon, The Body Shop, or Roots in Saskatoon? You can thank the Haddocks for franchising those businesses and bringing them to the Saskatchewan market!
His entrepreneurial spirit led him into many business ventures, including an advertising agency, music store, drug stores, card and gift stores, and businesses involving land development, fast food, clothing, tourism, bath and skincare products, entertainment, and publishing. His businesses have been both franchise and self-started.
Maureen and Gordon formed Trek 2000 Corporation, a holding company, in 1986, when they brought The Body Shop franchise to Saskatchewan. For twenty years, they grew The Body Shop Saskatchewan, until there were four stores. They also pioneered a home party business in Saskatchewan for The Body Shop International. Toward the end of this time, they brought lululemon to Saskatchewan. One of the other retail business ventures that overlapped this period was a Roots franchise.
No longer in retail, Gord is developing new business relationships and projects involving land development, construction, and rental properties. The Haddocks still have several entertainment projects in the works. Their business philosophy is simple; work hard, have fun, make money, and do good things.
Maureen has written two books about Gord’s childhood adventures. The freedom he experienced as a child ensured that his already entrepreneurial spirit was allowed to flourish.
The Haddocks began giving scholarships to entrepreneurial students, sponsoring an entrepreneurial speaker series, and operating a competition for young entrepreneurs, aged 7 to 18, in affiliation with Edwards School of Business.
Gord enjoys sharing his business experience with those who are interested. As a young entrepreneur, he enjoyed getting to know businesspeople of all ages and was always eager to learn.
Biography information from Gord’s website, Trek 2000 Corporation.
Show Notes:
Connect with Gord and learn more about his work:
Website: https://www.trek2000corporation.com/
Young Entrepreneur Award: https://www.getabiggerwagon.com/
Glamour for Grandmothers: https://glamourforgrandmothers.com/ (Maureen Haddock’s Website)
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