THE WINTER ARC ▪︎ It's that time of year again on the Great Lakes. That time when the sun crosses low through the sky. Leaves change colour. The anticipation of cold weather isolation. Our activities may change, but the ambition remains the same.
BUILDING SOMETHING GREAT ▪︎ Those who know me, may tell you I'm always working. But, those who know me well, could say that I taught them how to save lives, paddle a river, or discover a new city. However, those who know me best understand that my dad is my hero, and my son is my purpose. No matter how far apart we may be.
For those who don't know me, I'm just a regular guy. An introvert. A hardened entrepreneur with ambition, an appetite for risk, and a ruthless impatience for status quo. If mixed in the wrong quanities, these characteristics could be volatile. Since I was a kid, I've had my own drum and rhythm section.
Few people will read this, so let's get to it. For six days in September, I'm going to share a few stories from pre-pandemania upto now. Snap shots of success, situations, and learnings. Why? For three reasons. First, 'we' as a society can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. Change requires sacrifice.
Second, is what I've named the 'Burning Building Paradox.' A thought exercise that begins with a simple question. Who can I trust to pull me out of a burning building? You'll find honest answers quite revealing. And, lastly, legacy. I want people to learn from my mistakes. Writing is such a primitive form of human communication. But it's also one of the best remedies for a healthy spirit.
OUR COMPLEX WORLD ▪︎ One of the greatest things about the modern classroom is the opportunity to experience diverse perspectives and execute on our commitment to panoptic story-telling. Congrats to Lavjot from @humberpoly for completing his internship with us. Check out his game on TUG for a chance to win great prizes.
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#urban #travel #tourism #culture #diversity #explorethecity #play #games #learn #win #grow #experience #socialcohesion powerered @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada
THE SCHOLAR SERIES ▪︎ As we gear up for the next cohort of influencers, and game creators, shout out to Emma from @humberpoly for completing her internship with us. Her game will help you comfortably explore Toronto.
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#urban #travel #tourism #explorethecity #play #games #learn #win #grow #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada
LEAN INTO IT | This is the idea. When people arrive in new and unfamiliar places, they experience stress. And, these places aren’t just physical. These places can be emotional, cultural, and spiritual realms full of abstraction, assumption, and tough subjects to crack. We use expertly designed games to solve this problem. Self-guided experiences that
inspire travel, tourism, and unique perspectives.
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Who better to create these games than students. The young scholars that come to us as interns from prestigious #colleges and #universities. They’re our future leaders and labour force. They’re having different conversations and bringing ambitious new travel products to market because your time is valuable. Use it wisely. Get smarter. Start
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How it works. We refer to our interns as Program Design Associates. When they being with us, these PDAs learn how to use our tech to tell panoptic stories of their hometowns. And, from within the group, they select the top five seasonal games that populate #TheScholarSeries. Follow the
story. Answer the questions. Score the points. Anyone can play these games, but only points get you prizes.
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #play #games #explorethecity #learn #grow #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada @humbercollege @centennialcollege @gbcollege
ORDER OF OPERATIONS ▪︎ A few years back, I set out to create something great and solve two problems. My first goal was to address the forced isolation of the pandemic, and my second goal was to combat the unintended consequences of the #DunningKruger effect I was witnessing on social media. But secretly, I had a deep desire to improve my own self-awareness, #culturalliteracy, and #economic success.
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Since then, I’ve led subsequent teams of #elite business students through a fabulous internship program that primes them for #entrepreneurship . It continues to be time well spent and a great opportunity to pay-it-forward.
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As the summer term comes to a close, we’re preparing for the next cohort of diverse new minds. We’re also giving you an opportunity to check out what our current group of cultural #influencers have created while giving you a chance to #win great prizes. It all begins by answering important questions like; what is this place about? And, did the environment shape the local culture, or was it the other way around?
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #play #games #explorethecity #learn #grow #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram
TIMING IS EVERYTHING ▪︎ Few things move faster than a North American summer. And, on the heels of the #Paris Olympics, few things get the heart racing like watching the
best athletes in the world try to beat the clock. So here’s my question, what's the human fascination with speed? From skim reading to #machinelearning , we humans seem to want to get places faster.
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For the next two weeks, #TheScholarSeries will offer a collection of self-guided games to help you comfortably explore great cities around the world. These games were created by top-tier #business students from
@centennialcollege , @humbercollege , and @gbcollege using the TUG tool. Wholesome, fun adventures that AI can't yet match.
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Take a moment to check out what this new class of cultural influencers and aspiring entrepreneurs have produced. They've worked hard to #unlearn and #relearn. These students have spent hundreds of hours thinking critically
while practicing panoptic story-telling to help you efficiently connect the dots of local history and heritage.
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The Urban Guide (TUG) is a tool to helps people build self-guided games and city tours that strengthen the urban cultural connection. We want you to discover more about the cities where they live and visit. Follow the story. Answer the questions. Score the points. Anyone can play this game, but only points get you prizes.
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #play #games #explorethecity #learn #grow #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada
ROOM TO GROW ▪︎ I'm always a proud papa, and especially today. I found a place to watch him fly across the water. Captain of the future. Harnessing the wind. Adapting to, but not settling into the sweet spot. Excellent day on the water. Awesome sailing school @nationalyachtclub
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#urban #waterfront #family #outdoor #adventure #sailing #sailingschool #experientiallearning #kids
THE NEW TRAILBLAZERS | Let's rehash some old cliches. It's been said that 'all roads lead to Rome.' But, perhaps they don't. Or never did. Stories can be funny that way. Often, many things are said with such casual confidence that they stand the test of time. This is why I'm so incredibly proud of all our student interns from @humbercollege , @centennialcollege , and @gbcollege who've spent the past few months interning with #TheUrbanGuide. They've done a fantastic job of doing things differently.
'Rome wasn't built in a day', which is why I'm also tremendously thankful for the time industry experts like @AnnemarieShrouder and the team at @TheArQuives spent illuminating their path. I've learned that an important part of being good mentor is asking the right questions. Imquiries that cultivate self-awareness, cultural, and economic literacy in our youth. All who wander are not lost.
The Urban Guide (TUG) offers self-guided games and city tours that strengthen the urban cultural connection. We blend panoptic story-telling, cultural diversity, and gamification into an engaging experience that helps people discover more about the cities where they live and visit. Follow the story. Answer the questions. Score the points. Anyone can play this game, but only points get you prizes. Make time to check out The Scholar Series. You've got until August 12th.
#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #play #games #explorethecity #learn #grow #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada
READY TO PLAY ▪︎ Check out a new class of urban explorers. Cultural influencers. Young and aspiring entrepreneurs who've worked hard to unlearn, relearn, and practice panoptic story-telling. While easing into a great sense-of-belonging , their games will help you efficiently connect the dots of history, heritage, and give you a chance to #win great prizes.
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #students #games #research #experience #socialcohesion powered by @studioqdesigns.ca @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada
BRIGHTEN EVERY CORNER ▪︎ The city has many phases. The most powerful are day and night, because they're the episodes most closely linked to nature. All other aspects of urban life are influenced by patterns of human behavior, like rush hour traffic and weekend groceries.
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For our brains, night time is usually reserved for rest. But a quick glance at the skyline will give context to our constant thirst for energy. Lights as far as the eye can see. Illuminating the places and spaces. Giving us sway over the darkness. Brightening the corners where people continue to live, work, and play.
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #citylights #skyline #blackandwhite #drone #nightflight @tiaogram @tourisminnovationcanada @hotelxtoronto @acehoteltoronto
ON THE WATER ▪︎ There's something special about life on the water. Something that seems to simplify the big picture. The circumstance down here can be very different from life in the city. Great stories and a helping hand are never that far away. Because down here, we're all vulnerable to the environment, living aboard craft designed to test the physical laws of nature.
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#urban #waterfront #sailing #yachtclub #community #knowledge #experience #outdoor #adventure #health #wellness #thelifeaquatic @nationalyachtclub
MAKE THE TRANSITION ▪︎ And, just like that, it feels like summer! The requests for private tours are starting to stream in from busy professionals who need help building their own adventure and making an authentic connection with local culture. This reel is dedicated to our @collisionconfhq guests.
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#TheWaterfrontWhip is part of a new series of self-guided games and city tours designed to help you explore Toronto. There's an imcredible amount to see beyond the conference centre. Get the most out of your #businesstravel and networking opportunities.
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Check it out Here | theurbanguide.com
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#urban #culture #diversity #travel #tourism #play #games #citytours #professional #business #conference #experience #socialcohesion powered by @tiaogram @destination_toronto @cityofto @hotelxtoronto @westinharbourcastle @cafeleneuf
TOWARD THE CENTRE | When does an event become more than just a regular affair? This is the question I asked myself heading into this week's IMPACT Regional event where I was lucky enough to help @tiaogram lead a segment of the DOI. What always impresses, me is how seamless the team of Carol, LL, Simone, Cap, Simal, and Dr. Ng make the event flow. Total pros. Here's what I learned this week;
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1. GET OUTSIDE | Every #conference should have an essential outdoor component. Our professional lives keep us on the move. Yet, the process of #harmonizing business, travel, and family plans keep us on the move even though ironically there's still a lot sitting. Outdoor activities help to re-energize, refocus, and provide a genuine sense-of-place.
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2. UNDERSTAND YOUR PACE | There's always a ton of information and #opportunity packed into a conference. Yet, for me, what set this IMPACT event apart from other conferences was the #vibration created by the incredibly
diverse thought leaders and SMEs that TIAO wrangled to share perspectives. Heavy hitters in the #travel and #tourism space with a ton of knowledge. I learned that it's important to know how much intel you can effectively absorb. It's about portion control. Especially when Chef #JordanHohn and his team at @centennialcollege are presenting fantastic cuisine!
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3. HAVE SOME FUN | Beyond networking and business cards, conferences like the IMPACT Regional event and the upcoming #OntarioTourismSummit are great opportunities for industry professionals to put the world on pause for a moment and enjoy the #experiences that we're all passionately creating.
WHEN EVERYONE WINS ▪︎ This is how the @tiaogram #DayofIMPACT began for me. Stepping out of the @marriottmarkham and guiding a fabulous group of tourism professionals on a gamified tour of the city. Day one was loads of fun. Shout out to @viarailcanada for providing a $150 travel voucher to the top player.
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urban culture diversity travel tourism play games experiential conference engagement learning socialcohesion powered by @indigenoustourismontario @tourisminnovationcanada @grayline_toronto @greenstepsolutions @destination_toronto @cityofto @thetorontozoo
