July 19, 2023 • 23 mins
What happens when academic struggles convert into triumphs and pave the way to becoming an industry expert? Meet Jason Demers, a living testament to this transition. In our chat with him, we journey through his professional path, highlighting key turning points, principles of success, as well as the learning curves shaped by failures. Jason's story is not just about the oil and gas industry, it's about resilience, faith, and the nerve-wracking honor of being the first Canadian to testify before a US Congressional House Committee.
We engage Jason in a deeper conversation about the interplay of faith and leadership. We discover how his faith has been tested, tempered, and ultimately reinforced through his experiences in the business world. His open discussions of faith within the business community, and how these faith-infused conversations have enriched his relationships, are nothing short of inspirational. Jason's ultimate legacy of faith, and the joy he derives from serving others, provides a refreshing look at the human side of business.
Whether you're an aspiring leader or a seasoned one, this episode promises to be a treasure chest of insights, personal experiences, and tools you'd not want to miss. So, join us and Jason Demers in this enriching conversation today.
Thanks for listening!
Click here to take the LeaderImpact Assessment and to receive the first chapter of Becoming a Leader of Impact by Braden Douglas.
Remember, impact starts with you!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lisa Peters (00:07):
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the worlddedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments, or suggestions to makethis show even better, please
(00:27):
let us know.
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at LeaderImpact.
ca or on social media@LeaderImpact.
If you are listening fromoutside of Canada or anywhere
around the world, check out ourwebsite at LeaderImpact.
com.
I'm your host, Lisa Peters, andour guest today is Jason Demers.
Jason has spent the past decadein the non-hydrocarbon upstream
(00:48):
gas space with a focus onhelium, and is the Tazidis
Helium Development Concept andVision Originator.
Jason established a strategyand brought together the initial
team to implement the visionand carry it through to
successful operations.
Jason has built keyrelationships with top-level
Navajo State and federalofficials in the House and
Senate and senior political andregulatory influencers.
(01:11):
Jason initiated and continuesto lead efforts to enable
long-term development ofAmerica's untapped helium
resources and providedtestimonial before the
Congressional Subcommittee onEnergy and Mineral Resources,
leading to the introduction andpassage of the Helium Extraction
Act of 2017.
This testimony has given Jasonthe unique honor of being the
first Canadian to testify beforea US Congressional House
(01:33):
Committee.
In October 2021, Jason'scompany was acquired by the
Navajo Nation via the NavajoTransitional Energy Company,
where he continues to supporttheir transition efforts to a
clean energy, future andeconomic independence.
As Director of StrategyDevelopment, Jason has been
married to his wife for 29 yearsand together they have two
grown children and recentlybecame grandparents for a second
(01:56):
time.
He enjoys playing his acousticguitars, touring with his wife
on their Harley and spendingtime playing with his
grandchildren.
Welcome to the show, Jason.
Jason Demers (02:07):
It's a pleasure to be here.
Lisa Peters (02:09):
That is quite the intro.
Jason Demers (02:12):
It's a mouthful.
Lisa Peters (02:13):
Wow, yeah, i'm impressed I got through that one
.
So you are originally fromBalgonie.
Jason Demers (02:21):
That's right.
I'm a small town, saskatchewankid.
Lisa Peters (02:24):
Oh well, we grew them up well out here.
That's how we do it here.
Big vision, big view big vision, big view, good, I love it.
Now this podcast, for anyonelistening, is going to be a
little different.
I have prepped Jason with fourquestions.
We're going to talk aboutpivotal turning points,
principles of success, failuresand mistakes, and how they're
actually a good thing, and thenjust how you want to grow
(02:47):
personally, professionally, andspiritually.
So, Jason, are you ready?
Jason Demers (02:52):
Sure, let's, let's dive into it.
Lisa Peters (02:54):
All right.
So we are looking for yourprofessional story and how you
got to where you are today.
So give us a couple snapshotsof if there were to pivotal
turning points along thatjourney.
Jason Demers (03:07):
Well, the The journey started it.
I was not one that did well inthe academic side, so going to
through schooling just wasn't anoption for me.
I learned I learned that Ilearned better by doing things
and And just books.
Books didn't work the same forme, so I I was trying to figure
out what.
What does my career path looklike?
(03:29):
There's not a lot of.
There's not a lot of greatpaying jobs or career paths that
tend to run from people who forpeople who are Not not to greed
, and.
But I found that one of thethings that was sort of natural
for me was finding a, anopportunity in, in, in the gaps
(03:49):
between the information.
I would do a lot of reading onwhat's going on out there in the
world.
I started off My first.
My first big step in the careerpath was establishing an
electrical regulatory Company inAlberta when I saw that the
government had privatized thepermitting business and so I
started an inspection business.
That kind of filled that gap andMade me made me a specialist in
(04:11):
the oil and gas industry in theelectrical regulatory world,
because nobody else was doing itAnd so it was.
It was easy to be an expert ina field where you are alone.
And I built that company up towhat a 35 man company and
brought in some partners and andit was actually very successful
and Continued to operate.
Today I sold my position and Iwent out We'll call it on my own
(04:35):
to to get.
I wanted to get closer to thewellhead.
I wanted to be more part of theenergy side of things versus
the supplier side, and And.
and I would say that as Istepped out and kind of
rebranded my, my career, gettinginto the upstream business, i
was faced with that, with a hardtruth, and That, as I like to
(04:57):
say, was served cold is, ifyou're, if you're really going
to go after something, you'vegot to be prepared to do it
without the safety net orunderstand that there's not a
safety net I was.
I was told that by one of theguys that was an advisor a
friend of mine along the wayWhen I thought, well, if I step
out into this other venture,going into the co2 business
Which eventually ended up in thehelium business that well, if
(05:21):
it doesn't work out, these otherguys will help cover me, and
I'll be.
I'll be fine.
And I was informed that, son,you're on that tightrope by
yourself.
You got to decide if you wantto turn back or keep going.
So So I was given that dose ofreality very early on and
getting into thisnon-hydrocarbon upstream space
and and That was a that was amoment that I really had to do
(05:45):
some Self-reflection.
Was I prepared to walk awayfrom the, the comfort?
Lisa Peters (05:51):
that.
Jason Demers (05:51):
I created in the business with partners, i I had
a very solid network that Allwould go away if I took this
step, and in the sense that it'sa completely different business
that I'd be getting into.
So it was.
It was scary, it was, it wasvery exciting, but it was
(06:12):
terrifying.
And but it started my journeyinto the upstream
non-hydrocarbon space, whicheventually became my healing
interests.
Lisa Peters (06:22):
I Find it.
You know you talk aboutexciting and terrifying and no
safety net.
It is exciting and terrifyingTo be in that position, but if
you weren't, You know like Ithink You're not gonna grow.
You know taking those bigchances and you know there may
not be a safety net, You are onthe tightrope loan.
(06:44):
I love that.
That was really good.
Really good comments.
I'm taken from that.
So can you give us your bestprinciple of success and tell us
a story that illustrates this?
Jason Demers (07:00):
I think my best I've got a couple and they go
hand in hand and one and this Ilearned through the work that I
did with US Congress and tryingto get some legislation changed
is that influence is ultimatelymore important than control and
it's actually more achievable.
And the second part to that isand it sounds a little more of
(07:20):
the along the cliche side ishonesty, and integrity is really
all you have control of at theend of the day.
Everything else belongs toothers and how they respond to
you.
So I would say that theinfluence over control aspect of
that is understanding.
I was starting as a Canadianstarting out very fresh in the
(07:44):
US marketplace and particularlythe political marketplace, and
so understanding how toinfluence legislative leaders in
the United States state andtribal leaders.
You can't control how theyrespond to you.
You can only be sincere andopen with people and allow them
(08:06):
to respond how they respond.
So I would say that the abilityto influence the US Congress to
pass helium legislation in arecord period from it was
introduced and passed within twoyears and that was done by
influence.
Lisa Peters (08:27):
Wow, okay, i'm going to step back maybe I don't
know how many years and I'mgoing to go to your education
because, listening to you, youmade a comment earlier about you
were a doer, so I'm not sure.
did you graduate with anengineering degree?
You know, you taught us, likeI'm not.
was it a trades?
because you are at a positionof influence and I just wanted
(08:49):
to.
what did you take?
What did you do?
Is it just all the work you'vecreated, like?
give me a little insight onthat.
Jason Demers (08:56):
Well, let's just say it took me a couple of tries
to get through grade 12.
So, honestly, like I was a lowlevel grade student, i did
graduate high school and that'smy highest level of education.
The rest of it is based onnetworking, on creating real
(09:22):
relationships and not justtransactional relationships,
which has at times burned me andhurt me.
But I've been accused of havingan over inflamed sense of
fairness when I deal with people, that I deal with people the
way I expect that they should bedealing with me.
And that's in the businessworld.
That's not always the case.
Even in personal life that'snot always the case.
(09:44):
So it was, you know, to yourquestion.
there is no academic path thatI don't even know that you could
take an academic path, maybepolitical sciences and things
like that, but it was more aboutunderstanding who you need to
know and getting to know them.
Wow.
Lisa Peters (10:04):
Yeah, thank you for sharing that, because I think
sometimes we listen to leaderslike yourself and we think, oh,
you know, they're masters,they're engineers, they're
masters of this, and just tohear your story, i mean, it was,
it's grassroots, i love it.
So I just appreciate youanswering that question.
So third question is we learnmore from our failures and
(10:25):
mistakes than successes.
Would you share?
Would you share one of thegreatest failures or mistakes
that you've learned from?
and you're laughing already?
Jason Demers (10:36):
On that question.
I mean, i've been through thisinterview process on the later
impact before and, and everytime I come to that question I
have a whole new list offailures and so or learnings,
right, yeah, and so it's alwayswhich?
which one do you share on howit leads in?
so I think one of the one ofthe biggest learning
(10:59):
opportunities I had was knowing,knowing your deal, knowing what
you want out of it, and I'mbeginning, with the end in mind,
to use that I I was able tonavigate and set up meetings
with some very big, corporate,high-powered companies that that
were Very interested in what Ihad to say and that, in what I
(11:22):
was presenting and in theopportunity that I laid out.
One of my, one of my skill setsor strengths is Sharing a
vision, is getting people to seethe vision of what I'm working
on, and and that's that'shelpful in building interest and
excitement.
And I had.
I had seven of the top VPs andexecutives of a large us
(11:43):
Corporation at the table lookingat my, looking at my deal.
I laid out all the pieces of itat the end of the conversation
over a period of hours in aconference room in Houston.
They said So what are youlooking for from us?
And I had no idea what that,what that meant, and I I got to
(12:03):
a point where they were all alleating from the trough, but I
didn't know exactly what I waslooking for from them and I
didn't even have anything topropose.
So that I was, i was sent homewith my tail between my legs and
understanding that, boy, nexttime you you get in front of
people and want to present adeal, make sure you come
(12:23):
prepared with What is it youwant from them, what is your,
what is the desired outcome?
and that's where the Begin withthe end in mind has become my
mantra and most meetings and andbusinesses.
Lisa Peters (12:36):
Oh, that's great.
I think too many times we It'sfunny because I'll get asked to
go to meetings and I'm like what, what is the point?
What do you need from me?
get to the you know and to notto go into the meeting and not
know?
um, did you just?
you go in thinking they're not,they weren't, they weren't
going to give to you or theyweren't going to.
Was just listening, like howwas the meeting set up?
Jason Demers (12:58):
I went in misunderstanding happen.
Yeah.
So it sounds simple when you'reon the outside, but when you're
living it, it's it's a littlemore forest in the tree scenario
.
I I went into this meetingthinking, believing that they
know more about the business I'min, then I do, and that they
would have some ideas as to howwe could work together and then
(13:18):
how they, how they would want tostructure a deal.
So I left that door openwithout having any sort of
backstop to say This is, this iswhat I would like to see us do.
So when that, when thatquestion came up, i expected
that they would have an answerAnd I was wrong.
Lisa Peters (13:36):
Yeah, oh, that is a great lesson.
Hard failure That that was skin.
Jason Demers (13:41):
That skin the knees and the nose and the elbow
is all all at the same time andyou know in high in retrospect
I go.
Well, duh Like you, you shouldgo in knowing the answer.
But yeah, that was a bigfailure.
Lisa Peters (13:53):
Yeah, yeah, i don't think you've done it again.
I mean, there's probably othermistakes, but you haven't done
that one again.
Jason Demers (13:58):
That one I have not repeated.
Yeah.
Lisa Peters (14:00):
Yeah, so are you the type of guy that asks for
help?
I'm just asking.
Jason Demers (14:04):
Yes, actually, i actually find that None of this
stuff that I've been able to doI would ever be able to have
done on my own, and it's allhelped from people in all
different aspects, whether it'smentors to help me really
evaluate what I'm thinking orthe direction I'm thinking of
(14:25):
taking, or people that I havethe opportunity being I'll call
it that.
The lesser educated side isthat I don't believe I know a
whole lot, in fact.
I believe that I know verylittle about a lot of things.
So there are people who know alot more about most things than
I do and I'm more than happy toengage.
Lisa Peters (14:46):
Yeah, i'm happy to surround myself with those
people.
Right, i don't have the answers.
I've got a great support grouparound me, all right.
So at Leader Impact, we want togrow personally, professionally
and spiritually for increasingimpact.
So would you be willing toshare an example of how the
spiritual makes a practicaldifference in your life as a
(15:08):
leader?
Jason Demers (15:10):
It certainly does, and I've found that faith is
something to be practiced, and Ifeel like I've had an immersion
in the situations that requirefaith to be able to provide
direction and guidance.
(15:31):
It's like speaking anotherlanguage If you're immersed in
the culture of it, you learn itfaster, and I think faith is the
same when you're in situationswhere you do need to depend on a
power greater than yourself.
And so I don't really have asingle point example, but I'd
like to say more of an ongoingjourney of experiences that test
(15:54):
and temper your faith, and Ithink that probably one of the
greatest opportunities I'vefound is that the network, the
business network that I'vecreated today is.
I'm surrounded by people offaith, of Christians, and the
power of being able to build arelationship on sharing your
(16:15):
faith.
The vulnerability that comeswith sharing your faith,
especially in business at times,really builds some foundational
relationships, and I thinkthat's where a lot of my solid
network connections are made isthrough just being vulnerable
and sharing your faith.
Lisa Peters (16:32):
And are you referring to your leader impact
groups, because I know you'reinvolved, i think.
Jason Demers (16:37):
Yeah, i've been involved with the leader impact
here in Calgary for well, sinceleader impact came to Calgary
and prior to that.
So I mean that's a great place.
That's also a very safe place,i find.
But I'm actually referring tothe broader business community.
Some of the a number of thebusiness network contacts that I
(16:59):
have, we've built arelationship to a point where we
know each other's faith.
We talk about our faith.
So it's outside of the safegroup setting And it's in that
open business.
We talk about it with people onCapitol Hill.
I talk about it with people inmeetings And it's not so much a
(17:21):
soapbox profession as justmaking sure that I put myself
out there and they know that I'ma Christian And some people try
to use that as a negotiatingpoint.
But I found most people willopen up with their faith or
their perspective or havequestions, And that's a great
(17:42):
place to build a relationshipfrom.
Lisa Peters (17:44):
Wow, that is a great story, a good example.
I think it's a tough one to notcome out but to talk about it.
I think in a business Istruggle to just bring it up.
I try to, like wear the crossmight start the conversation.
Of course it's how I act, it'show I treat people, that I hope
(18:08):
you know I'm a Christian, butthe conversation I can struggle
with.
I will freely admit that.
So listening to you share thisis a good inspiration.
So thank you for sharing.
Jason Demers (18:21):
It's definitely not one of those things that
comes naturally.
We tend to, i think, as people.
Certain people are reallycalled on this, but I think as
people, we tend to be veryguarded about sharing our faith,
and especially in today'ssociety where there is such a
polarization that betweenChristianity and the rest of the
world sort of thing, so it's ascarier place to be open.
Lisa Peters (18:44):
Yeah, well, i appreciate you being open.
All right, well, i have twofinal questions.
I ask these questions of all myguests on my show.
You know that leader impact isdedicated to leaders having a
lasting impact.
We've talked about that.
So, as you continue to movethrough your own journey, have
you considered what you wantyour faith legacy to be when you
leave this world?
Jason Demers (19:06):
You know, when you pose that question, it's one of
those that I don't often thinkabout but, funnily enough, my
wife and I were just talkingabout it over the weekend in
that, with our grandchildren,with our children and our
grandchildren, it's instillingthe word and the faith of God in
(19:27):
our grandchildren and helpingbe those guides.
I think that as a legacy, foras a faith legacy, knowing that
another generation after us isgrounded in their faith is about
the greatest legacy I couldhave.
Lisa Peters (19:46):
Yeah, that is a wonderful legacy and I
completely agree.
We are here to lead ourchildren, so my last question is
what brings you the greatestjoy?
Jason Demers (20:01):
I asked my wife that this morning I said what
brings me the greatest joy,which she said her And you know
she's not wrong.
But so that's a broad spectrumquestion.
The one component of it is thegreatest joy is hearing my two
year old grandson, when I walkin, go it's papa and be all
excited, and hearing that in hisvoice just brings me joy every
(20:24):
single time And on a more.
On another level, i find whatbrings me a lot of deep joy is
being given the opportunity toserve somebody, help somebody
who is really in need, kind ofin a spontaneous way, and that I
(20:45):
always come away from thoseexperiences just filled with joy
in the spirit.
Lisa Peters (20:49):
Yeah, that is great answers, Jason.
That was really good.
So I wanna thank you.
Just it has been a quick 20minutes.
It has been a pleasure to meetyou again because I know we've
met.
I don't could have been longtime ago, because somehow there
was three or two years of ourlives that just I think it was
(21:12):
this way because it was the zoomthat we met, so it must have
been somewhere in there.
But I just wanna thank you fortaking the time out of your day.
You are a very busy guy tocatch up to, so I just wanna
thank you for joining us.
Your answers are so just highlevel leadership and for me it's
like a servant leadership.
It's just.
It was really great to talk toyou and to hear you with your
(21:36):
answers.
I appreciate your time.
Jason Demers (21:38):
Thank you, lisa, it was a pleasure.
Lisa Peters (21:40):
All right.
Well, this ends our podcastwith you, but if anyone wants to
connect with you, what is thebest way to find you?
Jason Demers (21:46):
The only social way to social platform to
connect with me is on LinkedIn.
Lisa Peters (21:51):
All right.
Jason Demers (21:52):
You can find me there under the critical mineral
side.
Lisa Peters (21:54):
All right, well again, thank you.
Thank you, Jason.
Jason Demers (21:57):
Thank you, lisa.
Lisa Peters (21:58):
All right.
Well, if you're part of LeaderImpact, you can always discuss
or share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you're not yet a part ofLeader Impact, would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page on our website atleaderimpactca and check out our
free leadership assessment.
You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Braden
Douglas's book Becoming a Leaderof Impact.
(22:19):
It is an amazing leadershipbook.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
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the world, check outleaderimpactcom or get in touch
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And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
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This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
(22:41):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember Impact starts with
you.
Welcome to the Leader Impact Podcast.
We are a community of leaderswith a network in over 350
cities around the worlddedicated to optimizing our
personal, professional andspiritual lives to have impact.
This show is where we have achance to listen and engage with
leaders who are living this out.
We love talking with leaders,so if you have any questions,
comments, or suggestions to makethis show even better, please
(00:27):
let us know.
The best way to stay connectedin Canada is through our
newsletter at LeaderImpact.
ca or on social media@LeaderImpact.
If you are listening fromoutside of Canada or anywhere
around the world, check out ourwebsite at LeaderImpact.
com.
I'm your host, Lisa Peters, andour guest today is Jason Demers.
Jason has spent the past decadein the non-hydrocarbon upstream
(00:48):
gas space with a focus onhelium, and is the Tazidis
Helium Development Concept andVision Originator.
Jason established a strategyand brought together the initial
team to implement the visionand carry it through to
successful operations.
Jason has built keyrelationships with top-level
Navajo State and federalofficials in the House and
Senate and senior political andregulatory influencers.
(01:11):
Jason initiated and continuesto lead efforts to enable
long-term development ofAmerica's untapped helium
resources and providedtestimonial before the
Congressional Subcommittee onEnergy and Mineral Resources,
leading to the introduction andpassage of the Helium Extraction
Act of 2017.
This testimony has given Jasonthe unique honor of being the
first Canadian to testify beforea US Congressional House
(01:33):
Committee.
In October 2021, Jason'scompany was acquired by the
Navajo Nation via the NavajoTransitional Energy Company,
where he continues to supporttheir transition efforts to a
clean energy, future andeconomic independence.
As Director of StrategyDevelopment, Jason has been
married to his wife for 29 yearsand together they have two
grown children and recentlybecame grandparents for a second
(01:56):
time.
He enjoys playing his acousticguitars, touring with his wife
on their Harley and spendingtime playing with his
grandchildren.
Welcome to the show, Jason.
Jason Demers (02:07):
It's a pleasure to be here.
Lisa Peters (02:09):
That is quite the intro.
Jason Demers (02:12):
It's a mouthful.
Lisa Peters (02:13):
Wow, yeah, i'm impressed I got through that one
.
So you are originally fromBalgonie.
Jason Demers (02:21):
That's right.
I'm a small town, saskatchewankid.
Lisa Peters (02:24):
Oh well, we grew them up well out here.
That's how we do it here.
Big vision, big view big vision, big view, good, I love it.
Now this podcast, for anyonelistening, is going to be a
little different.
I have prepped Jason with fourquestions.
We're going to talk aboutpivotal turning points,
principles of success, failuresand mistakes, and how they're
actually a good thing, and thenjust how you want to grow
(02:47):
personally, professionally, andspiritually.
So, Jason, are you ready?
Jason Demers (02:52):
Sure, let's, let's dive into it.
Lisa Peters (02:54):
All right.
So we are looking for yourprofessional story and how you
got to where you are today.
So give us a couple snapshotsof if there were to pivotal
turning points along thatjourney.
Jason Demers (03:07):
Well, the The journey started it.
I was not one that did well inthe academic side, so going to
through schooling just wasn't anoption for me.
I learned I learned that Ilearned better by doing things
and And just books.
Books didn't work the same forme, so I I was trying to figure
out what.
What does my career path looklike?
(03:29):
There's not a lot of.
There's not a lot of greatpaying jobs or career paths that
tend to run from people who forpeople who are Not not to greed
, and.
But I found that one of thethings that was sort of natural
for me was finding a, anopportunity in, in, in the gaps
(03:49):
between the information.
I would do a lot of reading onwhat's going on out there in the
world.
I started off My first.
My first big step in the careerpath was establishing an
electrical regulatory Company inAlberta when I saw that the
government had privatized thepermitting business and so I
started an inspection business.
That kind of filled that gap andMade me made me a specialist in
(04:11):
the oil and gas industry in theelectrical regulatory world,
because nobody else was doing itAnd so it was.
It was easy to be an expert ina field where you are alone.
And I built that company up towhat a 35 man company and
brought in some partners and andit was actually very successful
and Continued to operate.
Today I sold my position and Iwent out We'll call it on my own
(04:35):
to to get.
I wanted to get closer to thewellhead.
I wanted to be more part of theenergy side of things versus
the supplier side, and And.
and I would say that as Istepped out and kind of
rebranded my, my career, gettinginto the upstream business, i
was faced with that, with a hardtruth, and That, as I like to
(04:57):
say, was served cold is, ifyou're, if you're really going
to go after something, you'vegot to be prepared to do it
without the safety net orunderstand that there's not a
safety net I was.
I was told that by one of theguys that was an advisor a
friend of mine along the wayWhen I thought, well, if I step
out into this other venture,going into the co2 business
Which eventually ended up in thehelium business that well, if
(05:21):
it doesn't work out, these otherguys will help cover me, and
I'll be.
I'll be fine.
And I was informed that, son,you're on that tightrope by
yourself.
You got to decide if you wantto turn back or keep going.
So So I was given that dose ofreality very early on and
getting into thisnon-hydrocarbon upstream space
and and That was a that was amoment that I really had to do
(05:45):
some Self-reflection.
Was I prepared to walk awayfrom the, the comfort?
Lisa Peters (05:51):
that.
Jason Demers (05:51):
I created in the business with partners, i I had
a very solid network that Allwould go away if I took this
step, and in the sense that it'sa completely different business
that I'd be getting into.
So it was.
It was scary, it was, it wasvery exciting, but it was
(06:12):
terrifying.
And but it started my journeyinto the upstream
non-hydrocarbon space, whicheventually became my healing
interests.
Lisa Peters (06:22):
I Find it.
You know you talk aboutexciting and terrifying and no
safety net.
It is exciting and terrifyingTo be in that position, but if
you weren't, You know like Ithink You're not gonna grow.
You know taking those bigchances and you know there may
not be a safety net, You are onthe tightrope loan.
(06:44):
I love that.
That was really good.
Really good comments.
I'm taken from that.
So can you give us your bestprinciple of success and tell us
a story that illustrates this?
Jason Demers (07:00):
I think my best I've got a couple and they go
hand in hand and one and this Ilearned through the work that I
did with US Congress and tryingto get some legislation changed
is that influence is ultimatelymore important than control and
it's actually more achievable.
And the second part to that isand it sounds a little more of
(07:20):
the along the cliche side ishonesty, and integrity is really
all you have control of at theend of the day.
Everything else belongs toothers and how they respond to
you.
So I would say that theinfluence over control aspect of
that is understanding.
I was starting as a Canadianstarting out very fresh in the
(07:44):
US marketplace and particularlythe political marketplace, and
so understanding how toinfluence legislative leaders in
the United States state andtribal leaders.
You can't control how theyrespond to you.
You can only be sincere andopen with people and allow them
(08:06):
to respond how they respond.
So I would say that the abilityto influence the US Congress to
pass helium legislation in arecord period from it was
introduced and passed within twoyears and that was done by
influence.
Lisa Peters (08:27):
Wow, okay, i'm going to step back maybe I don't
know how many years and I'mgoing to go to your education
because, listening to you, youmade a comment earlier about you
were a doer, so I'm not sure.
did you graduate with anengineering degree?
You know, you taught us, likeI'm not.
was it a trades?
because you are at a positionof influence and I just wanted
(08:49):
to.
what did you take?
What did you do?
Is it just all the work you'vecreated, like?
give me a little insight onthat.
Jason Demers (08:56):
Well, let's just say it took me a couple of tries
to get through grade 12.
So, honestly, like I was a lowlevel grade student, i did
graduate high school and that'smy highest level of education.
The rest of it is based onnetworking, on creating real
(09:22):
relationships and not justtransactional relationships,
which has at times burned me andhurt me.
But I've been accused of havingan over inflamed sense of
fairness when I deal with people, that I deal with people the
way I expect that they should bedealing with me.
And that's in the businessworld.
That's not always the case.
Even in personal life that'snot always the case.
(09:44):
So it was, you know, to yourquestion.
there is no academic path thatI don't even know that you could
take an academic path, maybepolitical sciences and things
like that, but it was more aboutunderstanding who you need to
know and getting to know them.
Wow.
Lisa Peters (10:04):
Yeah, thank you for sharing that, because I think
sometimes we listen to leaderslike yourself and we think, oh,
you know, they're masters,they're engineers, they're
masters of this, and just tohear your story, i mean, it was,
it's grassroots, i love it.
So I just appreciate youanswering that question.
So third question is we learnmore from our failures and
(10:25):
mistakes than successes.
Would you share?
Would you share one of thegreatest failures or mistakes
that you've learned from?
and you're laughing already?
Jason Demers (10:36):
On that question.
I mean, i've been through thisinterview process on the later
impact before and, and everytime I come to that question I
have a whole new list offailures and so or learnings,
right, yeah, and so it's alwayswhich?
which one do you share on howit leads in?
so I think one of the one ofthe biggest learning
(10:59):
opportunities I had was knowing,knowing your deal, knowing what
you want out of it, and I'mbeginning, with the end in mind,
to use that I I was able tonavigate and set up meetings
with some very big, corporate,high-powered companies that that
were Very interested in what Ihad to say and that, in what I
(11:22):
was presenting and in theopportunity that I laid out.
One of my, one of my skill setsor strengths is Sharing a
vision, is getting people to seethe vision of what I'm working
on, and and that's that'shelpful in building interest and
excitement.
And I had.
I had seven of the top VPs andexecutives of a large us
(11:43):
Corporation at the table lookingat my, looking at my deal.
I laid out all the pieces of itat the end of the conversation
over a period of hours in aconference room in Houston.
They said So what are youlooking for from us?
And I had no idea what that,what that meant, and I I got to
(12:03):
a point where they were all alleating from the trough, but I
didn't know exactly what I waslooking for from them and I
didn't even have anything topropose.
So that I was, i was sent homewith my tail between my legs and
understanding that, boy, nexttime you you get in front of
people and want to present adeal, make sure you come
(12:23):
prepared with What is it youwant from them, what is your,
what is the desired outcome?
and that's where the Begin withthe end in mind has become my
mantra and most meetings and andbusinesses.
Lisa Peters (12:36):
Oh, that's great.
I think too many times we It'sfunny because I'll get asked to
go to meetings and I'm like what, what is the point?
What do you need from me?
get to the you know and to notto go into the meeting and not
know?
um, did you just?
you go in thinking they're not,they weren't, they weren't
going to give to you or theyweren't going to.
Was just listening, like howwas the meeting set up?
Jason Demers (12:58):
I went in misunderstanding happen.
Yeah.
So it sounds simple when you'reon the outside, but when you're
living it, it's it's a littlemore forest in the tree scenario
.
I I went into this meetingthinking, believing that they
know more about the business I'min, then I do, and that they
would have some ideas as to howwe could work together and then
(13:18):
how they, how they would want tostructure a deal.
So I left that door openwithout having any sort of
backstop to say This is, this iswhat I would like to see us do.
So when that, when thatquestion came up, i expected
that they would have an answerAnd I was wrong.
Lisa Peters (13:36):
Yeah, oh, that is a great lesson.
Hard failure That that was skin.
Jason Demers (13:41):
That skin the knees and the nose and the elbow
is all all at the same time andyou know in high in retrospect
I go.
Well, duh Like you, you shouldgo in knowing the answer.
But yeah, that was a bigfailure.
Lisa Peters (13:53):
Yeah, yeah, i don't think you've done it again.
I mean, there's probably othermistakes, but you haven't done
that one again.
Jason Demers (13:58):
That one I have not repeated.
Yeah.
Lisa Peters (14:00):
Yeah, so are you the type of guy that asks for
help?
I'm just asking.
Jason Demers (14:04):
Yes, actually, i actually find that None of this
stuff that I've been able to doI would ever be able to have
done on my own, and it's allhelped from people in all
different aspects, whether it'smentors to help me really
evaluate what I'm thinking orthe direction I'm thinking of
(14:25):
taking, or people that I havethe opportunity being I'll call
it that.
The lesser educated side isthat I don't believe I know a
whole lot, in fact.
I believe that I know verylittle about a lot of things.
So there are people who know alot more about most things than
I do and I'm more than happy toengage.
Lisa Peters (14:46):
Yeah, i'm happy to surround myself with those
people.
Right, i don't have the answers.
I've got a great support grouparound me, all right.
So at Leader Impact, we want togrow personally, professionally
and spiritually for increasingimpact.
So would you be willing toshare an example of how the
spiritual makes a practicaldifference in your life as a
(15:08):
leader?
Jason Demers (15:10):
It certainly does, and I've found that faith is
something to be practiced, and Ifeel like I've had an immersion
in the situations that requirefaith to be able to provide
direction and guidance.
(15:31):
It's like speaking anotherlanguage If you're immersed in
the culture of it, you learn itfaster, and I think faith is the
same when you're in situationswhere you do need to depend on a
power greater than yourself.
And so I don't really have asingle point example, but I'd
like to say more of an ongoingjourney of experiences that test
(15:54):
and temper your faith, and Ithink that probably one of the
greatest opportunities I'vefound is that the network, the
business network that I'vecreated today is.
I'm surrounded by people offaith, of Christians, and the
power of being able to build arelationship on sharing your
(16:15):
faith.
The vulnerability that comeswith sharing your faith,
especially in business at times,really builds some foundational
relationships, and I thinkthat's where a lot of my solid
network connections are made isthrough just being vulnerable
and sharing your faith.
Lisa Peters (16:32):
And are you referring to your leader impact
groups, because I know you'reinvolved, i think.
Jason Demers (16:37):
Yeah, i've been involved with the leader impact
here in Calgary for well, sinceleader impact came to Calgary
and prior to that.
So I mean that's a great place.
That's also a very safe place,i find.
But I'm actually referring tothe broader business community.
Some of the a number of thebusiness network contacts that I
(16:59):
have, we've built arelationship to a point where we
know each other's faith.
We talk about our faith.
So it's outside of the safegroup setting And it's in that
open business.
We talk about it with people onCapitol Hill.
I talk about it with people inmeetings And it's not so much a
(17:21):
soapbox profession as justmaking sure that I put myself
out there and they know that I'ma Christian And some people try
to use that as a negotiatingpoint.
But I found most people willopen up with their faith or
their perspective or havequestions, And that's a great
(17:42):
place to build a relationshipfrom.
Lisa Peters (17:44):
Wow, that is a great story, a good example.
I think it's a tough one to notcome out but to talk about it.
I think in a business Istruggle to just bring it up.
I try to, like wear the crossmight start the conversation.
Of course it's how I act, it'show I treat people, that I hope
(18:08):
you know I'm a Christian, butthe conversation I can struggle
with.
I will freely admit that.
So listening to you share thisis a good inspiration.
So thank you for sharing.
Jason Demers (18:21):
It's definitely not one of those things that
comes naturally.
We tend to, i think, as people.
Certain people are reallycalled on this, but I think as
people, we tend to be veryguarded about sharing our faith,
and especially in today'ssociety where there is such a
polarization that betweenChristianity and the rest of the
world sort of thing, so it's ascarier place to be open.
Lisa Peters (18:44):
Yeah, well, i appreciate you being open.
All right, well, i have twofinal questions.
I ask these questions of all myguests on my show.
You know that leader impact isdedicated to leaders having a
lasting impact.
We've talked about that.
So, as you continue to movethrough your own journey, have
you considered what you wantyour faith legacy to be when you
leave this world?
Jason Demers (19:06):
You know, when you pose that question, it's one of
those that I don't often thinkabout but, funnily enough, my
wife and I were just talkingabout it over the weekend in
that, with our grandchildren,with our children and our
grandchildren, it's instillingthe word and the faith of God in
(19:27):
our grandchildren and helpingbe those guides.
I think that as a legacy, foras a faith legacy, knowing that
another generation after us isgrounded in their faith is about
the greatest legacy I couldhave.
Lisa Peters (19:46):
Yeah, that is a wonderful legacy and I
completely agree.
We are here to lead ourchildren, so my last question is
what brings you the greatestjoy?
Jason Demers (20:01):
I asked my wife that this morning I said what
brings me the greatest joy,which she said her And you know
she's not wrong.
But so that's a broad spectrumquestion.
The one component of it is thegreatest joy is hearing my two
year old grandson, when I walkin, go it's papa and be all
excited, and hearing that in hisvoice just brings me joy every
(20:24):
single time And on a more.
On another level, i find whatbrings me a lot of deep joy is
being given the opportunity toserve somebody, help somebody
who is really in need, kind ofin a spontaneous way, and that I
(20:45):
always come away from thoseexperiences just filled with joy
in the spirit.
Lisa Peters (20:49):
Yeah, that is great answers, Jason.
That was really good.
So I wanna thank you.
Just it has been a quick 20minutes.
It has been a pleasure to meetyou again because I know we've
met.
I don't could have been longtime ago, because somehow there
was three or two years of ourlives that just I think it was
(21:12):
this way because it was the zoomthat we met, so it must have
been somewhere in there.
But I just wanna thank you fortaking the time out of your day.
You are a very busy guy tocatch up to, so I just wanna
thank you for joining us.
Your answers are so just highlevel leadership and for me it's
like a servant leadership.
It's just.
It was really great to talk toyou and to hear you with your
(21:36):
answers.
I appreciate your time.
Jason Demers (21:38):
Thank you, lisa, it was a pleasure.
Lisa Peters (21:40):
All right.
Well, this ends our podcastwith you, but if anyone wants to
connect with you, what is thebest way to find you?
Jason Demers (21:46):
The only social way to social platform to
connect with me is on LinkedIn.
Lisa Peters (21:51):
All right.
Jason Demers (21:52):
You can find me there under the critical mineral
side.
Lisa Peters (21:54):
All right, well again, thank you.
Thank you, Jason.
Jason Demers (21:57):
Thank you, lisa.
Lisa Peters (21:58):
All right.
Well, if you're part of LeaderImpact, you can always discuss
or share this podcast with yourgroup.
And if you're not yet a part ofLeader Impact, would like to
find out more and grow yourleadership, find our podcast
page on our website atleaderimpactca and check out our
free leadership assessment.
You will also find on ourwebpage chapter one of Braden
Douglas's book Becoming a Leaderof Impact.
(22:19):
It is an amazing leadershipbook.
You can also check out groupsavailable in Canada at
leaderimpactca or, if you'relistening from anywhere else in
the world, check outleaderimpactcom or get in touch
with us by email info atleaderimpactca and we will
connect you.
And if you like this podcast,please leave us a comment, give
us a rating or review.
This will help other globalleaders find our podcast.
(22:41):
Thank you for engaging with usand remember Impact starts with
you.
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