2004 ALUMNI RECIPIENTS

Peter MacDonald, 38

Biggest achievement: Taking the company from hobby status to a profitable, full-time effort over the past three years is big. Keeping it strong and growing through changing client needs and personnel changes is bigger and a testament to our integrity and attention to detail in a "big picture" industry.

Best skill: Directness.

Most admired businessperson: Small-town general store shopkeepers are my model. They sell customers what they need without charts, graphs and spreadsheets. They are connected, grounded, knowledgeable, humble, trusted and essential to the fabric of the community.

Biggest business lesson learned: Maintaining integrity is key to the success of Nutshell. The events industry, particularly the field of musical presentation, is full of anecdotes about shady promoters, crooked agents and producers who cut corners to get the gig. We try to change that impression of the industry. The biggest lessons have come in learning to manage my expectations of myself, my staff and my clients. While it is never fun to lose a client, it is in those situations that honest business people learn the most about their operation. Good clients take the time to teach you, if you let them. The most important business lesson I learned was to gracefully accept "no" and to maintain the relationship for the many positive benefits that brought it into being.

Favourite charity: Youville Centre, The Stephen Lewis Foundation and Amethyst Women's Addiction Centre.

Professional recognition that would mean the most: Being seen as a good teacher and mentor. Having the company's methods and best practices copied by others would be high praise, too.