Meet Jeff Cullen, CEO of Rhenus Canada. I recently had the honour of talking with him at his office in Mississauga, Ontario about his philosophy of success.
“Prosperity For All” are three very important words for Jeff. These three words are not just painted on his office wall, they are burned into the culture at Rhenus Rodair. In Jeff’s words, "Profit is a measure of your past and prosperity is a measure of your sustainability in the future”. Ultimately, those words have become a philosophy of success that has transitioned a little company of three people in a small office in 1996 to a company that by 2012 had grown to 27 seven offices in 17 countries worldwide. Rodair Canada was acquired by Rhenus Logistics of Germany in 2019.
Jeff goes on to say that, "Everyone in the ecosystem must win. That includes clients, employees, vendors and shareholders’. He describes it like a wheel - if any part of it is treated inequitably, it creates a flat spot and can no longer move forward. "Prosperity is sharing,” says the head of Human Resources, Natalya Sakhno, and adds, "If employees are happy, then clients are happy". This truth was evident when speaking with their happy client, Conrad Frejlich, CFO at Harry Rosen. Conrad explains that, “Opening up the books and being transparent about costs allowed us to create a sustainable and mutually beneficial relationship. We both win. That's a true partnership”. Jeff concludes that success doesn’t happen in isolation. He quotes a favourite proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together!
It was very obvious to me that the success Jeff has built over the years has created significant opportunities for everyone in the Rhenus Rodair eco system, but what impressed me most is the impact that they have in the world around them. As I walked through the halls of Rhenus Rodair, I was amazed at the number of philanthropic plaques and letters of gratitude from a sea of charities, local community groups and hospitals. It is no wonder why they are recognized as one of Canada’s best managed companies.
I believe this kind of success comes from helping as many people as you can along the way, regardless of who they are or what position they hold in your eco system. I wholly agree with what Zig Ziglar says, “You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want”. Success is not a place you arrive at one day, success is who you are at your core. Or should I say at your care :)
To find out more about Rhenus Rodair - visit rodair.com