Cruisin' The Commercial Scene With Cossette

After coming in from Toronto on Monday night, we went straight to an overnight commercial shoot Cossette was filming downtown. It was a 30 second spot for one of their clients, Molson Ex. We arrived into town at about 2am, and the shoot was scheduled to go until 5am. It was a really cool set up, though I can’t give details at this point, because the commercial doesn’t come out until tonight during the Montreal Canadians pre-season game. I am glad that we went to the shoot because we were able to see the whole process from shooting the raw footage right through to the final 30 second production. We spent the rest of the week visiting the editing studio, sound studio, and meeting with the client to make sure they were happy with what was being produced.

On my first day, I got a tour of the office. It is pretty much what I expected an ad agency would be like, a cool relaxed atmosphere with each department having a different personality - on the floor of the creative department, there are comfortable couches and a foosball table.

Marie-Claude, the director of the Molson account, spent the week with me and was awesome in providing some great insights into the advertising world.

It was really interesting to see how much work goes into making a 30 second ad segment, a lot of discussing, tweaking sounds, colours, images, one person likes it, another doesn't - keeping the client and target audience in mind. I could definitely see myself in an ad agency, it seems that each department is so different though plays an equal amount in the process of getting an ad from conception to production.

Of course, we had to finish off the week enjoying a “Une Vraie Biere De Serge!”

My interviews in French went pretty well this week. I didn’t understand one question on the morning tv show, Salut, Bonjour, and I also said yes when he asked me if I studied law in school, but I was able to recover okay. I was pretty tired though; according to Ian, it looked like someone punched me in the face because of the bags under my eyes.

We left Montreal on Saturday morning and made our way to Halifax, Nova Scotia. The job I had lined up for this week has appeared to have fallen through, so not too sure what I am going to be up to. I will let you know as soon as I know and if you have any ideas or contacts, pass on the word!

If you are in Halifax, give us a shout, 416-735-9335.

Cheers,

-Sean

Week Twenty Six Announced - Advertising Executive

After finishing up with Roots on Monday, we then drove straight to Montreal and arrived at about 2am in the morning. The ad agency I am working for this week, Cossette Communication-Marketing, was in the process of filming a TV commercial and so we joined the crew at the downtown location until almost 5am. The good thing was that having done that, we were able to sleep in the next day.

This week I will be working on two of their major accounts, helping out with the post production of the commercial, and learning how an advertisement concept is developed.

If you live in the province of Quebec, I will be giving an interview Wednesday morning at 8:30am EST on TVA called "Salut, Bonjour." It is the largest morning show in Quebec, is filmed live, and is in french! I am a little nervous that it is in french, though I am pretty excited about it. After that, it's off to work!

-Sean

An Interesting Week At Roots

I would say that I learned the most out of my week at Roots than I have at any of previous One Week Jobs. It was a very interesting experience in that on one hand I had the opportunity to experience some great things and interact with some high profile celebrities, though at the same time the week proved to be a challenging one. It was evident that there were different opinions on what my role was for the week which led to uncertainty as to what exactly was expected from me. It felt as if I had stepped out of the one week job experience slightly and that Ian and myself were contracted out as 3rd party videographers for the week. It is something that I will have to be aware of in the future.

Ian is traveling with me documenting the experience at my different positions, what I am learning, interviews with my employers, and the journey itself. This week, I am pretty sure that Ian put in more time than myself, filming what he was asked to shoot, editing footage from the day, and posting it to the Roots Film Festival Blog. All this on my lap top, which doesn't have the same programs as his and so helped to slow the process.

I learnt a lot this week and met some great people that work with Roots. One of the highlights this week was that I was able to receive some life advice from Wylcef Jean.

We are now in Montreal working with Cossette Marketing . Ian received his computer back and so we are hoping to have the episode from my week as a Veterinarian Assistant up by the weekend.

-Sean

Video Update from Toronto Film Fest

Hey all, unless you've been following the blog, you're probably wondering about the status of new One Week Job episodes. It looks like I should be getting my laptop back on Tuesday, so until then I've put together a brief update of our Film Festival reportage from Roots - view it in the player on our hompage. Enjoy!

Seeing Stars: First Day At Roots

Sleep. Sleep is good. Unfortunately, we didn't get much sleep last night (or at least I didn't) as we're currently staying at a friends' place in Toronto on the edge of Chinatown. Don't get me wrong: it's an incredible apartment right above a Scotiabank, with high ceilings and wide spaces. It's just conveniently down below are the streetcars that screech by and shake the building every 10 minutes. (I'm sure we'll get used to it after a while).

Anyway, Sean and I woke up early this morning and made our way to Roots' head office. We stepped inside the doors and were immediately greeted with the company's founding philosophy pasted on the wall.

The company was started in 1973 by founders Don Green and Michael Budman, and has grown to become one of Canada's most recognizable clothing brands.

During our tour of the office, it was clear the place had a great vibe. Everyone seemed pretty happy to be working, and it quickly became apparent that many employees had been there for at least 5 years or more (some pushing 20!)

Afterwards we headed out to their leather factory, where they produce their leather merchandise: bags, jackets, shoes, you name it. We had never been in a leather factory before, so we weren't sure quite what to expect. Turns out - it's a really cool environment. The place is wide open, fully air-conditioned, and buzzed with workers cutting, stitching and creating.

Another fact about Roots we didn't know: many of their goods are still hand-made in Canada. Not all of them, but still, that's pretty darn good --

Roots still directly employs nearly 2,000 people in Canada, including 200 at our leather goods factory in Toronto. All Roots products are designed in Toronto by Canadian designers. Indirectly, through our work with various suppliers, we help contribute to the employment of thousands more people in Canada.

After our tour of the factory, we had the chance to sit down with Director of Communcations Robert Sarner, who talked with us about the importance of communcation - between a company and its employees, as much as with the public. In fact, he values communication so highly, he recommends you talk to him directly if you have a beef, compliment, or question about Roots.

Sean and I finished off the day with a visit to the Roots flagship store on Bloor St, where we learned what we'd be doing for the weekend: talking with celebrities.

Well, maybe not quite, but looks like we do get to promote the Flick Off campaign, which means capturing clips of what others are doing to reduce their carbon emissions - and this includes celebrities in town for the Toronto Film Fest.

We'll be there most of Friday, so if you're in town, come visit us! Sean will also be blogging on the Roots Film Festival blog here.

Week Twenty Five Announced - Film Festival Reporter: Roots Canada

This week will be somewhat different from most. Typically my jobs are Monday - Friday, though this week I am working with Roots Canada and helping out at the Toronto International Film Festival which starts on Thursday, Sept. 6th. And so I will be working from Thursday - Monday. Roots is a sponsor at this years film festival, responsible for providing clothing and there was also mention of handling the area for the celebrities who are attending the event. They will be using the footage that Ian shoots over the weekend for their website so perhaps we will get into some cool situations.

My tasks will include covering events, writing for the Roots blog, taking photos and video for Roots.com and providing general assists to the PR Director, Director Ecommerce, Digital Marketing & New Media, and Director of Communications.

Should make for an awesome week!

-Sean

Long Weekends, Links, And Stuff

We finished up at the Hespeler Animal Hospital yesterday and are heading off to Montreal tomorrow. Louise treated Ian and I to lunch yesterday which was really kind of her. It was great to have some time to sit down and chat away from the hospital setting. We spoke about her business, work-life balance, managing the level of professionalism with employees so not to risk the loss of authority or respect, having a positive attitude, and she told us about this cool cycling event she is participating in this September. It's to raise money for The Farley Foundation. Animal care can be quite expensive and The Farley Foundation helps seniors and disable persons on limited incomes pay for the necessary treatment of their pets. Louise is raising funds for the 100km bike ride, here is how to make a donation to help her out. Just say the donation is to support Dr. Louise Langlais, Hespeler Animal Hospital for the ride.

Next week is slightly different because my job starts on Thursday and goes to Monday. It is because I will be working with Roots Canada and helping out with their involvement in the Toronto International Film Festival. So, we are taking off to Montreal until next Wednesday, where hopefully we will be able to catch up on everything and get somewhat organized for what will be a busy next few weeks. If you are in town and want to meet up, give us a shout.

I wrote an article for TheTyee.ca that came out today, it has my 5 must read blog recommendations and I wrote a paragraph for each one in the article.

• One Red Paperclip
• Brave New Traveler
• Seth Godin
• Steve Pavlina
• Get Rich Slowly

We will be in Toronto from Wednesday night to the following Monday and we are not too sure where we will be staying as of yet. Any ideas, send them our way!

Cheers,

-Sean

Dr. Doolittle Could Learn A Thing Or Two

I am starting to feel more and more like Dr. Doolittle each day I work at the Animal Hospital. It is really cool working with the animals - each one has a different personality and you find yourself developing relationships with them before it's their time to go home. This week has been so interesting and I have been able to see and learn so much.

I have helped with holding down the animals while anesthetic is being administered, monitoring levels during surgery, taking temperatures (use your imagination), preparing some blood smears, polishing teeth, helping with an x-ray... pretty much everything.

The first morning we witnessed a surgery in which a large fatty lump was removed from the side of a dogs belly. Louise, the owner of the hospital and the Veterinarian who was doing the surgery, asked Ian and I if we had eaten that morning. Apparently if you have something in your stomach, you will be less likely to feel sick witnessing the surgery. I admit that I was a little bit queasy going into it not too sure what to expect, though I was fine and it was amazing to see the lump being removed.

The precision that it requires to be a surgeon is quite impressive and I wonder about the sense of responsibility they must feel going into each surgery. It's incredible how similar surgery is to that of humans. For the record, I am basing this judgment solely on what I have seen on TV, though I can imagine that it would be quite similar to this.

Everyone at the clinic has been really great to us. They have allowed me to learn about all the different aspects of the job, and really get in there and try everything out.

One thing I have learned is about the importance of taking care of your animals teeth, as a lot of other complications can surface as a result - there is your Vet tip of the day!

-Sean

Week Twenty Four Announced - Veterinary Assistant

This week I will be working as a Veterinary Assistant at Hespeler Animal Hospital in Cambridge, Ontario. I will get to help hold animals for exams and treatment, assist with procedures such as dentistry, surgery and radiology (with a lot of supervision, of course!) and perhaps help out the receptionists as well.

I had no idea where I would be working up until Thursday of last week. I had various offers though nothing seemed to really stick with me until I received the offer from the Animal Hospital. It is going to be a very interesting week and I am really excited to learn more about how things work in an animal hospital as it is an environment I have never previously been exposed to.

-Sean

My Week As A Radio DJ on DAVE FM

It has been a fun week here at DAVE FM. Started off pretty quiet on Monday with a tour of the studio, some introductions and an interview with local media. I am also working at the Holiday Inn Kitchener this week, working for my keep, and so have been spending a couple hours each day helping out around the hotel. I spent some time in the laundry room, folding towels, ironing linen, in the kitchen peeling some potatoes, serving drinks to priority club members, and helping set up a banquet last night. Over at Dave FM I was on site for their Tee it up Tuesdays golf event broadcasting live from the golf course. I was dressed up in an alligator costume, taking pictures with golfers, handing out some Dave FM stickers, and helping co-host the afternoon drive show. It was my first time on air this week and I got to do the weather and traffic, though the alligator outfit might have been the highlight of the day.

Of course you listen to Dave FM if you live in the Waterloo region, so stay tuned for an upcoming commercial over the next few weeks that I was able to do the voice over for. It was pretty cool to record the commercial in the studio and hear my voice transformed by the acoustics giving it a radio sounding effect.

Yesterday I co-hosted the morning show with Jeff Lumby and Gayle O'Brien. Great people and we had a lot of fun with it. Whenever I hear morning radio, it always seems like they are having such a good time in studio and really enjoy what they are doing. I got a first hand experience of it yesterday.

Today is my last day at Dave and then it's time to start a new job next Monday. I wasn't too sure where we were going up until Wednesday, and we were thinking of going anywhere from Stratford, to Montreal, to even Halifax.

I finish my last shift from 4pm - 5pm (EST) tonight and then we are heading to Toronto for the weekend. Although we have no idea where we will be staying or how we are getting there as of yet, should be good times. I think I will announce on air tonight if anyone can give us a ride East. If you want to tune in, you can listen live on the DAVE FM website.

-Sean

Week Twenty Two Announced - Radio DJ

This week I will be working with DAVE FM, a radio station in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario. I have to figure out this whole Kitchener/Waterloo thing they have going on here, which one is it or is it both? I think if I lived in Waterloo, I would want to say I come from Waterloo, not Kitchener/Waterloo, perhaps you get the best of both worlds. Not sure on that one yet. I will be a co-host for different shows throughout the week as well as attending some events, helping out with promotions, and of course there is always time for some office work.

This week is kind of different in that I am working two jobs at the same time. The people over at DAVE FM struck a deal with the people over at Holiday Inn Kitchener/Waterloo that if I worked a couple hours a day at the hotel we would be able to stay there for free. We thought that was pretty awesome of them and on top of that there was even a card in our room when we arrived welcoming us.

So that's where we are staying for the week, if you want to come and visit us, this is the map.

Not too sure what the plan is for next week, we are thinking of heading through Montreal on our way to Halifax, though plans are still in the air. If you have any job offers, ideas, contacts for Montreal, let us know.

-Sean

Princess Margaret Wrapup - with slideshow

I worked with some pretty incredible people this week and was able to learn a lot from them. One big thing that stood out for me was the idea of contributing to something greater than yourself; knowing that the better job you do, the more good you are creating - pretty cool stuff. I was able to attend a sponsorship presentation with a boardroom full of area managers at the head office of Swiss Chalet on Thursday. They will be the presenting sponsor next spring for The Ride To Conquer Cancer. It was an interesting experience and very similar to what I was told to expect when in business school - you walk into a room full of executives with your power point presentation and you have 15 minutes to sell them on your idea. When I was introduced a couple people in the room said out loud, "oh yeah, you're that One Week Job guy" which helped make me feel more comfortable.

The Foundation had a large mural painted on a wall near the hospital of a couple cyclists promoting <a target="new" href="http://www.conquercancer.ca"The Ride To Conquer Cancer event. It was painted through Toronto's graffiti transformation program which uses the artistic talent of local youth to help clean up graffiti covered city wall space. About the program - " Since 1996, 430 murals have been created in the city and over 1,200 youth have received paid work as well as training in the technical aspects of graffiti removal, outdoor art, and business skills."

On Friday afternoon, all of the kids who were involved in painting the mural were invited back for a photo shoot in front of the mural and then a pizza lunch at Princess Margaret afterwards to say thank you for their involvement. It was a lot of fun and I was able to spend time speaking to the kids about my experiences with One Week Job, tell them stories and what I have learned a long the way. They were very interested, asking lots of questions, and I really enjoyed sharing the experience. I think it serves as a positive experience for the kids and is something that I would like to spend some time doing after 52 weeks are finished.

Here is a video outlining the making of the mural:

We are now in Kitchener/Waterloo after having spent the last three weeks in Toronto. It seems as though there is always some sort of festival going on in Toronto, so we definitely were never bored. We had a great time over the past few weeks, and met some really awesome people. For example, you may remember that it was first week in Toronto that I was working with Steam Whistle Brewery, though it was just this morning that we finally packed up all of our stuff and moved out of the co-founders house. Thanks so much Greg and Sybil!

Tomorrow is another Monday and so time to start another job; this week I am actually working two which I will explain more about later.

-Sean

Commitment To A Common Vision

After spending only a couple days at Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation and meeting all the amazing people that work there, I could definitely see myself working in the not for profit sector. I think it is so great knowing that what you do directly correlates to generating money and awareness for such a great cause. I spent yesterday afternoon downtown going into all sorts of store fronts to get some of the initial promotional material up for The Ride To Conquer Cancer event coming up next Spring. After learning more about the event over the past few days, it is really going to be something special. It is a 200km cycle over two days from downtown Toronto that is going to end up at Niagara Falls.

There is an over night stop in Hamilton, where there will be food, entertainment, massage, camping... it's going to be a lot fun - although it might require some training on my part because I am not sure if I have cycled 200km over the course of my entire life!

I have also had the opportunity to sit down with some great individuals who work at the foundation and hear about what they do, which you will be able to see clips of in next weeks episode.

It is great to work in an environment where everyone is so passionate about achieving the vision of the foundation. The vision is plain and simple: to conquer cancer. The majority of those that work with the foundation have been touched somehow or another in their personal lives by cancer which adds to the level of pride in what they do.

The infrastructure of the hospital itself is quite impressive. Ian hasn't been able to film as much as he would like I imagine, but hopefully we do get some shots in the episode to convey it.

As you may have noticed the second episode of One Week Job came out yesterday. We managed to find a new movie player for the show and so have been able to keep it at a higher quality which is good news because Ian puts a lot of hard work into all the editing. Before Ian came out on the road with me, I would always be telling him about all the work I had to do with the project, which he didn't quite comprehend. After two weeks, I think he is starting to finally realize what I was talking about.

Have a look at the Episode #2 and let us know what you think!

-Sean

Week Twenty One Announced - Cancer Fundraiser

This week I am working with Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation helping promote an event they have coming up next Spring called The Ride To Conquer Cancer. Princess Margaret Hospital is Canada's leading cancer research hospital and raises over $60 million annually to support breakthrough research and patient care and education programs. This week I will be able to learn all about the cancer centre, the foundation, and help with one of their major events scheduled for next spring. If you recall, Week 18 I was in Marathon, Ontario as a Race Director of a Triathlon - looks like next year I might just have to return to Ontario not only to compete in a Triathlon, but also to cycle 200km in The Ride To Conquer Cancer as well... I suppose I better start training.

It will be my first job in the not for profit sector and I am excited to be involved in an environment in which the work they do directly contributes to such a great cause. I imagine in an organization such as this, it must be easier to get everyone on board working towards the same vision and to feel as if what they do is worthwhile.

Episode #2 from my week at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing comes out this Wednesday. If you know of anyone who would be interested in sponsoring an episode, please pass the site onto them.

-Sean

A Week In Review: Finding My Place At New Tribe

I had a good week working with New Tribe Tattoo Parlour. It was an environment that I had never been exposed to and so was able to get an inside look into the industry and people. One thing became evident this week more so than others, that perhaps is one of the limitations of the project - I didn't feel like I could really contribute in an environment such as this which requires years of training, not to mention an artistic ability that I definitely do not possess. I found myself searching for ways that I could be useful, but there was only so much that I could do - apart from the sterilizing/packaging equipment, setting up/taking down stations, etc.

At the same time however, a big element of what I am doing and all that I am learning comes from the people I meet along the way and hearing their stories. In that regard, it was great to speak with everyone who works New Tribe and learn about how they got into the tatooo (and piercing) industry and their passion for what they do.

Ian got some great footage and the next episode is shaping up. It will be out this coming Wednesday.

I also got a call from FOX News in the States yesterday and it looks like I will be doing an interview with their morning show next Saturday which broadcasts nationwide in the US. It could be interesting to see what the job market is like down South.

For now, I'm off to the Greek Festival - if you are in Toronto and heading that way, give me a shout! 416-735-9335

-Sean

Piercing The World Of Tattoos: First Days At New Tribe

Last week was so busy that it felt as if the week had barely finished yet the following Monday morning had already arrived and it was time to start my next One Week Job at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing. I think Ian and I are the only ones in there without tattoos completely covering our arms, though there is still a few more days left so you never know;)

I spent my first day on the job sterilizing and packaging equipment, setting up and taking down tattoo/piercing stations, taking out the garbage, and doing some coffee runs for some of the tattooists and piercers.

The first day I was working with Joey, an 18 year old who is apprenticing to become a piercer. He was talking about how he would like to get his arms covered in tattoos, though he must decide if this is what he really wants to do as a career because having a lot of visible tattoos tends to limit him to this industry.

Although tattoos and piercings are becoming more common, he mentioned how much discrimination there is in the workplace when looking for jobs. It reminded me how I have been asked if I think that some companies have not offered me a One Week Job due to my hair. I imagine the answer is yes, though, would I really want to work in an environment with individuals who would pass such judgment anyways? Nope.

My second day on the job I was able to hang out with one of the piercers, John. He has been a piercer for 11 years! I got to see him put in various rings throughout the day â€" tongue ring, nipple ring, nose ring - just a typical day at the office for him.

Yesterday, the shop was closed because they went to a waterpark, Wild Water Kingdom, for a staff outing. Ian and myself couldn’t go as I had an interview with CBC Newsworld in the morning and another in the afternoon with Naked News Daily. I had actually received an offer from Naked News Daily to be a News Anchor. The catch though, as you may have guessed, is that you must be naked. I thought I would save my family the embarassment and so elected for the interview option in my underwear â€" the “half naked news” I guess.

Our first episode has been released from my week at Steam Whistle Brewing. It would be a big help if you could pass on the link as we need sponsors for each of the weekly episodes in order to sustain the project. Thanks!

We will be in Toronto for another week after this one, then off to Kitchener/Waterloo where I will be a Radio DJ.

Cheers,

Sean

Week Twenty Announced - Tattoo Parlour Assistant

This week I will be working at New Tribe Tattooing and Piercing in downtown Toronto. I will be up to various things throughout the week - shadowing the piercers and current shop helpers, jewelery packaging, station tear down and setup, cleaning and sterilizing of tools...

I am not sure if you need a certification to do any tattooing, but a guy that I worked with last week is willing to be my guinea pig if possible - one very brave individual. Though I must say that I was pretty good at colouring inside the lines when I was young.

I will be there all week, so if you are in the area, drop by and say hello!

-Sean

A Week In Review: Lessons From The Steam Whistle Brewery

We have barely had time to catch our breath since we arrived last Sunday in Toronto, yet we had an incredible week working with the crew at Steam Whistle Brewing. We were so warmly welcomed by everyone from the start and I can't say enough about the kindness and generosity that was shown to us. For example, on our first day at Steam Whistle, one of the co-founders, Cam Heaps, offered the use of his high-end video camera for the year after finding out that ours doesn't support wireless microphones. And Greg and Sybil invited us up to their cottage for the weekend. It's just a continual reminder with this project, of how many genuinely kind human beings there are in this world. This week, we were among some of the best.

People here like to work for this company and it is easy to see why after a few interactions with the company's co-founders. I think the corporate culture they have managed to create is one of the major strengths of the Steam Whistle brand and one of the reasons that has allowed them to be so successful.

We were on Greg's boat yesterday up at the cottage and I was speaking to one of the sales reps, Brian, about what he does for the company. He didn't even consider himself in a specific position, as he feels more like family than an employee.

It was great to work in each department this week and see how everybody must work together as a team in order to achieve the company's goals and objectives:

The company's vision must be effectively conveyed to all the employees by co-founders Greg and Cam, the marketing department must take this vision and accurately express it in its marketing efforts to create awareness and generate interest in the product. This in turn helps the sales reps who must continually generate sales in order for the company to continue. The employees in retail must convey this vision in creating a positive experience, when customers come into the brewery for a tour.

And, of course, all this is irrelevant if you do not have a great product produced by the production team.

I will be in Toronto for the next couple of weeks - chances are you will be able to find Ian and I at the brewery a few more times when the steam whistle blows at 5pm. If you live in Toronto, hope to see you there!

Ian is working hard and the first episode of One Week Job will be released this Wednesday.

Stay tuned!

-Sean

Sleep Is Overrated Anyways

Things just keep getting better each day here at Steam Whistle. It's been a really busy week and although we are operating on about four hours of sleep a night, we are having an great time. I am positive you could ask any employee here and they would tell you that they really enjoy their job. Today I went on some sales calls with Richard, one of the sales reps at Steam Whistle. It was great to get out and see different areas of the town. We met up with some of his old clients and made some contacts in order to generate new ones. It was pretty interesting to see the sales process - it is almost as if they are running their own business, making their own hours, directly accountable for their income, meeting with lots of different clients, yet it doesn’t have the associated risk that a business owner would have.

Although I do enjoy the changing tasks and interaction with others, I don’t know if I could be a salesman, as I am not too sure if I would be able to handle all the rejection it takes in order to finally secure a sale.

Ian is getting some great footage and things are going really well for our first episode. If you can think of anyone who would be willing to sponsor the first episode, please pass on the link to 'The Show' page.

Time for bed. We are being picked up at 4:45am â€" definitely looking forward to sleeping in this weekend!

-Sean

Whistlin' While You Work: First Days At The Steam Whistle

Sean and I have a new favourite beer. It's true. We've converted. And it's not just because our first few days at Steam Whistle Brewery, located in downtown Toronto, have been surreal. Elizabeth, our Steam Whistle rep and big CN Tower fan, picked us up at the airport and drove us to our accommodation for the night: a condo on the pristine downtown waterfront, mere steps from the Tower itself. It was a quiet evening, spent unpacking our gear and getting Sean pumped for his big introduction at the brewery.

Sean spent his first day meeting the staff, all the way from the brewery floor to the office. The most surprisingly thing for me was the fact that everyone in the office sits together in a big, hardwood space - including the brewery founders Greg and Cam. No corner offices here. In such an environment, the creative vibe is easy to feel, and it comes across in the interactions between all the employees. They really seem to enjoy their work.

A brief interview with Toronto personality Jojo Chintoh from CityTV livened up the afternoon. Since we're from Vancouver, we'd never actually heard of him, but the Steam Whistle staff were buzzing during his visit.

That night Sean's bartending skills were put to the test at a silent auction fundraiser for cancer, held in the adjacent event space in the brewery roundhouse. It's a beautiful room with high ceilings, massive windows, and plenty of Steam Whistle on tap.

Early this morning we were driven out to Hamilton, ON for a radio interview at Y108 Rock FM, where Sean got to talk about his intimate dealings with cows during his stint as a Dairy Farmer. After returning to the brewery, Sean spent most of the day out on the line, packing fresh bottles of beer for delivery.

City TV reporter (and CommandN) Amber Mac dropped by for a quick interview.

Everyone here has been so incredible, it's actually difficult to convey the experience accurately through writing, (which is mostly why we're doing the TV Show). Steam Whistle's business mentality, fusing your passion with your work, is exactly what the One Week Job project is all about.

Greg and Cam, the Steam Whistle founders have a wealth of knowledge about what it takes to envision and find your passion - after all, they did it. They built their brewery from the ruins of their previous workplace, combined the best of the old and the new, and now find themselves living their dream, everyday.

Anyway, it's only Day 2 here, so Sean has plenty more lined up for the week, including an appearance on Breakfast TV tomorrow morning, a sampling at a yacht club, and a few client visits out on the road with the Steam Whistle sales team.

Until next time!

-- Ian