Fenton Jagdeo Jr.

Fenton demystifies what it means to pursue innovation, strategic planning and radical curiosity.  He shows why it’s so important to the long term success of organizations & what happens if you don’t innovate. 

He explains why aggressive future scenario planning is important to help make better decisions today, while building a competitive moat around whatever you do.

Fenton believes the new rule for being successful is that there are no rules. The most important factor to becoming the type of dynamic worker that will define this era is the ability to be curious. His approach encourages a sense of urgency and inspires the courage in business leaders to think outside of today’s framing. 

Takeaways:

• Practical tools that staff at all levels of an organization can use to bring more success to every day innovation and decision making. 
• Future scenario planning.
• A repeatable framework to activate and execute on your curiosity to drive innovation.

Fenton was the 1% at his university. The 1% in his elite business program. The 1% at his first job. He was the 1% at Deloitte. He’s the 1% of civic leaders. He’s the 1% for venture capital raising anywhere, and the 1% for startup leaders. And when he means 1%,  he doesn’t mean wealth, he means race: 1% represents the summation of black population in a similar positions.

This conversation will raise shocking facts about Canada’s black population, and by offering up real lived experiences he’s come up against, he shows why diversity is important… and not from an emotional “do good for the people” PR way but by focusing on what he knows best: the logical, financial, and strategic arguments for why giving oxygen to a group of minorities that have been disenfranchised for hundreds of years is a competitive advantage for us all.  He considers himself to be one of the lucky ones, but there’s no reason why that should be the case.

Takeaways:

• Logical and financial arguments for why diversity is a competitive advantage.
• What may be on the minds of your black employees who are too afraid to say it.
• Practical ways to think about corporate Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy.

There’s a misconception around getting involved in public service (from simple volunteering to joining public boards); people believe that the altruism you receive is the only benefit, but there are tangible benefits that help you career, your community, and your self development.

Fenton talks through his experiences in the world of civic engagement: from the first door he ever knocked on for a candidate, to joining large decision making bodies that impact your day to day like public transit and libraries,  walking through how he was able to maneuver these opportunities and what these opportunities have afforded him from a career, skill development, and networking perspective.

Takeaways:

• The importance of community engagement.
• How to make the most of your public service.

Fenton built Faculty, the men’s cosmetics company covered by HYPEBEAST, The Wall Street Journal, and Esquire, raising millions in venture capital during one of the worst financial periods in recent history.

Hear some of the consumer trends around Gen Z, their interests, buying patterns, and behaviors,  their perspective on “ungendered consumption” and what they look for in companies trying to court their disposable dollar. 

Takeaways:

• What’s required to get in the hearts and minds of the newest generation of spenders, before it’s too late.
• The bet on makeup for men in a half a trillion dollar industry unchanged for almost 100 years and dominated by gendered consumption.
• Guiding principles and learnings to survive and succeed when literally all odds are against you.

From embattled charities in Canada, to working on Saudi Arabian mega projects against a backdrop of chaotic geopolitics, and advising a wealthy family office in the Balkans (not too dissimilar to HBO’s Succession!), Fenton has had the privilege of working on a ton of projects, with a ton of people, all around the world… and it’s not always easy. There’s a massive clash of ideas, philosophies, and world views that stress test relationships and where success goes. 

With an emphasis on understanding people, Fenton provides strategies for successfully navigating challenging work environments and working with difficult people.

You can learn more from failure than success.

Fenton delves into the key lessons learned as an entrepreneur—like determination, resilience, and uncertainty—and how these lessons can be applied in learning from failure. 

He shares stories of the peak highs and steep lows across working with well known celebrities, investors, companies, and all the crazy tales that come with running a global startup… and rest assured, there are many.