As a Calgarian, Alberta and Canadian, President Bidens recent action to cancel Keystone XL is more than disappointing and yes it hurts. This province has been treated unfairly for years and it makes me angry. It also got me thinking about my recent posts focused on business pivoting, mindset and looking forward not on the past or obstacles. So after much thought my message today is that despite everything, I remain optimistic about Calgary.

Calgary is clearly not the same city I started my business in 2006. We have lost much of that swagger and can-do attitude that made this place magic. Our economy is certainly not the rocket ship it once was, and we have one third of our downtown office space sitting empty. I have had to close businesses and teetered on the edge of losing it all, but I still believe in this city. Despite the adversity we remain, in my opinion, the best city to live in and start a business. We enjoy a high standard of living compared to other large Canadian cities and enjoy lifestyle amenities on our doorstep that others can only envy. We have an amazing well educated young population that are willing to take risks and chase opportunities and a dynamic, collaborative business community that is passionate about our community. Our worst of times would be other cities best of times. Calgary is just a very cool place to be.

Our leaders should take a lesson from the mindset small businesses have incorporated to reimagine the future of their businesses in order to survive this pandemic! I am tired of hearing leaders complain while traditional and social media streams amplify doom and gloom about why we are where we are economically and rant about who is to blame and how we need help. How many hits to the oil and gas business do we have to lament and fret about? Our leaders have had the better part of a decade to see this time coming and we are still hanging onto history to define our success. Newsflash – it is not getting any better and we have little control over it.

Business leaders and entrepreneurs believe in our future and want to play a role shaping it however we need our leaders to lead. It is time to move on because Calgarians are waiting, and they will not wait forever! What is the compelling future of Calgary that we can all be energized to be part of? We need to start living our future selves and be absolutely ALL IN driving forward this new vision, then taking action on the new brand for this city. Leadership from the front is critical so our cities future tactical and strategic decisions are congruent with the new vision.

City leaders it is time to step up to the plate, move us forward and start controlling our own civic destiny. Let’s stop getting pummeled by the waves and start riding them!

Jason Zaran

Fit Kitchen Owner/Founder