Career Mirror -- By NextSteps Staff

	Dave Hygaard The King of Sandwiches shares his secrets of success.
	Ian Cooke Meet Ian and the exciting world of Student Management.
	Bryan White Spotlight on a celebrity's career.

This recipe for success started from scratch . . .

The Sandwich King, Dave Hygaard Sr. shares a slice of his success.

When the fast-food industry started to take-off, Dave Hygaard seized the opportunity. His business idea came to him when he was working as a soft-drink salesman in Edmonton, shortly after dropping out of high school. Hygaard's idea was to make and distribute sandwiches to convenience stores and hotels along his soft-drink route. Three years later, he was selling sandwiches full-time.

When Hygaard was in school, he says he was always seeking new adventures. He always wanted to try new things and says he could never sit still. Innovation and creativity are necessary for starting your own business enterprise, and Hygaard says his determination and ambition made it work. "You really have to want it for yourself, no one else." Hygaard adds that it's very important to first figure out what you are interested in and then to go for it. Just because there is a lot of money in a particular career, doesn't necessarily mean you should pursue it. Hygaard recommends that you shouldn't chase something you're not interested in, or you'll never get to where you want to be. "Do something that you enjoy and that you have a genuine interest in."

The initial start-up of Hygaard Fine Foods required very little capital, Hygaard said. He started with a couple of hundred dollars and an extra three thousand or so of savings. Hygaard made the sandwiches himself and with some extra help. "It's important not to look at the time clock, you just work as hard as you can," Hygaard says. He finds it satisfying to have a career where he depends on his own judgment and is able to make his own decisions. If you gain the trust of the customer, are honest, punctual and work hard, your efforts will be fruitful.

Today, Hygaard Fine Foods has over 180 independently owned and operated distributors. Hygaard and his wife Patricia employ over 60 staff in their 40,000 sq.ft. plant in Sherwood Park, Alberta. Every day, more than 40,000 sandwiches and subs are made and then distributed throughout Canada and the United States. Hygaard recently expanded his business into bottled water, opening a 1.5 million dollar facility that bottles up to 45,000 liters of his new Arctic Chiller Spring Water every day. The water is shipped daily from a spring in Valemont, British Columbia.

Hygaard's recipe for success is a combination of sincere desire and hard work. He cautions that a certain amount of failures will occur, but strong efforts will eventually be rewarded. Hygaard challenges, if you think you have a great idea and know how to make it work, pursue it. Would he do it again? You bet.

An entrepreneurial youth...

Ian Cooke, a first year student at the University of Calgary, is a franchise manager for College Pro Painters. Ian took the time to come down to the Youth Employment Centre to check out the site and take part in an interview.

Before we begin, can you give us a little bit of background on College Pro Painters?

It's a Canada-wide company. There are franchise managers, who are students, throughout the country. The students hired are not considered employees. The managers are self-employed and completely responsible for their own franchise.

How did you become involved with the company?

They were advertising on campus for managers, and being in the management program, I thought it would give me a chance to get some work experience before graduating. A lot of students spend one summer being a painter and then move up to the position of manager, but I was lucky and became a manager right away.

Was there any education or training necessary for the position?

They do look at your grades and a good work ethic is important. Most of the training is on the job once you are hired. There are several weekend training sessions and weekly manager meetings. We learn about painting, the components of paint, types of paint, the history of College Pro, the financial aspects, selling and marketing and production information. The learning is ongoing and very comprehensive. Sometimes it seems that I have just understood one area when it is time to attend another session.

What do you like most about this type of job?

The customer relations and dealing with people. I get to meet all kinds of neat people. Also, the freedom of being your own boss is nice. When I first started I thought, "Oh great, I can make my own hours." Now I've learned that is not entirely true. I have to work until everything is done and work when it is convenient for the customers. I also like that I can take responsibility for everything that happens.

What do you dislike about this job?

(Pause.) Well, it's not really in relation to the job, but I don't think there are enough hours in the day to get everything done. Time management, I have learned, is a very important skill.

What drawbacks do you see in this type of work?

Being the manager you have to put business before friends. Firing people is not fun. I find most of my employees through networking, which means they are often friends. Before I hire someone, I tell them what my expectations are and I find out what they expect. Employees are the most important thing for the franchise.

Are there any skills, interests or temperaments, you think are important for this type of work?

You have to be a people person, be able to build rapport. It's also important to be persistent, always keep trying, and be determined. Self discipline is key. Being a team player is necessary because the people you work with are your team. If you have experience on a sports team or band, that may help your teamwork on the job. Finally, being easy-going is good. A stressed manager may mean stressed-out employees.

I wasn't interested in painting when I first started the job. My reason for applying with College Pro was to gain experience in management. Now, I have become interested in painting because of the training.

Is there a dress code for your position?

No. You dress in what you feel is appropriate for the situation.

What's a typical day for you?

Right now, I spend a lot of time making estimates on future painting jobs. I am also still attending classes. As well, the marketing is a big part of the day. This includes cold calls and door to door service to find jobs. In the evening, I spend a lot of time on the telephone talking with potential customers. I will also be interviewing possible painters for my crew over the next while. At the end of the day I cool down with ice cream and start doing my homework.

As of the beginning of May, when the painting starts, my schedule changes. I will be working 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. some days. Then I will start off my day by visiting the different job sites, dropping off equipment, delegating tasks and giving instructions. I will also be keeping the customers informed of the progress and planning for the next jobs. On top of that I need to keep finding future jobs and giving estimates. I'm also responsible for my employees; that means keeping track of their hours and submitting them to the payroll service. It's a lot of work but a lot of learning.

Do you have any set schedule?

My schedule is very flexible. I try to set weekly and end-of-year goals to keep on track. Monetary goals are set at the beginning between College Pro and the managers.

What would be a starting wage for someone in this position?

Well, I will hopefully break even in June. My wage is a percentage of the total earnings. Right now we don't have any jobs on the go, so there is no income. At the beginning I took out loans and relied a lot on my parents for the startup costs. The smartest thing to do is track down an old manager and buy all of their equipment. We are expected to have all the painting supplies, ladders and a vehicle, so it gets pretty expensive.

The painters start at $7.00/hour unless they have experience which means they may make $8.00. Also a foreperson is decided upon in May by the manager and they may make more.

What are your future expectations for this job?

I will do it for at least one more year. Once you've made the investment and bought the supplies it makes sense to spend the time.

Do you have plans for after graduating?

I have a lot of different possibilities. I do want to work somewhere in the management field.

Do you have any words of wisdom for someone deciding to do this?

All the hard work is a temporary sacrifice for the future payoffs. The payoffs are both educational and financial.

Bryan White: Just doing what feels right.

What stands out about this young, award-winning, country music star? Stunning good looks? Incredible tenor voice? Numerous #1 singles?

All those and more. White's confidence and courage are what has made him such a success. Self-assured and focused, he knew exactly what he wanted to do, and went for it. "It was pretty scary to make the move at the time, but when you are that young, I think you feel invincible to a certain extent."

White's style has been progressing all his life, as he has always been around music. He began playing the drums at age five, and performed on stage before he was a teenager. By 17, he switched to guitar, began writing songs and decided to move to Nashville directly after high school. "When I set my mind to do something and say I'm gonna do it, I just have to do it. I knew I wanted to sing; I knew I wanted to play; I knew I wanted to write. I didn't think about anything else." White's family fully supported his decisions and goals and there were never any pressures for him to be someone that he wasn't.

White is achieving his music success by consistently working towards the goals he has set for himself. Independently achieving his career goals has not always been easy. White talks about his move to Nashville and says, "It was tough. There was no one to hide behind and no one to catch me if something went wrong. I learned a lot and I think the experience made me a much better player and singer."

Doing exactly what he wanted to do has allowed him to gain satisfaction from his career every day. There is no one pushing White, his own vision and energy generate his success. He modestly says, "I really didn't expect for half of this to happen to me in the amount of time that it did."

Taking full advantage of his musical talents, White is merely tapping into his natural creative ability. His work is an expression of who he is, reflecting a personality that is genuine and pure. He has a sincere determination and optimism for his work. His committment shows in his interpretation of the music, his composing skill and in his vocal expression.

White emphasizes the need for fun to escape the pressures of work. "Never be so serious that you stop having fun." Although he has a great sense of humour, White takes the responsibility of being a role model quite seriously. He is polite and keeps his cool when he starts to feel stressed.

Establishing a name for himself as one of the "nice guys" in country music, White says, "That's all I need to be; I don't think I'll ever change. I've gotten a long way just being who I am and being honest with people."