Lowen’s Entrepreneurial Management Bursary – Paying it Forward

A couple of years back Lowen’s established a scholarship at our Alma Mater, Royal Roads University (RRU). Lowen’s Entrepreneurial Management Bursary – Paying it Forward  A school featuring the iconic Hatley Castle that you may have seen in such movies as, X-men, Deadpool, Descendants and the list goes on and on.

The catalyst for this award was our longtime friend Sean, flagging me (Chad) to share some stories for a Giving Tuesday event that RRU was participating in.

The sad truth is that I didn’t get it done in time for the initiative.  That kind of stuff sits like a lead plate on my chest…  I pride myself on doing what I say I’m going to do and, this time,  I fumbled.

So I ruminated on this failure – such is the way I am. 

I thought about what I could do to have impact in an even more pronounced way???

It just so happened that I have a skincare company and  our mission happens to be Betterment.  So, how could I merge my bed $hitting and altruistic vision of Lowen’s to best “totally redeemed myself!?!” 

Some background:

Lowen’s mission of Betterment is to be an extension of myself.  Back in the RRU MBA program we watched the documentary “The Corporation” and I contemplated how businesses are often excused in their seeking generation of shareholder “value.”  The best performers often being personified as “psychopaths.”

This had an impact –  in the way that an unexpected scalding iron has – it hurts initially – the pain goes away…then the itch sets in.  When that subsides you’re left with a lasting memory on your skin (or psyche) that is want to disappear.

Anyhow with Lowen’s I took the hard road (my partner calls me “hard way Chad” for good reason).  To throw it into the Seinfeld lingo, I did “the opposite.”   (and yeah I do have a “Costanza” wallet).  Really though – there is no reason why a corporation cannot be an instrument for good.  One that does more than any pesky human can do alone.

To The RRU Rescue:

Back in my final MBA residency at RRU, a pal I was living with in Victoria lent me his truck to get to and from campus in Colwood (which is beautiful).  Unfortunately, at the end of the first two weeks, the truck threw in the towel.  

I had no way to get to school and didn’t really have the funds to rent a car as I was already over-leveraged with flights, tuition, rent, etc.  Yes, I could have taken transit but my brain was already taxed and there was not a direct route to the school.  (Saanich to Colwood…)

I was stressed, frustrated and lost.  

Normally, I’d drive these feelings down and take the hard road.  This occasion, I shared my pain with Sean.

In no time, he offered me his car for remainder of out residency to me saying, “I’m staying on campus and don’t need it.” “you do!”

I didn’t know what to say. 

From my perspective my classmate/friend lent out his new car to an unknown liability.

This is how I would have seen it.    

Past experience would have been to say “no” and depend on myself.  

This time I decided to take him up on hit offer…

Fast forward to 10 years later:

As I didn’t live up to my word and felt as though I failed my friend, I went all in.

I reached out to the Advancement Team at RRU and I shared my story and we explored opportunities for Lowen’s to have impact.

The result?

Lowen’s Entrepreneurial Management Bursary

With this bursary, we committed to giving $1,000.00 each year to a deserving candidate in an undergraduate program.  Particularly seeking out those deserving individuals with financial need, with a compelling story of how they have created betterment in their community.

Our first recipient created a program to serve meals from their family restaurant to the large homeless population in downtown Victoria.  This is right on target!

To learn more about our bursary, click the following link:  Bachelor of Commerce in Entrepreneurial Management

If you feel like chiping in to help make people awesome, click here