Page 82 - Lighting Magazine March 2018
P. 82
rep ridE-aloNg
“Sco has taught me not to give up.
Everything happens for a reason and to keep going through all the tough times and turn them into a positive result.” —David Paquet
lessons in cooperative teamwork and self-motivation were learned by Sco at a young age on the ice rink and have since become fundamental in his career.
My take-away from riding with Sco and meet- ing his father David is that their family unit is tight; it has also played a signi cant in uence on the agency Sco founded.
“Sco has taught me not to give up,” David added. “Everything happens for a reason and to keep going through all the tough times and turn them into a posi- tive result.”
I also learned that Sco ’s drive and his inspira- tion not only come from his father, but from his 27-year-old brother as well. Adam was stricken with meningitis as a baby and has had over 40 surgeries on his brain, which unfortunately caused a loss of mobility in his right arm and leg. Nevertheless, Adam possesses that same drive and determination that his younger brother, Sco , has, leading Adam to par- ticipate in the Special Olympics in the sports of golf, baseball, bocce, and bowling. Representing Ontario in the Provincial Special Olympics in golf over the past four years, Adam won a Silver medal in 2017. In addition, he plays ice hockey with the George Bray Sports Association, which has also become a family event as both David and Sco coach separate teams in the league.
As a life-long witness of Adam’s positive a itude and motivation to overcome the obstacles life places in your way, Sco has adopted the same principle of striving to do everything to the best of your ability. Sco ’s passion for his business, his family – including his dog Buddy – and his industry partners is clearly apparent.
I asked Sco about his goals for 2018, especially as a digital native and a young man with an entre- preneurial spirit. He responded that the best way to increase his territory’s productivity is through organic growth, by increasing his face-to-face en- gagement with his partnered showrooms. With an increasing desire to become even more valuable to his clients, Sco is also working towards completing the CLMR accreditation from the American Lighting Association (ALA).
The name of Sco ’s agency — Working 8 – is such an uncommon name that it piqued my interest. Sco told me he was inspired by the classic Beatles song “8 Days a Week.” Given the emotion and passion that Sco brings with him to his work, his family, and the people he meets, the lyrics certainly t: “Ain’t got nothing but love, babe...eight days a week.”
Sco Paquet sits down with Patrick Taylor, show- room manager of Living Lighting in Pickering, Ontario, to go over new product introductions and discuss strategy.
“My father is one of the hardest working and profes- sional people I know, and I will always look up to him for that.”
The day starts early for Sco , sometimes before dawn. He says it is a habit typical of growing up in a family that lives and loves hockey.
As our day together evolved, I was able to observe Sco working with his clients and found that his ac- tions matched his words. He performed – and most importantly has been accepted – as a consultative partner with each showroom we visited. He con- tributes to each business and is acknowledged as a respected member of each showroom’s team. They listen to him as their discussions and goals become a two-way street to the same destination.
On one of our stops, Sco worked with a show- room manager whose store is currently undergoing a complete and extensive remodel. Sco contributed to the design input, suggesting strategic placement that would bene t the showroom, the vendor, and the ultimate end-user.
Whether the showrooms we visited were big or small, Sco was always respected and appreciated for the various roles he plays at each. Some of the
80 enLIGHTenment Magazine | March 2018
www.enlightenmentmag.com