Insights From Sam Canning: Father's Day
When in conversation with people, I'm often asked if my Dad was a butcher or if butchery runs in the family. I guess people ask this because they wonder HOW or WHY people become butchers, or, because people figure that I'm quite young to be where I am in business. Although the reality is that I'm 38 now and I've been in the meat industry for 20 years, working tirelessly towards my ever-evolving vision. And no, my father wasn't a butcher... he was a marketing executive.
When in conversation with people, I'm often asked if my Dad was a butcher or if butchery runs in the family. I guess people ask this because they wonder HOW or WHY people become butchers, or, because people figure that I'm quite young to be where I am in business. Although the reality is that I'm 38 now and I've been in the meat industry for 20 years, working tirelessly towards my ever-evolving vision. And no, my father wasn't a butcher... he was a marketing executive.
An entrepreneur from the 'Mad Men' era of advertising. Self employed for most of his professional life, he worked long hours and always found a way to innovate and progress through the challenges of business ownership. Dad never pushed me to start my own business, but instead, he always offered gentle support or advice on whatever business ideas that I had.
In 2009 I presented him with my ambition to own a butcher shop, and he was thrilled to be able to share his wisdom of marketing and business ownership in these early stages of my business. Ed was 83 when he passed away in 2013. He was in palliative care when I told him that I was going to jump on the opportunity to open a store in Kew (the second Cannings store). Although he never got to see that beautiful store, or the other five after that, I'm ever grateful to my Dad for the wisdom he shared with me over the years and for blessing me with his entrepreneurial flame.
Happy Father's Day, Dad! You're an inspiration to me and all those who ever had the pleasure of knowing you.