Cochrane native and former-Calgary Flame Mason Raymond has been the official owner of the Cochrane GM dealership for just over a year now.
After a ten-year long stint in the NHL, the former player hung up his skates in 2011 after suffering a devastating injury as a Vancouver Canuck playing in the Stanley Cup Final.
However, Raymond took his unfortunate circumstances as an opportunity for growth and leapt into a new career in business.
After purchasing his dealership business, Raymond reflects on how heavily his approach to business has been influenced by his hockey career.
“There's been so many parallels that I've learned from the game of hockey and put into business,” Raymond said. “I owe a lot to the game of hockey, and what it taught me about how to work with people.”
He mentions the importance of taking calculated risks, and how many opportunities are out there for those willing to take those risks.
The former NHL star now brings this mentality to his business team, encouraging them to ask themselves ‘why’ they want to achieve something.
“There's so much opportunity out there for somebody that's willing to go out there and chase it," Raymond said. "I always say there's two things in life you can control every day: Its your work ethic, and it's your attitude."
Since he strongly values work ethic and attitude, Raymond knows the importance of pushing others to figure out why they want to achieve something.
He does this to help his team focus on what they can control, and direct their energy towards those things so they will have the best chance at success.
“I'm at where I'm at today because I was pushed by good coaches, my parents, my father, and they have helped me get to where I am. And I wouldn't be where I am today without being pushed and taking a little bit of a leap of faith,” Raymond explained.
Raymond emphasized that his ultimate goal for the future as a business owner is to become more entwined with the community he grew up in, and to ultimately help others along the way.
“It gives me great joy seeing people get to new levels in their business, or life, or whatever it is,” Raymond said. “Community focused, people driven, locally owned, that is our slogan.”
Raymond's biggest piece of advice to people trying to achieve their own goal is to take that leap of faith, go the extra mile, and remember what's in your control: your work ethic and attitude.
